About this experience

What to expect

This full-day tour connects London's royal west end with its medieval east, and an expert English-speaking guide stays with you from the first landmark to the last. Timed entry gets you into Westminster Abbey ahead of the main queues, where a thousand years of coronations sit under one roof, from the Coronation Chair to the tombs in Poets' Corner. From there you walk past Big Ben and through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard, or the Horse Guards ceremony on days when the guard does not change. After free time for lunch near Trafalgar Square, you board a Thames clipper and watch Tower Bridge, City Hall, and the Shard pass from the water. The day finishes inside the Tower of London, where your guide covers Traitor's Gate, the Beefeaters, and nine centuries of royal history before you step into the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels. Groups are capped at 20 guests.

Before you go

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
• The Changing of the Guard does not take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, or in poor weather. On those days you see the Horse Guards ceremony instead.
• The Changing of the Guard may be canceled without notice due to weather or decisions by local authorities, and an alternative experience will be provided.
• The tour covers roughly seven hours on foot across London, from Westminster to the Tower, so a good level of fitness and comfortable shoes are needed.
• Westminster Abbey is a place of worship, so modest clothing is recommended.