Save

Royal Westminster and Changing of the Guard: Get Intimate with London’s Majestic Royal Sights

4.6

114 Ratings

Greater London

Experience the majesty of London's royal sights on a walking tour. Get up close to Buckingham Palace, witness the Changing of the Guard, and explore Westminster Abbey's rich history.

Duration: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Changing of the Guard - Begin your tour with a journey through Royal London, witnessing some of the most famous Royal Houses and Palaces such as St. James’ Palace, Clarence House and Buckingham Palace. Enjoy the iconic Changing of the Guard Ceremony as you march down the Mall with the Queen’s footguards or marvel at the impressive horses of the Household Cavalry (daily itinerary is dependent upon the schedule of the British Army). Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the beautiful St James’ Royal Park to finish the first half of the tour.
Westminster - Our journey continues through historic Royal Westminster.
We pass Churchill’s War Rooms and onto Westminster Abbey - the site of every Royal Coronation since 1066, it is the most important church in England.
Explore Parliament Square with its array of impressive statues immortalizing such historical figures as Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Overlooking Parliament Square is the most famous sight in London - Big Ben. Admire the stunning gothic architecture of the Houses of Parliament before heading down to 10 Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister.
Capture the perfect photograph with the horses of the Queen’s Guard before exploring Horse Guards Parade.
Trafalgar Square - Finish the tour at Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson’s Column, one of the most impressive sights in London.

What's Included

Expert-guided walking tour

What's Not Included

No Food or Drink included
Gratuities
Entrance to inside of attractions

Additional Information

The Royal Westminster and Changing of the Guard walking tour offers an unrivalled, immersive experience into London’s most iconic Royal attractions. Be amazed at the grandeur of Buckingham Palace, walk alongside the King’s Guards on the Mall, and explore royal traditions at Westminster Abbey, the venue for all coronations since 1066.

Your guide will not only provide you with comprehensive information and interesting tales, but also assist you in finding the optimal spots to observe the globally acclaimed Changing of the Guard Ceremony. A significant number of individuals without guides find themselves in less favourable locations every day.
*Please review the following additional information for complete details about the Changing of the Guard.

Experience the charm of standing under London’s most renowned landmark, Big Ben, one moment, and touching one of the Household Cavalry’s horses the next. All of this and more awaits you on this unforgettable journey.

There will be access to public toilets halfway through the tour.
The Changing of the Guard (Foot Guards) ceremony at Buckingham Palace occurs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the tour will witness the Changing of the King’s Horse Guards at Horse Guards Parade ..
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony operates at the discretion of the British Army. It can be changed or cancelled without notice. This is beyond our control.
In the event of bad weather the Changing of the Guard Ceremony may be cancelled. The tour will endeavor to watch the Changing of the Horse Guards on these days.
Not recommended for those with walking difficulties as the tour can be a brisk walk in parts.

Location

Colicci Ritz Corner

The tour starts from the Goddess Diana fountain in Green Park, next to the Colicci refreshment stand. Enter Green Park via the entrance gates next to the Ritz Hotel. If taking the underground, disembark at Green Park Station. The Green Park/Buckingham Palace exit will lead you to the fountain.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.6

(114 Ratings)

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Emily_w

Apr 24, 2024

John is the best! - We had an amazing time on our tour! Our guide, John, was so knowledgable and energetic. We were able to hit all of the major spots without following all other tour groups. Even with road restrictions due to the London Marathon, John was able to navigate around everything with ease. This was definitely a highlight of our trip and we can’t recommend this tour and John enough!!

Review provided by Viator

Susan_p

Apr 23, 2024

Great well organized tour and a fun engaging tour guide - The tour was fun and organized. Out your guy John was funny and made the tour very entertaining & lively. He is very knowledgeable on every topic including on different types of squirrels and birds in the park. He knew exactly where crowd would be so we were always able to experience everything from the first row. He also kept our 9 yr old girl very interested and even gave her a fun task of holding the tour flag. We absolutely loved the tour and loved having John as our tour guide.

Review provided by Viator

Margaret_m

Apr 19, 2024

Wonderful Changing of the Guard Tour - Our tour guide, Allen, was a gem. He made the tour enjoyable even on a day that started out rainy and cold. At each step along the way, he explained what we were seeing and got us to the absolute best viewing spots. Along the way to Westminster Abbey he pointed out multiple sights that one would have overlooked on your own. I went back after lunch at a recomended pub and toured the interior of Westminster on my own. I would highly recommend this two-hour tour.

Review provided by Viator

Jekaterina

Apr 3, 2024

London Tour 2024 - Our guide was Rob, an absolute diamond. The tour was very informative, with a touch of English humor and interesting city stories. Answered all our group's questions and suggested many good places to visit outside of our tour. Thank you! I recommend to all

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Kblevin12

Mar 29, 2024

Fantastic morning tour - Fantastic tour with an amazing tour guide. John was spot on in timing and getting us in the right position for pictures. We even spotted a certain Monarch on his way to work.

Review provided by Viator

Kimlx5521wu

Mar 29, 2024

Fantastic morning - This tour was fantastic. Our tour leader, John, was delightful and really knew his information. His timing throughout the morning allowed us to see everything at the perfect time. Including the sighting of a certain monarch. We very much enjoyed our morning.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Kev172

Mar 27, 2024

The Best Changing of the Guard Tour! - This was an amazing tour! Our guide, Alan, was very knowledgeable and expedient in getting us to all the right places to see all the right things during the changing of the guard. We even got to see King Charles! You can’t beat this tour and its price.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

A4758mfjanicew

Mar 25, 2024

Experience it like a pro! - Great outting with our tour guide, Alan! He knew exactly where we needed to be and at what time so we could beat the crowds and experience the changing of the guards upfront. Great for kids who might otherwise get crowded out. Learned many fun facts along the way!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Loren_t

Apr 21, 2024

Be careful! - Great tour guide, unfortunately due to the marathon, many things were not accessible. The changing of the guard advertised in the title of this tour does not happen daily. As a result, we saw the horse guard, but that was also abbreviated. It would have been appreciate if the schedule were more specific and transparent that we would not see the foot guard on the day we scheduled. We were not the only ones disappointed when we realized the main event we signed up for was only on certain days.

Review provided by Viator

Edward_m