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St James's Palace

St James's Palace: Our most recommended tours and activities

London: Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

1. London: Tootbus Must-See Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Cruise

Discover all of London's top attractions and landmarks on the Must See London tour. With the flexibility to hop on and off at any of the stops, you can explore each destination in more depth. The open-top deck offers some of the best views of the city, allowing you to plan your itinerary with ease. See iconic landmarks such as Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and St. Paul's Cathedral, among others. Complete your London experience with a Thames River cruise that takes you from Westminster to Tower Pier. Whether you choose a 1, 2, or 3-day pass, you'll have the time to explore the famous sights, take a relaxing walk in one of London's parks, and visit charming neighborhoods like Notting Hill, Shoreditch, and Brick Lane. Your pass is valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours from the first validation, allowing you to hop on and off the bus as many times as you want during that period.

London: German-Speaking Guided Tour of Westminster

2. London: German-Speaking Guided Tour of Westminster

Start your 2.5-hour tour of Westminster's best attractions near Green Park Underground Station, led by a German-speaking guide. Enjoy an unspoiled view of Buckingham Palace, the main London residence of the British Monarchy since Queen Victoria's time. View the Horse Guards ride past on their way to the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Continue your walk along The Mall, the famous red-paved street and ceremonial route the King takes when leaving Buckingham Palace. Follow in the steps of your qualified City of London and City of Westminster guide across the fascinating area of central London. Stroll past Clarence House, St. James' Palace, and Trafalgar Square before you arrive at Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square.

London: Buckingham Palace Tickets with Royal Walking Tour

3. London: Buckingham Palace Tickets with Royal Walking Tour

Enjoy a guided walking tour of the royal sights in London. See top sights like St. James's Palace, Clarence House, and The Mall. Save time with skip-the-line tickets to Buckingham Palace and dive into the royal residence with the official palace audio guide. Meet your guide near Buckingham Palace and head out on a guided walking tour of the most royal part of London. Hear fascinating background information about the Palace and the royal family, as well as the magnificent St. James's Palace, which was built by Henry VIII. Visit the beautiful St. James's Park, and the Mall which was built to resemble a giant red carpet leading up to the Palace. Pass by Clarence House which was home to Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Enter the grand halls of Buckingham Palace which is open to visitors for a limited time each year. Get tickets that will give you guaranteed access with no time wasted waiting in line. Marvel at the lavish apartments, sparkling chandeliers, and sumptuous furnishings. View some of the greatest treasures of the Royal Collection, such as exquisite pieces of Sèvres porcelain and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world. Using the official palace audio guide, learn about the palace residents, history, and traditions, as well as stories about the furnishings and ornaments. Many of these items were gifts over the centuries from heads of state from around the globe.

London: Three Palaces Guided Walking Tour and High Tea

4. London: Three Palaces Guided Walking Tour and High Tea

Discover the Royal Family's palaces and then experience the original Royal English Tea with traditional sandwiches, cakes, and scones on the grounds of Kensington Palace. Take in St. James Palace, the Mall, Buckingham Palace, and more. Ride a quintessential red bus to the Albert Hall. Start with a stroll to St. James Palace and the Mall, Then, take a moment to see Buckingham Palace, the main Royal Residence in London, and try and witness the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. Maybe catch a glimpse of the mounted King's Life Guard Soldiers if the King is resident in London. Next, jump on an iconic red bus and head to the Royal Albert Hall. See the Albert Memorial and take a leisurely stroll through Kensington Gardens. Soak in the beautiful gardens created 200 years ago and see where Prince Harry and William grew up. Experience the full splendor of High Tea on the grounds of a breathtaking landmark and gain personal insights into the Royal Family and the fascinating history of Britain's national drink during the ceremony of afternoon tea.

London: Changing of the Guard Walking Tour

5. London: Changing of the Guard Walking Tour

Meet your guide at Piccadilly Circus and get an introduction to the background of the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Hear what you will be doing for the next 1 hour and 45 minutes. Then proceed as a group toward The Mall. Pass by Pall Mall and Waterloo Place. Here you will learn more about the British Army and its greatest general, the Duke of Wellington. Once on The Mall, see the extraordinary monuments to royals and generals. Get a view of St. James's Park. Admire the most beautiful of the royal parks and look at the majestic open space of Horse Guards Parade. Continue toward St. James's Palace. On the way, you might see the Household Cavalry en route from their barracks in Hyde Park. The main focus, however, will be to watch the foot soldiers emerge from St. James's Palace ready for their uniform inspection. They will then march to Buckingham Palace, sometimes accompanied by a band. If you're lucky, they may even play a song! One of the highlights of your tour will be to march in step with the guards as they leave St. James's Palace. Then watch as the New Guard emerges from Wellington Barracks. He will often be accompanied by a full ceremonial band. Take a photo of Buckingham Palace from a raised platform. The tour ends with a flourish as the band plays in the palace courtyard. Marvel as the cavalry and guardsmen march past. Your guide will then help you get to your next port of call. 

British Royalty: Changing of The Guard Walking Tour

6. British Royalty: Changing of The Guard Walking Tour

Once you have met your guide, head through Green Park to Buckingham Palace where you will be able to watch the Changing of the Guard. After watching the Changing of the Guard you will walk down the Mall, the red-colored road that is adorned by two royal parks and palaces. The Mall is the most important road in the UK where national celebrations are held. You will see where Prince Charles lives, Clarence House. Continue on your walking tour exploring the area while listening to your guide talk about the history of the area as well as fun facts along the way.  Learn about the Royal palaces, to the parks, squares, and fountains you will see that are important to the British Monarchy.

London: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Walking Tour

7. London: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Walking Tour

We start the tour with Westminster Abbey where Her Majesty the Queen was married in 1947 and crowned in 1953. It is the burial place of Kings & Queens from the 11th century and where they have all been crowned since 1066. The current splendid gothic church held the Queen's funeral, as per tradition, on the 19th of September 2022. Next to the Abbey is the Palace of Westminster in which are the Houses of Parliament. This Palace was a royal residence from 1040-1512 and thereafter exclusively Parliament. Now we follow the funeral procession route to St. James's Park, the oldest of London's royal parks. This park has been open to the public for centuries and it's next to the great royal avenue, The Mall. Along The Mall, we see Marlborough House, the house where the Queen visited her widowed grandmother Queen Mary between 1936 and 1953, the year of her death. In 1956, the Queen gave the house to the Commonwealth Secretariat. Beside it, we view St. James's Palace built for King Henry VIII in the 1530s. Here the Queen's Accession was first proclaimed after her father's death was announced in 1952 and similarly the new King Charles III was proclaimed on the 11th of September 2022. The King lived here for a few years as Prince of Wales following his separation from his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. The adjoining residence is Clarence House where the Queen, Princess Elizabeth, lived the first 4 years of her married life. As she became Queen she moved out and her widowed mother moved in and resided there until her death in 2002. We end at Buckingham Palace where the Queen lived whilst still Princess with her parents until 1947 and then again as Queen from 1952 until her recent death. This is one of the more recent royal residences acquired from the Duke of Buckingham by King George III in 1761 and used as a smaller private residence until enlarged into a palace in the 1820s for King George IV and again in the 1840s for Queen Victoria

Buckingham Palace Exterior and Royal History Private Tour

8. Buckingham Palace Exterior and Royal History Private Tour

Follow the royal route from Trafalgar Square to the Buckingham Palace with a Private Guide who is an expert in royal history of Britain. Learn about Queen Elizabeth II, her predecessors and successors. Discover interesting facts about the British monarchy and the government, and see royal heritage sites in Westminster, London. Join this exclusive 2-hour tour to see Buckingham Palace (exterior only) It is the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II and of England's most famous landmarks. Your royal adventure will begin at the historic Trafalgar Square, where you can find statues of James II, George IV and Charles I. Pass under the monumental Admiralty Arch and see the site of the famous Horse Guards Parade, which is always guarded by the Queen’s Cavalry. Follow part of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk through St James Park while listening to the story of the British royal family, from James VI and I (who united England and Scotland) to the present monarch, Elizabeth II. Your Expert Guide will help you understand the family tree of the Windsor family, their titles, public roles and the royal lifestyle. You will see the 16th-century St James Palace and the iconic Queen Victoria Memorial with formal gardens. The tour will end at the gates of Buckingham Palace, where you can meet the Queen, or at least see her loyal guards in their iconic red coats. Choose the 3,5-hour option to enjoy this exclusive royal history tour with private car transfers from your London accommodation. Avoid getting lost by booking a convenient pickup and drop-off service. We will organize a 5-Star Driver and a private vehicle exclusively for your group of friends/family so you will not have to share with other passengers. Join the 4-hour tour to see the Buckingham Palace (exterior only) and highlights of the City of Westminster, London! During this original tour you can learn more about the British constitutional monarchy, that is, the unique relationship between the Queen and the government. Admire the mighty Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, the center of British democracy. See iconic sights such as the Big Ben, Downing Street and other historic buildings and monuments along Whitehall. The 5,5-hour option includes an extended walking tour and private transport. Enjoy exploring the City of Westminster, from Westminster Abbey to the Buckingham Palace, and benefit from convenient transfers with pickup and drop-off at the address provided when booking. We guarantee a hassle free experience that will make the tour more enjoyable.

London: Tower of London Opening Ceremony & Westminster Tour

9. London: Tower of London Opening Ceremony & Westminster Tour

You’re invited to the opening ceremony at the Tower of London, to be first in to explore the Crown Jewels, to join us on an adventure from the old City to the regal city of Westminster. Welcome to the Ultimate Royal London experience. Why join the queue when you can be first into the Tower of London to enjoy the opening ceremony led by a Beefeater and see the Crown Jewels without the crowds? We’re about to read you the story of London, a tale of two cities where you’ll be exploring from crowns to confessions. After benefiting from early access and a special ceremony with the Beefeaters, you’ll explore the Tower that has been keeping a watchful eye over the city and the river Thames since its founding in the 11th-century. Meet your expert English-speaking guide who will give you the lowdowns and highlights of this historic fortress before you go inside to enjoy the Opening Ceremony and discover it on your own. Rejoin your guide for a relaxing boat ride on the River Thames, alighting in the royal city of Westminster to take a walking tour of the iconic landmarks that dot these streets like jewels - Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace. You’ll even have time to get snaps with the snazzily dressed mounted cavalry- all paired with the incredible stories, anecdotes and historical gems shared by your expert guide. Come saunter with us for this well-paced crash course into London’s royal history that you’ll never forget.

Magic of London Tour with Afternoon Tea at Harrods

10. Magic of London Tour with Afternoon Tea at Harrods

Take a full-day tour of London’s most iconic sights on this 9-hour panoramic guided tour. You will soon be on your way, enjoying the city in all its glory as you drive past some of London's most famous landmarks. Visit St Paul’s Cathedral exploring the masterpiece designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1673, taking time to listen to the 1695 organ that Mendelssohn once played and visit the tombs of Nelson and Wellington.  Continue to The Mall to watch the Changing of the Guards, as one of the Queen's Foot Guard Household Regiment march from St. James Palace to Buckingham Palace to military music, dressed in their famous tunics and busbies. If the Changing of the Guard is not taking place, you will still stop at Buckingham Palace for photos. Next you will visit the historic Tower of London where you'll gain fascinating insights into the history of this Royal Palace and fortress. Ample time will be given to view the Crown Jewels and the White Tower and to wander around this imposing fortress. Then enjoy a private River Thames cruise and see top attractions such as Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. To round off the day, enjoy a delicious cream tea at The Georgian Restaurant at Harrods. Your cream tea includes home-baked English scones served with clotted cream and preserves, choice of tea from Harrods own tea gardens plus a glass of sparkling wine. The tour ends here leaving you the rest of the afternoon to explore the world’s most famous department store.

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What people are saying about St James's Palace

Overall rating

4.3 / 5

based on 3,291 reviews

This was the most beautiful tour journey I ever had. It was rich of information given in a very exciting way. Many thanks to Mike. He is so talented and professional and could utilise each second of the 5 hours that we did not realise how the time really went. Thank you Mike

This tour is a must for first time visitors or returning travelers to London. Great to do at the beginning of your trip so you can go back and revisit any places afterwards and there were heaps of photo opportunities which our guide (who was fantastic) helped us with.

We had a great guide. Tim. He was fun and not a tight British fella. He gave some nice insides and backstories. Not all political correctness, but with a laughing eye.

Super helpful staff, great route, easy to get to the main tourist attractions from the route - superb boat tour

Very good organization. Regular buses. Friendly drivers