Inside Buckingham Palace & See The Westminster Sights Tour

Buckingham Palace is the star here, but the best part of this outing is the way it links the palace to Westminster’s grandest sights. You walk from Green Park past Trafalgar Square, Downing Street, Horse Guards Parade, Parliament Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye before entering the royal residence.

I like the small group format and the chance to see the Changing of the Guard on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday departures at 10am. Guides Will and Jason have both earned strong praise for making the walk lively and giving you time for photos. The main catch is that the Westminster walk can feel brisk, and there is no lunch break, so bring water and a snack.

Key points to know

• Buckingham Palace access: Enter 19 state rooms, the royal gardens, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.
• Three-hour Westminster walk: See major landmarks from the outside, including Big Ben, Downing Street, and Westminster Abbey.
• Changing of the Guard: Included only on the 10am tours held Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday, and subject to cancellation.
• Small group and local guide: Guides such as Will and Jason add commentary, directions, and time for photographs.
• Seasonal opening: Buckingham Palace welcomes visitors only from roughly mid-July through late September.
• Five hours on foot: Comfortable shoes, a drink, food, and an umbrella will make the day easier.

Buckingham Palace, then a long walk through Westminster

This tour gives you two different London experiences in one half-day. First comes a guided walk through central London, where your guide helps you make sense of the buildings and ceremonies around Westminster. Then you continue into Buckingham Palace on your own, using the included multilingual audio guide.

That division matters. Your guide leads the outdoor portion and takes you to the palace entrance, but does not accompany you through the state rooms. Inside, the audio guide lets you set your own pace. You can linger over a painting, move quickly through a crowded room, or spend extra time in the gardens without trying to keep up with a group.

The total duration is five hours. The first three hours are largely spent walking, followed by about two hours at Buckingham Palace. I would treat this as a sightseeing walk with a palace visit attached, not as a quiet palace tour with a short introduction.

Meeting by The Ritz and finding the group

The meeting point is outside The Ritz London at 150 Piccadilly. Look for two red telephone boxes and two souvenir stands under one of The Ritz signs. Green Park Underground station is the closest Tube stop.

From Green Park station, take the left-hand exit. You will come out by stairs and a ramp, then walk toward The Ritz. This is a useful detail because the area has several exits, and choosing the wrong one can send you in the opposite direction before the tour even begins.

Plan to arrive ready to walk. The tour does not include hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, or transportation back to your hotel. You need to make your own way to the meeting point and arrange your return after the palace visit.

The Westminster route, landmark by landmark

The outdoor route covers a lot of ground in three hours. Your guide supplies the connecting story, while the stops give you familiar London views and photo chances. You should not expect entry into each attraction. The emphasis is on seeing the exteriors and understanding how this part of the city fits together.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is an easy early stop from the Green Park area. It gives you one of London’s most recognizable public spaces, with room for photographs and a clear sense of the city’s ceremonial center.

The stop is scheduled for about 20 minutes. That is enough for a look and some pictures, but not enough for a relaxed visit to every corner of the square or its surrounding galleries. You will get a useful introduction rather than a long pause.

Horse Guards Parade

Horse Guards Parade brings you closer to London’s military pageantry. The broad ceremonial setting helps explain why royal and state events use this part of Whitehall.

Again, the focus is sightseeing from outside. Your guide leads the group, points out the important features, and keeps the route moving toward the next stop. If you enjoy ceremony and uniforms, this part of the walk adds context before the Changing of the Guard later in the day.

Downing Street

At 10 Downing Street, you see the famous entrance associated with the British prime minister. The visit is a guided sightseeing stop, not an interior tour.

This is a good example of what the Westminster portion does well. You see several places that are difficult to fit together on your own, and you get a quick explanation at each one without spending half a day inside a single museum.

Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey

Parliament Square is one of the most rewarding points on the route. From here, you can take in the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and nearby statues and government buildings.

The schedule allows about 40 minutes in this area, longer than most individual stops. That gives you more time for photos and for taking in the scale of the buildings. Westminster Abbey is seen from the outside rather than visited inside, so book this tour with the expectation that you will not tour the abbey’s interior.

Big Ben is included as part of the Parliament area. The view is one of the classic London photographs, especially when you frame the clock tower with the surrounding parliamentary buildings. The London Eye is also part of the Westminster sightseeing route, adding a modern counterpoint across the river.

The Changing of the Guard: timing matters

The Changing of the Guard is not available on every departure. It takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday tours that begin at 10am. The British Army controls the schedule, and extreme weather can cause a cancellation.

If this ceremony is a priority, choose one of those specific departures and keep your plans flexible. It is not something you can add later to another start time. Even on the correct day, the schedule may change, so avoid booking a tightly timed attraction immediately afterward.

The ceremony is one of the tour’s strongest selling points because your guide helps position the walk within the wider royal setting. Still, it is a public ceremony, not a private performance. Crowds and changing conditions are part of the experience, and you should be prepared to stand and wait at points.

Entering Buckingham Palace for the state rooms

After the Westminster walk, your guide takes you to Buckingham Palace and helps you reach the entrance. From there, you go inside without the guide and use the included audio guide, available in multiple languages.

The palace visit includes 19 state rooms. These formal rooms contain royal furniture and works from the Royal Collection, so the visit is less about seeing private family life and more about entering the ceremonial rooms used for official royal business and receptions.

I like this setup for independent explorers. You are not tied to a guide’s pace once you pass through the entrance. The tradeoff is that you lose the personal commentary and questions you had during the walking tour. If you want every room explained live, this format may feel less personal.

The palace portion lasts about two hours. That is enough time to see the main rooms without making the indoor visit an all-day affair. Since opening dates are limited to the period from mid-July through late September, you need to plan your London schedule around the seasonal window.

The royal gardens and Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition

Your ticket also includes access to the royal gardens. This gives the palace visit a change of pace after the formal interiors and the long city walk.

The gardens are not simply an extra photo stop. They give you a chance to slow down, take a breath, and see the palace setting from a different angle. I would save enough energy for this section rather than rushing straight to the exit after the state rooms.

The Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition is included as well. It adds another layer to the visit by focusing on Queen Victoria and the palace’s royal story. The supplied information does not specify the exhibition’s exact displays or duration, so allow time for it but keep your schedule flexible.

Is $101 a fair price?

At $101 per person, the value depends on how much of the day you would arrange yourself. The fee includes palace admission, the gardens, the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition, the three-hour guided Westminster walk, and the Changing of the Guard when your selected departure qualifies.

Buckingham Palace admission alone is the main cost driver. Adding a guide for the Westminster route saves you from planning a route between widely scattered landmarks, checking the best order, and finding each location yourself. The small group format also gives you a more manageable setting than a large coach outing.

The price is less compelling if you only want to enter Buckingham Palace. You could prefer a palace visit on its own, with more control over your arrival and departure time. It is also less ideal if you dislike extended walking or need a proper meal break in the middle of the day.

For a first London visit, I think the price is reasonable when you want a packed introduction to royal London and central Westminster in one booking. Bring your own food and drinks, since lunch is not included and the schedule does not provide a dedicated lunch stop.

Pace, comfort, and group size

Five hours is a substantial block of sightseeing. The walking portion lasts about three hours, and the route moves through busy central areas before the palace visit. Comfortable shoes are essential, not optional.

An umbrella is also sensible. The Changing of the Guard may be cancelled in extreme weather, but ordinary London rain does not necessarily stop the walking tour. Carry a small snack and something to sip so you are not searching for food while the group is moving between landmarks.

The tour is described as wheelchair accessible. If you have specific mobility needs, you should still confirm the practical details at booking, since the route includes several outdoor stops and a long walking period.

The small group size is a real advantage. You can hear the guide more easily, ask questions, and take photos without losing a large crowd. The strongest praise has gone to guides Will and Jason, with particular emphasis on entertaining commentary, clear storytelling, and enough time for pictures. Guide quality can vary by departure, but those names give you a useful sense of the tone to expect: friendly, lively, and focused on keeping the walk enjoyable.

What this tour does best, and where it falls short

The tour’s biggest strength is its combination of access and orientation. You do not merely arrive at Buckingham Palace, take a few pictures, and leave. You first walk through the political and ceremonial heart of London, then enter the royal residence with a better sense of the city around it.

The palace interiors and gardens are another strong point. The 19 state rooms, the Royal Collection, and the Queen Victoria exhibition give you plenty to see after the outdoor route. The audio guide also lets you choose your own pace once the live guiding ends.

The main weakness is the packed schedule. Three hours of walking followed by two hours at the palace can be tiring, especially for children. One visitor specifically wished for a lunch break and felt the Westminster portion did not show every major Westminster sight. That is fair criticism. The tour covers many landmarks, but quick stops are not the same as a full visit to each one.

You should also understand the difference between seeing and entering. You see Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Parliament Square, Big Ben, and the London Eye as part of the guided route. Buckingham Palace is the major interior visit. If you want to tour Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament inside, you will need separate plans.

Who should book this five-hour outing?

I would recommend it to a first-time London visitor who wants a strong overview without spending hours on route planning. It suits anyone interested in royal tradition, government buildings, famous city views, and a guided walk with a relatively small group.

Families can enjoy the variety, but parents should pack snacks and judge the three-hour walk carefully. Younger children may find the pace long, especially with no planned lunch break.

This is also a good choice for visitors who prefer structure. You meet at a clear central location, follow a planned route, watch the ceremony on eligible dates, and finish with a major attraction. Independent visitors who want to linger at every stop may prefer separate bookings.

Book during the palace’s summer opening period, from mid-July to late September. If the Changing of the Guard is important, select a 10am Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday departure and accept that weather or military scheduling can alter the ceremony.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want Buckingham Palace entry plus a guided Westminster overview in one half-day, and if a brisk walking pace suits you. The palace rooms, gardens, exhibition, and small-group commentary make the $101 price easier to justify than a palace ticket alone.

Skip it if you need a leisurely schedule, a guaranteed meal break, or detailed interior tours of Westminster Abbey and Parliament. For most first visits during the palace’s short opening season, though, this is a practical way to connect London’s royal ceremony, political center, and most famous sights.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts five hours. About three hours are devoted to the guided Westminster walking tour, followed by roughly two hours at Buckingham Palace.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is outside The Ritz London at 150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR. Look for two red telephone boxes and two souvenir stands under one of The Ritz signs.

Which Tube station is closest?

Green Park Underground station is the nearest Tube station. Use the left-hand exit, then follow the stairs or ramp toward The Ritz Hotel.

Is the Changing of the Guard included?

It is included on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday tours that start at 10am. The ceremony can be cancelled in extreme weather, and its schedule is controlled by the British Army.

Can I enter Westminster Abbey on this tour?

No. Westminster Abbey is a sightseeing stop on the guided walk. The tour does not include an interior visit to the abbey.

What is included inside Buckingham Palace?

Your ticket includes entry to 19 state rooms, the royal gardens, the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition, and a multilingual audio guide.

Does the tour guide accompany me inside Buckingham Palace?

No. Your guide takes you to Buckingham Palace after the walking tour but does not accompany you through the palace interiors.

Is food included?

No. Lunch and drinks are not included. Bring something to sip and nibble on because the five-hour schedule does not include a dedicated lunch break.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve your place and pay later, keeping your plans flexible.