Enter Buckingham Palace & See The Main Westminster Sights Tour

Buckingham Palace is the prize here: you first see London’s royal and political center on foot, then return to enter the palace itself. That combination gives you both the outside story and access to 19 state rooms, a privilege available only during the palace’s public opening period.

I like the small group of no more than 15 and the efficient route from Green Park to Big Ben. I also like the clear division between guided sightseeing and the palace visit, which lets you explore the royal rooms at your own pace.

The main consideration is that your guide does not enter Buckingham Palace with you. You receive your ticket and directions at the end of the walk, then use a multilingual audio guide inside. If you want a guide beside you throughout the palace, this is not that kind of tour.

Key points at a glance

• Buckingham Palace entry is included, along with the gardens and Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.
• The three-hour walk covers the essential Westminster sights, including Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Parliament Square, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.
• The group is capped at 15 people, a useful size for hearing your guide in busy central London.
• Changing of the Guard may be included on certain days, but the ceremony is not guaranteed every day.
• Guides Conner and Jason have earned particular praise for clear explanations, considerate help, and making the route easy to follow.
• The tour begins at 10:00 a.m. at The Ritz London and ends at Buckingham Palace, with no hotel transport or food included.

Why the palace entry changes the whole experience

Many London sightseeing walks take you past Buckingham Palace, snap a photo, and move on. This experience gives you a reason to return. After the walking portion, you enter the palace with a ticket covering the state rooms, gardens, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.

That makes the day feel more substantial than a simple Westminster orientation. You see the palace first as part of the city, surrounded by Green Park and the Royal Mall, then later examine the rooms where royal ceremonies and official business take place.

The palace portion lasts about two hours. You will use an audio guide in several languages rather than stay with the walking guide. I see that as a fair trade: the self-guided format lets you linger over royal furniture, artwork from the Royal Collection, and rooms that catch your attention.

The main limitation is timing. The palace visit follows a three-hour walk, so your feet may be ready for a rest by the time you enter. Bring water and a small snack, since lunch and drinks are not included. You should also plan your day around the five-hour duration, rather than treating this as a quick morning introduction.

Starting at The Ritz and crossing Green Park

The meeting point is The Ritz London at 150 Piccadilly. The tour starts at 10:00 a.m., so arrive with enough time to find the entrance and meet your guide without rushing.

From there, the route heads through Green Park toward Buckingham Palace. This is a pleasant way to approach the royal residence. Instead of arriving directly at a busy forecourt, you walk through one of central London’s open green spaces before the palace comes into view.

Your guide provides the royal context as you go. The information is meant to help you understand the palace as more than a grand facade, with stories about British royal history and the role of the building as the King’s official home.

This opening section is useful for first-time visitors because it gives you a sense of direction. You are not simply being driven between isolated landmarks. You move through the connected area around St. James’s, the Mall, Whitehall, and Westminster, which makes the rest of the morning easier to understand.

Buckingham Palace and the chance to see the Guard

The first Buckingham Palace stop lasts about an hour. You admire the exterior, hear about royal history, and continue along the Royal Mall afterward.

On certain days, the tour can include the Changing of the Guard. Your guide will look for a suitable viewing position when the ceremony is scheduled. This is an important point: the ceremony is not promised on every departure, so you should book this experience for the palace and Westminster route first, not solely for the guards.

The practical advantage of having a guide during this part is crowd management. Buckingham Palace can attract large numbers of people, especially when ceremonial activity is taking place. A small group makes it easier to stay together and hear what is being explained.

The tradeoff is that a good viewing position can never be guaranteed in a public space. Your guide can help you make the most of the timing, but the event itself depends on the day and official schedule.

Trafalgar Square, 20 minutes of London in one frame

From the Royal Mall, you continue to Trafalgar Square. The stop lasts about 20 minutes, enough to take in Nelson’s Column, the fountains, and the buildings around the square.

The National Gallery faces the square, but admission to the gallery is not part of this experience. That is not a serious problem for a sightseeing introduction, though art lovers should not confuse the stop with a museum visit.

Trafalgar Square works well as a central London orientation point. From here, you can see how the ceremonial route from the palace connects with the government district and Westminster. Your guide can give the square context while you take photographs and get your bearings.

Because the stop is short, do not expect time for a full look at the National Gallery or an extended break. Think of Trafalgar Square as a strong visual stop on a moving walking route.

Horse Guards Parade and the Whitehall story

The walk continues to Horse Guards Parade, near St. James’s Park. You stop by the famous arch and its distinctive clock, both useful subjects for photographs.

The area also helps explain how royal ceremony and government offices sit side by side in London. The route does not treat each sight as a separate postcard. It links the palace district to Whitehall, where the country’s political life has long been concentrated.

Next comes Whitehall itself. You see grand buildings and monuments, with Downing Street nearby. The tour points out the home and workplace of British Prime Ministers since 1735.

This section lasts about 20 minutes at each stop. That pace suits someone seeing London for the first time, but it will feel quick if you want to examine every monument. You get the big picture and the key photographs, not a long visit inside each site.

Parliament Square, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey

Parliament Square is one of the strongest parts of the walking route. From here, you see the Palace of Westminster, home of the Houses of Parliament, with Big Ben close by. The view also includes the London Eye and the Churchill Statue.

The stop lasts about 40 minutes, giving you more time than at several earlier points. That matters because there is plenty to take in from the square. You can look across the river toward the London Eye, study the details of Parliament, and photograph Big Ben from close range.

The tour does not include entry to the Houses of Parliament. It is an exterior sightseeing stop, so set your expectations accordingly. The same applies to Westminster Abbey, which you see from outside rather than enter as part of this experience.

Westminster Abbey receives a 20-minute stop. The building has more than 1,000 years of history and is the place where British kings and queens are crowned. Even a brief visit gives the church a clear role in the wider royal story you have been following since Buckingham Palace.

If entering Westminster Abbey is high on your list, you will need a separate ticket and more time. This tour is designed to show you the building and explain its importance, not replace a full interior visit.

Returning to Buckingham Palace for the main event

After the walking tour, you receive your palace ticket and directions. Your walking guide does not accompany you inside, so you shift from a live small-group experience to an independent visit with an audio guide.

That change of pace can work in your favor. You are free to spend more time with the rooms and displays that interest you, rather than keeping to the group’s schedule. The audio guide also makes the visit accessible to people who prefer listening at their own speed.

Inside, you tour 19 magnificent state rooms furnished with royal pieces and works from the Royal Collection. These rooms are the heart of the palace visit. They give you a sense of the formal side of royal life, with grand interiors and objects selected for their historical and artistic value.

You also have access to the royal gardens. The garden visit adds breathing room after several hours among major roads, squares, monuments, and crowds. It is a welcome contrast to the tightly packed sightseeing route through central London.

The Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition is included as well. Its focus gives the visit another layer, moving beyond the building’s public image and toward the royal history associated with Victoria.

Allow the full two hours if you can. The palace is not a quick photo stop, and rushing through it would weaken the value of the admission. Since the walking guide is no longer with you, the audio guide becomes the main source of explanation.

What the $101.83 price means

At $101.83 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Westminster. The price makes more sense if you want three things in one day: a guided introduction to central London, Buckingham Palace admission, and the convenience of a planned route between the main sights.

You are paying for a five-hour experience with a live guide for roughly three hours, a group limited to 15 people, the palace ticket, the gardens, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition. You are not paying for lunch, drinks, hotel transport, entry to Westminster Abbey, or entry to the National Gallery.

The value is strongest for a first visit. You can see the major landmarks without working out a route between them, and you get background information while walking. You also finish at Buckingham Palace, which is convenient if you want to continue exploring that area afterward.

The value is weaker if you already know central London well or mainly want an in-depth palace visit. In that case, the three-hour walk may cover places you have already seen, while the independent palace format may feel less personal than a fully guided museum visit.

Group size, pace, and practical comfort

A maximum of 15 people is a useful middle ground. The group is small enough for a guide to address questions and keep an eye on everyone, but large enough to retain the energy of a public walking tour.

The route covers several hours on foot. You should wear comfortable shoes and bring something to drink and nibble on. There is no hotel pickup, so you are responsible for reaching The Ritz at the start and arranging your onward plans after the palace visit.

Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. The tour operates near public transport, which helps with reaching the meeting point and continuing your day afterward.

One useful detail is the care given to a visitor using a scooter. Jason was specifically praised for being considerate and helpful during the route. That does not guarantee that every mobility need will be handled in the same way, but it suggests that you should tell the provider about any requirements before departure.

The route’s accessibility may still depend on the walking distance, public spaces, and crowd conditions. If you use a mobility aid, ask the provider for current route details before booking.

The guides: Conner and Jason

The guide can shape the first half of this experience. Conner is praised for clear, informative explanations, while Jason is noted for being attentive and considerate, including toward a visitor using a scooter.

Those details matter because the tour covers a lot of ground. You need a guide who can explain the sights without turning every stop into a long lecture, keep the group moving, and make the route feel manageable.

The palace portion is different. Once you receive your ticket and directions, the audio guide takes over. This means the live guide’s strongest contribution is the walking tour, especially the links between royal London, Whitehall, and Westminster.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend it to a first-time London visitor who wants the main royal and political sights in one organized morning and afternoon. It is also a good fit if Buckingham Palace entry is important to you and you want a guide to handle the central London route.

Families and mixed-interest groups may like the balance. One person can enjoy royal rooms and art, another can focus on Big Ben and Parliament, and everyone gets a broad introduction without planning several separate bookings.

You should think twice if you dislike group walking tours, need a leisurely pace, or want to spend most of your time inside Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery, or Parliament. Those places are seen from outside or mentioned along the route, not visited in depth.

Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the 10:00 a.m. start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want an efficient first look at London with Buckingham Palace as the centerpiece. The mix of Green Park, the Royal Mall, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, and the palace interiors gives you a useful first-day framework.

I especially like the limited group size, the strong route, and the chance to enter the palace after seeing its place in the city. Just remember that the palace is self-guided, the Changing of the Guard is only available on certain days, and the day involves about five hours of walking and sightseeing.

For a first visit, the $101.83 price is reasonable when you value structure and palace access. For repeat visitors seeking depth, separate admissions and a slower palace visit may suit you better.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour begins at The Ritz London, 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR, at 10:00 a.m.

Where does the tour end?

The experience ends at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.

Is Buckingham Palace admission included?

Yes. The ticket includes entry to Buckingham Palace, access to the royal gardens, and the Queen Victoria’s Palace exhibition.

Does the walking guide enter Buckingham Palace?

No. The guide gives you your ticket and directions at the end of the walking tour, and you explore the palace with a multilingual audio guide.

Is the Changing of the Guard included?

You may watch the Changing of the Guard on certain days. The ceremony is not available on every tour date.

How many people can join the tour?

The group has a maximum of 15 travelers.