London · WESTMINSTER AND BIG BEN TOURS
Parliament, the Abbey and the clock tower share one square, and almost every tour here differs only in what it gets you into. These 15 sort the outside walks from the ones with Abbey entry, with prices and start times.
Cruise from Westminster Pier to Greenwich in about an hour, passing Parliament, the London Eye, Tate Modern, The Shard, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. Choose one way or return, sit on the open deck or inside, and follow live English commentary or a smartphone audio guide in six languages.
“It was a green way to see the city from the water.”
Board at Westminster Pier for a 25 to 30 minute Thames cruise past Parliament, St. Paul’s, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard, and Tower Bridge. Expect live English commentary, an open deck, onboard drinks, and a return option that requires changing boats at Butler’s Wharf.
“The tour guide announcer during the cruise was very useful and informative”
Sail east from Westminster Pier to Greenwich in about an hour, passing Big Ben, St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tower of London, and Tower Bridge. Choose open-air or indoor seating, listen to live commentary, then explore Greenwich before returning by boat if you book the round-trip option.
“Hop on and off is super easy and accessible. Excellent value, lovely way to spend the day. Humorous narration. I would definitely recommend.”
Walk from Green Park to Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park, Westminster, Whitehall, and Trafalgar Square with an English-speaking guide. Harry, John, Alan, and Peter are among the guides praised for sharp timing, engaging stories, and finding good viewing spots for the guards.
“Guide was very knowledgeable and adapted to a changed guard’s schedule. Knew that the king was soon to leave st James palace and positioned us so that we saw him as he was driven past. Great experience”
Spend about 105 minutes inside Westminster Abbey with a licensed guide such as Lucy, Matt, or Gabrielle, then walk from Big Ben through St James’s Park to Buckingham Palace. This group tour, limited to 20 people, focuses on royal history and includes priority Abbey entry, but not palace or tower tickets.
“Jeremy was awesome - so pleasant and professional and SO knowledgeable about London and its history.”
Walk from The Ritz to Westminster Station with a local guide and see more than 20 London sights in about three hours. Expect royal stories, Parliament Square, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, and the Changing of the Guard on selected 10am tours. Guides include Ash, Mark, Tanya, and Christopher.
“Christopher was so entertaining and informative! What a hoot! Learned about the history of London while laughing at his jokes.”
Spend about five hours exploring royal and political London with guides such as Ash, Ashley, Will, and Mark. Walk from the Ritz through Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Big Ben, and Parliament, then enter Westminster Abbey on your own with an audio guide.
“Our guide Ash was outstanding!!! He was filled with knowledge and made everything flow together in a fantastic way! Highly recommend!!!”
Walk about 3.2 kilometers through Westminster with a Blue Badge guide, seeing Big Ben, Parliament, St. James’s Park, Buckingham Palace, and St. James’s Palace. Choose four hours with a guided Westminster Abbey visit or three hours with self-entry for an organ recital, evensong, or mass.
“Fantastic tour experience led by an immensely knowledgeable guide who constantly delighted us with well delivered jokes. We would highly recommend this to any family looking to know more about English history and get the most possible out of sightseeing”
Start at The Ritz London for a guided walk through Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Parliament Square, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. Finish independently at Churchill’s War Rooms, where an audio guide brings the wartime command centre to life. Guides may include Will, Ashley, Tanya, Brandon, or Ari.
“Toby does an excellent job of covering different sites with great knowledge and managing the timing moving to very different locations all during the transit strike.”
Spend five hours exploring central London with guides such as Chris, Will, Ash, or Ari. Walk from Green Park past Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Big Ben, and Parliament, then enter Westminster Abbey with a pre-booked ticket.
“Enjoyed this tour! Ashely was fun and full of information and made this experience very interesting. Definitely I recommended it.”
Walk Westminster with an English-speaking guide such as Paul, Maggie, or Michael, seeing Parliament, Big Ben, Downing Street, and war memorials before touring Churchill’s War Rooms independently. Plan for two and a half hours, comfortable shoes, and extra time if you want to study the museum displays.
“Dave our tour guide was quick witted, cheeky & funny but also very informative. Good fun walking tour with plenty of detailed historical information.”
Join a small group of up to 12 for a 70-minute Thames RIB ride from Embankment or Westminster. Your guide covers London landmarks before the boat accelerates east, with music, photo pauses, life jackets, and a possible run toward the Thames Barrier.
“Great trip awesome staff highly recommend definitely worth your time highlight of our London trip easy to book”
Spend 6 to 8 hours seeing London’s royal and political landmarks on foot, then cruise from Embankment to Tower Bridge. The 9 AM departure includes guided entry to Westminster Abbey, while all tours include reserved Tower of London entry. Guides such as Geoff, Alison, Patrick, and Matthew lead in English.
“Our guide, Geoff, was perfect. Kept us on schedule while sharing fascinating history and culture about everything on the tour. The pace, variety, and depth of this tour are wonderful and was exactly what we were looking for in a first day in London tour.”
Visit Westminster Abbey with a timed mobile ticket and included multimedia guide. Walk through the coronation church, royal tombs, Poets’ Corner, and historic chapels at your own pace. Plan for 2 to 3 hours, and consider adding the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries separately.
“So much to see ! Was pleased to be admitted a bit earlier than my assigned time. Learned so much and was impressed by the beauty.”
Meet at 9:15 AM near Westminster Abbey for a guided visit filled with royal, political, and architectural stories. Add Parliament for a self-guided audio visit, House of Commons and Lords highlights, and close views of Big Ben. Groups are limited to 10 people.
“Our guide was very knowledge and we found the tour to be very interesting. I learned so much about Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.”
Pick a landmark, a river boat or a day out west.
