London Walking Tour Including Fast-Track Westminster Abbey Visit and Changing of the Guard
London, United Kingdom
Rating: 
Trip Type: Walking Tours
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Visit Westminster Abbey and get a front-row view of the Changing of the Guard on this 2.5-hour London walking tour. With a knowledgeable guide, get fast-track admission to Westminster Abbey; see College Garden, thought to be the oldest garden in England; and spot the graves of Dickens, Tennyson and other revered writers. Then, experience firsthand the pomp and pageantry of the Changing of the Guard as you watch the Household Cavalry perform by the Horse Guards Parade or the Queen’s Foot Guards march to Buckingham Palace.
More About This Activity All Walking Tours →
Visit Westminster Abbey and get a front-row view of the Changing of the Guard on this 2.5-hour London walking tour. With a knowledgeable guide, get fast-track admission to Westminster Abbey; see College Garden, thought to be the oldest garden in England; and spot the graves of Dickens, Tennyson and other revered writers. Then, experience firsthand the pomp and pageantry of the Changing of the Guard as you watch the Household Cavalry perform by the Horse Guards Parade or the Queen’s Foot Guards march to Buckingham Palace.On the morning of your tour, make your own way to Westminster Abbey to meet your guide. Sitting alongside Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the history-steeped Gothic showstopper is one of the world’s most spectacular churches. It’s also been the site of all of England's royal coronations — with the exception of two — since the crowning of William the Conqueror in 1066.
With your guide and prebooked ticket, which entitles you to fast-track entry, head inside to learn more about the abbey’s storied past. Follow in the footsteps of some history’s most fascinating characters, from Elizabeth I to Queen Elizabeth II, as you walk down the black-and-white checkered isle toward the Coronation Chair. Peer out at the 900-year-old College Garden while you stroll through the impressive Cloisters, and spot the graves of some of the world’s most famous wordsmiths, including Dickens, Hardy and Tennyson in Poets’ Corner.
After touring Westminster Abbey, take a stroll to Horse Guards Parade or along the Mall to watch the Changing of the Guard. Listen to your guide talk about the ceremony’s history as the Queen’s Foot Guards, in their cherry tunics and bearskin hats, or the plumed Household Cavalry pass right in front of you.
Finish your tour outside Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official London residence. See the balcony where William and Kate kissed before the public after their wedding in 2011, and hear stories of intruders and princes scaling the walls before bidding your guide goodbye.
Please note: If there is heavy rain — or if the Changing of the Guard is rescheduled to early morning — the ceremony will be replaced with an extended walking tour.
With your guide and prebooked ticket, which entitles you to fast-track entry, head inside to learn more about the abbey’s storied past. Follow in the footsteps of some history’s most fascinating characters, from Elizabeth I to Queen Elizabeth II, as you walk down the black-and-white checkered isle toward the Coronation Chair. Peer out at the 900-year-old College Garden while you stroll through the impressive Cloisters, and spot the graves of some of the world’s most famous wordsmiths, including Dickens, Hardy and Tennyson in Poets’ Corner.
After touring Westminster Abbey, take a stroll to Horse Guards Parade or along the Mall to watch the Changing of the Guard. Listen to your guide talk about the ceremony’s history as the Queen’s Foot Guards, in their cherry tunics and bearskin hats, or the plumed Household Cavalry pass right in front of you.
Finish your tour outside Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official London residence. See the balcony where William and Kate kissed before the public after their wedding in 2011, and hear stories of intruders and princes scaling the walls before bidding your guide goodbye.
Please note: If there is heavy rain — or if the Changing of the Guard is rescheduled to early morning — the ceremony will be replaced with an extended walking tour.
« Go Back