Royal London Sightseeing Tour with Changing of the Guard Ceremony and Thames River Cruise
London, United Kingdom
Trip Type: Historical & Heritage Tours
Duration: 3.5 hours plus 40-45 minutes for cruise
Tick off London’s most famous sights in one day with a 3.5-hour royal sightseeing tour and Thames River cruise. Travel by coach through the English capital’s most recognizable areas and see top attractions like Kensington Palace and Big Ben. Then, watch the famous Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace before strolling to the Thames River for your cruise. Travel between Westminster and Tower Pier, gliding past London’s most noteworthy attractions, including the London Eye and the Tower of London.
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Tick off London’s most famous sights in one day with a 3.5-hour royal sightseeing tour and Thames River cruise. Travel by coach through the English capital’s most recognizable areas and see top attractions like Kensington Palace and Big Ben. Then, watch the famous Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace before strolling to the Thames River for your cruise. Travel between Westminster and Tower Pier, gliding past London’s most noteworthy attractions, including the London Eye and the Tower of London.
Start with a pickup from your central London hotel or Victoria Coach Station, and then kick off your morning tour with a panoramic drive to Kensington Palace, once home to Princess Diana. Pop in your state-of-the-art Vox headphones and listen to your guide’s commentary about each site. On route, see the Royal Albert Hall, where many famous concerts are held, and the Albert Memorial.
Continue to Trafalgar Square, passing Whitehall and the Prime Minister’s residence on Downing Street. On arrival at Parliament Square, take in more top London sights including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
Next, head to St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace to watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Look on in delight as the Queen’s Foot Guards — clothed in crimson tunics and bearskin hats — march in time to drumbeats from a military band.
Your coach tour then finishes in Trafalgar Square, leaving you only a short walk from the Thames River. Make your own way to either Westminster Pier or Tower Pier to catch your Thames River cruise boat. Show your one-way ticket and then find yourself a seat on the open-air upper deck, or settle into a window-side seat in the heated lower saloon area.
With your camera in hand, gaze out over the water as you pass iconic London attractions such as London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the Shard. Learn the history behind each sight from the live commentary and help yourself to refreshments (own expense) from the onboard bar.
After roughly 45 minutes on the water, your cruise concludes at Tower Pier, if you boarded at Westminster Pier, or Westminster Pier, if you boarded at Tower Pier.
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