Best of Royal London Tour with VIP Early Access to the Tower of London
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Home to the Crown Jewels, this former fortress, prison, and execution site was also the place where Richard III allegedly murdered his prince nephews in order to usurp the throne from their father King Edward IV.
Originally named Buckingham House, this is the royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. Its iconic exterior is a must-see on any trip to London, but your guide will thrill you with its amazing history.
The Queen’s Foot Guards in their unmistakable bearskin hats and her cavalry plumed in feathered helmets atop noble steeds march to Buckingham Palace to guard the UK’s royal residence. A ceremony that is as beautiful as it is meaningful.
Famous and somewhat infamous, we start this early morning relaxing, strolling tour at one of the United Kingdom’s most recognizable landmarks – the Tower of London. Formerly a fortress, a prison, and the macabre execution site of three Queens of England, you will have privileged early access to the Tower before it opens to the public, and will witness the Opening Ceremony performed by the Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters as they are better known.
Our early morning tour also avoids the crowds that form later in the day and allows you to be among the first to see the Crown Jewels. These official regalia and vestments used by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom have been held in this Jewel House for the last 600 years and include swords, crowns, scepters, orbs, rings and more.
From here we escort you on board a relaxing river shuttle up the Thames to enjoy the beautiful sites as your expert local guide points out notable landmarks. Once we arrive at the Embankment, we will take a short leisurely walk to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace or the Horse Guards Parade, depending on the day.
You’ll be brought to a prime viewpoint for the best photo ops of this very popular and crowded event, your guide enlivening your experience even further with vibrant and entertaining stories about the history and pageantry behind this traditional ceremony. (Please note that this experience is subject to weather conditions.)
Your morning ends at Buckingham Palace - it looks like a grand bastion to the rest of us, but to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, it is home sweet home. Here you’ll enjoy plenty of time to take photographs to last a lifetime, particularly of the iconic balcony where the royal family perform their well-practiced slow hand wave during major events. It is a wonderful way to end a perfect London morning with your expert local City Wonders guide.
Depending on the day you will see either the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace or Horse Guards Parade. The Changing of the Guard is subject to changes in date, time and cancellation at the discretion of British authorities. Cancellation due to bad weather is not announced before 11am. When this occurs, customers will still see a ‘wet change’ during which the guards march but without the usual music or parade. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with 'Skip the Line' access.
On tours cancelled more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure time, we are happy to offer our customers a full refund. For tours cancelled less than 72 hours before scheduled departure time, we are unable to offer refunds. Instead we suggest that customers reschedule their tour for another time more convenient for them.
Changes made to bookings within the 72 hour window will be subject to rebooking fees to cover the cost of tickets purchased, transport, guide rescheduling, headsets and administration.
We strongly advise against arriving at the meeting point without a booking as we cannot guarantee that there will be space left on the tour. Our guides are unable to accept payment for tours so any bookings made on the spot will still need to be processed over the phone with payment by credit card.
A City Wonders tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.
With City Wonders it's not just facts, our passionate guides tell you the stories that bring the sights to life.
