Buckingham Palace
Enjoy a visit Buckingham Palace - home to the British Monarchy in London
Buckingham Palace has been the official residence in London for the British monarch since 1837. It also serves as the headquarters of the administration for the Monarchy.
This massive royal residence contains 775 different rooms including nineteen State rooms which are often used by the Royal Family to host and entertain Heads of State and other officials. The Palace houses many highly valued works of art that make up a portion of the Royal Collection, one of the world's major art collections.
During your visit to Buckingham Palace you can enjoy viewing and photographing the impressive facades and the Victoria Memorial. Arrive in the morning and witness the famous Changing of the Guard Ceremony which occurs daily at 11:30am during the summer and every second day at 11:30am the rest of the year.
From July through October you can tour The State Rooms - A tour that includes the lavish State Rooms decorated with paintings and priceless scupltures by the masters as well as the Palace Garden, a private sanctuary that is home to at least 30 species of birds and over 350 varieties of wild flowers, and also a special exhibition of collectibles and/or The Royal Mews - Where the State vehicles and horses that transport the Royal Family are kept and maintained. These include motor cars and spectacular carriages including the Gold State Coach that is featured in Coronations.
Throughout the year you can also visit The Queens Gallery where you can view and exhibition of fine art items that are rotated from the Royal Collection. Admission Charges apply to the above tours and can be purchased indivually or as a package. Each of the above links will give you all the information you need.
There are many other attractions within easy walking distance of Buckingham Palace. Some of these include Saint James's Park, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. These attractions can be nicely combined into a memorable one or two day walking tour.
For more information about the Buckingham Palace and the various options for tours and hours visit their official website linked above.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: For inside tours onlyAddress: London SW1A 1AA, UK
Phone: 0303 123 7300
Official Website: Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace Reviews
Rated out of 5
If you are visiting London for the first time, you should definitely pass by. I was lucky to see the change of the guard while I was there. The parks nearby are wonderful to walk through and if the weather is nice, it’s worth hanging around for a bit.
Elina D - a week ago
Buckingham Palace was really just okay. I saw it from afar and that was enough. We were early enough to see the changing of the guards so we stayed. It was extremely crowded. I didn't get to see much from where I stood inside the railings. However, the five stars go to Police Officer Wilson. I admired they way he spoke to everyone there. When he saw little kids, he'd give them a high-five and a candy. He had a great big smile on his face the entire time even though he repeated himself 100 times a minute to oblivious tourists. I heard him mention to a fellow officer that Sunday would be his last changing of the guard because he's retiring Tuesday (3/18/2025). Officer Wilson, I pray that your retirement brings you more joy, health and wealth (and that cup of coffee with one sugar) than you can imagine! Without knowing you had the attention of quite a few adults who smiled at your witty comments, jokes and genuine approach to those that crossed your path. You sir are a Legend!
Martha - a month ago
Was actually really nice! A lieutenant was saluting the King when we visited so it was extremely busy but managed to hear the Royal Band play a few cover songs!! The area surrounding it is very pretty also.
Triiipple - a month ago
Went to view changing of the guards. We would recommend getting there really early if you want a great view. As you can see by the pictures we had to zoom in on the camera and you had peoples heads in the way. However great atmosphere and well worth the watch.
Bex Florence - 2 weeks ago
We went to see the Changing of the Gaurd event. It was so crowded. I don't know why I didn't expect that! It was hard to see anything, so I held my phone over my head to try to get photos. I didn't know where the best places to stand were. I should have arrived earlier. The grounds were beautiful, though. I posted some pics here, but the really good ones I took had people's faces on them, and I didn't want to post those for privacy reasons. Great experience. Go.
Nonya Bznes - in the last week
Directions
| Tube Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Circle and District Line | Victoria | 12 minutes |
| Piccadilly Line | Green Park | 9 minutes |
| Victoria and Jubilee Line | Green Park | 9 minutes |
How to get to Buckingham Palace by Tube
From Green Park Station just make your way south through the park.
From Victoria Station walk west to Buckingham Palace Road and follow it north to the Palace.
Map & Instant Route Finder
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Accommodations near Buckingham Palace:
Photo Gallery
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Visitors enjoy an upclose view of the Changing of the Guards in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace cc licensed photo by James Cridland -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Abubakr Saeed - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: KirkandLynn_photos - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: stefanjurca - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: bvi4092 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Shakespearesmonkey - cc license via Flickr
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