London Day Tour: Westminster, Tower, Cruise

Discover London’s top attractions in one day: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Thames River Cruise, and Tower of London. Book your ultimate London day tour now.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Parliament Square - Your day will begin around parliament square. From this prime location you can already catch a glimpse of London’s iconic Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster before heading to your first stop of the day - Westminster Abbey.

  • Westminster Abbey - Tour of Westminster Abbey - Skip the ticketing line alongside our expert guide and enter this majestic Abbey, nestled upon the very spot where a humble fisherman once glimpsed a celestial vision of St. Peter in the 10th century. Our guide will take you around this sacred sanctuary, which housed nearly 40 coronations as well as the funeral of Princess Diana.

  • Downing Street - Exterior Visit on Downing Street
    Downing Street, a place of intrigue and power, stands as an iconic symbol of British governance. Nestled amidst the bustling streets of London, this historic address is where the country’s leaders make crucial decisions that shape the nation’s destiny.

  • St. James’s Park - Walk Through St James Park -

Following your visit to the Abbey, you’ll pass through this charming park on your way to Buckingham Palace.
A jewel in the crown of the capital, this enchanting park unfolds like a living masterpiece, offering a change of scenery from the bustling streets of London.

  • Buckingham Palace - Marvel at the exterior of Buckingham Palace -
    Buckingham Palace, an iconic symbol of British monarchy and culture, is the official residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.

Your guide will tell you all the ins and outs of this imposing estate before heading on to the next stop of the day.

  • Changing of the Guard - Witness the Changing of The Guard **
    Entrusted with the sacred duty of protecting Britain’s revered monarch these soldiers have become a symbol of the United Kingdom. This ceremony—a practical passing of the torch from the morning shift, known as the Old Guard, to the afternoon shift, the New Guard is a must see when visiting London.

** Please note that the Changing of the Guard currently occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays only. On alternate days, we will see the Changing of the Guard at the Horse Guards Parade instead. If there is heavy rainfall, the Changing of the Guard will not happen.

Following the visit, you will have a short break for lunch, before meeting for the afternoon itinerary of the tour.

  • London - Enjoy some free time for a quick lunch in Trafalgar Square before continuing with the afternoon part of your tour. Your guide is more than happy to recommend some local eateries and café before reconvening at the same meeting point as this morning.
  • Thames River - Thames River Cruise
    Prepare for an exciting adventure as you board the comfortable and air-conditioned local clipper service for a ride along the River Thames. Sit back and relax as your expert guide points out the famous sites that you’ll pass along the way.
  • Tower of London - Guided Tour of the Tower of London* -
    Step back in time and witness the incredible history of the Tower of London, which was established by none other than William the Conqueror in 1066 after his conquest of England.

From famous prisoners to gruesome executions, this castle has seen it all. Led by your expert local guide, , you’ll learn about the often bloody history of this magnificent structure.

*There are certain areas within the Tower of London where no guides are allowed, but can be explored at own pace once the tour concludes.

  • The Crown Jewels - The British Crown Jewels -
    Prepare to be dazzled as you enter the Jewel House of the Tower of London! The crown jewels, a collection of 140 regalia and symbols, have been protected here for centuries. Bedazzled with over 23,000 sparkling stones, these priceless items are the ultimate symbols of the British monarchy.

As your tour nears its end, you’ll have the opportunity to enter the famous White Tower on your own and continue your exploration of this iconic landmark. Your guide will also be happy to offer insider tips for the rest of your day in London, so you can make the most of your time in this vibrant city.

What's Included
  • Panoramic Cruise down the Thames
  • Skip the Line Entry & Guided Tour of Westminster Abbey
  • Witness the Changing of the Guard Ceremony
  • Discover London’s Main Sites in One Day with an Expert Guide
  • Expert English-Speaking Guide
  • Access to the British Crown Jewels
  • Guided Tour of the Tower of London
What's Not Included
  • Hotel Pick Up / Drop Off
  • Lunch (at own expense)
  • Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information

Limited time on your hands whilst visiting London? Join us and see London’s Best in One Day!

Your day starts with a guided tour of Westminster Abbey, skip-the-line entry included.

Strolling through St James Park, your next stop will be Buckingham Palace’s exterior. Here you’ll enjoy a crash course to the royal family & witness the *changing of the guard ceremony.

The last stop before lunch will be 10 Downing Street, where great minds like Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher made crucial decisions that influenced the nation.

After a quick lunch break, you’ll enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Thames Clipper service, where you can sit back and relax as your guide points out some of the famous sites along the waterside.

Last on the Itinerary is a guided tour of the Tower of London. your guide will teach you about the significance of this castle throughout the centuries, and have a chance to visit some of the Castle’s rooms before proceeding to visit the British Crown Jewels.

  • Please note that the Changing of the Guard currently occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays only. On alternate days, we will see the Changing of the Guard at the Horse Guards Parade instead.
Location
Abraham Lincoln Statue
Parliament Square
Meeting point for the morning part of the tour: Please meet our friendly guide at the Statue of Abraham Lincoln. With Big Ben behind you, go across Parliament Square and cross the street to the statue of Abraham Lincoln. A representative will be there holding a sign with ''The Tour Guy'' on it.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.2
(13 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
N3060ufelizabethr
Aug 19, 2024
5 Star Tour with Marguerite! - This tour was wonderful! Marguerite was so great. It was amazing how much she knew and we walked away with so much knowledge of London's history and the history of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and all the sites along the way. 5 Stars!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrea_b
Aug 7, 2024
Incredible sights and experience - A full day of amazing sights and information! The Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and the boat down the Thames River were highlights for sure!
Review provided by Viator
Debra_m
Jun 28, 2024
A wonderful day in London! - This tour was perfect! Steven was an incredible guide sharing fun facts and providing real information. The whole family enjoyed all of the sites and the cruise. His lunch recommendation was great as well. My favorite was the Tower of London, Steven answered any questions we had and waited for us to see the Crown Jewels to see if we had any other questions. I definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Bryan_g
Jun 8, 2024
Great walking tour, great tour giide - Tour guide Steven Rhind was excellent, lots of history and local stories. He really made the tour come alive
Review provided by Viator
Thomas_b
Jun 7, 2024
Great tour. Lots of walking. - Great tour. Lots of walking. Our guide Steven was outstanding. Very knowledgeable. I feel as if I earned a degree in English history.
Review provided by Viator
Sean_c
Aug 13, 2024
Family UK holiday - summer 24 - Tour was very good - as comprehensive as it could be considering the ground it covered. Was curious when we lined up at 9:00 to get into Westminster Cathedral while the ticket office didn’t open until 9:30. I guess it worked when we were the first group in? Our guide just rolled with it when there was an issue with the Uber boat and we had to wait for another one. All in all, a good tour and a good day.
Review provided by Viator
Heather_v
Jun 13, 2024
Walking tour of London - It was a great tour but sometimes I felt our tour guide wasn't interested. Because you break the groups up we could here other guides give information while we just either walked or sat in silence. Your skip the line description needs to be more detailed of what that means. We got no information at Buckingham Palace and basically had to run back to the meeting point no time to walk by the stables.
Review provided by Viator
Kelly_w
Jul 27, 2024
Not really worth the $$.... - Not really worth the $$. Could have done it on our own. Seemed disorganized to start with and the organizer was late.
Review provided by Viator
Cosimo_d
Jun 24, 2024
Knowledgeable - Tour guide should up half an hour late to begin the tour . we missed the changing of the guard.She was knowable but played catch up
Review provided by Viator
I8700hhwilliamb
Jul 2, 2024
ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE - Absolutely horrible!!! -lease don’t make our mistake by trusting your time to this company. We planned this full day tour (7.5 hrs) of London as we were only in town briefly and it promised many highlights of the city. We arrived 15 min early only to find that another guide was a no show so they decided to combine two tours. Keep in mind our size was to be limited. This not only made the size unmanageable for the guide but also she had to use two different microphones. The two mics caused interference with one another and no one on the tour could hear the guide. This made the tour useless. Our guide was devoid of personality and could remedy the technical difficulties. This tour cost us over $600 for three people. I HIGHLY recommend you not use this company as the have yet to respond to two emails and disconnect the phone if you try to speak with a live representative. As an FYI, I have taken many tours all over Europe. Sometimes you get a good guide and other times, not so much. I understand that’s the kick of the draw. This was absolutely horrible guide and no audio. I strongly suggest you use a different company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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