Buckingham Palace & Crown Jewels of London Tour with River Cruise
Description
Discover the best of London on this wonderful escorted tour, taking you to the city's most iconic landmarks. Start your day at Buckingham Palace, where you’ll witness the grandeur of the British monarchy and, if timed right, the famous Changing of the Guard ceremony. Next, head to St. Paul’s Cathedral, an iconic masterpiece with a spectacular dome and a history of more than 300 years. Your experience continues to the Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll uncover tales of royalty, prisoners, and the legendary Crown Jewels. End your day with a lovely Thames River cruise, offering panoramic views of the city's skyline as you glide past landmarks such as the Shard, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Buckingham Palace serves as the official London residence of His Majesty The King, and is one of the few remaining working royal palaces in the world today. Each summer when the Palace is not being used in its official capacity, visitors can enjoy the 19 magnificent State Rooms that provide the setting for ceremonial occasions and official entertaining by members of the Royal Family. The rooms are furnished with many of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck, sculpture by Canova, exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
The first stop on our tour is an iconic symbol of London. Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece took 35 years to build and today is one of the largest churches in the world. Incredibly, this towering domed cathedral was also the tallest building in London until the 1960s. Its construction between 1675-1710 was part of a rebuilding programme after the original cathedral located here was swept away in the Great Fire of London in 1666: With no fewer than seven chapels, countless statues and priceless art inside, as well as Europe's largest crypt, there are historical and religious treasures around every corner at St Paul's.
xplore almost 1,000 years of history that began with the construction of a fortress and royal residence by William The Conqueror. The long history of 'The Tower' is one of imprisonment, murder and execution. The last person executed here was in 1941, and over the years spies, criminals and even queens have met their bloody end by the executioner's hand at the tower. The Tower of London is also home to the priceless Crown Jewels Collection. This glittering display of gems and gold includes the Star of Africa, the world's largest cut diamond, as well as a collection of crowns, robes, and other items of ceremonial regalia. It would be improper to fail to mention the tower ravens. Legend has it that at least half a dozen must stay within the bounds of the tower or the monarchy will fall. How many can you spot on your visit?
After visiting the Tower of London, head down to Tower Pier and jump on the next available boat for a wonderful cruise down the River Thames. Enjoy a unique view of London's beautiful waterfront as you head to Westminster Pier next to the iconic Houses of Parliament.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Tour Starts: 9:15 am, in front of The King's Gallery entrance
- Tour Finishes: approx. 5:30 pm, Westminster Pier
- The afternoon part of the tour departs from 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road at 1:00 PM. (please arrive at 12:45 PM to check in)
- Transfer between Buckingham Palace and 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road is not provided (it is a 10-15 min walk)
- To enter Buckingham Palace there will be an airport style security check and bags larger than 45cm x 20cm x 30cm are not permitted
- Guests can choose to take the river cruise on another day and instead finish the tour at the Tower of London instead of Westminster Pier (Please check cruise ticket validity with tour guide)
- St Paul's Cathedral is closed to visitors on Sundays and during special events. On these days we will stop for photographs outside St Paul's Cathedral and spend longer at the Tower of London
- Please note, there are quite a few stairs within the White Tower at the Tower of London, and there is currently no disabled access
Reviews(7)
David for the tour guide for this tour. He was very knowledgable, personable and funny. We saw the changing of the guard by walking to a corner spot that David pointed out as being better to see the guards. People start showing up like at 6 or 7 am. The tour started at 9:00 am so you would never get closer engough to see the changing of the guard in front of the castle. We has a street view and were able to see the guards. We also toured the Towers of London and the crown jewels which was very interesting. We chose not to do the river cruise as it was a long day. You can do the river cruise and get on the Eye of London - buy tickets before hand if you want to do this. The cruise tickets were good for several days but the Eye of London was for that day only.
Dear 399tammiec Thank you for your detailed review! We’re delighted to hear that David made your tour so enjoyable with his knowledge, personable style, and humor. It’s great that his tips helped you get a fantastic view of the Changing of the Guard and that you enjoyed exploring the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels. Your insights about the river cruise and London Eye are very helpful for future travelers planning their day. We hope to welcome you on another tour soon! Best regards, Evan Evans Tours Team
Sheila was an awesome guide with great information and humor as well. Our driver was great too. Everything was on time. We went to Buckingham palace, st Pauls Cathedral, Crown Jewels and ended the day with Thames cruise. EvansEvans did a great job all around. Recommend!
Dear Louawebber, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour and that Sheila’s engaging information and sense of humor made the day so memorable. It is also wonderful to know that your driver contributed to a smooth and timely experience. We are glad that you enjoyed visiting Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Crown Jewels, and finishing with the Thames cruise. Your kind recommendation will be shared with Sheila and the team, who will be thrilled to hear your comments. Thank you for choosing Evan Evans Tours. We look forward to welcoming you on another tour in the future. Kind regards, Evan Evans Tours
The palace tour was fine. Mtg. Pt. was right next to the entrance. Alot of time before next tour. The bus trips to St. Paul's Cathedral and then the Tower of London had drop offs too far from entrance. This caused a lot of delays with the varied walking ability of the group. By the time we got in and out of the Tower it was really late for the cruise and sprinkling. We were given vouchers to use later, but due to our schedule, we never got to use them. Our guide, and general planning on this trip needs improved.
Dear ThomasD_D, Thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience with Evan Evans Tours. We truly value guest feedback as it helps us continually improve the quality of our tours and services. We are pleased to hear that the Palace tour met your expectations and that the meeting point was convenient. However, we regret that the remainder of your day did not proceed as smoothly as intended. We acknowledge your concerns regarding the walking distances from the drop-off points at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Accessibility and the varying walking abilities of our guests are important considerations, and we are currently reviewing our drop-off logistics to better accommodate all guests, especially in areas where access is limited due to traffic or regulations. We are also sorry to hear that timing delays impacted your ability to enjoy the river cruise and that, due to your schedule, the provided vouchers could not be used. While the vouchers are offered as a flexible alternative, we understand the disappointment in not being able to use them during your stay. Your comments regarding the tour planning and guide performance have been noted and will be shared with our operations and training teams for review. It is our goal to ensure that all guides deliver clear communication, efficient time management, and support throughout the day. We appreciate your honest feedback and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again in the future, with a significantly improved experience. Should you wish to discuss this further or have any remaining concerns, please feel free to contact us directly at reservations@evanevanstours.co.uk. Kind regards, Evan Evans Tours Team
Arrived at the meeting point for the Buckingham Palace Tour ran by Evan Evans Tour's 45 minutes prior to the time the tour was commencing. Waited a further 45 minutes, until one of the other tourists made a phone call to his travel agent only to be advised this tour had been cancelled. We walked 15 minutes up to Evan Evans Tour office ( which was the meeting point for our 2nd part of the tour ) only to be advised then that the 1st part of our tour had been cancelled. When asked why they couldn't have sent a company representative down to advise us all of the cancellation, their response was they were under staffed & it's not their responsibility to advise us via phone, text or email. When asked about a partial refund, they stated only if we complete the second part of the tour, which we had completed. A very poor result, ending in not recommending Evan Evans Tour's to anyone, absolutely pathetic service on their behalf. Still waiting for the partial refund.
Dear Steven M, Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback regarding your recent experience. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration caused by the cancellation of the first part of your Buckingham Palace tour. We understand how disappointing it must have been to arrive early and not be informed in advance. Clear and timely communication is something we strive for, and we regret that we did not meet those standards in this instance. Regarding the refund process, we are sorry to hear of the difficulties you encountered. We aim to handle such matters promptly and fairly, and we apologize if this was not your experience. Please contact our customer service team directly at reservations@evanevanstours.co.uk, so we can ensure your refund is processed as soon as possible. Your feedback is invaluable, and we will be reviewing our procedures to prevent similar situations in the future. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Warm regards, The Evan Evans Team
We toured with Sheila and had a great time! The information was very thorough and clear. She went out of her way to make sure we didn’t miss anything along the way. On top of that, she would find us shade to stand it (which was important as it was quite hot).
Dear meridethk2025, Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you had a great time touring with Sheila. It’s fantastic to know that her thorough and clear information enhanced your visit, and that she went above and beyond to ensure you didn’t miss any important sights. Her thoughtful gestures, like finding shade during the heat, truly reflect the care and attention we strive to provide for our guests. We will be sure to pass on your kind words to Sheila — she will be thrilled to hear how much you appreciated her efforts. Thank you once again for choosing Evan Evans. We look forward to welcoming you on another tour soon. Warm regards, The Evan Evans Team
Sheela was amazing!!! I hope I spelled her name right , she knew so much about everything and it was refreshing to learn about the London history
Dear guest, Thank you for the clarification! We're so glad to hear that Sheila made your experience memorable. Her knowledge and passion for London’s history truly bring the city to life, and it's great to know that you found it refreshing and engaging. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to her. Thanks again for choosing Evan Evans, and we look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon! Warm regards, The Evan Evans Team
The tour was just amazing with the guide Helene & Driver Emir who took us around the sights of London including the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathederal, the river cruise. She was an amazing guide who took us through the detailed history of the tower of London with the crown jewels and took a walking tour of the place. Amazing to see the tower and St. Paul's from inside. It was a wonderful and blessed experience to visit such a great church. Best visit that I ever had
Dear guest, Thank you so much for your incredible feedback! We're so happy to hear that your experience with Helene and Emir was nothing short of amazing. Helene’s passion for sharing the detailed history of the Tower of London and its crown jewels, as well as guiding you through St. Paul's Cathedral, clearly made a lasting impression. It’s wonderful to know that you had such a memorable and meaningful visit to these iconic landmarks. We're so pleased that it was the best visit you've had! Thank you for sharing your experience, and we would love to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future. Warm regards, The Evan Evans Team
