Royal London

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This massive, graceful building is the official residence of the Queen. The red-brick palace was built as a country house for the notoriously rakish Duke of Buckingham. In 1762, King George III, who needed room for his 15 children, bought it. It didn't become the official royal residence, though, until Queen Victoria took the throne; she preferred it to St. James's Palace. From George III's time, the building was continuously expanded and remodeled, faced with Portland stone, and twice bombed (during the Blitz). Located in a 16-hectare (40-acre) garden, it's 108m (354 ft.) long and contains 600 rooms. You can tell whether the Queen is at home by checking to see if the Royal Standard is flying from the mast outside. For most of the year, you can't visit the palace without an official invitation. Since 1993, though, much of it has been open for tours during an 8-week period in August and September, when the royal family is usually vacationing outside London. Elizabeth II agreed to allow visitors to tour the State Room, the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, and other areas designed by John Nash for George IV, as well as the Picture Gallery, which displays masterpieces by Van Dyck, Rembrandt,...

Our Local Expert Says:

If the crowds are too much, try catching the guards before the parade at Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk

Description:

The Queen's Guard is made up of five regiments: Coldstream, Grendadier, Welsh, Irish, and Scots who protect Her Majesty when she is in residence at Buckingham Palace. When these guards require a rest, a ceremony known as the Changing of the Guard takes place, drawing thousands of spectators. Famed for the bearskin hats and smart red coats, the Guard's spectacle of pomp and circumstance is part of the reason people flock to London.

The new guard leaves Wellington Barracks a few minutes before the change and marches down Birdcage Walk to Buckingham Palace. The 40 minute ceremony takes place within the gates of the palace, so get there early to secure a good vantage spot along the palace gates. In addition, the St. James's Palace detachment of the Queen's guard marches to Buckingham Palace at 11:15am and back to St. James's at 12:10p.

For another, less crowded Changing of the Guard ceremony visit the Horse Guards around 11am where soldiers on horseback make the swap.

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This is where you can get a close look at Her Majesty's State Coach, built in 1761 to the designs of Sir William Chambers and decorated with paintings by Cipriani. Traditionally drawn by eight gray horses, it was used by sovereigns when they traveled to open Parliament and on other state occasions; Queen Elizabeth traveled in it to her 1953 coronation and in 1977 for her Silver Jubilee Procession. You can also pay a visit to the Queen's carriage horses, which are housed here. See the "Westminster & Victoria Attractions" map.

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The refurbished gallery on the grounds of Buckingham Palace reopened to the public in 2002 in time for the Golden Jubilee celebration of Queen Elizabeth II. The 1831 building by John Nash was converted to a chapel for Queen Victoria in 1843 and later destroyed in an air raid in 1940. Today, the gallery is dedicated to changing exhibitions of the wide-ranging treasure trove that forms the Royal Collection. You'll find special showings of paintings, prints, drawings, watercolors, furniture, porcelain, miniatures, enamels, jewelry, and other works of art. At any given time, you may see such artistic peaks as Van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I; the world-famous Lady at the Virginal, by Vermeer; a dazzling array of gold snuffboxes; paintings by Monet from the collection of the late Queen Mother; personal jewelry; studies by Leonardo da Vinci; or even the controversial portrait of the current queen by Lucian Freud.

Our Local Expert Says:

Ask at the desk to try on a true Royal Guard bearskin hat and scarlet tunic for a fun photo op.

Description:

Dedicated to Her Majesty's Household Division which protects the Sovereign and Royal Palaces... in other words, dedicated to those who wear the red tunic and bearskin hat! Small and quiet, The Guards Museum is a perfect place to learn more about the royal guards and even have your photo taken in that famous regimental tunic and hat. On display are uniforms, helmets, instruments, medals, a tent from the Crimean War and more. There's a little shop next door to the Guards Museum and you might even catch the new guards forming at nearby Wellington Barracks before the Changing of the Guard ceremony at London's Buckingham Palace.

Our Local Expert Says:

Love this park… great "I'm in London!" views, full of ducks, geese, & even enormous pelicans which are fed daily at 2:30 - what a sight. Try to snag a seat at the family friendly café Inn the Park for their award winning food.

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St. James's Park and Green Park lie next to each other to the north and east of Buckingham Palace. The view from the bridge towards Whitehall (pictured) is particularly pleasing and the lake is famous for its waterfowl, especially the black swans. With its well-groomed flowerbeds and summer concerts, the park remains a big favourite with Londoners and tourists alike. Office workers swarm into St James's on fine summer days to eat their lunch and enjoy the sunshine. Henry VIII acquired the land in the early 16th century at the same time as Hyde Park.

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Adjacent to St James's Palace, Clarence House was the home of The Queen, (then Princess Elizabeth), and Duke of Edinburgh, following their marriage in 1947. Most recently it was the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, from 1953 until her death in 2002. Today it is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and Princes William and Harry (until William moves to his own residence after his wedding in April). In 2003 Clarence House became the latest royal house to open its doors to the general public; from early August to early September visitors are taken on a guided tour of five of the staterooms, where much of the Queen's collection of art and furniture is on display

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This small royal palace is a current London residence for Prince Charles, and foreign ambassadors are officially received here. Henry VIII originally ordered its construction for Anne Boleyn in 1532, and it served as the monarch's London residence until Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837. Because the palace is still in use by the Royal family, its not open to the public. However, both the Chapel Royal - scene of five royal weddings - and Queen's Chapel in Marlborough Road are open to visitors on Sundays. It's also worth turning up for the changing of the guard in Friary Court, which takes place daily at 11a.

Our Local Expert Says:

Good alternative to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

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Formerly the headquarters of the British Army, the historic Horse Guards Parade is now a popular site for ceremonies and parades. Being the political hub of the United Kingdom, Horse Guards Parade lies across the way from Buckingham Palace. A number of monuments can be seen along the edges of the grounds paying homage to the military. The London Polo Championships were held here in 2009, and it was chosen as the site for the Beach Volleyball championships of the London 2012 Olympic Games. This historic area is not to be missed on your next trip London! Call ahead for more details.

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The Queen herself showed up in 2008 to open this museum installed in the Whitehall stables, which are still in use. The Household Cavalry consists of the True Life guards and the Blues and Royals, the oldest and most senior regiments in the British Army. This is a living museum, and you can, for example, see troopers working with horses in their original stables from the 1700s. Founded in 1661, on orders of King Charles II, the cavalry guards Her Majesty on ceremonial occasions. Some of the men in the regiment are also deployed on active service in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the museum visitors can see regimental collections of arms and militaria.

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With its identical square towers and superb archways, this early-English Gothic abbey is one of the greatest examples of ecclesiastical architecture on earth. But it's far more than that: It's the shrine of a nation, the symbol of everything Britain has stood for and stands for, and the place in which most of its rulers were crowned and where many lie buried.

Nearly every figure in English history has left his or her mark on Westminster Abbey. Edward the Confessor founded the Benedictine abbey in 1065 on this spot overlooking Parliament Square. The first English king crowned in the Abbey may have been Harold, in January 1066. The man who defeated him at the Battle of Hastings later that year, William the Conqueror, had the first recorded coronation in the Abbey on Christmas Day that same year. The coronation tradition has continued to the present day. The essentially early-English Gothic structure existing today owes more to Henry III's plans than to those of any other sovereign, although many architects, including Wren, have contributed to the Abbey.

Built on the site of the ancient Lady Chapel in the early 16th century, the Henry VII Chapel is one of the loveliest in Europe, with...

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Once the residence of British monarchs, Kensington Palace hasn't been the official home of reigning kings since George II, who died in 1760. William III and Mary II acquired it in 1689 to escape the damp royal rooms along the Thames. Since the end of the 18th century, the palace has housed various members of the royal family, and the State Apartments are open for tours.

It was here in 1837 that a young Victoria was awakened with the news that her uncle, William IV, had died and she was now the Queen of England. You can view a collection of Victoriana here, including some of her memorabilia. In the apartments of Queen Mary II is a striking 17th-century writing cabinet inlaid with tortoiseshell. Paintings from the Royal Collection line the walls. A rare 1750 lady's court dress and splendid examples of male court dress from the 18th century are on display in rooms adjacent to the State Apartments, as part of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which features royal costumes dating as far back as 200 years.

Kensington Palace was the London home of the late Princess Margaret, and is the current home of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. The palace was also the home of Diana, Princess of Wales,...

Our Local Expert Says:

Home to The Princess of Wales Playground -adults must be accompanied by a child. Warning: Your kids will not want to leave, it is truly fantastic. Search for the Peter Pan statue and eat yummy scones at The Orangery tucked beside the palace.

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An oasis of tranquillity in central London, Hyde Park, together with Kensington Gardens to the west, is the largest of the three royal parks. On the north-east side is Speaker's Corner, a traditional haven of free speech. It is also famous for the Serpentine boating lake, complete with a designated swimming area, and the Serpentine Gallery. Lesser known is the Dogs' Cemetery at the northern end of the park. The graves commemorate more than 200 pooches who enjoyed the park in their day.

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Created as a an oval granite stream in the middle of Hyde Park, the fountain symbolizes the joy of life that the Princess of Wales loved so much. Visitors can dip their feet into the ground level stream or sun bathe in the grass area in the center. Wading into the fountain is not permitted for safety reasons. Hours vary throughout the year, so be sure to check the website while planning your visit.

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This astonishing 175ft (53m) high memorial was built by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved Consort in 1872. Albert sits on his throne holding the catalogue of the Great Exhibition of 1851. The memorial has been called "one of the grandest high-Victorian Gothic extravaganzas anywhere" and the frieze around its base is the greatest stone pantheon in London. In keeping with Albert's philosophy of promoting understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Science, it features 169 life-sized heroes of the Victorian Age, including Shakespeare, Beethoven, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Wren, Turner, Rembrandt, Mozart, Homer, Pythagoras, and 159 other greats. Allegorical figures of Agriculture, Commerce, Manufacture and Engineering also adorn the memorial.

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During World War II, newsreel footage reaching America showed St. Paul's Cathedral standing virtually alone among the rubble of the City, its dome lit by fires caused by bombings all around it. That the cathedral survived at all is a miracle, since it was badly hit twice during the early years of the bombardment of London. But St. Paul's is accustomed to calamity, having been burned down three times and destroyed by invading Norsemen. The old St. Paul's was razed during the Great Fire of 1666, making way for a new structure designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The cathedral is architectural genius Wren's ultimate masterpiece.

The classical dome of St. Paul's dominates the City's square mile. The golden cross surmounting it is 110m (361 ft.) above the ground; the golden ball on which the cross rests measures 2m (6 1/2 ft.) in diameter, though it looks like a marble from below. In the interior of the dome is the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel in which the faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the opposite side. Sit on one side, have your traveling companions sit on the other, and whisper away. You can climb to the top of the dome for a 360-degree...

Our Local Expert Says:

Visit weekdays to avoid crowds and explore the noteworthy Kew Village

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These world-famous gardens offer thousands of varieties of plants. But Kew Gardens, as it's known, is no mere pleasure garden -- it's essentially a vast scientific research center that happens to be beautiful. The gardens, on a 120-hectare (296-acre) site, encompass lakes, greenhouses, walks, pavilions, and museums, along with examples of the architecture of Sir William Chambers. Among the 50,000 plants are notable collections of ferns, orchids, aquatic plants, cacti, mountain plants, palms, and tropical water lilies.

No matter what season you visit, Kew always has something to see, from the first spring flowers through to winter. Gigantic hothouses grow species of shrubs, blooms, and trees from every part of the globe, from the Arctic Circle to tropical rainforests. Attractions include a newly restored Japanese gateway in traditional landscaping, as well as exhibitions that vary by season. The greenhouse, the Princess of Wales Conservatory (beyond the rock garden), encompasses 10 climatic zones, from arid to tropical; it has London's most thrilling collection of miniature orchids. The Marianne North Gallery (1882) is an absolute gem, paneled with 246 different types of wood that the...

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The 16th-century palace of Cardinal Wolsey can teach us a lesson: Don't try to outdo your boss, particularly if he happens to be Henry VIII. The rich cardinal did just that, and he eventually lost his fortune, power, and prestige, and ended up giving his lavish palace to the Tudor monarch. Henry took over, even outdoing the Wolsey embellishments. The Tudor additions included the Anne Boleyn gateway, with its 16th-century astronomical clock that even tells the time of high tide at London Bridge. From Clock Court, you can see one of Henry's major contributions, the aptly named Great Hall, with its hammer-beam ceiling. Also added by Henry were the tiltyard (where jousting competitions were held), a tennis court, and a kitchen.

Although the palace enjoyed prestige and pomp in Elizabethan days, it owes much of its present look to William and Mary -- or rather to Sir Christopher Wren, who designed and had built the Northern or Lion Gates, intended to be the main entrance to the new parts of the palace. The fine wrought-iron screen at the south end of the south gardens was made by Jean Tijou around 1694 for William and Mary. You can parade through the apartments today, filled as they were...