Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & Landmarks
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
About
Buckingham Palace is recognised around the world as the focus of national and royal celebrations as well as the backdrop to the regular Changing the Guard ceremony. Explore the magnificent State Rooms which are open to visitors for 10 weeks each summer and on selected dates during winter and spring. During a visit to Buckingham Palace, visitors can see the 19 magnificent State Rooms, which provide the setting for ceremonial occasions and official entertaining. All rooms are furnished with many of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Admission tickets
from
AU$38.05
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Westminster
If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand scale, Westminster would be a wise place to start. The ornate Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit adjacent at a corner of Parliament Square, and a short stroll along The Mall leads to Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column are just up the road as well. As captivating as the architecture is, the wonders of Mother Nature are highlights of the area too. St James's Park (arguably London's loveliest), the expansive Green Park, and pedestrian friendly tree lined paths along the river showcase the exquisite manicure provided by English gardeners. Just beyond the landmarks and the gorgeous outdoor spaces, quiet residential squares and age old local pubs offer a more subdued take on this global seat of power in the heart of London.
How to get there
  • Green Park • 8 min walk
  • Hyde Park Corner • 10 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Irene M
    New York City, New York136 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An absolute treasure
    So worth going in the summer to see the inside of the Palace! I have been to London before but I timed it this time to see the inside of Buckingham Palace. I am a royal fan so this was great and we got to enjoy viewing some pieces and information from the recent coronation. I got the tickets through the website for about 2pm. It was busy but manageable at that time. Not crazy crowded. My teens actually loved it too! I highly recommend. Dessert at the cafe was absolutely delicious I wish I could fly back to sit in the patio and eat it again! I even posted a picture for you to try it lol. Even the bathroom was great it looks like a shack but there is a soap in there that has an amazing smell but they dont sell it in the gift shop? Give yourself enough time to enjoy the walk out too (to the exit). The gardens and willow trees and lake you pass are just beautiful as well! You will end up walking slow to take it in.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 3 October 2023
  • KarenM1_10
    1,043 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good tour
    We did a combo bus tour of Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. When we visited many years ago, we did not get to see the interior of the Palace. The Palace is very beautiful inside and out, especially the area surrounding the Palace. There is a nice park and another open area with a large fountain. The interior is very nice, just as I imagined, it with beautiful furnishings and loads of artwork. So happy that we had an opportunity to see the interior this time.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 October 2023
  • Kelsey P
    San Rafael, California117 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great tour
    This is a must-see while in London! I don't care about the royal family and I was still impressed by the tour of the state rooms. My mother cares a lot and she was so excited to see the places shown in photos and on TV. We did the "royal day out" which includes the Queen's Gallery and the Royal Mews. They were interesting but the Palace is definitely the highlight - if you are short on time, you're not missing much in the other 2. A headset with audio guide in several languages is provided. You end in the garden where there is a cafe and of course an extensive gift shop. No photos are allowed inside the Palace. Double check the schedule as the Palace is only open certain times of the year and certain days of the week.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 October 2023
  • David H
    Bury, United Kingdom1,633 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent
    We booked the tour of the Palace, including the new exhibition of the King and Queen's Coronation robes. The tour of the Palace is fascinating, with all the grandeur of the State rooms. The tour ends on the steps of the back lawn, where there is a substantial cafe and shop. Prices here are a bit steep. The exit leads you through the lovely Palace Gardens back on to a side road. No photography allowed inside the Palace and this is strictly enforced.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 2 November 2023
  • Erica F
    Houston, Texas22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Bucking ham Palace with all its glory
    London and all its pomp and circumstance on display is mesmerizing! The 45 min changing of the guard is an experience in and of itself. The gold gates and and the formalities remind us whose United a kingdom it real is! God save the King!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 November 2023
  • menhb
    Huntington Beach, California871 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful Experience
    Obtained a ticket to the Royal Collection Trust visit to Buckingham Palace guided tour. This was definitely something I’d always wanted to do and it did not disappoint. Our guide was I believe Charlotte who took us through the magnificent state rooms of the palace. We were able to stand in the throne rooms as well as reception halls. The rooms were decorated for Christmas which enhanced the experience. Additional aides Trevor and Mandy assisted in the experience. Also I commend the officer at the door to the Queens Gallery as being the most helpful person ever. I thought I had misplaced my ticket and he put me most as ease. Kudos to the staff at Buckingham Palace. They appear to love their positions. We also received at complimentary guide book at the end of our visit. Sorry. Pictures not allowed. You must book.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 December 2023
  • Mike Swallow
    Brisbane, Australia478 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Get there early before the crowds
    We’re not what you would call Royalists by any stretch but had to see it to tick off the list. Beautiful day and key tip is go for your early morning walk before coffee and get there early. We were prob there around 7am and no one there which caught us by surprise so had a good nosy through the gates. When we came back by after a few hrs the place was packed!
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 December 2023
  • Resort777027
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take the Tour!
    After multiple trips to London and always walking by Buckingham Palace we finally booked a tour and it exceeded my highest expectations. Mandy, our tour guide, led us through 8 beautiful public rooms and in each room she brought out the history that made the room come alive. I highly recommend it.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 January 2024
  • rebeccataylorDOVER
    Dover, United Kingdom9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    worth a visit
    Buckingham Palace, one of Britain’s most iconic buildings is the official residence of King Charles III. It offers a historic art collection, beautiful gardens and perhaps the most majestic staircase in the world. Very interesting!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 February 2024
  • J0009
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A stunning experience!
    An amazing 90 minute tour round the State Rooms of the Palace. Our guide was superb and all the staff are polite, friendly, well informed and efficient. The Palace is magnificent and the art on display is beautiful. It was fascinating to see behind the façade.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 15 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles30,010 reviews
Excellent
16,184
Very good
8,808
Average
3,998
Poor
713
Terrible
308

Lyly
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Family
I visited with my teen daughter and after long queues, part of it in the rain, thank God I thought of taking with me my umbrella, we were inside. The place is beautiful if you love the grandeur of English state homes but it’s not much enjoyable really. The tour is electronically guided and you either talked to your companion(s) or you listen to the robot sounding voice of the gadget and so. I believe it would be a better experience, if it was done by a human tour guide rather than the gadgets. The staff in general is too quiet for a customer service as if they are annoyed or too tired. The most annoying thing is that you can’t take pictures which we would have liked a lot. If you want to have a souvenir of the visit, you have to buy the £20 book and you won’t figure in it, will you! It’s an era of pictures and social medias and especially for young people, it’s necessary that such service includes the permission to take pictures. It’s a big building obviously and too tiring, if pictures are not permitted why not buy the book and just read about it rather than waste your time visiting!!!!!! As they are cords to limit where you can really step in every room (you see everything at a distance really), you don’t get a chance to approach the windows and see the views the royal family get from the room. You get little for your money really. Another downside, the place is big, too hot, and too crowded as they let in too many people at once and it would be good to have some drink vendor machines installed in discreet places during the visits or warn people to bring their own filled water bottle. Yeah we left with less of an impression than we had before the visit and wondering if it was worth it. My daughter thinks she should write to the queen and give her personally her impression of the visit!
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

06raelene
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
The tour was very well organized with separate queues for separate entrance times clearly marked. The only downside was the torrential downpour that made moving from the queue where tickets are purchased to the queue for the entrance a mad rush with umbrellas tangling and pedestrians just trying to get out of the rain. My young son enjoyed the special activity for the children to find items in each room and then at the end of the tour the activities for kids including a picture "with the Queen".
Written 12 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachel W
Australia214 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2019
This was our second visit to Buckingham Palace having previously been in April 2012. If you've caught an early flight into London, may I recommend leaving your luggage at a Left Luggage facility and travelling to Green Park tube station. From here you can take a beautiful walk through Green Park and then into the grounds in front of Buckingham Palace. The crowds are very minor at this time of the morning (approximately 8.30am). From here you can walk into St James' Park. If you aren't exhausted you can then continue walking down to Big Ben along Birdcage Walk. It is approximately 1.3km (15 mins) walk from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben. This self guided walking tour is so perfect to try and walk off the jetlag. Plenty of fresh air. You'd be surprised what you can get to in a short period of time by walking instead of taking a Hop On Hop Off bus.
Written 23 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Richmondwife
SW London10 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
Very disappointing visit to Buckingham Palace Gardens in July 2021. Security queue (worse than an at airport) took 45 minutes. Gardens were plain and disappointing. Many areas shut off. Advertised as a wonderful place for a picnic but before arriving we were sent an email saying we were not allowed to bring in alcohol, glassware or cutlery. Too many people trying to find space made it a distinctly unpleasant experience. I recommend taking a picnic for free to nearby Green Park and enjoying more space and no limits on your picnic feast, without paying the fee or having to queue with lots of other disappointed people. Not special at all.
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LRD12
Anglesey, UK15 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
I'd been visiting Buckingham palace from the outside since I was a young child so was very excited to go on a tour of the state rooms and the royal mews. I've come away feeling ripped off and wanting my money back! The royal mews was supposed to be an opportunity to meet the royal horses, there were 2 there and they were hidden so we couldn't even see them. It even says on one of the information boards that the horses go on holiday in the summer, so why run summer tours to meet them if they aren't there?!

We then went on a tour of the Buckingham Palace state rooms afterwards and that was even worse! We were herded through security like cattle, had to check our pram and were given a baby carrier that stank of vomit. There were hundreds of people starting the tour every 15 minutes, it was horrendously organised and if you reached your hand out you'd be touching someone in every direction. It was hot, stuffy, smelt and was unpleasant and uncomfortable in every way. As soon as we started the tour we wanted to get through as quickly which was a horrible feeling after being so excited and paying so much to experience Buckingham palace. The rooms are grand as expected, some bits are a little worse for wear but you aren't allowed to take photos for some reason? I can understand no photos of artwork, no flash etc but to not be able to take any at all is ridiculous.

There is an audio guide but it's a few minutes per room and doesn't give you much detail. I had to carry my 1 year old through the last 5/6 rooms so wasn't able to listen to the audio guide and there's no written information boards at all so you're basically on an informationless tour of an overcrowded house.

The cafe wasn't big enough for the amount of people, huge queues and long waits so we didn't bother. The gardens weren't anything special, St James' Park is nicer.

I love the royals and I love being British but this tour is an embarrassment and not worth the money or the time. I am so upset it was so bad as it shouldn't have been, it's Buckingham palace!! I've been to dozens of national trust sites that wipe the floor with this place and that should not be the case. This should be the standard everyone else holds themselves to. I'm sure if any of the royal family knew what an embarrassment this tour was they would do something about it.
Written 13 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laura2706
Farnborough, UK16 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
After queuing online back in March for 2 hours to get tickets and paying £16.50 a head I had high hopes for our day out in Buckingham Palace Gardens.
After queuing to get through airport style security, (which I completely understand and accepted) we were pleased to finally be in. We walked around the corner and came to a huge lawn and the rear of the palace, I felt a little disappointed but thought once we get into the borders it will be a different story. Off we went to have our picnic lunch, we had plenty of space it wasn’t crowded at all. They could of put on a instrumental band, it would if created some atmosphere….which was hugely lacking.
After our lunch we wanted to get walking into the gardens themselves and around the lake, after 10 minutes we were back where we started after looking at dying flowers and plenty of weeds.
A staff member picked up on our disappointment and said the walk to the exit has views of the lake and the palace. It did but not enough, more green trees and lawn, barely any colour.
It feels RHS have come in and gone “right now can we make some money”, which I’m willing to pay if I get something in return.
I wouldn’t recommend the day as it currently stands, if they make a few changes then I think it would improve hugely.
My advice? Go to Hampton Court Palace instead, the gardens are simply beautiful!
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hattie
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
We payed £30 each to go inside the palace, would highly recommend it as it made our visit special.
You can buy a book for about £5 which I found really nice to have whilst walking around, or you can take one of the free headsets which tell you all about each room.
We found it all really interesting and enjoyed seeing the jewels.
The tour ends in the gardens where there is a cafe.
At the end of the visit you can opt to validate your pass to become a year pass for free which we did just incase we wish to visit again.
Written 24 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daisymaybe
West Yorkshire54 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
We had a very enjoyable few hours - it actually felt very special to be able to saunter round the Palace lawn on a beautiful summer day and eat our picnic lunch on the terrace. We really appreciated the fact that numbers were kept low and there was plenty of space and seating. Also that there were so many attentive staff around who were only too happy to answer any questions. They were all very polite and friendly and really don't deserve the criticism from those who felt spied on - that definitely isn't why they were there! We took food and drink with us, but the prices of the food on offer didn't look bad and the queues weren't long. The icecreams were excellent! I do feel a bit sorry for visitors who are keen gardeners and had expected a stunning garden to admire - the entrance fee was really all about the experience. We paid the extra £6.50 for the small group tour of the private gardens, and what we saw with our guide Joanne was very interesting. We overheard someone trying to book the tour on the day, so perhaps the information wasn't quite as clear as it could have been on the website. Anyway, we loved it and would highly recommend a visit while it's available.
Written 13 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

provencepassion
Guildford UK230 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
Although it was a special place to be and picnic on the lawn, the walk around the gardens was very disappointing. There are 39 acres, of which we were able to walk around the perimeter of approx. 5 acres. What we saw was interesting with many trees to admire, but we were looking forward to our extra cost guided tour of the Rose Gardens. It was a big let down. As we approached the area of lawns where the Rose beds were, we were told “no photos, no walking on the grass”. That meant we could only see the main beds from about 10metres away! No chance of smelling the roses either.

Behind some shrubs, we glimpsed the tennis court and then moved around the eastern side of the boundary, viewing more trees and shrubs.

After our 20 minute tour, we tried to view the Lake’s island and surrounds, but it was very overgrown and mostly roped off. Nearer the Lawns, we walked the other way around the lake, then sat on the terrace with an ice cream.

Then a visit to the Royal Shop and loos, before we departed. A pleasant day out, but less enjoyable than expected from the preview on the website.
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

781tam
London, UK12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
We went with teen children and grandparents. We were lucky the weather held, but there were covered areas set up in case of inclement weather!
We had a SUPER afternoon, arriving at 1.45, queuing for about 15mins for security, and leaving just before they closed at 6pm.
The gardens themselves are more akin to parkland, but with wonderful vistas and the historic palace as a backdrop. But we took the opportunity to listen to 2 of the 3 free talks that staff gave hourly … about the herbaceous boarders, the lake and the island. And although they were quite brief at 15mins each, we learnt fascinating facts and appreciated more of what we saw as a result.
The staff were friendly and helpful. There were enough fellow picnickers to create a vibe, but it certainly wasn’t busy or crowded.
We wish we’d discovered the tables and chairs on the terrace a little earlier, which would have been more comfortable for the elderly among us.
But really, we had a great afternoon spent eating, roaming, napping, gleaning interesting info and enjoying the ambiance.
Written 23 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 18,649
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Buckingham Palace, London

All London HotelsLondon Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in London
All things to do in London
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars