Planning a trip to Buckingham Palace? Read this first.
We look at London’s most popular landmarks and decide if they’re worth the cost and the crowds. This week, it’s the Queen’s London residence: Buckingham Palace.
They say
Tour the Queen’s London residence when the Palace isn’t being used in its official capacity.
We say
Walk through 19 of the palace’s 775 rooms, resisting the urge to take a sneaky selfie.
The set-up
Just a handful of rooms are open, so don’t go hoping for a glimpse of the Queen’s four-poster. We didn’t spy any corgis, but we did see huge oil paintings, epic gilded ceilings and lots of fancy finery.
What’s the sweetest spot?
We spent a lot of time gawping at the chandeliers.
Did you learn anything?
On an audio tour, Major Tim Peake explains why he gave part of his astronaut suit to Her Maj.
Is it worth the money?
It’s not bad. Tickets start at £23 and an average visit lasts well over two hours.
Insider’s tip
Don’t finish your tour just as the Changing of the Guard takes place, as you’ll be stuck there for a good half an hour – like we were.
Just for tourists?
Nope. Sure, it’s tourist catnip, but it’s also a rare chance to see inside one of London’s most famous buildings.
Buckingham Palace opens for ten weeks over the summer months. Book tickets here.