Westminster City Tour with Changing of the Guard | Private

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Private
2 hrs 45 mins
Covent Garden
Refundable booking

Livtours Private Westminster City and Changing of the Guard tour is the best way to see all the highlights of London with its most iconic ceremony all in one morning. With a private tour, you are not only guaranteed fascinating information but you can personalize your tour and get the most out of your visit to London. With a local expert at your side, you are ensuring you will see the best of the Changing of the Guard and will dodge the crowds who so often find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time for this unique and majestic parade.

Avoid the panic and stress of the crowds and march alongside the band with ease as all is taken care of for you on this royal tour of London. It is an easy mistake that so many visitors make in rushing to the front of the palace gates, hoping for the best view. Yet your guide will position you to make sure you are not swarmed, mobbed, and unable to see as so many big group tours, or independent travelers find themselves. Not only visiting the royal district by starting in Covent Garden and ending outside Westminster’s Big Ben, but this all-encompassing tour will also give you the best taste of London with your very own London guide.

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  • Beat the crowds with your private expert guide for the best views and photos
  • Witness the magic royal splendor at one of most iconic military parades
  • Uncover fascinating history of the Kings and Queens past and present
  • Ensure you don’t miss a moment, with expert knowledge and planning
  • Stare in wonder at the most famous monuments learning the stories behind them
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Exclusive private Tours and Experiences. Also offered in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian

Our prices always include tickets and reservations fees (no waiting in lines!)

Our tour guides and staff are selected experts and speak perfect English

Easy to book and prepay your tours with our secure payment system

Eco-sustainable tourism, designed to respect and support local culture, art and traditions

Your Livtours Private Westminster and Changing of the Guard tour is the best way to see what Royal London has to offer. Starting in lively Covent Garden just aside London’s Theater filled West End, monument after monument awaits you as your private London guide leads you towards the Royal district of Saint James. Sneak past the famous Gentlemen’s clubs for Lords, dukes and politicians alike to find yourself in the best spot to witness the marvelous pomp and ceremony of the Changing of the Guard. A historic and iconic military parade, that is known across the world. Follow the marching band and know your Scots regiment from your Irish with your expert guide, leading you through hundreds of years of royal history.

Hearing fascinating stories not only of British history but Royal and military you will have a real VIP experience as you make your way to the climactic and often overlooked end of the ceremony,  finishing in true royal pageantry. From here your private guide will take you to Westminster the heart of British Politics for postcard-perfect views of Westminster Abbey, the location for Royal Weddings, Coronations, and burials for over 1000 years. Uncover the fascinating and often confusing world of British Politics at The Houses of Parliament, with the prime minister’s house around the corner and Big Ben attached you will feel you have seen all that London has to offer in one visit. With your private guide at your side, learn more about how Westminster once ruled a third of the world, how England once beheaded a king, tales of treacherous gunpowder plots, and Big Ben’s real name.

Please note: if you would like to see the Changing of the Guard, you must book on a Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday. If you book your tour on Friday, you’ll experience the change of the Household Cavalry.

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  • Covent Garden
  • Trafalgar Square
  • Westminster city
  • Changing of the Guard (or Household Cavalry)
  • Buckingham Palace (from outside)
  • Westminster Abbey (from outside)
  • Churchill War Rooms (from outside)
  • 10 Downing St (from outside)
  • Big Ben (from outside)
  • Skip the line Westminster Abbey tickets (optional)
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  • The British authorities reserves the right to change the modify or cancel the Changing of the Guards ceremony without notice in the case of wet weather and other official events.  In such cases, your guide will modify the tour to include an alternative Parade where possible, and share more highlights of Westminster area.
  • In the case of heavy rain, you will see a wet change (guards marching without music).
  • Please note that if you book your tour on Friday you’ll experience the change of the Household Cavalry.
  • For the Changing of the Guard ceremony, we do not stand by the Buckingham palace gates. The crowds swarm there hours in advance, only to find they can only see the very end of the parade all while being crushed by the masses. Instead, we take you to the best spots only the locals know, and actually walk along with the parade! This way you see the absolute most there is to see, and it’s a much more enjoyable experience.
  • We highly recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for this tour.

  • Please bring ID for kids 15 and under

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LivTours’ group size of max 6 participants is and always has been based on sustainable travel, and we are proud to be at the forefront of change and innovation in the industry.  LivTours is committed to providing travelers with truly sustainable tours with the lowest possible environmental impact, all while supporting the local industries and people of each unique destination. To learn more about how you can actively support sustainable tourism  and how LivTours is contributing, click here.

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When you book a LivTours Private Tour or Experience, you are guaranteed a dedicated, expert guide that allows you the flexibility to start your tour at a time which is convenient for you, making planning easy. Our private tours ensure that you will get a tailored experience to meet all your needs so we go at your pace, perfect for families with younger children, elderly, or individuals with accessibility needs. Please be advised that all private tours begin at a base price starting at two people*. Prices are inclusive of entry tickets where applicable. *Some Ferrari private experiences are inclusive of one person only.

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Make your experience even more unique by upgrading your LivTours experience. Please note: add-ons are non refundable.

Add Churchill War Room Tickets & Guided Visit
Add skip the line Churchill War Room Tickets and a one hour guided visit to your London tour.
119 €
per person
Add Skip the Line Westminster Abbey Tickets
Add pre-reserved, skip-the-line entrance to Westminster Abbey and explore the church at your leisure after your guided tour. Should ticket availability not align with the tour schedule, a member of our team will contact you to determine the best time and day for your visit based on ticket availability and your travel plans. Please note: this add-on is for tickets only and is unguided; it is also not possible to visit on Sundays because religious services are held in the abbey.
50 €
per person
Select your Transfer Option
With the one way pick you up service, your driver will pick you up directly from your accommodation and drive you to the meeting point where you will be greeted by your tour guide. Guaranteed stress-free. One way only.
starting from 200 €
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  • Excellent tour and tour guide

    My wife and I didn't want to miss the changing of the guard ceremony so we were happy to book this tour which included a walking tour of the Westminster center of the city as well as the ceremony. We ended the morning feeling like we had just received a wonderfully entertaining look at British history and traditions and had, at the same time, made friends with our lovely guide, Mary, whom we will always remember. We can strongly recommend this tour to you.

    - NicolasG.
  • London's Westminster area

    On this tour, we learned about the importance that the Westminster area has to London, both past and present. Watching the changing of the guard is the perfect example of tradition holding strong over the centuries. Loved every minute of this tour.

    - Ella Jones
  • Westminster city center

    Excellent walking tour of the Westminster area of the city. So much history and so much to learn. Had a great guide who knew it all and was funny as well.

    - Leo
  • Westminster tour

    Visiting the Westminster area of London and watching the changing of the guard is an activity that is much better if done with a guide. This was our experience after having taken this tour with LivTour. There is quite a bit of very interesting information to learn about the Westminster area which made having a guide to explain and to whom we could ask questions, so much better than walking around with a tour book in hand. But the best part of the tour was being precisely in the right spot to see the whole parade and changing of the guard ceremony, without being pushed and shoved by the rest of the crowd. This was thanks to our guide's expert knowledge! We were so happy we had chosen this tour!

    - BettyAnn
  • Very interesting and enjoyable tour

    My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour and especially our guide, Thomas. He was very professional and an excellent historian with flair and a very entertaining style of communication. He was very attentive to our comfort and molded the tour to our own interests. Being in the perfect position to see the entire changing of the guard ceremony (thanks to Thomas) was priceless! We were very pleased with the entire experience.

    - Samatha
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By selecting Choose Dates Later / Buy as Gift at booking, any tour can be purchased without fixed dates. This is the perfect option if you want to purchase your tour as a gift for a loved one, or if you are in the pre-planning phase of your vacation. After booking, you will receive a Travel Voucher Code and full instructions on how to schedule your tours when ready. Once your travel plans are confirmed, you can easily use the Travel Voucher Code on the LivTours website to formally schedule your tours. You can find out more here.

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