Westminster City Tour with Changing of the Guard | Semi-Private

LivTours Westminster City with Changing of the Guard Semi-Private Tour is a perfect way to discover the truly majestic British pomp and ceremony of the Changing of the Guard without the stress and panic of navigating huge crowds. With groups no larger than 6, our semi-private tour takes you on a journey through historic Westminster (the center of British politics), before heading over to Buckingham Palace, the royal residence of His Majesty the King.

 It is far too easy to make the same mistake so many excited visitors do. Eager to be the first there, many visitors understandably head straight to the front of the Palace gates. This sadly leaves hundreds often cramped, mobbed by the crowds, unable to see a thing, and worst of all in the wrong place to witness the beginning and the climactic highlight of this remarkable parade.

With the help of your expert guide, your small team of under 6 will be guided past the crowds to ensure you are in the right place at the right time to witness every part of the military spectacle, ensuring you don’t miss a thing. Armed with knowledge not only of the city’s history but of the fascinating rituals and quirky traditions that surround the royal pageantry, you can calmly enjoy this world-famous event in all its splendor.

• Beat the crowns with your expert guide for the best views and photos
• Discover the magic and the splendor of the most iconic military parade
• Learn about the fascinating history of the Kings and Queens old and new
• Explore more than 2000 years of British history on a 3.5-hour tour
• See the most iconic parts of London with an interactive and small group

On your Semi-Private Tour of Westminster with Changing of the Guard, you will have the best of two tours in one. A stress-free experience viewing the regal spectacle of Changing of the Guard while exploring the most photographic and iconic locations London has to offer and all in one morning. It is a perfect way to get an understanding of the history and layout of this vast and marvelous city. Your semi-private tour will start at iconic Trafalgar Square for postcard-perfect photos of some of the highlights of London before heading to the royal district of the city. Beat the crowds to the best spot to view the world-famous tradition of Changing the Guard and learn about the different regiments and the secrets of this grand ceremony.

After this, you’ll follow your guide and delve into the mysterious and often strange world of British Politics. You’ll be taken on an interactive introduction providing you with the not-so-secret secret stories behind some of the most visited sights in London. From Royal Weddings, Big Ben’s real name to explosive plots to kill the king, Westminster is full of over 2000 years of exciting and unbelievable history Find out why and how this strange and unique district of London (technically not part of London) is the center of government and the location from which the country is ruled (and once upon a time over a quarter of the world.) Marvel at the royal church of Westminster Abbey, before passing the Prime minister’s house on your way to the Palace.

• Covent garden
• Trafalgar square
• Westminster city
• Changing of the Guard (or Household Cavalry)
• Buckingham palace (from outside)
• Westminster Abbey (from outside)
• Churchills war rooms (from outside)
• 10 Downing St (from outside)
• Big Ben (from outside)
• Fully guided experience

• Please note, if you book on a Friday you will witness the changing of the Household Cavalry
• The British authorities reserve the right to change 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 the Westminster area.  
• In the case of heavy rain, you will see a wet change (guards marching without music). 
• 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

All LivTours Semi-Private Group Tours are limited to 6 guests per tour guide. Our commitment to maintaining our uniquely tiny group sizes can sometimes be a little tricky, mathematically speaking. For example, we want to ensure that traveling families and friends can tour together so on rare occasions we may add one or two guests in order to not split groups. On that same note, you may also find yourself on tour with less than six people! We thank you for your understanding and flexibility.

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.