Wellington Arch Tours and Tickets

There are many different ways to experience the Wellington Arch in London. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours and trips available right now:

• Black Taxi Tour of London
• Private Classic London Taxi Tour
• Royal London Walking Tour with High Tea at Kensington Palace
• City Sightseeing London HOHO Bus Tour & Optional River Cruise
• Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour with Optional River Cruise

Wellington Arch is a monument within a public area, so it’s free to visit and view its exterior, but you must pay to go inside and climb to its viewing platform. If you book tickets in advance, adults are £5.90, children aged 5–17 pay £3.10, and students and seniors over 65 pay £5; prices are about £1 more if tickets are bought on the day. Tours are also available that stop by the arch: hop-on hop-off bus tours start around US$40, while black taxi tours begin around US$540 per taxi.

Wellington Arch was built at the start of the 19th century to celebrate the British victories of the Duke of Wellington during the Napoleonic Wars. Planned as an entrance gate at Buckingham Palace, the arch was relocated to Hyde Park Corner amid controversy over its much-maligned original statue. It was also once the location of London’s smallest police station.

For a classic Wellington Arch photo, head to the east side to face the arch-topping Quadriga sculpture, with Hyde Park’s trees as a backdrop and a symmetrical row of street lamps visible through the arch. Hyde Park offers plenty more photo spots, such as the Rose Garden and the bridge by the Serpentine Lake.

Twin landmarks, the English Heritage-managed sites of Wellington Arch and Apsley House sit just a few feet away from each other. Location aside, they share a close history, too: The arch was built to celebrate the Duke of Wellington, and Apsley House was the duke’s lavish London home.