London Sightseeing Tour: Guard Change with Tower of London Option
Badge of Excellence
London, England
- 4 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
London's headline sights are spread across the city, and stitching them into one day on your own means a lot of transit and timing. Cover the main landmarks in one loop, taking in St. Paul's Cathedral, a photo stop at Westminster Abbey, the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. An extended Thames River cruise rounds out the day, with the option to add a London Eye ride or cream tea at Harrods.
- See top city attractions like Westminster Abbey in just half a day
- Watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace
- Relax on a private River Thames sightseeing cruise if you choose the full-day tour
- Upgrade to include Harrods cream tea or a London Eye ride (full-day option only)
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This comprehensive tour includes many London highlights, plus prebooked tickets and time-saving bus transit.
What's Included
- Entry to Tower of London (full-day option)
- Entry to St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Changing of the Guard (selected dates)
- Private Thames River sightseeing cruise (full-day option)
- Professional guide & air-conditioned coach
- London Eye ticket (upgrade option)
- Harrods cream tea with sparkling wine (upgrade option)
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 9TP, UK
Located on 164 Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, London, SW1W 9TP, approximately 7 minute walk from Victoria Underground and Railway station. Tour departs inside the building at Gate 19 at 7:45am (Boarding starts at 7.30am)
End points
This activity ends in a different location. See details below:
Type to search
Start time.7:45 am
Itinerary
Select your tour option on booking. Then, after pickup from the meeting point, settle into your air-conditioned coach and head for St. Paul's Cathedral to spend the morning exploring. Make a photo stop to see Westminster Abbey, where you can admire the outside of the 13th-century Gothic church.
Continue to Buckingham Palace, the King’s official London residence, to see the Changing of the Guard. Watch a centuries-old ceremony as the soldiers of The King’s Guard, dressed in red tunics and bearskin hats, exchange places with the new guard to military music.
Move on to the Tower of London, an 11th-century fortress that looms over the River Thames. Spend some free time in the area exploring or having lunch, then meet back up with your group for a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll around history-steeped sites such as Traitor’s Gate, inspect the gruesome torture exhibits at the Wakefield Tower, and check out the Crown Jewels—the magnificent symbols of royal power that are still used by HM King Charles III.
Board a boat for an extended sightseeing trip down the River Thames. Cruise down the river, looking out for the top London attractions such as Tower Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe, before stepping out onto dry land.
Finish your tour at the London Eye or upgrade to finish on a high note with one of two optional activities. Options include a cream tea or a trip on the London Eye for picture-perfect views over the capital. Both activities include transport to the attraction, but no transport back.
Continue to Buckingham Palace, the King’s official London residence, to see the Changing of the Guard. Watch a centuries-old ceremony as the soldiers of The King’s Guard, dressed in red tunics and bearskin hats, exchange places with the new guard to military music.
Move on to the Tower of London, an 11th-century fortress that looms over the River Thames. Spend some free time in the area exploring or having lunch, then meet back up with your group for a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll around history-steeped sites such as Traitor’s Gate, inspect the gruesome torture exhibits at the Wakefield Tower, and check out the Crown Jewels—the magnificent symbols of royal power that are still used by HM King Charles III.
Board a boat for an extended sightseeing trip down the River Thames. Cruise down the river, looking out for the top London attractions such as Tower Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe, before stepping out onto dry land.
Finish your tour at the London Eye or upgrade to finish on a high note with one of two optional activities. Options include a cream tea or a trip on the London Eye for picture-perfect views over the capital. Both activities include transport to the attraction, but no transport back.
City of London (Pass By)
1
St. Paul's Cathedral
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Westminster Abbey
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Changing of the Guard
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tower of London
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
5
Thames River
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
6
London Eye
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
7
Harrods
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour has multiple options. Please choose the one that suits you before booking
- A full day of exploring takes about 8 hours, or around 4 hours if you'd prefer our half-day morning tour (finishing at Buckingham Palace)
- Changing of the Guard: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun, and daily May–July. May change or cancel last minute, but we'll always stop for a photo
- St. Paul's: no guided tour on Sundays though you're welcome to pop in
- London Eye upgrade: a short, pleasant walk from Westminster Pier after your cruise
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Monika_B
Our tour guide Peter was witty and very knowledgeable about all things London. He made the tour a delightful experience. We were able to watch the changing of the guard ceremony on a Friday and it was a great tour around London both on the bus and on foot. The Thames River cruise was fun and got to see the sights by water! Ended at the London Eye Ferris wheel for amazing aerial views of all of London. I would highly recommend this tour. So much sights packed into one day.
Reviews
4.3
based on 2,719 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Shawn_R, Aug 2026
Church was great. River tour was a "check it off the list" item, good but not great. Crown Jewels was great, but everything else at that site was blah for me. You don't see the changing of the guard at the palace, only the guards leaving their barracks as they walk to the palace. Our guide was great, although a few people fat lost/left as the day went on.
Anna_J, Jul 2026
Our tour guide was amazing. So knowledgeable, engaging, and made sure everyone was taken care of. Give him a raise!
Elisha_R, Jul 2026
Great day, Anna was entertaining and full of so much knowledge. We both loved this tour and highly recommend it. The Cream Tea add on was definately worth it as well!
Penny_R, Jul 2026
The only reason I gave this a poor rating was at the time I booked I specifically said it MUST include the changing of the guard. The live agent doubled checked & said it definitely would be !!! I still questioned it because I thought it never occurred on weekends . He said it does only in summer months. So I went ahead & booked. I was VERY disappointed it did not! And was told it never does. I felt mislead. Plus I had to upgrade to full day excursion to fill in time.
Other than the booking error we did enjoy the guided bus trip, St.Paul’s cathedral, Tower of London& the cruise. Our guide Carol was excellent. Very knowledgeable & entertaining. Richard our driver did a great job driving in the chaos.
Wendy_K, Jul 2026
You either get the Harrods or the Seine cruise but both even though your voucher states you participate in both. Very misleading. Also due to the extreme heat many of the activities either closed early or didn't operate
Rebecca_N, Jul 2026
Wonderful experience seeing London with a very fun and knowledgeable tour guide. Would recommend this experience.
Mary_R, Jun 2026
It was perfect. We visited exactly what we wanted to see. And the timing was perfect. A lot to do on your own.
Hamish_S, Jun 2026
Had Peter as a guide and he was very knowledgeable and a great guide. Very enjoyable day. Highly recommend it
Christine_M, Jun 2026
This is a fun packed day meeting early in the morning and canvassing across London . We finished the day with a ride on the London eye . Our guide Peter was phenomenal. He was so well versed on the history of each location . His approach to teach and engage us was wonderful. He truly knows his stuff . He made us forgot about the heat , yet still encouraged opportunities to get water to stay hydrated during the heat wave London was experiencing.
Dennis_S, Jun 2026
Great excursion. St Paul’s cathedral , changing of the guard and Tower of London were fantastic. Our tour guide Peter was very informative and funny. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Mark_S, Jun 2026
Great tour, we are amazed at how much we saw it just one day. We could spend several days inside the Tower of London,so much history.
Christina_P, Jun 2026
The tour guide was great. It was a perfect way to see so many sights in one day. Wear good walking shoes and bring a water bottle.
Samary_O, Jun 2026
Travelled with my husband and two teenagers and this tour was awesome during our short 2 day stay in London. Our guide Peter was engaging, hilarious and knowledgeable and efficiently guided us through all of the major sights. 100% recommend!
Cody_F, Jun 2026
This tour was incredible! Our guide Peter was not only knowledgeable but also very personable. If you plan to see the hot spots of London in one day then this is the tour for you.
Susan_G, Jun 2026
Great tour, lots of walking, be prepared for weather! Very informative guide, very knowledgeable about hx of UK.
Laurie_P, May 2026
You really get to do a lot in one day! Our tour guide Frank was so amazing!! He had a great sense of humor and so much knowledge!!
Terrence_G, May 2026
The sights were amazing and our tour guide was an Irish gentleman of impeccable character! We felt that we were in good hands the entire time.
Nha_D, May 2026
The tour guy left us in the middle of the tour and disappeared from the meeting point. We were looking for him almost 45 minutes and finally had to take a taxi back to the hotel. Extremely unprofessional, irresponsible and terrible service.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Dear Nha,
Thank you for sharing your feedback.
You had booked the London Full Day Tour with Harrods cream tea included. According to our records, you were unsure what Harrods was and expressed interest in visiting the London Eye instead. At that stage, it was not possible to change the tour inclusions.
On the day of travel, the guide informed us that you had left the group after the river cruise, which was towards the end of the tour and before the visit to Harrods. As a result, the only part of the itinerary that was not completed was the cream tea experience at Harrods. The guide understood that you had chosen to leave the tour at that point and intended to purchase tickets for the London Eye instead.
We are sorry for the misunderstanding, and we are not sure what happened after you left the boat with the group. It appears that you did not stop as the rest of the group did before splitting into different itineraries, as customers had different inclusions. Some ended the tour at that point, while others continued on to the London Eye or had the Harrods cream tea included in their booking.
Kind regards,
Premium Tours Team
John, May 2026
Zozo was an excellent guide! His knowledge was vast and he shared it with us. I learned so much about the city, art, architecture, and history. We went into St. Paul’s and the Tower of London. The tour was excellent, but what made it fantastic was Zozo. I am so happy that I booked this tour snd was able to see and learn so much about London. I would give it 6 stars if possible.
Karen_K, May 2026
Ben was an extraordinary guide! His knowledge was incredible, he kept us engaged the entire time, and he even got a little ‘punny’. I loved that when someone in the group mentioned something of interest to them, he focused more on that or would go out of his way to make sure he talked about or showed us that thing of interest. The small group setting made it easy to hear everything and to easily get in and out of any attraction. We truly felt like we saw a large amount of London in a day. If you are limited in time or want to check off a lot of bucket list items, this is your tour!!
Michael_S, Apr 2026
Great way to see a lot of London in a day. Peter James did a great job - very knowledgeable and kept things light and entertaining throughout the day.
Bingfen_W, Apr 2026
It is good tour for our first time in London.
Karen is very friendly, knowledgeable and responsible tour guide. We enjoyed.
Peter_M, Apr 2026
Very knowledgeable guide. Realized we only scratched the surface on all London has to offer. Recommend to do this tour first to see where you really want to spend more time.
manuel_o, Apr 2026
Anna Maria was the best tour guide we ever had. We had a mixed group and she made sure everyone was comfortable doing every activity. She was funny, cheerful, and gave us the opportunity to explore on our own.
The tour itself was well planned out and we saw a lot. The bus station was easy to find and had lots of quick food options inside.
Nirali_C, Mar 2026
Fun times - good excursion and tour guide was good however he didnt leave anytime for people to take some pictures
Edgar_D, Mar 2026
Fun, informative, full day tour of London. On this Saturday there was no changing of the guard ceremony, but, that gave us more time to explore the city.
Karla_K, Mar 2026
John G. was an excellent guide and we had a very good coach driver!! John was very knowledgeable and interesting.
Diane_H, Feb 2026
The day was great! Carol our guide was very friendly and was full of information on all of our sites. I had taxi trouble and was a bit late. I messaged the company and they gave me perfect instructions to catch up with group.
Katrina_P, Feb 2026
A full day of interesting and mind blowing history! Fantastic guide with great humour through the day. He never missed a beat to enjoy the entire itinerary highly recommend Peter!
Kristi_C, Jan 2026
Overall, the stops in this tour capture the most significant attractions in London in an efficient manner. All was as advertised with the exception of one significant area. We missed our time for the London Eye due to not being let off the Thames River boat under the London Eye. Overall, our guide was great, however when this mishap occurred there wasn't an alternative game plan for either rebooking the time for the London Eye or reimbursing those for the ticket cost. It was a very chaotic ending to an otherwise enjoyable tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Dear Kristi,
Thank you for taking the time to post a review of your tour. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found the stops to be efficient and well-organized, and that your guide provided a great experience.
We are very sorry to hear about the issues on the River cruise. Unfortunately, this was the first time our group has encountered such an issue, and we are working closely with the cruise provider to prevent it from happening again. However, please note that the cruise did return to the London Eye pier at last, allowing the rest of the group to enjoy the excursion. We apologise for any distress this caused, appreciate your feedback, and look forward to welcoming you on another Premium Tours experience in the future.
From $94.78
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
London Sightseeing Tour: Guard Change with Tower of London Option
2,719
9 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$94.78
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in London, England
- Mayfair Tours & Tickets
- London Dungeon Tours & Tickets
- ABBA Arena Tours & Tickets
- King's Cross Tours & Tickets
- Southwark Cathedral Tours & Tickets
- Westminster Abbey Tours & Tickets
- St. James's Palace Tours & Tickets
- Portobello Road Tours & Tickets
- Westminster Pier Tours & Tickets
- Museum of Brands Tours & Tickets
- Battersea Power Station Tours & Tickets
- The Courtauld Gallery Tours & Tickets
- The Gherkin Tours & Tickets
- Oxford Street Tours & Tickets
- St. Dunstan-in-the-East Tours & Tickets
- St. Katharine Docks Tours & Tickets