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Banqueting House

Banqueting House: Our most recommended tours and activities

London: Private Walking Sightseeing Tour

1. London: Private Walking Sightseeing Tour

Enjoy an intimate introduction to England's capital on a private sightseeing tour of Central London, and see some of the city's most iconic sights. Your private guide will collect you from the lobby of your hotel at 10:00. Discuss the flexible itinerary before you set off. Go to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the Royal Family. See the balcony where Prince William kissed his new wife Catherine in 2011. Watch the Queen’s Foot Guard march to a military band at the Changing of the Guards ceremony. Marvel at the eye-catching outfits and bearskin hats. Continue to Westminster Abbey, final resting place of kings, queens, poets and statesmen. Admire architectural details of the former Benedictine monastery, including the stone cloisters, Chapter House and Strong Room. Take in the Clock Tower, home to Big Ben, and the marvelous Gothic edifice of the Houses of Parliament. Then, walk up Whitehall, past Banqueting House and No. 10 Downing Street, to arrive at Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.

London: Jack The Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Bus Tour

2. London: Jack The Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Bus Tour

Step aboard a luxury air-conditioned bus, and journey through the haunted streets of London after dark. Along the way, hear stories about the legends buried at Westminster Abbey, and see the banqueting house where Charles I was beheaded. A guide will explain how the public executioner would often raise a severed head to the crowd to show it still twitching for several seconds after the brutal blows. Continue to the Old Bailey, where numerous public hangings once took place. Pass the Royal London Hospital where the “Elephant Man” once lived. Be spooked by tales of Mrs. Lovett’s pie fillings, which she sold from her shop next to a butcherous barber. Then, walk through a deserted Smithfield Market, looking for the William Wallace plaque where Braveheart was tortured. Learn about the 19th-century body snatchers that dug up local cemeteries “in the interests of science.” Listen out for the scratching of the Cock Lane ghost, Fanny Lynes, and hear her story of sex, loan sharks, arsenic poisoning, and séances. As the shadows lengthen, drive into London's East End, a hotbed of crime and vice in the 19th century. Relive the days of Jack the Ripper, when he came out of the fog and dimly lit alleys to stalk and butcher 5 victims. Stroll the path of his death trail to the murder sites, deciphering the evidence of the still-unsolved crimes. End in the warmth of the Sherlock Holmes Pub, where a wide collection of Holmes memorabilia is on display. The pub also serves an extensive menu of food, including a traditional fish and chip supper, which you can order from the bar.

London: Tower of London Opening Ceremony & Westminster Tour

3. London: Tower of London Opening Ceremony & Westminster Tour

You’re invited to the opening ceremony at the Tower of London, to be first in to explore the Crown Jewels, to join us on an adventure from the old City to the regal city of Westminster. Welcome to the Ultimate Royal London experience. Why join the queue when you can be first into the Tower of London to enjoy the opening ceremony led by a Beefeater and see the Crown Jewels without the crowds? We’re about to read you the story of London, a tale of two cities where you’ll be exploring from crowns to confessions. After benefiting from early access and a special ceremony with the Beefeaters, you’ll explore the Tower that has been keeping a watchful eye over the city and the river Thames since its founding in the 11th-century. Meet your expert English-speaking guide who will give you the lowdowns and highlights of this historic fortress before you go inside to enjoy the Opening Ceremony and discover it on your own. Rejoin your guide for a relaxing boat ride on the River Thames, alighting in the royal city of Westminster to take a walking tour of the iconic landmarks that dot these streets like jewels - Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace. You’ll even have time to get snaps with the snazzily dressed mounted cavalry- all paired with the incredible stories, anecdotes and historical gems shared by your expert guide. Come saunter with us for this well-paced crash course into London’s royal history that you’ll never forget.

London in One Day Tour with River Cruise

4. London in One Day Tour with River Cruise

Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square The tour begins with a panoramic drive around parliament Square, to see Westminster Abbey, where many of our Kings, Queens, Statesmen, poets and writers are buried. See Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. London's West End, Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard Enjoy a fascinating panoramic tour, seeing Trafalgar Square, Downing Street, London's Theatre District and Piccadilly Circus. Then to Buckingham Palace to see the colourful ceremony of the Changing of the Guard. St Paul's Cathedral A guided tour of Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece – St Paul's Cathedral - crowned by the magnificent dome that is so much a part of the London skyline. The Cathedral was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666. In recent years it has seen the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Lady Diana Spencer and, most recently, the thanksgiving services for both the Golden Jubilee and 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. The Tower of London and Crown Jewels Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066 and enlarged by successive sovereigns, the Tower of London is one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses. Over the past 1000 years it has been a Royal Palace, an armoury and a place of imprisonment and execution. The Beefeaters who guard the Tower will regale you with stories of its past. We will visit the Crown Jewels, including the magnificent solid-gold crown used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the enormous Cullinan diamonds and the extraordinary Koh-i-Noor.   Sunday in London - due to church services St Paul's Cathedral is closed to visitors on Sunday. We will stop for photographs and spend longer in the Tower of London. Occasionally there may not be a Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, on these occasions we will visit the Changing of the Guard at Horse Guards Parade. Thames River Cruise Enjoy your river cruise at your leisure after exploring The Tower of London. Your river cruise will take you from Tower to Westminster Pier, where your tour will conclude.

Political London Self Guided Audio Tour

5. Political London Self Guided Audio Tour

This approximate 50 minute self guided tour will take you through the heart of political London. Begin your tour in Trafalgar Square surrounded by the history that makes London truly special, from here you will head through Whitehall passing the home of the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street,move further on to marvel at Parliament Square and the majestic Houses of Parliament and of course Big Ben, but it doesn't stop there, head across Westminster Bridge and enjoy finishing your tour at the impressive Greater London County Hall in the shadow of the London Eye.

Palaces, Parliament & Power: London's Royal City

6. Palaces, Parliament & Power: London's Royal City

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting monarchs (including a Sewer King!), Prime Ministers, Guy Fawkes, Lawrence of Arabia, and possibly some secret agents... On our walking tour we'll travel through Westminster, London's Royal City. We'll visit palaces, including ones you might not have known were even there, the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Winston Churchill's secret underground bunker, the most beautiful Royal Park in all of London, and we'll also discover why you should never eat a fish that you've stolen from a monk's pond! The walking tour begins outside Embankment Station exit (River Thames side), ends near to Green Park Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two and a half miles. Ticket sales will be limited to circa ten attendees, to ensure maximum enjoyment for everybody on the tour.

London: Winston Churchill Walking Tour with War Rooms Ticket

7. London: Winston Churchill Walking Tour with War Rooms Ticket

This tour will be for all fans of the man voted the greatest figure in British history, wartime prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill. On this walking tour, you will explore the streets of Piccadilly, St. James and Westminster and visit places that played important roles in his life. Have a chance to sit on a bench with Churchill and his wartime ally, President Roosevelt. Everyone knows that Sir Winston Churchill loved his cigars, as well as various other vices. Visit the store which used to supply his cigars. Inside, there will be a hidden treasure of London which was used by the great man himself. Visit the home where Churchill lived as a young boy as well as Downing Street, where he lived as prime minister and see the church where he and Clementine were married in 1908. Nearby, you will see the most famous statue of Churchill and learn about the story of why it is there and what it represents, handily it is rather close to one of the pubs he used to visit and a good place to visit afterwards. The tour will end outside the Churchill War Rooms which are perfectly preserved from the Second World War and from which Churchill ran the war whilst the streets through which you walked were regularly bombed by the Luftwaffe. Tickets for the War Rooms will be included along with an excellent audio guide.

Other Sightseeing Options in Banqueting House

Want to discover all there is to do in Banqueting House? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Banqueting House

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 303 reviews

Tour is with EvansEvans Tour. The coach we rode on to multiple locations in the city was comfortable and spacious. The tour guide we were with (Charlotte) was fantastic. She was knowledgeable, engaging and funny. Plenty of time to take photos at certain sites. If you sign up for the whole day tour, there was enough time for lunch. This tour is a must if you only have a limited amount of time in the city. Highlights: Ride through the city, pointing out certain sites/buildings/ statues, the tower of London, Westminister Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, watch changing of the guards, Buckingham Palace, Thames Cruise (optional). The only down part of the tour was we were dropped off at the pier for the cruise and depending on which direction you went after the cruise, you had to make your way home on your own. (This is understandable as different people would go different ways but thought we would be dropped off where we got on (at Victoria Coach Station), not a deal breaker.

The tour was fantastic. The guide didn’t give us any bs, and added in extra bits of information about other things in the areas we were in. He was funny too, and made sure none of the party got lost! The weather affected the microphone a bit, so it wasn’t always clear when he was speaking on the bus, but otherwise it was brilliant. Definitely recommend.

The guide was very knowledgeable and shared fun facts that made the tour fun. The guide catered the tour around my interests, was very patient and helpful when I wanted to take pictures. Mind you, there is a lot of walking.

Such a cool way to see history! The tour isn’t that scary at all, maybe a bit gruesome at times, but it’s mostly a sight seeing tour at night but you truly feel transported back in time at parts!

It was a good tour, unfortunately the Queen passed so everything was so crowded and we couldn’t get near a lot of things.