Top Royal Attractions in London
With the King's Coronation getting Britain flying the flag, you may be feeling a little patriotic. If so, you’ve come to the right place, as we can get you exploring all of London’s best royal attractions for less with cheap train tickets to Euston.
Home to some of Britain’s best royal landmark’s, London is a must-visit for any royal enthusiast, which is why we have come up with London’s royal attraction bucket list.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is a World Heritage Site that is swamped in thousands of years of royal history. The Abbey has since been the setting of 16 royal weddings, the place for coronation of every English monarch since 1066, and the resting site for more than 3000 Britons, including Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I and Richard II to name a few.
Did you know, Westminster Abbey also has a Poet’s Corner, where more than 100 poets and writers are buried or commemorated? Writers and poets such as William Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are amongst the many.
As Westminster Abbey is also an active place of worship for Christians, all are welcome to attend the daily services for free. Alternatively, you can purchase a Westminster Abbey ticket (kids under five go free).
Psst… the Hop-On, Hop-Off London Bus Tour goes here too *wink wink
Buckingham Palace
A royal trip to London would not be complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is one of the UK’s most recognisable landmarks, which you can explore inside from the end of July to the beginning of October (and on selected dates during winter and spring) with one of the Royal Collection Trust’s tours of Buckingham Palace . The tours give you the chance to explore Her Majesty’s magnificent State Rooms and gardens, including the Throne Room, Ball Room and Drawing Room.
However, if you just fancy stopping by for a quick pic, why not take advantage of our 2FOR1 tickets on the London Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour when you travel by train?
The Royal Mews
If you’re in the area, why not visit the Royal Mews, home to historic royal carriages and one of the world’s finest working stables?
Open Thursday – Monday until early October, you can discover coaches, horses, and carriages, as well as getting the opportunity to sit in a royal carriage yourself! We can already see you now, waving just like Queen Victoria did in 1897.
A trip to one of the greatest stables on the globe would not be complete without seeing the royal’s four legged friends (and no, we don’t mean Her Majesty’s corgis). The Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays are the two types of horses used to pull the carriages at the Mews.
Tower of London
The London Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour also takes you to one of the world’s most famous fortresses - the Tower of London - which attracts over three million visitors every year!
On the Tower of London tour , you will get close to some of the most powerful symbols of the British Monarchy as you are dazzled by the Crown Jewel’s breath-taking collection. You will also get chance to meet some of the Yeomen Warders - the legendary guardians of the Tower.
If you enter, we also hope and pray that you see the Tower of London’s famous ravens, where legend has it, if the six ravens who guard the Tower leave the fortress, the kingdom and the Tower will fall.
Top tip! If you do journey to the Tower of London, it’s also a great place to take some snaps of Tower Bridge, especially as it’s one of our top picture spots in London.
Kensington Palace
The home of young royals for over 300 years. A place to explore the birthplace of Queen Victoria, or the footsteps of royalty.
Entry into the attraction is £20 for adults and £11 for children. Your admission ticket includes access to Princess Victoria’s childhood rooms, the lavish King’s State Apartments, the King’s staircase, the King’s gallery, the state apartments, the jewel room, the beautiful Kensington Palace gardens, and (until September 2022), the platinum jubilee blooms - which show a colourful display of flowers to honour Her Majesty’s reign.
Hyde Park
Talking of parks and gardens, Hyde Park is one of London’s ten royal parks and gardens, alongside Kensington gardens, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, St James’ Park, The Green Park, Regent’s Park, Greenwich Park, Brompton Cemetery, and Victoria Tower Gardens.
Located right in the heart of London, Hyde Park is renowned for its world-class events, as well as several quiet places to relax and recharge.
One of its famous landmarks is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, which was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2004. The design was built to reflect Diana’s life, symbolising Diana’s quality, and openness. Definitely worth a visit!
The Household Cavalry
The Household Cavalry is a living museum located at Horse Guards, that celebrates the history and accomplishments of the Household Cavalry, providing a unique behind the scenes experience that looks at the work that goes into the ceremonial and armoured reconnaissance role of His Majesty the King’s mounted bodyguard.
Dress the part as you try on calvary uniforms or make your way out to see the pros in action with hourly sentry changes, morning guard changes and afternoon Garrison inspections.
Although, not as well-known as the Changing of the Guard (one of the many free activities to do in London with the kids), which takes place at Buckingham Palace, the displays at the Household Cavalry attract smaller crowds - and with no railings between you and the guards, it’s a perfect place to get some great photos.
Unlike other museums, The Household Cavalry is not full of dusty exhibits behind glass cases, but more about real people doing real jobs. One not to be missed.
Royal Albert Hall
Did you know that the Royal Albert Hall was originally going to be called the Central Hall? No? Well, the Hall was built to fulfil Prince Albert’s (Queen Victoria’s husband) vision to promote understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences.
The Royal Albert Hall, which is a Grade I listed building, is now a registered charity to continue to fulfil the same aim Prince Albert first wished. Since opening in 1871, more than 1.7 million people have enjoyed live experiences at the Hall every year.
Royal Albert Hall tours are on offer for those who wish to know more about this famous London landmark, but for those who fancy more of a sweet treat, you can pop into the Café Bar for some freshly brewed coffee, sandwiched, pastries and light bites that can be enjoyed on the terrace.
Kew Palace
Rated 4.5 starts on TripAdvisor, you can step into the hidden royal home in Kew Gardens, home of George III and Queen Charlotte.
If you are feeling energetic, you can climb the 253 steps to the top of the Great Pagoda to admire the magnificent views across London. If you’re not too out of breath, you can also teach each other some fun facts as you learn why the Pagoda was build and how the royal family used the building in the 18th century.
In the royal kitchens you may think you have fallen into the set of Downton Abbey as you discover what life was like for the servants who worked in them around 200 years ago.
Windsor Castle
Did you know Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, with more than 1000 years of royal history?
Luckily for visitors, Windsor Castle is open to the public throughout the year, so anyone can get a slice of what living like a royal is truly like.
This royal castle certainly lives up to the expectations of Disney movies, with gold plated ceilings, richly decorated interiors, and rooms full of history and elegance, Windsor Castle is definitely one London landmark you want to add to your bucket list.
Getting to London by train
So, there you have it! A quick bucket list of just some of the royal attractions you can do in London. How many have you ticked off your list?
If you’ve been inspired by taking a trip to London, you can pay less and do more with a variety of ticketing options we offer. Go with a group and save 1/3 on your train travel with Groupsave, travel on a Family Travelcard where kids go for a quid or take advantage of our advance fares where you can get to London from as little as £7.50!