Royal tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue | 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours

18 Reviews | London
From $199.00 per group Lowest Price Guarantee
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Royal tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue
2 Adults x $199.00
$398.00
Approx Total
$398.00
Royal tour of St James', Parks, Palaces and Royal intrigue
2 Adults x $199.00
$398.00
Approx Total
$398.00

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English
  • A fun and experienced professional, local guide, accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding and the University of Westminster. Sandy is a member of the City of Westminster Guide Lecturer's Association.
  • Food and drinks
  • Food sampling
  • Gratuities - optional
  • Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk

Overview

This private walking tour covers the area of St James' known unofficially as London's Royal Village because of its many royal connections. We wander past the OUTSIDE ONLY of Buckingham Palace and St James' Palace, and through two beautiful royal parks, Green Park and St James' Park. St James' is renowned for its Gentlemen's Clubs, and we will stroll past several which still flourish today, some 275 years after they were founded.  These clubs are in the midst of exclusive shops, many set up to supply the gentlemen with everything they could possibly need from cheese and wine to shirts and shoes.  If you're lucky, your tour date might coincide with an ancient ceremony called the Changing of the Guard, a chance to see royal pageantry at its best. This currently takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. This is a tour not to be missed with hidden gems around every corner! All my Trip Advisor reviews are graded Excellent so I must be doing something right!

Itinerary

  • Green Park

    Legend has it that the park is green because Charles II's wife Catherine de Braganza ordered all its flowers to be removed. Why you might ask? You'll find out on the tour!

    5 minutes

  • St. James's Palace

    Built by Henry VIII on the site of a women's leper hospital, this palace was originally built for the son promised to Henry by his second wife, Anne Boleyn. But things didn't turn out quite as planned!

    10 minutes

  • Changing of the Guard

    One of London's ancient ceremonies, this is pageantry not to be missed BUT IT DOES NOT GO AHEAD EVERY DAY. We will need to check if the ceremony is scheduled for the morning of your tour. If it is, you're in for a treat as we view different parts of the ceremony from three different places - we'll need to move fast to get from one to another! EVEN IF THE CEREMONY IS SCHEDULED TO GO AHEAD, IT CAN BE CANCELLED AT THE LAST MOMENT SO THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL SEE THE CEREMONY.

    20 minutes

  • Clarence House

    A chance to see where King Charles III and the Queen Camilla, call home.

    2 minutes

  • Lancaster House

    Built from beautiful Bath stone, this building stood in for Buckingham Palace during the filming of Downton Abbey, the Netflix series the Crown and the film, the King's Speech.

    2 minutes

  • Buckingham Palace

    One of the London's most iconic buildings, with its world famous balcony, Buckingham Palace is the office of the monarchy and one of the few working palaces in the world. Queen Elizabeth II lived here Monday - Friday but her son Charles has yet to decide where he is going to live. The palace is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment so we'll have to wait and see what he decides to do.

    10 minutes

  • Wellington Barracks

    Home to the Queens' Life Guards, responsible for the security of the monarch since 1660. The new guard leave from here during the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

    2 minutes

  • St. James's Park

    One of the prettiest Royal parks with an abundance of wild life and a gorgeous ornamental lake, England's most extravagant king George IV, made it what it is today. A few other monarchs before him had their say too - I will reveal all on our tour!

    15 minutes

  • Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall

    Originally used for jousting during Tudor times, Horse Guards Parade is now home to two of London's ancient ceremonies dating back to the 1600s, the Changing of the Guard and Trooping the Colour. The parade ring was also used during the London Olympics in 2012 - I wonder if anyone can remember which sport took place here?

    10 minutes

  • St. James' Square

    Once a housing estate for the English aristocracy, it still retains a beautiful garden in the centre.

    5 minutes

  • Paxton & Whitfield

    This shop began life centuries ago as a market stall; how it has changed wince then as it now displays over 90 artisan cheeses from all over Europe.

    3 minutes

  • Floris

    Originally a barber's, Juan Floris quickly changed his shop into a perfumery which is still thriving nearly 300 years later. It still produces Lily of the Valley perfume which was one of the shop's first creations but there are many others well worth a sniff!

    5 minutes

  • Fortnum & Mason

    The most sophisticated department store in London - the hamper began here! As we take a quick walk arund the ground floor of the store, you will find out what unusual feature is up on the roof as well as the nature of a competition sponsored by the store. Intriguing!

    15 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy) and I will be your guide on this tour. My aim is to give you, my client, the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to tell me what they are! If you need to stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me.
  • The tour will last up to 3 hours depending on the walking pace of the group, the number of questions asked and if the Changing of the Guard ceremony is going ahead on the day of the tour.
  • The tour will cover roughly 2 miles in total.
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
  • Due to the distances involved, and the speed at which we may have to walk between events, this tour is not recommended for those with walking difficulties.
  • Morning tours start at 09.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly
  • Unlike some other guides, I specialise in just five areas of London, St James' being one of them. This means that I have detailed knowledge of the area which I pass on to my clients in a fun and interesting way.
  • 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews in total, I must be doing something right!
  • I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so that everyone can hear what I am saying above the usual street noises of a busy city. Also, everyone can ask as many questions as they like.
  • I ALWAYS make contact with my clients before a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before your tour, please contact me instead.
  • I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.

Free Cancellation

April 25100% refund
April 26No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

5.0

18 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    18
  • 4 stars
    0
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 18 reviews with 5 stars

Fascinating Tour

Published on Sep, 2023

A really enjoyable tour, so much interesting detail…. I now know why Green Park is called by that name! Sandy was so knowledgable and told us so many background stories it brought the whole tour alive. Highly recommended!

Brilliant tour of St. James’

Published on Sep, 2023

Learned so much today, from who’s who at the Changing of the Guard, how St James’ Park became a park, masses about the monarchy from Henry VIII to now, to fun facts about Fortnum’s London honeys and marmalade competitions and men’s clubs! Sandy was a great guide, enthusiastic and very informative, and brought the area to life for me.

St. James Village Tour, Sept. 3, 2023

Published on Sep, 2023

My family of 5 truly enjoyed Sandy's tour of St. James Village. She is so knowledgeable and inspiring to listen to, from her stories of London's Royal history plus more. I highly recommend this tour.

A living history lesson of the Royal Family!

Published on Sep, 2023

Sandy’s knowledge of the Royals is so extensive, it was like we had a personal member of the family walking with us! She took her time, explained what was coming up, connected places to people, and people to their place in history. She gave a personal glimpse into what life was like since the beginning of English heritage. Seeing the changing of the guard from the beginning was an added bonus she was able to include! If you want a walking history lesson, and come out feeling like you “know” the royals, this is the tour and Sandy is your guide!

Sandy’s (Hobnob tours) St. James/ Royal Village tour.

Published on Jul, 2023

Sandy, our guide for this tour, was prompt and very knowledgeable of St James and the Royal Village. I would highly recommend her, especially for first time London visitors. The walking tour does move fast and is roughly 3 hrs on foot.

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