Things To Do In London - 10 Best Things to Do and More
Top 5 Royal Palaces in London and How To Visit
From sparkling gemstones to tawdry British history, these royal palaces have it all.
Things To Do In London Widely considered the finest and most beautiful residences in the UK, London’s magnificent, historical royal palaces attract admirers from around the world. Here are just five of the best that you should visit on your next trip to the English capital.
1. Buckingham Palace
Built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, Buckingham Palace replaced St James’s Palace as the monarch’s official London residence in 1837. Queen Elizabeth II divides her time between here, Windsor Castle and, in summer, Balmoral Castle in Scotland. If she’s in residence, the square yellow, red and blue Royal Standard is flown; if not, it’s the Union Flag. The 19 lavishly furnished State Rooms are open to visitors when Her Majesty is on vacation from mid-July to September.
2. Kensington Palace
Set in the heart of central London, Kensington Palace is the birthplace of Queen Victoria and was once home to Princess Diana. In recent years the palace has become the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (as well as other lesser royals), and is perhaps most popular for its whimsical gardens and swanky Orangery.
How to visit: Stop by the Kensington Orangery for high tea, before touring Kensington Gardens. Alternatively, admire the palace on a royal parks tour.
3. Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 12 miles (19 kilometres) southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. Opened to the public, the palace is managed by Historic Royal Palaces, a charity set up to preserve several unoccupied royal properties.
The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief minister of Henry VIII. In 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the cardinal gave the palace to the king to check his disgrace. The palace went on to become one of Henry’s most favoured residences; soon after acquiring the property, he arranged for it to be enlarged so it could accommodate his sizeable retinue of courtiers.
In the early 1690s, William III‘s massive rebuilding and expansion work, which was intended to rival the Palace of Versailles, destroyed much of the Tudor palace. His work ceased in 1694, leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque. While the palace’s styles are an accident of fate, a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and a symmetrical, if vague, balancing of successive low wings. George II was the last monarch to reside in the palace.
The palace is open to the public and a major tourist attraction, reached by train from Waterloo station in central London and served by Hampton Court railway station in East Molesey. Buses 111, 216, 411 and R68 stop outside the gates. The structure and grounds are cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces, which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown. The palace displays many works of art from the Royal Collection
4. Banqueting House
Things To Do In London The 17th-century Banqueting House sits on Whitehall in Central London, and is widely considered the finest example of neoclassical architecture in the city. Once part of the Palace of Whitehall—and the site of one monarch’s bloody demise—this national monument now welcomes visitors keen to admire its grand hallways and suites, as well as the spot where King Charles I was beheaded in 1649.
How to visit: Combine a trip to the Banqueting House with an exploration of Westminster Abbey on a private, half-day tour. There, admire features such as the bronze bust of James I and ceiling paintings by Flemish master, Sir Peter Paul Rubens.
5. Tower of London
Things To Do In London The Tower of London is a UNESCO-listed landmark dating back to the 11th-century Norman Conquest of England. Things to do in London One of the city’s most popular attractions, the tower is protected by the famous Beefeater guards and has housed the royal family’s Crown Jewels since the 14th century. Following alterations made by notorious ruler Henry VII, many visitors have claimed to have seen ghosts in the towers and corridors
Things To Do In London Get a glimpse at the famed Crown Jewels on an early-access tour of the Tower of London and skip the long lines. Or, opt for another VIP experience, which includes a visit to Tower Bridge.