No visit to our nation’s capital would be complete without seeing the official London residence of the Queen and royal working palace, Buckingham Palace.
This iconic building is a huge part of England’s heritage and is visited by thousands upon thousands of visitors to London each year, all of whom flock to the palace to see the changing of the guard or to take a tour during the summer months when the Queen is not in residence and the palace is open to the public.
Here’s a quick guide to get to Buckingham Palace and a few tips on how to make the most of your visit the next time you take a trip to our capital city.
How to get there
Located in central London, Buckingham Palace is easily accessible from our Kensington Park Hotel London via the Tube. The Tube leaves every three minutes from the nearby station using the Piccadilly line, which takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the palace.
The great thing about staying in one of our hotels near Gloucester Road is if you prefer to take in the sights and sounds of the area on foot, you can reach the palace in around forty minutes and call into the Victoria and Albert Museum on the way to take in some of the exhibits before reaching your final destination.
How to make the most of your visit
Many people arrive at Buckingham Palace just to admire the spectacle of the changing of the guard. This traditional display is a real draw for tourists, but make sure that you check with your concierge at the Kensington Park Hotel London beforehand as the changing of the guard only occurs on certain days of the week. It’s best to find out before making your way to the palace to avoid disappointment.
On the days that the changing of the guard is scheduled, make sure you arrive at around 9:30am ready for the 10:15am start in order to get a good view.
Once you’ve taken a few snaps of the guards in their brightly coloured uniforms, you can have the opportunity to explore the magnificent palace which is open to visitors for ten weeks during the summer and on selected dates during the winter whilst the Queen is not in residence.
Browse the 19 state rooms and see if you can spot the throne room and priceless pieces of art that adorn the walls during your visit before partaking in afternoon tea. This is offered as part of some of the tour’s various packages if you don’t want to return to the Park Grand restaurant for lunch and wish to soak up the splendour of Buckingham Palace just a little bit longer.
As these tours are only available on certain dates and are very popular with visitors to London, it’s better to book any tickets in advance to make sure that you’ll be able to experience the palace’s sumptuous décor during your stay and really make the most of your visit.
