London in a Day Tour with Westminster Abbey and Tower of London

• Skip the Line Westminster Abbey Tickets

• Changing of the Guard Ceremony from an Exclusive View

• Walking Tour of Westminster Neighborhood

• Thames River Cruise

• Tower of London Admission

• Expert English Speaking Storyteller Guide

• Lunch Break Near Trafalgar Square

• Access to the Crown Jewels (Self-Guided)

Westminster Abbey

On your first stop, your expert guide will take you into the church that is over a millennium old. In the 1,000 years of Westminster Abbey it has hosted 16 famous Royal Weddings, the latest being the 2011 union of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The church is home to weddings, coronations, and funerals. Your guide will describe the event the church is most famous for in modern times, the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997. One of history's most watched television events, over 2.5 billion people watched the procession after the tragic death of the Princess. 

Though the Abbey has famous modern history, it is also the burial place for many of England's most acclaimed political and cultural leaders. Set in impressive life-like effigies, your guide will lead you through the most important tombs. Amongst other areas, you will visit Poets Corner, the resting place for writers including Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling and Geoffrey Chaucer. Along with many former monarchs you will also see the tombs of Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. A church where photography is strictly prohibited your visit to Westminster Abbey will be very memorable. 

Changing of the Guard

Since 1660, the Queen (or King depending the era) has been protected by the Queen's Guard. Elite soldiers built from seven high ranking regiments, they are responsible for protecting the English head of state. The elaborate Changing of the Guard is the ceremony where those on the early shift are relieved of their duty and the late shift takes over. Though they are dressed in ornate uniforms, these soldiers are well armed and are not distracted by everyone's humorous efforts. Your guide will take you to a lesser known area to experience the Changing of the Guard ceremony from the best view without the huge crowds.  

The Changing Band of the Guard at Buckingham Palace will be visited on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's between August and May and 6 days a week in June and July. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday's between August and May the Changing of the Queen's Life Guard will be visited. 

London Boat Tour

The heart of London as has been the case for its entire history is the River Thames. On this ride down the river you will pass by many of London's great landmarks. You will see bridges including the London Bridge, Millennium Bridge and most famously the Tower Bridge. It is also an amazing way to see the modern stars of the London skyline including London's City Hall and the United Kingdom's tallest building The Shard. As you exit the ship, you will cross the famous Tower Bridge by foot where we will reach the Tower of London. 

Tower of London

As you disembark from the river cruise, you will see the large walls of the cities main fortress. Named for its central building the White Tower, the Tower of London has been an integral part of English history. Built by William the Conqueror when he conquered the city, the area even is home to an ancient Roman wall from when the settlement was known as Londinium. On tour, you will see the history included in the Tower much of which is now in the museum portion of the complex. This includes the Royal Armouries and the impressive Line of Kings. 

The Tower of London is best known as the prison where political prisoners and enemies were tortured and then executed. You will see these cells including the Bloody Tower where those like Sir Walter Raleigh were held. Though the Tower acted as a prison for about 800 years, the most enthralling stories of incarceration mainly come from the reign of Henry VIII. The King known for splitting from the Catholic Church due to their rules on divorce sent two of his former wives Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard to the Tower where they were later beheaded. Your guide will explain these stories and more that describe the immense history contained at the Tower of London. 

Crown Jewels

Visited by over 2.5 million people a year, the line to see the crown jewels can take hours. Thankfully we have secured skip the line tickets so that you can feel noble as you bypass the crowds. Constructed of 140 royal objects made of 23,578 stones, the incredible collection of jewelry is used during the coronation of English monarchs. Though most of the collection was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during the 17th century English Civil War,  some of the regalia dates back all the way to the 12th century. These impressive Crown Jewels are a collection like no other and an amazing place for our guide to bid thee farewell after a wonderful day exploring royal London.