🏛️ Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has been the official London residence of Britain's monarchs since 1837. With 775 rooms including 19 State Rooms, the palace opens to visitors for 10 weeks each summer when the Royal Family is at Balmoral. The iconic Changing of the Guard ceremony occurs year-round, drawing crowds to witness British pageantry. Walking through the State Rooms with a guide reveals details that escape even attentive visitors, from the hidden door in the White Drawing Room that the Royal Family uses for private access, to the seventy-metre Picture Gallery where works by Canaletto, Poussin, and Van Dyck hang in a room designed by John Nash in 1825. Guides explain why the Grand Staircase's gilt-bronze balustrade depicts acanthus scrollwork chosen by George IV himself, and they point out the bas-reliefs on the Marble Hall ceiling that celebrate British military victories. Outside, a guide positions you at the ideal vantage point along Spur Road to watch the Guards' precision drill during the ceremony, narrating the regimental traditions behind each musical selection and the significance of the bearskin caps worn since the Battle of Waterloo. See also the nearby Tower of London and British Museum for a full London itinerary.