The Palace of Westminster is home to the United Kingdom’s Parliament and you’ll learn how the parliamentary system works. You will also see Westminster Abbey, the venue for coronations, royal weddings, royal funerals and the resting place of monarchs and other notables such as Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

Continue walking in the Westminster area to see, among other buildings, Downing Street (official residence of the British Prime Minister), Horseguards (with soldiers on horseback in distinctive ceremonial uniforms) and Horseguards Parade where the Monarch’s birthday celebrations take place every June. Through St James’s Park and on to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard (if happening on the day of your tour).

For lunch, maybe a quick sandwich to save time or you may prefer a longer lunch in a traditional pub.

After lunch, ride a double decker bus through the Strand, pass a few theatres and along Fleet Street, home of Legal London and traditional home of newspapers in the UK. Into the City of London where Londinium was founded by the Romans almost two thousand years ago. The main attraction is the Tower of London, an imposing castle, the oldest part of which dates from the late 11th Century. Extended, improved and re-modelled over the centuries, it has been used as a mint, an observatory, a zoo and a place of execution. The main exhibit in the castle is the Crown Jewels which are used in the Coronation ceremony.

You will also see in this area Tower and London Bridges, the modern architecture of the financial district and see (maybe even climb) the monument to the Great Fire of London of 1666 which destroyed about 80% of the City of London.

Finally, St Paul’s Cathedral which has been the site of Christian worship for 1400 years. The present church was completed in 1710 and was the venue for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and also the venue for state funerals of the United Kingdom’s greatest heroes and statesmen such as the Duke of Wellington and Winston Churchill.

If time, walk to the ‘wobbly bridge’ and talk about the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe. Covent Garden is usually a good place to finish the tour with its stores, flea market, street entertainers and funky bars and restaurants.

A detailed tour of attractions such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower can be included in your day but that does not leave much time to see the other sights of London. At least the above itinerary gives a general overview of London and if you are in town for a few more days, then you can visit such attractions at your own leisure and pace.

As with all of my tours, the itinerary is flexible and If there is anything you had in mind or want to visit somewhere different, let me know and, if within reason, I can personalise an itinerary for you.

Note – a large part of the day will be spent walking and on your feet. Therefore a certain level of fitness is required.