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Kensington and Hyde Park
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Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
St. James's
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Castles
Temporarily closed
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
City of London
Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks
City of London
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Whitechapel
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What travellers are saying
- Kate DNorth Yorkshire, UK218 contributionsOn our arrival I felt underwhelmed and didn’t feel the regal shone through. We had to queue to get in with the blistering heat we found uncomfortable. We were there on one of the hottest days, fans were in rooms and we were allowed to carry bottled water, these were much needed due to the heat. It was very hot inside.
Staff were very helpful and were answering and chatting to visitors throughout our visit.
We opted to have one of the audio tours which talks you three different tours within the building. This you control which first and so on. They are trialling these so not sure if they would continue to be free.
The actual tours were very detailed from the throne room where they would greet to the games room to the ball room. I particularly liked the picture gallery and seeing relaxed photos of the royal family. I also liked the private photo albums on display and seeing the types of toys children played with.
We visited the shop but it was expensive the cafe was medium priced. We chose an ice cream which was delicious.
We didn’t visit the gardens as we were short for time and as I previously said London was in the middle of a heatwave.Written 5 August 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Brian TLondon, UK5,502 contributionsSt James’s Palace is probably one of the most overlooked of the royal palaces, and this is due to a number of reasons: no one from the royal family lives there permanently; it is generally not open to visitors; and it just doesn’t have the ‘grandeur’ that other royal residences have, such as the likes of nearby Buckingham Palace, or Kensington Palace, or Windsor Castle or Balmoral. Further, from a visual point of view, it’s quite bland and almost unattractive - a pile of red brick with a few archers turrets and chimney pots.
But aficionados of royalty should at least take a peak at its exteriors. It’s the most senior of the royal palaces. It was built largely between 1531 and 1536 by Henry VIII, and much of the original red-brick building he had erected still survives today, including the gatehouse, some turrets and some surviving Tudor rooms in the State apartments. It was built on the site of a leper hospital dedicated to St James the Less from which it takes its name. The palace was popular between the Tudor and Georgian times, until Queen Victoria moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837.
And whilst no royals permanently reside there (some use the state apartments as London residences from time to time), it holds an important place in royalty as it is technically regarded as the official residence of the sovereign, though the current monarch lives just across the way. It is the headquarters of the royal court (the Court of St James’s) and of a number of royal organisations. The palace hosts the receptions for the many charities associated with members of the Royal Family, and is the home to ceremonies relating to the Diplomatic Corps.
The main entrance, the North Gatehouse, is its grandest part, and is located towards the western end of Pall Mall. You will see its two crenellated towers (if you can call them that), with an unusual clock in-between them. Check out the boot-scrapers by the various doors, to take the mud off the shoes of the nobility before sealed pavements became de rigueur. Around the corner in Marlborough Road you’ll be able overlook the courtyards of the palace.
If you are exploring Royal London, you should include it in your itinerary. And if you are walking The Mall to or from a visit to Buckingham Palace, it’s an easy diversion along Marlborough Road.Written 1 March 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Snowdrop683Norwich, UK89 contributionsThis is a great little trip out. It costs £4 to go to the top of the folly and there are some amazing views of London. On a clear day it's possible to see over 30 miles away to Windsor Castle. The volunteer staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and provide binoculars to make the most of the views whilst pointing out key landmarks. There's also a nice little cafe on the ground floor. The coffee is excellent although the cakes are quite overpriced. It's the perfect place for dog walkers too and the car park is free.Written 24 July 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- WebboLondonOrsett, UK54 contributionsTook my two daughters aged 11 and 8 here yesterday. Its a beautiful location but not equipped to deal with the amount of tickets they sell for each skate session. The boot hire area is massively over crowded. Boots and blades everywhere and far too many are allowed on the ice at once. Fine for us, as we were hardly recreating a Torvil ad Dean routine but anyone wanting to skate round freely would have struggled. Lots of people banging into each other and knocking each other down. We went at the 12.00 session and there as a huge puddle of water one end of the rink. We came here as Canary Wharf skating was closed this year but will look elsewhere next year.Written 23 December 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- ndw78Newcastle upon Tyne, UK1,681 contributionsA must see of the whole tour. So much to see. It can get busy but plenty space for everyone to see. Fantastic displays of the armour. I watch the TV program of the Tower of London and was great to see in personWritten 13 August 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Lynne S6 contributionsGreat welcome (Katherine), good service and great pub grub food. Very relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.Written 26 February 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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