Sights · Our pick in London
Buckingham Palace
The State Rooms in summer
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has been the London home of the monarch since Queen Victoria moved in in 1837. Its State Rooms, hung with paintings from the Royal Collection, open to visitors for a season each summer, and tickets sell out, so book early through the Royal Collection Trust. Changing the Guard takes place in the forecourt on set days; check the schedule. The King’s Gallery and the Royal Mews nearby open for more of the year.
Why it's on our list
- State Rooms in summer
- Changing the Guard
- The Royal Mews
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Buckingham Palace before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Buckingham Palace, as the crow flies.
- The Goring0.2 mi5 min walk
- Dukes London0.4 mi7 min walk
- The Stafford London0.4 mi7 min walk
- Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane0.4 mi8 min walk
- The Peninsula London0.4 mi8 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Buckingham Palace are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- VictoriaDistrictCircleVictoriaNational Rail0.3 mi6 min walk
- St. James's ParkDistrictCircle0.4 mi7 min walk
- Green ParkPiccadillyVictoriaJubilee0.4 mi8 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Victoria Station taxi rank0.3 mi7 min walk
- Taxi rank, Broadway0.4 mi8 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Westminster Abbey0.7 miWalk 13 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Trafalgar Square0.8 miWalk 16 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Leicester Square0.9 miWalk 17 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Harrods0.9 miWalk 18 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- London Eye1.0 miWalk 20 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Covent Garden1.2 miWalk 23 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 12 min
- The British Museum1.4 miWalk 29 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 14 min
- The Shard2.4 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Tower of London2.9 miCycle 19 minCar or taxi 25 min
Main rail terminals
- Victoria0.3 miWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Charing Cross0.9 miWalk 17 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Waterloo1.2 miWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Paddington1.7 miWalk 35 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Euston1.9 miWalk 39 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras2.2 miWalk 44 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)2.3 miWalk 45 minCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- London Bridge2.5 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Liverpool Street2.8 miCycle 18 minCar or taxi 24 min