Highlights
If you're interested in England’s Royalty past and present, this is the tour for you. We start in the centre of London and meander past the outside of both St James’ and Buckingham Palaces which have been at the heart of many Royal events for centuries. If it is scheduled to take place on the day of your tour, we will watch parts of the ancient ceremony of the Changing of the Guard before walking through leafy St James’ Park to reach Horse Guards. This remains the official entrance to both palaces to this day. After lunch, we travel by train from London’s Waterloo station to Hampton Court where we explore Henry VIII’s Tudor palace and William III’s Baroque palace. We’ll marvel at Henry’s vast kitchens, his magnificent Great Hall and the eerie Haunted Gallery before admiring William’s impressive display of weaponry and his art collection. We return to London by train. The tour lasts approximately 8 hours.
About This Deal
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Green Park, Piccadilly, London W1J 9EJ England
One of the eight Royal Parks full of colour and life
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: St. James's Palace, Marlborough Rd, St. James's, London SW1A 1BS England
Built by Henry V111 on the site of a women's leper hospital
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Changing of the Guard, Constitution Hill Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA England
A chance to see this ancient ceremony - but only if it is scheduled for the day of the tour!
Duration: 15 minutes
Pass By: Lancaster House, Stable Yard, London SW1A 1BB England
Made from beautiful Bath stone, this building stood in for Buckingham Palace in Downton Abbey.
Pass By: Clarence House, St. James's Palace, London SW1A 2WH England
See where Charles and Camilla live when they are in London
Stop At: Buckingham Palace, Spur Road, London SW1A 1AA England
Official residence of the UK's King and Queen's since 1837
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Wellington Barracks Birdcage Walk, London SW1E 6HQ England
Home to the Queen's Life Guards - another chance to see a bit of pageantry if it's scheduled to go ahead on the day of the tour
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: St. James's Park, Horse Guards Road The Storeyard, London SW1A 2BJ England
The prettiest of London's Royal Parks with an abundance of wild life and a gorgeous ornamental lake.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall, Horse Guards Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX England
Meander through what used to be Henry VIII's leisure centre.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Trafalgar Square, Centre of the City, London SW1A England
Home to four lions and countless pigeons!
Stop At: Hampton Court Palace, A308, East Molesey KT8 9AU England
Hampton Court Palace is infact two royal palaces not one. Originally built in 1515 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a favourite of King Henry VIII. In 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the cardinal gave the palace to the King to check his disgrace; Henry VIII later enlarged it.
By 1694 King William III's massive expansion work, which was intended to rival the Palace of Versailles completed leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque. King George II was the last monarch to reside in the palace.
Duration: 3 hours
Additional Information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- A moderate amount of walking is involved, do wear comfortable footwear and clothing.
- The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather! Please dress appropriately and bring an umbrella if rain is forecast
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Meeting time is 09.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly. The tour will last between 7 - 8 hours depending on the walking pace you set, the number of questions you ask and whether or not there are train delays. The tour is flexible and do liaise with me about any specific things you would like included. The tour will cover about 4 - 5 miles in total.
- All members of the party need to be mobile and able to cope with stairs and so this tour is not suitable for anyone with serious medical conditions and back problems.
- Please message me to advise your mobile phone number in case I need to contact you on the day; also, if you are staying in central London and need directions to get from your hotel to the meeting point, let me know
- When your booking is confirmed, you will receive details for me (Sandy) your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests be sure to tell me what they are! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me.
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair.
- It will be cheaper, and quicker on the day, if you purchase your entry tickets to Hampton Court Palace (which are in addition to my tour price) in advance of arriving at Hampton Court.
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- I will wash my hands before meeting my customers and will use hand sanitizer as appropriate throughout the tour. I suggest customers bring their own sanitizer. I will endeavour to keep 2 metres away from customers and sadly, there will be no handshakes!
- Professional guide
- Private tour
Exclusions
- Entry ticket to Hampton Court Palace
- Food and drinks
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Transportation to/from attractions and the return train from London Waterloo station to Hampton Court
- Entry/Admission - Hampton Court Palace
Departure Point
The Ritz London, 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR, UK
Departure Time
9:45 AM
Duration
7 to 8 hours
Return Details
Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK
Voucher Info
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
The tour identified in this promotion is made available through Viator. Groupon is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Hobnob Tours in connection with this deal. Please contact Groupon customer service for all inquiries related to this offer. Inquiries placed to Viator will be directed back to Groupon.
This offer is not eligible for promo codes.