London: Westminster Walking Tour & HMS Belfast Battleship

Walk Past Buckingham Palace & Parliament, Then Explore a Normandy Landings Warship

You walk through Westminster for three hours with a local guide, hitting Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey and 15 other major sights, including the Changing of the Guard ceremony if it falls on a scheduled day. After the tour ends, you board HMS Belfast independently and spend as long as you want exploring the Normandy landings warship. The guide handles the history. You handle your own pace on the ship.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Changing of the Guard1h
2. Trafalgar Square20m
3. Whitehall20m
4. Houses of Parliament and Big Ben40m
5. Westminster20m
6. HMS Belfast2h · entry included

Westminster walking tour and HMS Belfast

• Walk through Green Park
• See Buckingham Palace and Changing Guard
• Walk along the Royal Mall
• Visit Trafalgar Square
• Stop at Horse Guards Parade
• Explore Whitehall and Downing Street
• View Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
• Visit Westminster Abbey
• Board HMS Belfast museum ship

The experience

By the time you reach Trafalgar Square, your guide is already pointing out the National Gallery and Nelson's Column, weaving stories about the buildings around you. The Westminster walking tour moves at a steady pace through London's political heart. You'll pass through Green Park first, then stop to watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony if it's a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday (it happens at 10 AM, though the British Army can shift the timing without warning). The guide finds you a good viewing spot, then you walk the Royal Mall toward Horse Guards Parade, where that famous arch and clock make for the kind of photo that actually looks like London.

From there it's Whitehall and Downing Street, where British Prime Ministers have worked since 1735, then Parliament Square where Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament rise up in front of you. Westminster Abbey comes next (over a thousand years old, where Kings and Queens are crowned), and by this point you've covered roughly 20 of London's main sights in three hours. The pace is built so you see the landmarks without rushing through them, and your guide handles the history and the stories. After the walking tour ends, your guide directs you to HMS Belfast, which sits on the Thames a short walk away.

HMS Belfast is one of only three remaining vessels from the fleet that supported the Normandy landings in 1944. She was the flagship of bombardment Force E, and her guns targeted German positions at Gold and Juno beaches: the battery she hit played almost no role in defending the coast after that. You board her alone (the guide doesn't come with you), and you move through the ship at your own speed, exploring the gun decks, the engine rooms, the crew quarters. It's a working warship frozen in time, not a polished museum, so you get a real sense of what it was like to serve on her. The entry ticket is included, so there's no separate fee when you arrive.

The whole day runs about four to five hours depending on how long you linger on HMS Belfast. Wear comfortable shoes: the walking tour covers real ground, and the ship has narrow passages and metal stairs. The route is wheelchair accessible, and strollers work fine for the walking section, though HMS Belfast itself has some tight spaces. If you're visiting on a day when the Guard Change happens, arrive early enough that you're not rushed through the earlier stops.

What’s included

• 3-hour guided walking tour of Westminster covering Buckingham Palace, the Changing of the Guard ceremony (on scheduled days), Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Downing Street, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
• HMS Belfast entrance ticket.
• local guide for the walking portion.
• access to explore HMS Belfast independently after the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site£ 5

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Top Sights Tours Group LLC

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want London's main Westminster sights covered in one morning with a guide handling the history and timing, then the freedom to spend your afternoon on a real warship without a second group or schedule. The three-hour walk gets the landmarks done, and HMS Belfast is yours to explore at your own pace.

Traveler reviews

4.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What days does the Changing of the Guard happen?

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 10 AM. The schedule is set by the British Army and may change without notice.

Does the guide board HMS Belfast with me?

No. The guide directs you to the ship at the end of the walking tour, but you explore it on your own.

How long is the walking tour?

Three hours, covering approximately 20 Westminster sights including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square.

Is HMS Belfast entry included?

Yes, the entrance ticket is included in the tour price.

Can I use a wheelchair or stroller?

The walking tour route is wheelchair accessible and strollers work fine. HMS Belfast has some narrow passages and metal stairs that may be challenging for wheelchairs.

What should I wear?

Comfortable walking shoes are essential: the tour covers real ground through central London.