Since we can’t go to London ourselves right now, why not take a virtual tour of the city instead? We wish we could be scoffing down scones and tea in an English cafe as much as you do - but now you can see the British capital without even stepping outside. We’ve scoured the web to find the best virtual tours of the city so that you can travel there from your sofa. From the magnificent Buckingham Palace to the iconic Big Ben, use your time during lockdown to marvel at the city’s major attractions from the screen of your laptop, because what else do we have to do?
Here are the best virtual tours of London from around the web that you can take right now…
Buckingham Palace
Photo by Debby Fan on Unsplash
The official royal residence of Her Majesty the Queen is about as iconic as you can get. Buckingham Palace is situated right in the heart of London in Westminster, right by St James’ Park. The beautiful building is one of the few remaining working royal palaces in the world where 188 of the 755 rooms are staff bedrooms! Throughout the years the palace has played host to tons of royal events, who can forget Prince William and Kate waving from the Balcony on the day of their wedding? Attracting over 15 million visitors a year, the palace opens its doors for the public during the summer.
Since we can’t go there right now, this virtual tour of Buckingham Palace will give you a glimpse into royal life in several rooms including the Throne Room, The White Drawing Room, the Grand Staircase and much more. Remember to scroll up to see the incredible palace ceilings! This should keep you happy until you can see the Changing of the Guard ceremony in person…
Tour Buckingham Palace
The National Gallery
The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square is one of London’s best art galleries housing European art masterpieces and portraits. The best part? It offers free entry to the public every day of the week. This famed gallery turns 200 years old in 2024 and displays art that dates back to the 13th century. Inside you’ll be able to browse different collections and over 2,300 paintings including the works of Holbein, Da Vinci, Turner and Van Gogh amongst others. Take the tour below and imagine yourself stepping through the museum’s iconic pillar entrance.
Tour the National Gallery
Big Ben
The Big Ben is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks located in Westminster, just minutes walk from the Houses of Parliament and Westminster train station. Did you know that ‘Big Ben’ is actually the name of the great bell within the tower and that it's officially known as the Elizabeth Tower? This incredible building is currently under construction and due to reopen next year (2021), meanwhile you can have a 360 degree view of the nearby area...
Tour the Big Ben
The Houses of Parliament
Always wanted to go inside the Houses of Parliament? This majestic building in Westminster is where important decisions for the country are discussed and made. The House of Commons and House of Lords make up Parliament, where every British law gets discussed and decided. This beautiful building also known as ‘The Palace of Westminster’ is over 1000 years old and used to be home of King WIlliam II. In fact, it’s still an official royal residency. With this awesome 360 degree virtual tour, you can step through the grand hallways of Parliament with access to 14 different parliament rooms...
Tour the Houses of Parliament
Tower of London
Photo by Amy-Leigh Barnard on Unsplash
Located on the river Thames in Tower Hill, the Tower of London is a fortress and former royal palace built in 1066. The Tower is one of London’s famed World Heritage Sites with many significant ties to British history including being the home of the Crown Jewels and the 16th century Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula. Infamous for torture of prisoners, the tower was officially used as prison chambers until the 1950s. On this virtual tower of the Tower of London, you’ll be able to navigate your way through some of the castle grounds with an informative voice commentary to give you some cool facts!
Tour the Tower of London
Hyde Park
Photo by V2F on Unsplash
We had to include one of London’s beautiful parks in this list. Hyde Park is one of the city’s largest Royal parks, visited by locals and tourists alike to enjoy long walks, picnics and roller skating. You can also take a pedalo ride out on the Serpentine Lake in the summer months. The park is so big that it almost feels slightly out of place in central London, not what you would expect in a built up city. The park is known for being home to the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial as well famed sculptures and installations. Hyde Park also hosts numerous events and concerts including Winter Wonderland and the music festival, BST Hyde Park. Take a walk around with this stunning park on a Google tour...
Tour Hyde Park
The London Eye
Photo by David Henderson on Unsplash
Last on our list is the London Eye, an observation wheel that was built to celebrate the turn of the Millenium. Standing tall on the south bank of the Thames, this giant structure boasts amazing views of the city that look even better at night. Did you know it takes 30 minutes for the wheel to do one rotation, with one capsule holding up to 25 people? With 32 capsules in total, this wheel can carry loads of people at once. Until you can jump into one of the capsules for a 360 view of London, this view from the river of the wheel will have to do...
Let us know if you have any suggestions for another tour!