Buckingham Palace vs St. Paul's Cathedral: which should you do first?

If you only have time for one, do Buckingham Palace first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 92 for St. Paul's Cathedral, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 547. St. Paul's Cathedral is the cheaper entry at £6, so it is the better pick on a tight budget. With a full day in London, pair them: plan St. Paul's Cathedral in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Buckingham Palace in London, United Kingdom

Buckingham Palace

St. Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom

St. Paul's Cathedral

Side by side

Buckingham Palace compared with St. Paul's Cathedral in London
Buckingham PalaceSt. Paul's Cathedral
Ranked experiences669547
Top Outty Ranking9597
Average ranking (top 10)9392
Cheapest experience£14£6
Average time needed3.6h3.2h
Free cancellation100% of options100% of options
Free to visitNoNo

Best ways to see Buckingham Palace

  1. 1. London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £35 · 5h

  2. 2. London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £60 · 3.5h

  3. 3. Changing of the Guard Walking Tour

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £15 · 2h

  4. 4. London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ sights

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 5h

  5. 5. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace London Walking Tour

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £17 · 2h

All 669 Buckingham Palace experiences

Best ways to see St. Paul's Cathedral

  1. 1. London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs

    Outty Ranking 97 · from £35 · 3.5h

  2. 2. Tour for Muggles The Ultimate Harry Potter Walking Tour in London

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £17 · 2h

  3. 3. London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £35 · 5h

  4. 4. London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ sights

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 5h

  5. 5. London Classic Landmarks Bike Tour with Local Guide

    Outty Ranking 92 · from £35 · 3.5h

All 547 St. Paul's Cathedral experiences

Frequently asked questions

Buckingham Palace or St. Paul's Cathedral: which is better?

If you only have time for one, do Buckingham Palace first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 92 for St. Paul's Cathedral, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 547. St. Paul's Cathedral is the cheaper entry at £6, so it is the better pick on a tight budget. With a full day in London, pair them: plan St. Paul's Cathedral in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Which is cheaper, Buckingham Palace or St. Paul's Cathedral?

Ranked experiences at Buckingham Palace start from £14 and at St. Paul's Cathedral from £6 per person.

How long do you need at Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral?

Experiences at Buckingham Palace run 3.6 hours on average and at St. Paul's Cathedral 3.2 hours, so both fit in one day in London with a break in between.

Can you do Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral on the same day?

Yes. Book the longer visit for the morning when crowds are lighter, and keep the afternoon for the other. 100% of Buckingham Palace options and 100% of St. Paul's Cathedral options offer free cancellation, which makes it easy to adjust.

What is the best tour of each?

For Buckingham Palace: London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide (Outty Ranking 95, from £35). For St. Paul's Cathedral: London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs (Outty Ranking 97, from £35).

More London matchups

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