Buckingham Palace vs Trafalgar Square: 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 91 for Trafalgar Square, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 521. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Buckingham Palace in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Buckingham Palace in London, United Kingdom

Buckingham Palace

Trafalgar Square in London, United Kingdom

Trafalgar Square

Side by side

Buckingham Palace compared with Trafalgar Square in London
Buckingham PalaceTrafalgar Square
Ranked experiences669521
Top Outty Ranking9595
Average ranking (top 10)9391
Cheapest experience£14£19
Average time needed3.6h4.2h
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 Trafalgar Square

  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 at Buckingham Palace Experience

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 2h

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

    Outty Ranking 92 · from £35 · 3.5h

  5. 5. London: Buckingham Palace & Big Ben (& Westminster Abbey entry)

    Outty Ranking 91 · from £65 · 5h

All 521 Trafalgar Square experiences

Frequently asked questions

Buckingham Palace or Trafalgar Square: 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 91 for Trafalgar Square, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 521. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Buckingham Palace in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Which is cheaper, Buckingham Palace or Trafalgar Square?

Ranked experiences at Buckingham Palace start from £14 and at Trafalgar Square from £19 per person.

How long do you need at Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square?

Experiences at Buckingham Palace run 3.6 hours on average and at Trafalgar Square 4.2 hours, so both fit in one day in London with a break in between.

Can you do Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square 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 Trafalgar Square 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 Trafalgar Square: London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide (Outty Ranking 95, from £35).

More London matchups

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