Changing of the Guard vs Trafalgar Square: which should you do first?

If you only have time for one, do Changing of the Guard first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 91 for Trafalgar Square, and it has 693 ranked ways to see it versus 521. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Changing of the Guard in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Changing of the Guard in London, United Kingdom

Changing of the Guard

Trafalgar Square in London, United Kingdom

Trafalgar Square

Side by side

Changing of the Guard compared with Trafalgar Square in London
Changing of the GuardTrafalgar Square
Ranked experiences693521
Top Outty Ranking9595
Average ranking (top 10)9391
Cheapest experience£14£19
Average time needed3.5h4.2h
Free cancellation100% of options100% of options
Free to visitYesNo

Best ways to see Changing of the Guard

  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. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace London Walking Tour

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £17 · 2h

  5. 5. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Experience

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 2h

All 693 Changing of the Guard 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

Changing of the Guard or Trafalgar Square: which is better?

If you only have time for one, do Changing of the Guard first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 91 for Trafalgar Square, and it has 693 ranked ways to see it versus 521. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Changing of the Guard in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Which is cheaper, Changing of the Guard or Trafalgar Square?

Ranked experiences at Changing of the Guard start from £14 and at Trafalgar Square from £19 per person. Changing of the Guard can also be visited for free; paid options add guides, skip-the-line access or transport.

How long do you need at Changing of the Guard and Trafalgar Square?

Experiences at Changing of the Guard run 3.5 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 Changing of the Guard 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 Changing of the Guard options and 100% of Trafalgar Square options offer free cancellation, which makes it easy to adjust.

What is the best tour of each?

For Changing of the Guard: 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

Best things to do in LondonLondon city guideLondon tours comparedHow the Outty Ranking works