Buckingham Palace

Experience some of the most iconic sights of London, one of the world's most visited cities. Take in 18 stops on a suggested route from Buckingham Palace through Westminster and along the South Bank to Tower Bridge, or discover them by wandering on your own. Enjoy discovering. We recommend following the stops in order, from 1 to 18, but every story stands on its own, so you're free to wander too. Each point plays by itself when you arrive. You're standing on the steps of the Victoria Memorial, facing Buckingham Palace. The palace started life as a townhouse. It was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, and George III bought it as a family home for Queen Charlotte. Well over a century passed between the first brick and the first monarch to actually live here. The first was Queen Victoria, in the same year she came to the throne. The grand front you're looking at is younger than it seems. Its stone facing only went up in 1913. And when the east wing was built to close off the courtyard, the old ceremonial gateway, Marble Arch, was suddenly in the way. It was taken down and rebuilt at the corner of Hyde Park, where it still stands. Now look at the flagpole on the roof. If the colourful Royal Standard is flying, the King is at home. If it's the Union Flag, he's somewhere else. Next stop: Trafalgar Square, about 1.4 kilometres or 20 minutes straight down The Mall and through Admiralty Arch.