Buckingham Palace

I'am glad prince william is next in line (after Charlie) to the throne as he does seem to be a selfless and mature young man

it could of been the other way round and we would of had prince Edward (Harry)

who does seem to be a selfish and arrogant young man

Get out to Windsor castle instead - enough said!

Not an awful lot to look at really but if its a nice day worth walking down to.

Beautiful place in London.

An awesome view from the gates and great art work outside. When you visit you can just imagine how much history has taken place within those walls. Must be visited.

Buckingham palace there isn’t much to see really if you aren’t doing a tour so i would suggest booking a tour, Not a very attractive from the outside.

But if you have never seen Buck House before i would suggest taking a look.

You may even see “Her Maj” herself (i doubt it)

Well worth a visit but allow yourself plenty of time as there is a lot to see – go early and don’t rush! The guided tour around the Royal Mews was excellent and the audio guides for the Queen’s Gallery and state rooms very informative and worked well. The web site could provide clearer information about timings. We didn’t see why we had to book a time for the Queen’s Gallery – that was a bit of a pain as we had to organise the rest of the visit around that. Neverthless it was very good.

I have been here on many occassions, both with work and as a tourist.

The place is very dramatic and forboding and has a magnificent presence as it slowly comes into view as you leave St James's Park. I have spent a couple of occassions in the military guardroom inside the palace to watch the changing of the guard. How strange to watch it from the inside and see everybodys faces looking in through the railings; makes you understand how the guards must feel on a daily basis.

If nothing else the Palace is a great starting point for a troll around Green Park, Hyde Park and St James's Park before a spot of shopping in Harrods or a trip up the Mall towards Trafalgar Square.

I didn't do the tour i just looked at it from the outside so I can not give it more than 3 stars.

I was surprised at how small it was, in my mind it was a lot bigger!
I had the obligatory picture taken in front of the gates and walked down The Mall.
I went in Winter so it wasn't busy at all.. the best time to see it I would think ;-)

Excellent. Worth a visit. If you plan ahead you can make it an even more spectacular day and avoid long ques. You have the buy a timed ticket (this was around £17 fir just the state rooms) then join another que at your allocated time. If you call you can do this in advance to save time on the day. You might also want to go after changing of the guard. Check online to find out which day, at 11.30. Be near the gates to see the best veiw. There are few written signs on the way round so it's the best way to learn about the palace, and the background music adds to the atmosphere. The guide takes around 2 hours. There is one place to sit down midway, and a tea shop at the end. Nice tea and cakes. It is a spectacular palace. Every item is so ornate and beautiful, and in use!

A beautiful palace with the most amazing rooms. A must see during summer opening!

I was very disappointed about the Buckingham Palace. The building is just big but not nice. At the time of the cold war, a communist party could have resided here. The Victoria Memorial right in front of the door, as well as the St. James Park and Green Park, are much more interesting. Make a picture and then go to the next attraction! ;-)

The palace was also on our list of things we really wanted to see, though I must say in retrospect, that even though it is very a very good view it still remains just an old building, of which there are a lot in London, some of them more beautiful than the Buckingham Palace. The park next to the palace is very good but nothing fancy. Sweet were the countless gray squirrel that followed us hoping to be fed. :-)

We wanted to visit the queen for some tea - but she wasn't at home. We were amused about the guards anyway.

I saw the Queen

Oh dear, I pity the residents of Buckingham Palace, that drab out of date stately home in London, surrounded by high walls at the rear and that huge ugly looking black metal fence at the front.

The building itself, on the outside, cannot really be called a "work of art". But the millions of people every year who stand looking up at the Palace do not see the building in front of them, they are only there hoping to catch a glimpse of the residents who live within. Next time you go there look the building over as well, that would make a change.

Absolutely amazing!!!

You can start watching the change of guards ceremony an then visit the palace...

Very luxurious, many pieces of art... really enjoyed the day out!!!

The Changing of the Guards is a great family-friendly ceremony worth getting an early spot to see. But the fun doesnt stop there...

Whether you are a tourist, or just a tourist in your own town, when Buckingham Palace is open to the public - GO! What an amazing tour! There is just something about royal, historic homes that fascinates me.

While there was a special Commonwealth exhibition on during the summer of 2009, I'm sure whatever is brought in next is worth a look too. However, who are we kidding? We all just want to look at the big state rooms and imagine what it must be like to stroll the halls of such a massive home.

While the Queen stays off to one side of the residence, I cant imagine that she's hurting for space. I dont think you can fully imagine the scale of Buckingham Palace unless you enter. It's like a grand hotel with just one family as tenant. How odd.

So indulge your inner Princess fantasy and walk the halls with your head held high... and dont forget to get your ticket stamped so you can return the following year for free and for as many times as you'd like!

It finally worked out and my London visit was at the same time as the Summer Opening. The entrance fee is quite high but I thought it was worth it. The audio guide (also in German) is included in the price and with it, you decide for yourself how long you want to stay somewhere. Overall it'll take you about 1.5hrs - during that time there's no chance to attend the toilet which is being alluded to clearly by the security guards before entering the palace. The rooms, including the paintings, are very impressive. The garden cafe is overpriced but the souvenir shop is worth a visit - my kitchen now has royal tea towels ;0) Definitely have a look at the golden fire extinguishers!

As someone who got dragged around National Trust houses every summer holiday as a child, I love a bit of a snoop round an old house.

On the State Room tour, your ticket includes an audio guide that you can listen to at your own pace. Most rooms have a general commentary, and then further commentary about specific items, so you can tailor your tour to your own interests.

There's also a special exhibition, this year it's on the Commonwealth. You can see the Queen's dresses, most of which have been specifically designed to compliment the country she's in. (You can also marvel at the tiny waists on the dresses from when she was young.) The exhibition also has some of the gifts the queen has received from the Commonwealth, which range from a tin bus to a jewel encrusted maple leaf.

For me, the real draw was the artwork. As well as the famous names, there are pieces by lesser-known artists that are still quite influential. I was impressed to see a Hals, and there was a Mary Thorneycroft sculpture too.

As well as the throne room, you can also visit the dining room, the music room (where Prince William was christened) and the ballroom; which is described as one of the biggest rooms in London. I bet the Queen was mad when they built the O2.

After the tour of the Palace, you can walk around part of the garden. There is an outdoor cafe, which serves sandwiches, cakes and drinks, and is surprisingly good value given it's location. A coffee here only costs marginally more than in Starbucks, and in Starbucks you don't get to sip you latte while strolling round the Queen's back yard. In possibly the most brilliant piece of branding ever, the cocoa on the top of the cappuccino is in the shape of a crown, so if that's not worth £2.50 I don't know what is.