6 Beautiful Palaces You Must See In London

London isn’t short of palaces. Ranging from medieval towers to art deco mansions, most have a long and tangled history with London’s various monarchs. Here are some of the prettiest.

1. Hampton Court Palace

Building, Park

King Henry VIII’s Tudor abode would have been positively rural when it was built in 1540. The most extravagant and lavish of his 60 houses, its Great House of Easement (a communal toilet) could fit 28 people at a time, and the kitchen covered 36,000 square feet. Tudor kings favoured the lands around Hampton for hunting, but today you can challenge yourself to make it through the maze, or simply stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds.

2. Lambeth Palace

Museum, Memorial

It’s not all about royalty in London. Lambeth has been home to The Archbishop of Canterbury for nearly 800 years. Located on the South Bank of the Thames, the oldest remaining parts of the palace date back to the 13th century (like the creepy crypt!), and the rest is a hodge podge that reflects the history of London. It took a battering in both the English Civil War and World War II, but today you can take guided tours and explore the garden, which is the oldest continually cultivated garden in London.

3. Eltham Palace

Building, Monastery

Not all of London’s palaces are entirely ancient—Eltham Palace is an art deco mansion that incorporates parts of Hampton Court Palace into its design. Built in the 1930s for millionaire Stephen Courtauld, today you can explore the 19 acres of gardens, and discover the eclectic mix of styles—from modernist to medieval—that are entwined in the building design.

5. St James's Palace

Building

Another of the British monarchy’s official palaces is St. James’s Palace, which was built by King Henry VIII between 1531 and 1536. It was the official residence of the royals until Queen Victoria and is still a venue for a number of royal events, including charity receptions and ceremonial occasions. The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra each keep residences at the palace, and it was the site of Prince George’s christening in 2013.

6. Buckingham Palace

Building

You can’t have a list of London palaces without Buckingham Palace. British royals have called the palace home since 1837 when they bought it off the Duke of Buckingham. Today, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip live there, and it serves as the official administrative headquarters of the monarch. The palace has 775 rooms, with 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. 800 staff members live on site, including the palace’s own clockmaker. Visitors can enjoy a tour of the State Rooms between July and October.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.