Buckingham Palace & Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour with PG Tips

The best part of this experience is the rare chance to go inside Buckingham Palace, not just photograph its famous balcony. You’ll see rooms such as the Throne Room and White Drawing Room, then follow an audio guide through the palace at your own pace.

I like the efficient pairing of a London highlights drive with afternoon tea, especially if you have only a short stay. I also like the sensible timing: tea and sightseeing finish near Victoria Station around 3:30 PM, leaving time to walk to the palace for the 4:15 PM entry.

The main drawback is that this is not one continuous guided tour. You handle the walk from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace yourself, and the palace portion can feel crowded. At $151.24 per person, the value depends on how much you want the palace entry and whether the tea bus adds something special for you.

Key points to know before booking

• Buckingham Palace State Rooms: Enter the King’s London residence at 4:15 PM and see grand rooms including the Throne Room and White Drawing Room.
• Afternoon tea on a tea bus: Enjoy freshly prepared seasonal food, tea or coffee, and a branded souvenir travel cup while London sights pass outside.
• Four major landmarks: The sightseeing route includes views of the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
• Self-guided palace visit: The State Rooms use an audio guide, letting you move at your own pace rather than follow a live guide through each room.
• Important timing: Arrive at Evan Evans Tours by 1:30 PM for the 2:00 PM departure. The tour ends near Victoria Station at about 3:30 PM.
• A busy afternoon by design: This is a strong fit for a first London visit with limited time, but less suitable if you want a slow, quiet palace experience.

A three-part London afternoon

This tour combines three things that are often booked separately: a panoramic city tour, afternoon tea, and Buckingham Palace. That makes it useful when you want to cover ground without spending a full day moving between attractions.

The schedule is tight but workable. You meet at Evan Evans Tours on Vauxhall Bridge Road at 2:00 PM, take the tea sightseeing tour, finish near Victoria Station around 3:30 PM, and walk to the palace for the timed 4:15 PM admission.

I would treat the afternoon tea and the palace as two linked experiences rather than expect a single guide to stay with you throughout. The city portion has a live guide. The palace visit is taken independently, with an audio guide inside.

The maximum group size is 52 people. That is not a small private outing, and a full coach or tea bus can feel busy. Still, the size makes sense for a tour built around a fixed palace entry and a citywide sightseeing route.

Afternoon tea with London outside the window

The tea bus is the unusual part of the experience. Instead of sitting in a traditional hotel dining room, you eat while taking a guided ride through London. You receive freshly prepared afternoon tea, a selection of teas and coffees, and a branded travel cup.

The route gives you a broad first look at the city. You should expect views of the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. The value here is not an extended stop at each sight. This is a moving introduction, useful for getting your bearings and deciding where you want to return later.

A toilet is available onboard, which is a practical touch during a meal and sightseeing ride. The food is seasonal, so the exact menu can change. If you have dietary requirements, send them to the operator at least 72 hours before departure by emailing [email protected].

The package details include tea and coffee, the freshly prepared meal, and a branded cup. A prosecco upgrade is available in the booking options, and prosecco is limited to adults age 18 and older. Since the food is served on a moving vehicle, this is more about combining refreshments with city views than recreating a formal palace tea service.

That distinction matters. If you picture fine china, white tablecloths, and a long, quiet sitting, this may disappoint you. One practical complaint concerns the use of paper plates and cups in the tea setting. I would book this part for the novelty and convenience, not for a grand ceremonial tea.

The sightseeing route: four famous London views

The panoramic ride is designed to show you a lot in a short period. The sights are impressive, but the experience is primarily a drive-by tour rather than a series of long stops.

London Eye

The London Eye is one of the city’s clearest modern markers, rising beside the Thames near County Hall. From the coach, you get a useful orientation to the riverfront and the cluster of central London sights nearby.

You do not receive a ride on the London Eye as part of this experience. If that is a priority, you would need a separate ticket and more time.

Big Ben

Big Ben is technically the nickname for the great bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, though most people use the name for the whole tower. Its position beside the Palace of Westminster makes it one of the easiest London landmarks to recognize.

The sightseeing ride gives you a look rather than an interior visit. That is fine for a first pass, especially if you want a guide to explain what you are seeing without spending the afternoon at Westminster.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge adds a different note to the route, with its high-level walkways and distinctive bascules over the Thames. It is farther east than the other main sights, so seeing it during the panoramic circuit saves you a separate trip across the city.

Again, this is an exterior sighting. You will not be visiting the bridge exhibition or its walkways on this tour.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s dome is one of London’s most recognizable views. The tour includes a look at the cathedral, but not admission inside. If you want the Whispering Gallery, crypt, or dome views, plan a separate visit.

Taken together, these stops make the bus portion useful as a city sampler. You see how spread out London’s landmarks are, and you avoid spending your limited afternoon navigating several Underground lines.

Walking from Victoria Station to the palace

The tea sightseeing tour finishes near Victoria Station at about 3:30 PM. Buckingham Palace is roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk away, and this transfer is not provided.

That walk is simple enough for most people with a moderate level of fitness, but leave yourself a little margin. You have a fixed palace entry at 4:15 PM, and London sidewalks can be busy. Do not assume the tea bus will drop you at the palace gates.

The meeting point for the first part is Evan Evans Tours, 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1BS. Arrive 30 minutes before the 2:00 PM departure, which means 1:30 PM. The operator does not provide hotel pickup or a return transfer.

This is one of the details that can cause confusion. You are not looking for a guide at Buckingham Palace to lead the group from Victoria. You finish the tea tour, make your own way to the palace, and enter at the specified time.

Inside Buckingham Palace at 4:15 PM

The State Rooms are the heart of the experience. Buckingham Palace is a working royal residence, and the public route gives you a look at rooms used for official events and ceremonial business.

The Throne Room is a major highlight. Its scale, decoration, and royal symbolism make it more memorable than simply seeing the palace facade from the street. The White Drawing Room is another important stop, with formal decoration and the sort of polished grandeur people expect from a royal residence.

You will also see paintings, furniture, architectural details, and royal collections. The palace is not presented as a bare historic shell. It still feels like a functioning residence, which gives the rooms extra weight.

The State Rooms portion is self-guided with an audio device. That arrangement has a real advantage: you can pause, move at your own pace, and spend more time with rooms that interest you. The audio commentary helps explain the objects and spaces without requiring you to stay beside a live guide.

There are tradeoffs. You may need to match small room numbers with the correct audio track, and some people find it frustrating when the commentary stops between rooms and must be restarted. Crowds can also build as more people enter on timed admissions. If you stop for too long in a narrow section, you may feel pressure to keep moving.

Photography is not allowed in the State Rooms. That can be disappointing because the grand staircase, artwork, marble spaces, and formal rooms are difficult to capture in memory alone. Plan to enjoy the visual details in the moment rather than expect a large personal photo collection afterward.

The palace route generally takes about two hours, though the exact pace is yours. The visit ends near the Garden Café and gift shop. Access to the palace gardens is not included as a general stroll. A separate garden tour costs extra and may need to be booked with the palace visit rather than added at the end.

How much value do you get for $151.24?

At $151.24 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Buckingham Palace. You are paying for the timed State Rooms admission, the tea bus, prepared food, a live city tour, and the convenience of putting those pieces into one afternoon.

I see the strongest value for a first-time visitor with a tight schedule. You avoid planning separate transport, finding a tea venue, and securing a palace time slot. You also get a broad look at London’s major sights before entering the palace.

The value is weaker if you mainly want Buckingham Palace. The palace portion itself is self-guided, the city sights are viewed from the vehicle rather than visited, and the tea service may feel less elegant than the price suggests. If you are happy arranging your own tickets and transport, compare the cost of booking the official palace admission and a separate afternoon tea.

The included branded travel cup is a small extra rather than a reason to book. The real question is whether the moving tea experience and panoramic route are worth paying for alongside the palace ticket.

Who will enjoy this tour most?

I would recommend it to you if:

• You have one afternoon for London sightseeing.
• You want to enter Buckingham Palace without planning every step yourself.
• You enjoy classic afternoon tea but like the novelty of taking it on a bus.
• You want a broad look at London landmarks before choosing which ones deserve a longer visit.
• You are comfortable with a fixed schedule and a group of up to 52 people.

I would be more cautious if:

• You want a quiet, uncrowded palace visit.
• You expect a live guide inside the State Rooms.
• You want a formal tea room setting with traditional table service.
• You need garden access included.
• You dislike making your own transfer between activities.
• You are booking for a child under five, since children and babies below that age are not permitted.

The experience requires a moderate level of physical fitness. You will board the tea bus, walk from Victoria Station to the palace, and spend around two hours moving through the State Rooms.

Booking and cancellation details that matter

The tour is offered in English. Confirmation is provided when you book, and the activity is near public transport.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted and are not refunded. The operator also requires a minimum number of people. If that minimum is not reached and the experience is canceled, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Because the palace admission is timed, I would not book this on an afternoon when you have another fixed appointment immediately afterward. The tea tour ends at approximately 3:30 PM, but the palace visit can continue for about two hours.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want a well-packed London introduction with Buckingham Palace as the main event. The combination of tea, a guided city circuit, and the State Rooms makes good use of half a day, and the audio guide lets you explore the palace without being tied to a group narration.

Skip it if you only want the palace or if the $151.24 price feels high for a self-guided interior visit and a moving tea service. In that case, arrange palace admission directly and choose a separate tea setting that matches your expectations.

For the right person, this is a convenient way to spend an afternoon in London: see the city from the road, have tea with a view, and step inside one of Britain’s most famous working residences.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The afternoon tea sightseeing tour begins at Evan Evans Tours, 258 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1BS.

What time should I arrive?

The tour departs at 2:00 PM. You should arrive 30 minutes early, by 1:30 PM.

When does the sightseeing portion finish?

The afternoon tea sightseeing tour finishes at approximately 3:30 PM near Victoria Station, Victoria Street, London SW1E 5ND.

How do I get from Victoria Station to Buckingham Palace?

The transfer is not provided. Buckingham Palace is approximately a 10 to 15 minute walk from Victoria Station.

What time is Buckingham Palace entry?

Entry to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms is scheduled for 4:15 PM.

Is the Buckingham Palace visit guided?

The palace visit is taken independently after the tea sightseeing tour and uses an audio guide. The London sightseeing portion includes a live guide.

Are children allowed on the tour?

Children and babies under five years old are not permitted.

Can I request a special diet?

Yes. You should provide dietary requirements at least 72 hours before departure by emailing [email protected]. Menus are seasonal and may change.

Is prosecco included?

The booking information lists a glass of prosecco and also refers to a prosecco upgrade option. Prosecco is available only to adults aged 18 and over.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.