London has many years of history and many long standing traditions are still very much alive - one of these is the ceremonial Changing of the Guard. It takes place daily from April to July and on alternate days the rest of the year at 11:30am. Dates and information are available on the website. It is free and is not ticketed so if you want to see the ceremony properly, you will need to get there early.

The ceremony lasts 45 minutes and takes place inside the railings of the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. If you want a good view, you need to be there at least 1 hour early and position yourself near the railings. If you are not firmly anchored here you will miss most of the proceedings.

We arrived about 11:15am - we did not think it would be a great idea to hang around with a 3 year old for an hour in advance. We got a reasonable view of the regimental band and footguards marching down the Mall and into the Palace gates. We stayed put for 45 minutes and then watched the bands and the old guard march out of the Palace. In hindsight we could have had a stroll around and come back 45 minutes later, as by this time most of the crowds had dispersed and you could get a good view anywhere.

Buckingham Palace is an impressive building - one of the most famous "homes" in the world. It is massive with over 600 rooms. During the summer months you can go on tours of some of the state rooms. During our visit the Royal Standard was not flying above the Palace - the Queen was thus not at home.

Not far from Buckingham Palace is Hyde Park - 34 acres of green and a popular recreational and resting haven for tourists and locals. It was at one time the hunting grounds of King Henry VIII.

We got there Sunday lunchtime and went to Speakers Corner at the north east corner of the park. Since 1855 a British tradition has been for people to get on their "soapbox" and air their views here. Anyone can get up and sound off on any subject. The only rules are that you cannot blaspheme, be obscene or incite a riot. It is quite a lively and different place to visit. The crowds heckle the speakers, but most of the speakers have nothing very interesting to say.

The banks of the Serpentine in Hyde Park are a lovely place to stroll on a Sunday afternoon. There are people rollerblading and horse riding and you can hire boats and go out on the lake. There is a really nice cafe/restaurant at the lakeside. It was full of families enjoying Sunday lunch. The food was very good, but as usual pricey - around £5 for a bowl of soup. There is a nice area outside with picnic style tables. We loved sitting here with our food and looking at the lake.

It is impossible to make any kind of trip to London with out watching the Changing of the Guard. It’s just wrong and if you don't plan to do it, you should feel mildly ashamed.

To be honest, it's not that exciting and resembles most tourist attractions in that you see it to say you have seen in. And though missing something like that in some places in lieu of doing something else it's such a fundamental part of the scenery and the atmosphere of a trip to London that to miss it would be very wrong indeed.
Plus it's free.

Unless you are very strapped for time indeed, even if you have no interest in it whatsoever, I do recommend that you stroll across Hyde Park and give it a look. It's a 40 minute ceremony in total, and even if you don't have the energy or the time to watch the entire thing, it is simply something that everyone who visits England should see (and photograph.) You'll feel the hole in your trip when you get back if you don't.

If you’re looking forward to this tradition, however, than I suspect you will find it suitably gratifying. It's not electrifying entertainment, but it is culturally interesting and great for writing home on post cards and getting photos for the album.
The ceremony leaves Wellington Barracks three minutes before the change and then marches down to Buckingham Palace via Birdcage walk (a nice walk you should make with or with out the Changing ceremony) It's not always easy to get a good view of it, so come early as you can. I was running a bit late and some of my friends had decided to hang back. My friend Jeff and I, however (a fellow photographer) sprinted at breakneck speed through Hyde Park, jumping over benches to get there in time, and made it huffing just in time to get some great shots.

The ceremony runs daily at 1130 am from April to October and every other day from November to March. (Check the website for specific schedules and changes)

And of course, cheesy as it may sound, you must go round the corner to the lone guard standing motionless by the gate and have your photo taken.

It's the law.

It's all good fun, and should be a part of any trip to London. It's a nice, traditional area of the city surrounded by beautiful parks and a nice waterway. It is crowded, but not much of London isn't, and it’s surprisingly uncramped given the number of people who show up to see it.
All in all a nice way to spend a London afternoon.

I had heard of the guards at Buckingham Palace and this old tradition because my mom had told me, but being there is something very different. From spring to fall they change the guard every day, and from fall to spring they change guard every other day. We saw the whole ceremony and listened to the guard symphony. I really recommend to make it early; we got there 30 minutes before and it was crowded already.

The changing of the guard is a fun experience. It is very ceremonial and includes horses and a small marching band. This is a must-see if you are in London. A helpful tip: Once people see the band pass, they tend to assume the show is over. However, another small group will soon come from the other direction, so stick around to see it!

If there was one piece of London I feel like I could have skipped, this it it. Everyone says you have to go see the Changing or you're missing out, but I disagree.

The main problem with the Changing of the Guard is the crowd. There is simply no way to properly view the ceremony unless you arrive an hour or more early. And since it takes place at 11:30am, you are spending some of the most valuable parts of your day just waiting.

The ceremony itself is quite impressive. There is music and a flurry of organized movement. I was impressed with the ceremony itself, even if I was only wondering how they keep cool in their uniforms. If you've got other places to be in London, though, skip the Changing of the Guard.