I am nearing the first available dates to book tickets to Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, The Churchill War Rooms and The Tower of London for our upcoming trip. To avoid post COVID crowds at major attractions, in one of his travel articles this month Rick Steves says that "Going late is far better than going early". I guess I have always followed the adage "Go early to avoid the crowds." From recent experience, what would one advise regarding timing of visit for the best chance to avoid crowds in visiting these attractions?
Posted by
Reading, PA, USA
1637 posts
The Churchill War Rooms it does not matter what time of day you go as your reservation is a timed entry. Crowds are the same number of people all day.
Posted by
Lynnwood
291 posts
In mid-May, going early worked well for us at the Abbey and St Pauls. We reserved the first slot of the day, and there was a small line at opening but once inside, we loved having elbow room. At the Tower, again we reserved the first slot but there was a very long line at opening, and there was no separate line for ticket holders vs walk-ups. Once inside, I was able to see the Jewels without a line, but there was one by the time I exited. Two things: there is timed entry but no timed exit so crowds build during the day. Also, you may have less stamina going late, depending on how you fill your morning. I support your adage.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8157 posts
I'm assuming you'll be there in the summer, which means it will be crowded most of the time. Have you thought about signing up for the Hidden Highlights Tour? It’s a fairly new tour that the Abbey offers, but you have to book early. Tickets for March and April went on sale the first day of March, and I snagged mine then. It sold out a day or so later. There are only 15 people allowed on each tour and they only offer 2 a day. So it's relatively uncrowded for that.
It’s around 75 minutes and you get to see the lost medieval sacristy, which was recently uncovered during an archaeological excavation; Cheyneygates, originally part of the rebuilding of the Abbot's house complex in the 14th century; Jerusalem Chamber, where Henry IV died; and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, which displays many of the Abbey’s treasures (nice, because you don’t need to pay for access to it).
The tour was wonderful, especially seeing the lost sacristy and the bones of the Benedictine monks who founded the Abbey in 960 AD. The tour I went to started at 11 am and I got there at 10 so I could explore the abbey a bit. It's really a wonderful way to see parts of the abbey that you wouldn't normally get to see. I highly recommend it.
Posted by
Lincolnshire, UK
2320 posts
I prefer to go early as it means I have plenty of time to see everything I want without having to rush. However crowds do build up during the day so do try and plan for this (head to the Jewel House at the tower of London first,) but thios doesn't work if there is a one way system... Going late, you know you have to be out by closing time.
Posted by
318 posts
We were in London in the first week of October last year. We had heard that Westminster Abbey was less crowded in the afternoons, so that is what we booked. Well, if that was less crowded, I'd hate to see what crowded looks like.
I truly wish they would do something to limit the crowds, as it is really difficult to appreciate all there is to see. It was the most overwhelming thing we did on our trip, and I felt quite sad that I didn't really get to see it better.