Royal London Sights - Pall Mall, Royal Parks & Palaces - 2.3 km
- Philip Carey
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
This comprehensive set of guides for runners and walkers provides all the necessary information to complete the self-guided route in one place, allowing you to explore at your own pace. The areas covered include Piccadilly Circus, Pall Mall, St James’s Palace, The Mall, St James’s Park, Buckingham Palace, and Green Park.
The Familiarisation Guide provides all the core route information.
The Sightseeing Guide and Virtual tour guide add points of interest and 360-degree information.
The Connoisseur's Guide offers recommendations for places to eat, drink, and be entertained, as well as suggestions for exploring the surrounding areas and 'add-on' routes.
THE EXPERIENCE
This route takes you from Piccadilly Circus to Green Park, past two royal palaces, two royal parks, and famous London landmarks. This area was once known as the Court of St James and served the royal St James’s Palace at the end of Pall Mall and later Buckingham Palace. The route is lined with fine examples of English architecture, wide streets, and grand buildings leading to the royal palaces and their adjoining gardens – St James’s Park and Green Park.
THE ROUTE FAMILIARISATION GUIDE (Level 1)
This guide provides you with the essential information you need to become familiar with the route before you arrive.
An overview map, My Google Map, and Strava Map to help guide you along the route
A video showing you what the route looks like as if you were running it at over 40 km/h.
Information to bear in mind along the route.
MAP OF THE ROUTE
The links to My Google and Strava Maps are designed to help you keep on track and limit the chances of getting lost. They don't provide turn-by-turn directions, but they do show your location relative to the route. They will open in a new tab.
The Google map shows the main route in red
HIGH SPEED VIDEO OF THE ROUTE
The high-speed video of the main red route is designed to get you visually familiar with the route ahead of your visit. It shows you a runner's view as if they were doing it at over 40 km/h
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND
The best time to do this route is in the early morning, especially on weekends when there are no crowds, the light is at its best, and you have the rest of the day ahead of you.
Changing of the Guards – at Buckingham Palace normally occurs at 11:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The New Guards will arrive from St James's Palace and Wellington Barracks. The New Guard arrives at Buckingham Palace at approximately 10:45 AM.
Some of the route is on the roads, and the pavements can be busy around Piccadilly Circus. It will also be crowded around Buckingham Palace during the Changing of the Guard. On Sunday, the Mall is closed to traffic during the day.
Accessibility – The area around Buckingham Palace can be crowded, and there are some uneven areas within Green Park.
THE ROUTE SIGHTSEEING GUIDE - (Level 2)
Once you are familiar with the route, the next time you take it, why not take the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the sights you can see along the way, take photos, and learn a bit about the area's history? The sights include:
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly and Jermyn Street
Waterloo Place
Pall Mall
St James’s Palace
The Mall
St James’s Park,
Changing of the Guards
Buckingham Palace
Green Park
For more information on these and other sights nearby, see the gallery and the supporting text below
Virtual Tour Guide
This virtual tour guide is designed to help you familiarise yourself with the route and enhance your memories of 'being there'. Clicking on the picture will take you to a new page showing a map of 360 locations in the area. Click on the location icons, and you will be transported to an interactive 360-degree view of that area - in a new tab.
THE ROUTE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE - (Level 3)
Once you are familiar with the route and its sights, why not become a connoisseur of the area and explore the surrounding routes that will uncover new things to see, places to eat, drink, and be entertained?
FOOD AND DRINK LOCATIONS
This map shows you some of the places to eat and drink along the route.
The areas in and around Shepherd Market and Piccadilly Circus have the largest and most varied places to eat and drink, followed by South Mayfair, Piccadilly and St James's. The area around Hyde Park Corner has many five-star hotels and high-end venues.
THINGS TO DO LOCATIONS
The area around Piccadilly Circus and the Haymarket is home to many theatres, cinemas, and entertainment venues. The venues surrounding St James's Park feature the Changing of the King's Life Guard, the ICA and Mall Galleries, as well as the Guards and Horse Guards Museums. Buckingham Palace is the main focal point for this route, featuring the Changing of the Guard, the Queen's Gallery, the Royal Mews, and a tour of Buckingham Palace's State Rooms and gardens (Available Only During the Summer). Finally, St James Park is a fantastic place to walk around and relax.
ROUTE EXTENTION
The map below and the My Google map link provide three extensions to the main route, helping you explore the area and find places to eat and drink. These are:
The St James Piccadilly Loop (1.1 km)
St James's Park Look (1.3 km)
Shepherd Market Loop (1.2 km)
The Google map shows the main route in red and the additional extension routes in blue. A video and a more detailed explanation of these routes will be added shortly.
FOLLOW ON ROUTES
If you want a 'follow-on' route, try the 'Luxury Shopping - Green Park to Oxford Circus - 1.4 km route. This is part of a connected series of routes that will take you across London to Hyde Park.
We will be launching new routes at regular intervals, so join our email list to get an early look at these and our other special blogs on London’s history and culture.
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