St Paul's Cathedral Tours

Should You Take a St Paul's Cathedral Tour, And If So Which One?

St. Paul's Cathedral has guided tours and audio tours available but neither are included in the admission price. Is it worth taking a tour of St. Paul's Cathedral or can you enjoy your visit without a tour?

Guided Supertours:
Tours last 1.5-2 hours.
Tour start times: 10.45, 11.15, 13.30 & 14.00.
(Limited numbers.)
Book inside at the Friends Desk.
English only.
Small fee (but totally worth it!)

The guided tour includes visits to areas otherwise unavailable such as the Quire and the geometric staircase. The expert Guides give detailed information about the main Cathedral floor and the Crypt below. (The tour does not include the galleries in the Dome so climb up after your tour.)

Audio Tours:
Tours last 1.5-2 hours.
Available 09.00 – 15.30.
Book after entering from desk opposite Friends Desk.
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese Mandarin and Japanese.
Small fee.

Pros and Cons of Guided Tours and Audio Tours

Guided Supertour
Pros: Cheaper, can ask questions, gain access to the geometric staircase (where you can take photos) and Quire
Cons: Set times, limited numbers, English only

Audio Tour
Pros: Available earlier (from 9am), eight languages available, independent option
Cons: Slightly more expensive, no access to geometric staircase and Quire

I have tried the Guided Supertour and would totally recommend it. I was very impressed by the Guide's knowledge and ability to tailor the tour to the nationalities of the group. Our Guide was entertaining and very capable of answering questions and explaining English history in relation to the Cathedral.

The guided tour includes access to the South Bell Tower with the geometric staircase, also known as the Dean's staircase. You will recognize this from the movies Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The Madness of King George. You will see the same ironwork as Titian's Gate at Hampton Court Palace.

Before excelling as an architect, Wren was an astronomer so the tower was built as a zenith telescope. The South Bell Tower has a 9 foot bell which is still rung at 1pm daily.

I am confident I would not have enjoyed my visit as much without this tour. I would have walked around unable to find the 'highlights' listed in my guidebook and would have felt frustrated at paying the entrance fee. With the tour, I left happy and enthused and wishing I had more time to stay longer. (I was at the Cathedral for 3 hours but would recommend a longer visit – you've got all those steps to climb to the dome!)

Other specialist tour options are available on certain days or by prior arrangement. See official website for more details.

Visit this attraction for free with a London Pass.