When someone thinks about England, one of the first things that come to mind is the Royal Family. People around the world are captivated by the Queen and her family, especially with the recent engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. When visiting England, it’s possible to get your own piece of the splendor of the Royal Family by visiting their official residence, Buckingham Palace.

There are three different areas of Buckingham Palace that are available to visitors. The first area of Buckingham Palace that is open to tours is the State Rooms. The most extravagant of the tours, The State Rooms are a series of nineteen rooms in Buckingham Palace where official guests are received. The Royal Family uses these rooms to entertain guests and discuss matters of business. These rooms are available to tour from mid-July to early October, while the Queen makes her yearly visit to Scotland. This tour lasts two and a half hours and costs £17.50.

The next area of Buckingham Palace one can tour is the Royal Mews. The Royal Mews are home to the vehicles used by the Royal families, as well as the horses used for various occasions by the Royal family. This tour costs £8.00 and lasts one hour and is available year round, with the exception of several days which are outlined at the beginning of each year.

The last of the areas of Buckingham Palace visitors can tour is the Queen’s Gallery. The Queen’s Gallery is filled with pieces of art and other collector’s items owned by the Royal Family for generations. This tour, which lasts one and a half hours, is open from mid-July to early October and costs £9.00.

There is also an option for visitors of Buckingham Palace to attend all three tours. This ticket is called A Royal Day Out and costs £31.00. Keep in mind that the State Rooms are open during the height of tourist season, and therefore it is important to schedule your visit to Buckingham Palace well in advance.