London Full-Day Private Shore Excursion from Southampton Port

Welcome to the south of England where there are many hidden gems awaiting your exploration. You will be met at your designated cruise terminal with a sign bearing your name for easy identification. You will be picked up at the Cruise Ship Port with a 5 or 7 seat A/C vehicle, depending on the number of people in your party. Your tour will begin with a touch of the Beatles that will bring music to your ears. On the drive to London, you will have the opportunity to learn about English culture and heritage, and the details of what you will be exploring throughout the day. You will also have the chance to ask any questions you may have.

Houses of Parliament

Upon arrival in London (appx 2 hrs), you will begin your tour with the Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower where you will also learn the story of Big Ben. The Houses of Parliament, known also as the Palace of Westminster is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) conduct their sittings. They lie on the north bank of the River Thames in the London borough of the City of Westminster, close by other government buildings in Whitehall. The oldest part of the building is still in existence, Westminster Hall, which dates from 1097. The palace originally served as a royal residence, but no monarch has lived in it since the 16th century. Most of the present Houses of Parliament structure dates from the 19th century when the Palace was rebuilt after it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire in 1834. The architects responsible for rebuilding the Palace was Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin, and the building is an example of the Gothic revival.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is a Church, burial ground, coronation site and much more and continues to attract visitors over 900 years after its founding. In many respects the architecture is common. There's the traditional cross-shaped floor plan with a nave, north and south transepts and several round side areas but both its execution and use raise The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster (the official name) to among the highest examples of church construction. Here at Westminster Abbey lie buried kings and poets, scientists and philosophers who have themselves raised humankind to the highest levels. Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell (discoverer of electromagnetic theory, which later leads to radio and TV), Chaucer and Kipling, Dr Samuel Johnson (creator of the first English dictionary) and many other justly famous names are interred here.