Royal Mews, London

Explore an opulent display of royalty by paying a visit to the Royal Mews. Designed by John Nash in 1825, the stables and coach houses house the royal family's state carriages, along with their distinctive horses, ridden by postilions wearing red-and-gold attire and wigs. For families with children, there are activities to enjoy, and from April to October, complimentary guided tours are offered.

The Mews boasts a vast assortment of coaches, motorcars, and carriages, including Queen Victoria's Irish state coach, acquired for the State Opening of Parliament; the 1902 royal landau, an open-top carriage used to provide the public with a prime view of newlywed royal couples; and the glass coach, also employed in royal weddings. The most recent addition is the 2012 Diamond Jubilee State Coach, an elegant black-and-gold creation featuring a concealed camera for filming during processions.

The collection's crowning jewel is the Gold State Coach, a mobile masterpiece created for George III in 1762. Adorned with 22-carat gilding and embellished with panel paintings by Cipriani, this four-tonne behemoth is supported by axles featuring four life-sized Tritons blowing conches. Eight horses are required to pull it, and the experience reportedly left Queen Victoria feeling quite queasy; as a result, it has only been used for coronations and jubilees since.

Image Courtesy of Flickr and LisaThumann.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Royal Mews
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walk around Buckingham Palace

Walking Tours in London, England

Create Your Own Walk in London

Creating your own self-guided walk in London is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

City of London Walking Tour

The City of London, widely referred to simply as the City (with the capital C), is also colloquially known as the Square Mile, for being just 1.12 sq mi in area. Situated on top of the original Roman center of commerce, called Londinium, established in 43 AD, this neighborhood is the historic and financial heart of the British capital. It has been a major meeting point for international business... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles

Jack the Ripper Walking Tour

Jack the Ripper, an unidentified serial killer who terrorized the British capital in 1888, became notorious for the series of brutal and gruesome murders that he carried out in the East End of London. The primary setting for the Jack the Ripper attacks was Whitechapel, at the time a poverty-stricken and crime-ridden district, known for its dark alleys and narrow streets.

The name "Jack the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles

Kensington/Knightsbridge Walking Tour

Situated just below Hyde Park, Knightsbridge and South Kensington are two adjacent neighborhoods with grand Victorian homes and leafy garden squares. Home to London’s most expensive homes, Knightsbridge has some of the highest density of millionaires in the world. This is clearly reflected in the selection of stores & restaurants in the area, including the famous Harvey Nichols and Harrods... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles

Charles Dickens Tour

Today's world's literature and mass culture are hardly imaginable without the works of Charles Dickens, recognized as the greatest British novelist of the Victorian era. A pioneer of “cliffhanger” endings, Dickens remains one of the most-read English authors whose writings never go out of print and have been repeatedly adapted to stage, screen and TV.

Dickens was born in... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles

South Bank Walking Tour

The South Bank is a stretch of the Thames in London that is beautiful to walk through because there are so many iconic and magnificent things to see along the way. A lively and ever-changing area at the heart of London’s cultural scene, it also has the advantage of offering views across the Thames to some of the most famous buildings anywhere. The Palace of Westminster is the major feature in... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.8 Km or 3 Miles

London Introduction Walking Tour

After the Roman invasion of 43 AD, the settlement of Londinium came into being. Things went well enough until 61 AD. Then Queen Boudica and her Iceni warriors arrived. They burned the town to ashes. They were not just rowdy tourists. Londinium had died but it rose again and it flourished until the Romans left in the 5th century.

With the Romans gone, Londinium was Anglo-Saxon Lundenwic. Until... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

View all walking tours in London, England

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

London Souvenirs: 20 Distinctively British Products for Travelers

Most visitors to London consider shopping as part of their must-do London experience. From street markets to Victorian arcades to snobbish Sloane Square to busy Oxford Street, there are a host of shops selling items which typically represent this vibrant city. Whether you are shopping for souvenirs...