Queen’s Walk London: Self-Guided Walking Tour

The Queen’s Walk is 2 miles long and follows the south bank of the River Thames from Westminster Palace to St Paul’s Cathedral, passing some of the most recognised landmarks in the world.

Few cities can match what this walk delivers in such a short distance.

In just over 2 miles, you’ll pass Westminster Palace, the London Eye, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Gloce and St. Paul’s Cathedral

Along the way, you’ll see some of our favourite street art in London, take in wonderful views over London, and enjoy a scenic stroll by the Thames.

The official Queen’s Walk (sometimes called the Queen Elizabeth Walk) runs between Lambeth Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge on the South Bank. We’ve amended it slightly so the route starts and finishes at tube stations, and added St Paul’s Cathedral as a worthy final destination.

This is the version we’d recommend to anyone visiting London for the first time — and one we still regularly walk after 30 years of living here.

The walk takes just over an hour without stops. But there is so much to see that you could easily use it as a basis for a full-day out. This post includes a detailed map, route instructions, and suggestions for where to eat.

Queen’s Walk Overview

• Start: Westminster Tube Station
• End: St. Paul’s Tube Station
• Distance: 2.2 miles (3.5 km)
• Walking Time: 1 to 2 hours (full day with stops)
• Best For: Short walk past iconic landmarks

The Queen’s Walk is a popular promenade on the south bank of the River Thames. It officially runs between Lambeth Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge, but we’ve amended the route to start (and end) at tube stations, and include St Paul’s Cathedral.

The walk would take about an hour without stops. However, there’s plenty to see, so allow at least 2 hours. If you go into all the attractions, allow a full day.

It is possible to extend the walk by continuing along the River Thames to Borough Market, the Shard, and the Tower of London. You can find details for that walk in our South Bank Walking Route Guide.

Map: Queen’s Walk London

Below is a map of the walk. The main attractions are marked so you don’t miss any of the sights. If you have the map open on your phone as you walk around you can follow your progress.

When to Do the Walk

Morning is the best time to do the Queen’s Walk. The South Bank gets busy by mid-morning, particularly around the London Eye and Tate Modern.

An early morning start gives you the riverfront largely to yourself. We also love the morning light on Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster.

Try to arrive at the Southbank Book Market after 10 am, when the book stalls open.

The walk is good year-round and entirely on paved, flat surfaces, so the weather is less of a factor than on some of the greener routes in our Best Walks in London Series.

In winter, the Southbank Winter Market sets up between the London Eye and the Southbank Centre from mid-November through to January. It’s a very festive part of the city, and we cover this in our favourite things do in London at Christmas.

Our Self-Guided Queen’s Walk Route

Palace of Westminster & Big Ben

Take the underground to Westminster Tube Station. Exiting the station, the Palace of Westminster, one of the most important buildings in English history, is directly in front of you.

Built in the 11^th century, it was the primary home of kings of England until 1512. Westminster Hall (the oldest part still standing) was where Curia Regis (the predecessor to parliament) met when the king was in residence.

Two fires destroyed much of the building, but Westminster Hall survived and was incorporated into the current building, which was completed in 1847.

Rising above Westminster Palace is the famous clocktower, nicknamed ‘Big Ben’ after its largest bell. It looks spectacular since its restoration was completed in 2022.

Tours // Taking a tour of Westminster Palace is one of the best things to do in London.

National Covid Memorial Wall

Walk over Westminster Bridge enjoying the excellent views over the river Thames and back to Westminster Palace. At the end of the bridge turn right and take the steps down to the riverfront.

You are now on the official Queen’s Walkway which runs along the South Bank of the river.

Here you’ll find the National Covid Memorial Wall. Created in 2021, over 220,000 individually hand-painted red hearts, each representing a person in the UK who died of Covid-19, stretch along a 500-metre section of wall.

Some of the best views of Big Ben and Westminster Palace are just opposite the wall.

Kids’ Attractions

The Queen Elizabeth Walk now heads under Westminster Bridge and follows the south bank of the river as it heads east. The London Eye is in front of you but there are several good attractions for kids along the way.

The Sea Life Aquarium contains 500 species in 14 themed zones. There are sharks, octopus, penguins, and jellyfish as well as coral reef inhabitants.

Shrek’s Adventure is an immersive experience of the films. It includes a 4D flying bus, interactive meetings with characters, and a treasure hunt.

The London Dungeon is a mix of themed rides and shows that bring to life London’s haunted past. Meet Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd, Guy Fawkes, and other murderers.

London Eye

Continue along the south bank to The London Eye, one of the iconic images of the city. The 135-metre-high observation wheel makes a full rotation every 30 minutes providing an excellent view over London.

Built for the millennium, it was originally intended to be temporary, but 25 years later it is still going strong.

If you are thinking of going on the London Eye, book in advance, as the queues can be staggering.

Leake Street

The Queen’s Walk continues along the south bank, but we highly recommend making the detour to Leake Street (directions are on the map above).

Leake Street is a pedestrian walkway that tunnels under the railway tracks outside Waterloo Station. The walls are a vibrant and colourful mix of graffiti and street art. The ceiling, which is harder to reach, contains enduring images from famous street artists.

The detour is 400 metres of extra walking each way and takes 10-15 minutes. If, like us, you are a fan of street art, try our street art in Shoreditch self-guided walk.

If you need a break, the Black Penny does an excellent brunch and coffee. It’s our go-to stop on this walk.

Southbank Centre

Continue along the pedestrian walkway and under the Golden Jubilee Bridges to reach the Southbank Centre – the UK’s largest, publicly funded arts centre, and a major hub for music, dance, literature, and theatre.

It consists of four main buildings: the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and the Hayward Gallery. These iconic Brutalist structures, along with surrounding walkways and terraces, were developed in the 1960s,

First is the Royal Festival Hall, London’s leading classical music venue, whose suspended auditorium and symmetrically designed staircases have become known as an ‘egg in a box’.

The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, housed in a brutalist concrete box, host gigs and performances. Stick your head in to see the architecture.

Behind them is the Hayward Gallery (£18), containing world-renowned contemporary art. Every three months it showcases an adventurous or influential artist from across the world. We always checkout the website to see what’s showing.

Royal National Theatre

The Queen’s Walk now passes under Waterloo Bridge. Tucked beneath its arches is the Southbank Book Market. Open every day from 10 am to 5.30 pm, it’s been operating for over 40 years and carries hundreds of second handbooks, maps, and comics.

A little further along the river Thames is the Royal National Theatre, often just called the National. It’s another brutalist building, but the balance of horizontal and vertical elements inside has earned it a place on both the 10 most popular and 10 most hated buildings in London.

While you can see the foyer for free, you need to go to a performance or join a guided tour to get inside the theatres. Check the National Theatre website for details.

Don’t miss the Laurence Olivier statue and the other celebrating Pride just outside.

Gabriel’s & Oxo Tower Wharf

The Queen’s Walk continues eastwards along the Thames. As views open up towards St Paul’s Cathedral and the skyscrapers of the city, it passes through a couple of attractions.

Gabriel’s Wharf is a small square home to independent art galleries and clothes stores.

Oxo Tower Wharf houses an eight-floor building with the bottom two floors home to independent artisans and design studios. Oxo Tower Bar & Brasserie, on the top floor, is a great spot for a nice lunch overlooking the river. There’s a free public viewing gallery, but the views are better from the Tate Modern Café which is coming up.

Bankside Gallery

Continue along the edge of the Thames, to Blackfriars Bridge. This is the official end to the Queen’s Walkway, but rather than get on the tube at Blackfriars station it’s better to continue on.

Pass under the bridge’s arches and you’ll find the Founder’s Arms. This is a great pub to grab a drink while sitting at the outside tables taking in the views.

Behind the pub is Bankside Gallery. Owned and run by the Royal Watercolours Society, it presents a collection of affordable watercolours which you can buy. It’s free to enter.

Tate Modern

Next up is Tate Modern which houses the UK’s national collection of modern and contemporary art in the converted Bankside Power Station. It’s a magnificent art gallery in a splendid building and it’s completely free to visit.

The giant Turbine Hall often houses enormous installations. The galleries contain several notable works by Lichtenstein, Mondrian, Picasso and many more.

Head to the Tate Modern Café on Level 10 in the Blavatnik Building. It does decent food, but most importantly, it has excellent views over the city of London.

Shakespeare Globe

Our self-guided walk now heads over the pedestrian Millennium Bridge, but it’s worth taking a short detour further along the embankment to Shakespeare’s Globe. This theatre is a realistic reconstruction of the original Elizabethan playhouse, first built in 1599, for which Shakespeare wrote his plays.

True to the original, the circular design has seats running along its edge and a large uncovered standing area for cheaper tickets.

Plays generally run from April to October, but you can join a Globe Theatre Guided Tour any time of the year.

Millennium Bridge

Head back and cross the Millennium Bridge. This steel suspension pedestrian bridge was opened on 10 June 2000. On its very first day, as people walked over the bridge, it began to oscillate and sway. It was closed later that day and nicknamed the “Wobbly Bridge.”

Today there’s no need to worry and it offers excellent views over the river and up to St Paul’s Cathedral.

St Paul’s Cathedral

As you head up Peter’s Hill and Sermon Lane, St Pauls Cathedral flickers between the buildings. One of the most recognisable buildings in London, it dates to a church founded here in 604 CE.

The present building was completed in 1710 by Sir Christopher Wren and has dominated the skyline ever since. Head clockwise around the church and peer up at the remarkable dome and sculpture-covered facades.

Inside (cheaper if you book in advance), admire the towering nave and glorious stained glass windows. The tombs in the crypt include Nelson, Duke of Wellington, Joseph Turner, and Sir Alexander Fleming.

You can also climb the 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery. This circular balcony underneath the dome has a remarkable acoustic phenomenon, enabling you to hear whispers made from the opposite side of the dome 34 metres away.

Head up more steps, and you come to the Stone Gallery and finally the Golden Gallery (528 steps in total). Perched 85 metres above the cathedral floor, it has excellent panoramic views of London.

The final section is particularly steep and enclosed — not recommended for anyone with mobility issues, a fear of heights, or claustrophobia. Children must be accompanied.

If you want to go inside, we cover all the details in our 4-day London itinerary.

Paternoster Square

Paternoster Square is on the northern side of St Paul’s Cathedral. The entrance is marked by Temple Bar Gate, the only surviving gateway to the city of London dating to the late 17th century. The gate was at the junction of Strand and Fleet Street (which you can explore on our City of London Walk) before it was moved here in 2004.

Pass under the gate, turn right through Paternoster Square, to St. Paul’s Tube Station, where our self-guided Queen’s Walk ends.

If you have longer and want to extend the walk, follow our full South Bank Walk. For other hikes exploring the best of the city, read our favourite walks in London.

More London Self-Guided Walking Guides

• Our favourite 15 walks in London with maps.
• See the best Shoreditch Street Art on our self-guided walking route.
• Enjoy the picturesque stroll along the Regent’s Canal walk.
• Explore one of London’s best green spaces on our Hampstead Heath walk.
• Take the iconic walk through Regent’s Park and Camden Town.
• See the grandeur of London on our Royal Parks & Palaces walk.
• See the best Instagram spots on our Notting Hill walk.
• Explore the heart of historic London on our City of London walking tour.
• Take a historic stroll along the Queen’s Walk in London.
• Our Southbank London walk covers several iconic landmarks.
• See the best of the lights on our Christmas Lights walking route.