What would a trip to London be without visiting some royal palaces?
Top on most people's list is typically Buckingham Palace, and I remember seeing the Changing of the Guard ceremony years and years ago when I visited with my parents and brother. This trip, however, luck was not on our side. During the summer, the Changing of the Guard takes place every day (at 11:30 am). From August to April, however, it happens every other day. I knew this from the tour books I read. Then, when I went online to confirm things, I was able to figure out the schedule for December...the Changing of the Guard would happen on even numbered days.
So our original plan was to arrive at Buckingham Palace by 10:15 on December 28 to get a prime spot in front of the gates (that was the advice given -- arrive early unless you want to be behind several rows of other tourists!). Well, because our plans for December 26 had changed, due to Boxing Day pretty much closing down everything in the city (except for the stores -- it's like Black Friday in the U.S.), we figured we'd go to Buckingham Palace that day instead (it was an even day, after all). We got there right at 10:15 and were among the first at the gate -- great! We noticed a sign posted behind the gate announcing when the next Changing of the Guard would be, but the part indicating which DAY it would be had fallen down. Well, we -- and probably about 1,000 other people -- waited and waited, expecting there to be a Changing of the Guard, as there should have been. Well, after 11:30 had come and gone and we'd been standing in front of the gates shivering for almost an hour and a half in the cold, damp (albeit not rainy) weather, we abandoned ship. We had thought about returning two days later -- on the 28th -- but other "must see" things competed for our limited time. Regardless, if you visit London, I'd recommend taking the time to get to Buckingham Palace early for this traditional and unrivaled ceremony. If you visit during the summer, you may also visit the State Rooms of the palace, which opened to the public for the first time in 1993.
If you'd like to dine near Buckingham Palace, you might enjoy the gluten free Spanish tapas on the menu at La Tasca on Cathedral Walk. (We visited one of their other locations for dinner during our stay, and I mentioned it in an earlier post.) There's also Nando's for fresh grilled chicken in the Cardinal Place shopping center, and I'll be talking about our great experience at one of their other London locations in a future post.
After Buckingham Palace, which is used more for cermonial purposes and state visits by foreign dignitaries, a perfect next stop is Kensington Palace, which is actually the main residence of The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge and their son Prince George, Prince Harry, and other members of the Royal Family. The other side of the palace (which overlooks beautiful Kensington Gardens and actually has a more impressive edifice) is open for tours. This palace has been used as a residence by the monarchy since the time of King William and Queen Mary in the late 17th century. You'll walk through the King's and Queen's State Apartments, view a display of gowns worn by queens and princesses, and learn about the fascinating, yet tragic, life of Queen Victoria. There are also fun activities for kids, including sitting on a royal throne, dressing up and posing in a "frame," and completing various activities. On the day we were there, they even had traditional English games for the kids to play.
If you choose to visit Kensington Palace after your visit to Buckingham Palace and it's a nice day, I'd recommend walking either through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens (the beautiful view from Kensington Palace is shown below) or westward along Kensington Road through Knightsbridge. That way, you can visit Harrod's, the iconic upscale department store which is the largest department store in Europe at over one million square feet! You'll want to allow at least an hour to "browse" -- and more time if you really want to shop. We ended up visiting the store on Boxing Day, which I'm guessing is their busiest day of the year! If you've never visited Harrod's before, be sure to check out their food emporium on the ground floor -- selling everything from fresh meat to gourmet chocolates to artisan breads and caviar. You can even dine at various counters overlooking the constant hustle-bustle of the marketplace. The place was such a madhouse on the day we went that I didn't inquire about gluten free dining options at Harrod's, but I'd bet that many of the specialty "restaurants" with counter seating in the food emporium would have gluten free options (there was rotisserie chicken, fresh seafood, and a caviar bar, to name a few).
En route from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace, there are plenty of other possibilities for a gluten free meal...
Options include Pizza Express , just southeast of Harrod's (for gluten free pizza, risotto, salads, and a few other menu selections) and a Burger and Lobster right on Knightsbridge Road (yes, they basically just serve burgers and lobster). Then there's ASK Italian ( a bit south of Kensington Palace at Gloucester Arcade). In that general area, there's also a Gourmet Burger Kitchen on Old Brompton Road, with a Scoop Gelato (with gluten free gelato) nearby.
Or you could opt to do what we did...
You can stop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at My Old Dutch Pancake House, situated on Kensington Church Street, just a short walk from Kensington Gardens. This was probably the most fun meal of our trip. Their "pancakes" are more like crepes (large and thin) and are available in sweet or savoury varieties. And everything except their "butterscotch" variety is available gluten free. In other words, you can get any crepe-style pancake or breakfast style pancake done gluten free. My husband ordered the gluten free lemon pancakes, while our Celiac son ordered the gluten free pancakes "his" way (chocolate chips, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream). Okay, I didn't say this was a "healthy" meal! I ordered a gluten free savoury style pancake (kind of like a thin pizza) with cheese, bacon, artichokes, and tomatoes. Only our older son ordered the non-GF pancakes. Everything was delicious, and they take care in avoiding cross contamination in the kitchen (we asked the usual questions). Their three locations are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We would have loved to dine at one of the other My Old Dutch Pancake Houses (in Holborn and Chelsea) later in our trip, but unfortunately, we couldn't fit it in. But we will always remember this meal! Just check out this chocolate pancake creation, and read my full review on GlutenFreeTravelSite!
We also visited two other royal residences during our trip to London: Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. I'd highly recommend a visit to both. Hampton Court is just west of London and only about 30 minutes by train from Waterloo station. Allow an entire day to enjoy meandering around the grounds, visiting the outdoor maze, and soaking in the fascinating history surrounding King Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey, and the King's six wives as you visit the castle. If you're lucky enough visit on a day when a jester is performing in the courtyard with the audience of the King, do not miss this...it is hysterical and was a highlight of our visit.
When I inquired about gluten free food options in the very nice cafe at Hampton Court, they mentioned a brownie and some type of cake, but they were uncovered and in the display case with all the other gluten-full baked goods. So we decided to pass and just got some bags of potato chips and beverages. But if you have a car or the means to get to Kingston upon Thames, just a short drive from Hampton Court, I strongly recommend checking out Bruschetta restaurant. It is well known within the gluten free community and received a glowing review on GlutenFreeTravelSite some time ago. (And there's another location of La Tasca in that same town, too.)
Windsor Castle, where the current Queen spends much of her time, is a bit further out, also west of London. This was one of three stops we visited on a day trip with Stonehenge Tours (we then continued on to Stonehenge and Bath). While I'd recommend this tour company, the itinerary was a bit too ambitious for one day, and we felt rushed at each stop. I can say that I was surprised to find both a gluten free sandwich option -- and gluten free pre-packaged treats -- at the cafe in the new Visitor's Center at Stonehenge, of all places! We bought a gluten free brownie and gluten free gingerbread cookies, both of which were delicious. The sandwich option they had was a hummus and roasted vegetable variety.
As a reminder, you can always read more detailed reviews of the places we dined by visiting GlutenFreeTravelSite's page of England reviews. There you'll find my restaurant reviews -- as well as those of many other gluten free travelers who've visited England.
And stay tuned for my next Gluten Free in London installment, in which I'll be sharing our experience touring The Tower of London and Tower Bridge , including the gluten-free friendly dining spots we discovered in those areas.