St. Paul's Cathedral

As with most of the attractions we visited on the trip to London, we had high expectations for this place. After a little bit of queuing, we were greeted by a fantastic view down the entire length of the cathedral. After a little bit of roaming on the cathedral floor, we decided to climb the dome. The Whispering Gallery was closed on the visit, so the first stop was the Stone Gallery. This level is very spacious so people afraid of heights do not need to worry about this level. The views from here were great, especially of the little towers on the front of the building itself. The best views however were from the Golden Gallery. The stairs to this level are the worst of the climb (me, a person who copes well with heights, got vertigo from these) but the even better views were worth it. Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, The Shard and many other landmarks are visible from here. The fencing may appear small in pictures, but it is actually quite high, so you feel perfectly safe, despite the wind. The crypt followed the descent, where we saw the burial place of many famous people (Christopher Wren, Horatio Nelson and Admiral John Jellicoe were some). Very interesting to see all these famous pwole in one place! To finish, we polished off the main floor. Looking up into the inner dome is a must, where you can see the little glass panel at the Golden Gallery level. The cathedra (bishop's seat) and various chapels were also interesting to see. I also loved how they allow you to take pictures, as it makes the experience even better. Despite what the people at Westminster Abbey would have you believe, photography did NOT ruin the church atmosphere. I can say with confidence that this is one of the best places I have ever been to and would recommend to anyone who is in London, just make sure you have three hours to spare.

The Cathedral is a magnificent building, that's lost none of it's granduer over the years. There is a small garden around the back of the building, that let's you sit and contemplate, relaxing to take note.

Admission to the St Paul's is via a pre booked online entry ticket, that includes a multiple language audio guide. There is no option to get a free sightseeing ticket, as the system won't let you proceed without selecting an adult /child/ etc; which all incur a fee. Once inside you can follow the exhibit displays, leading to the altar and behind it the choir. The choir is still actively singing in small groups at the back, although the Church-of-England advised prohibiting singing; as it spreads droplets. Whilst there is a service on, they ask you not take any photographs.

Once you're all done there, go to the top end of the cathedral; to climb the 528 steep spire. You can't go all the way to the pinnacle, as the whispering gallery and the golden gallery closed off. But you go to the stone gallery, and past the second whispering gallery, and up to the top; prior to the golden gallery.

One word: wow! St Paul's seems to attract fewer tourists than Westminster Abbey yet it offers a very different experience. The most amazing part - that I thoroughly recommend - is climbing the 500+ steps to the top of the second cupola. It's amazing to think that these steps were in place when the church was built. And while the climb is long and steep (you'll feel it the next day) the view is amazing - plus you see close up details of the interior construction of the dome and surrounds. Each hour a priest at St Paul's reads a prayer and the Cathedral comes to a stand still. This applies if you're still in the queue to get in, but it is an important reminder that this magnificent building is still a functioning place of worship and not just a tourist attraction.

I began touring with the Rick Steve's free audio-guide when I saw that official guided tours were available every few hours. I signed up for the 1 pm tour which was comprehensive, including access to several areas off-limits to self-guided tours. The history of the Cathedral is fascinating; the architecture is most impressive. As this is an active religious site, there were private services at times, limiting access to some areas. I spent the morning walking thru the city with the Rick Steves audio tours ending at St Paul's then enjoyed my afternoon there. The docent tours add a great deal above the audio tour, thus I highly recommend including this person tour during your visit, even if you have to return the next day as they are very popular and crowded. One could easily spend then entire day here with a good guide book and personal tour.

The cathedral is more than 300 years old and was the tallest structure in London till about 1967. The Dome of the cathedral also remained to be one of the largest among the cathedrals of the world. On Sunday there is free admission but otherwise the entry fee that is charged seemed a little too much for a family visit. There is also a chapel to which there is free access for those wishing to pray. The baroque style is different from the gothic style that is seen in the Roman structures. Quite a marvel to glance through the paintings quite surprised at the position of the ticket counter & the security guards !!

We booked tickets on line the night before so we didn’t get stuck in queues. We saved money too. On our previous visit to London we found huge queues outside so didn’t get to see St Paul’s Cathedral. On this occasion there were no queues so perhaps just the luck of the draw! Entering was quick and easy with the tickets on my phone ready for scanning. We collected head sets and began the tour, originally playing every video guide. However, we soon realised that we were watching the screen instead of observing the lovely architecture so just followed the guide to give essential information. The mosaics on the ceiling are rather beautiful although other parts seem somewhat plain, but the architecture is clearly quite astounding and not to be missed. We wanted to go to the whispering gallery as that was our main interest but it was closed on the day of our visit. I would have given 5stars had this part been open. We did manage the steps up to the outside gallery where there were wonderful views over London on a day with lovely blue skies. Our son walked up to the golden steps to the higher level and, although he said there were some narrow passages and spiral staircases, it was worth the climb. Before we left we visited the crypt where there were many monuments and tombs including Wellington, Lord Nelson and Christopher Wren. Having spent 2 hours looking round, and climbing steps, we were shattered so left but you could spend hours if you wanted to take in all the information. Definitely enjoyed the visit and would recommend it. A pity about the whispering gallery!

This venerable cathedral seemed to begin life as an Anglican monument to war heroes. In its current iteration it includes beautiful, somber works of spiritual art, from sculpture to video. It all amounts to a moving self-tour using earphones and the taped guide, well done. A docent led tour is also available (check website for times). Timed entry tickets can be purchased online but even the weekend before. Christmas, in the morning, it was not necessary to have purchased them online. Additionally moving for Americans in Britain's memorial behind the altar to the WW2 dead. Architecturally significant because of its dome and grand features, this feels like a must-see for a variety of reasons. Good gift shop and small cafe for tea, water or soft drinks.

Visited for Evensong. I will admit, I was a bit put off by the admission fee (18 GBP per adult), so when planning my itinerary we visited during Evensong (free). It started at 5 PM, but we arrived around 4:30 and were allowed in. Everybody is guided to sit under the dome. Signs said no photos during services, so everybody was respectful of that. Pro-tip: sit on the left side. At about 4:45 they announced that there was limited seating in the choral gallery (is that what it is called?), so since we were sitting on the left side, we were one of the first in the queue. Only about 50 folks were able to sit up there. Individual seats with backs, so that was kind of nice. And we had to leave the bench in between us empty as it was reserved for the Mayor of London (he didn't show up). Anyway, I'm guessing these were some of the best seats in the house! Chorus was beautiful. Program lasted about an hour. Amazing experience for me. My heathen wife thought it a bit of a bore.

My sister and I were visiting London and I had skipped going inside St Paul's on my previous trips. As an agnostic but lover of history and religion, I always love to visit historic churches, abbeys, etc and wanted to wander around St. Paul's but the entrance fee was a bit steep considering the money we were paying for everything else we were doing in London (and for a New Yorker, that is saying something). We attended Evensong one weekday evening (which is free and open to the public) and it was lovely. The priest made us feel very welcome and the church choir was spectacular. If you can make it, I highly recommend going. It was serene and beautiful which was just what I needed after a long and somewhat stressful day. The only thing I didn't appreciate were that others in attendance (also tourists, I am sure) were not quite respectful of the fact that they were attending a church service and were too loud, taking pictures during the services, chatting during the service, etc. Our programs said we would be able to take pictures (without flash) after the service ended but we were ushered out quickly which was fine, but the interior of the cathedral was beautiful. Lots of history, I would love to come back and take a tour or wander about another day!

Visited St Pauls Cathedral on a recent visit to London and would highly recommend it. At £20 per person, it is slightly pricey, £10-£15 would be more favourable, but its still worth paying. The inside of the cathedral is spectacular, the ceilings and altar are incredible and the view from the top of the cathedral gives an amazing 360 view of the rest of London. The crypt is also really interesting and worth checking out too.