London At Sunrise: Buckingham Palace


"What am I doing getting out of bed so early on a Sunday morning?!" I said to myself as I sat on my bed. I set my alarm for 3 am the night before to have enough time to travel to Central London. I wanted to see the sun rise over Buckingham Palace, and I wondered whether to go back to sleep.

I changed the direction of my travel channel to sunrise and sunset walking tours instead of vlogs. I don't regret it, but it doesn't mean getting out of bed first thing in the morning became easier, especially in summer. The sun rises at 4 am and doesn't set until 10 pm, which means I have to go out either very early in the morning or late in the evening.

There are no trains at that time, and it would take a little over an hour to get to Buckingham Palace. I quietly walked into the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee before heading out. Everyone was still asleep, and I tried moving around as quietly as possible.

I've never wondered what Buckingham Palace looked like at sunrise before starting my walking videos, although I was reluctant to go out at such an hour. I was looking forward to seeing the sun rise over London, especially Buckingham Palace and St James's Park!


Cardinal Place, Victoria Station


Victoria Station At Dawn

It took an hour on a quiet Sunday morning to go from South London to Victoria Station by bus. It can take up to 2 hours during rush hour, and 30 minutes by train. The train and tube are the best ways to get around London, but there's a lot of service disruption, and they don't start until later on Sundays.

For anyone planning to visit London, make sure to book accommodation in Central London if you don't want to spend most of your stay commuting. It won't be cheap, but considering the cost of transport and commute time, it will be worth it.

After getting off the bus, I walked through Cardinal Place, a shopping centre in Victoria Station. It's one of my favourite routes to get to Buckingham Palace. Victoria Station is a good starting point for a fun day out in Westminster. There are many restaurants where you can grab breakfast or lunch before going on a little exploration, as mentioned in a previous post, London At Sunset: Westminster.

Victoria Station and Green Park are the nearest train stations to Buckingham Palace, but I would recommend Victoria Station as it is the closest. Cardinal Place is 5 minutes away from Buckingham Palace and 15 minutes away from Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square, or Big Ben if you prefer.

Once I was in Cardinal Place, I turned left at the escalator, went straight until the end of the road and then turned right. Buckingham Palace came into view after a few steps. I'll never get tired of the scene, even though I've seen it countless times. It was even better on a quiet Sunday morning; the roads were empty apart from some joggers and a few passing cars.


Buckingham Palace at dawn


The Sun On Buckingham Palace

As I got closer to the palace, I couldn't help but notice how breathtaking Queen Victoria Memorial was at dawn. But I didn't choose the right time to visit; there were still traces of the Commonwealth event from the day before. Everything was closed off, and I couldn't move around as much as I wanted; the photos taken weren't aesthetically pleasing.

London always gets busy in the summer, and many events take place all over the city, which can be both fun and inconvenient. I ran into a couple of tourists taking photos at the Queen Victoria Memorial and couldn't help but smile. It was a smart move to get out of bed for early-morning sightseeing.

Buckingham Palace is always included in London's itinerary, especially for a first visit. And since most people on holiday don't wake up early, the place is always packed later in the day, making it hard to take a good photo without random people in the background.

Although I live here, I always prefer to visit touristy places at dawn or late in the evening when it isn't too crowded. For me, it's the best time to fully appreciate London's beauty, and moreover, I don't have to deal with tourists and rude Londoners. I just don't like being in crowded places, and yes, Londoners live up to their reputation.

After admiring Buckingham Palace in the morning sun, I turned around and walked up the stairs to the memorial. When I brought my daughters to London in 2021, the monument was closed for repairs, and they didn't get to see it up close. I can't wait to take them on a tour when they visit. The calming sound of the water fountain made me feel at peace, and I smiled at the giggling ladies taking photos.


Flags and colourful flowers


Flags & Summer Flowers 

I walked down the stairs on the side of the memorial facing The Mall. There were steel barriers all around, but it still looked beautiful, especially with the flags blowing in the wind. I went back up the stairs and walked to the farther left side of the memorial to look at the flowers near Green Park.

I only found out last year that the park on the other side of Buckingham Palace is Green Park. I used to think it was part of Hyde Park Corner, and I visited the park for the first time when I went to a Japanese festival in Trafalgar Square last September.

My first trip to London was in the spring of 2007. I stayed for a few months and even studied for a while before leaving, and all this time, I didn't know there was a park called Green Park near Buckingham Palace. That's the thing about life in a big city like London: you won't see or know everything unless you're told or specifically look for it.

The gardens around the palace are absolutely gorgeous. The London Eye and Big Ben can be seen on the other side of the memorial as shown in the photo above. London Eye can be seen in many parts of London if you look closely enough, and I love it. I usually look out for it whenever I go out, especially in Central London, and it's even more visible at night due to its blue lights.

Watching the sun shine over St James' Park is one of the most beautiful scenes you'll see in London. It looked like it came out of a painting with rays of the sun through the clouds, the lake, the plants, the Horse Guards clock tower, and finally London Eye. I would love to see a painting of this scenery!


Beautiful scenery at St James' Park


The Royal St James Park

After taking in the scenery at Queen Victoria Memorial, I walked back towards Buckingham Palace to go to Green Park, but there were still barriers and tents all over the place. So I turned right at the traffic lights to head to St James's Park instead. I wanted to visit both parks and take some photos, but there isn't much to see in Green Park, and St James's Park is actually more beautiful with its lake, wildlife, flowers and landscape.

I crossed the traffic lights at The Mall and walked towards the park. At the entrance, there is information about the changing of the guards. I went to one on a Sunday last summer, and it was so packed I left, so I'm planning to go again on a weekday. 

St James's Park isn't one of my favourite parks in London; I actually prefer Greenwich Park, but it's a beautiful park. Everything about it reminds you that it was "designed" for the royal family; it's one of the few parks in London that has pelicans. There are also swans and geese, but pelicans aren't commonly found in parks. 

So if you're planning to visit, make sure to take a few photos of the birds by the water stream; they look majestic. The wildlife is used to visitors and roams freely; be mindful and watch your steps. This is actually one of the reasons I prefer Greenwich Park: the chances of stepping on a baby duck are low.

St James' Park is a few minutes' walk away from Trafalgar Square, the Horse Guards, Big Ben, and Westminster Abby. Its location makes it a good spot for a short break between landmarks. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery while resting your feet, and taking a photo on the small bridge is a must for anyone visiting London.

I also took a photo in Buckingham Palace and the small bridge in St James's Park on my first visit, and haven't done it since...

Thank you for reading!

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