Our guided and self-guided tours

Our tours

Get to know the fascinating figures in our history – and the story of how the Cathedral was built – with our guided and self-guided tours. 

A guided tour is the best way to connect with our Cathedral. Led by our expert guides, each one will take you on a journey through our rich history, highlighting the lesser-known characters in our past, and even giving you a chance to explore parts of the Cathedral typically inaccessible to the public.
 

guide welcome visitors group nave entrance
guide group smiling welcome

Guided tours

If you’re short on time, we have a number of talks that last a maximum of 20 minutes. All our guided tours are provided in English – but if you’re not an English speaker, or want to explore the Cathedral at your own pace, we have multilingual audio guides available, too. 

Introductory talk

Price: Free for ticket holders

Length: 15 – 20 minutes

How to book: On the day, subject to availability – ask at the Guiding Desk

When: Monday to Saturday at various times usually between 11am and 3pm.

This short introduction to the history and architecture of the Cathedral is perfect for visitors looking for a quick overview of what to explore.

Cathedral floor and Crypt tour

For individuals

Price: Free for ticket holders

Length: 60 minutes

How to book: On the day, subject to availability – ask at the Guiding Desk

When: Monday to Saturday at various times usually between 11am and 3pm.

Our more extensive Cathedral tour covers the Cathedral floor and Crypt, as well as the Geometric Staircase and the Quire – areas not usually open to visitors.

For private tour groups

Price: £8 per person in addition to admission.

Length: 60 minutes.

How to book: Contact the Admissions team. 

When: Monday to Saturday, 11.15am, 1.15pm or 2.15pm.

Cathedral guides can be booked for the same Cathedral floor and Crypt tour, but on a private basis for your group. There is a minimum chargeable number of 10 places. We can typically accommodate up to 50 visitors in one tour booking and will usually provide more than one guide for larger groups.

Please get in touch with the Sales and Admissions team at least one month in advance of your trip, so we can check availability as these tours must be pre-booked: admissions@stpaulscathedral.org.uk or 0207 246 8357.

Geometric staircase introductory talk

Price: Free for ticket holders.

Length: 10 minutes

How to book: On the day, subject to availability – ask at the Guiding Desk

When: Monday to Saturday – ask on the day.

This short talk gives you the opportunity to view the magnificent Geometric Staircase.

The Triforium tour

Although we aim to make our Cathedral as accessible as possible, the Triforium tour involves many flights of stairs and will unfortunately not be suitable for those in wheelchairs or with mobility issues. There are 141 steps to the Triforium level and the tour route includes several short flights of stairs, each no more than 10 steps.

For individuals

Price: £10 per person in addition to admission.  

Length: 60 minutes.

How to book: Pre-book online with your tickets.

When: See our events calendar.

This tour takes visitors up to the Triforium and includes the library aisle*, the Trophy Room and Great Model, as well as a spectacular view down from the top of the iconic Geometric Staircase and another down the nave from above the Great West Doors. It is a great option if you have been to St Paul's before and want to go behind the scenes to see more of the Cathedral. 

For private groups 

Price: £10 per person in addition to admission.  

Length: 60 minutes.

How to book: Contact the Admissions team. 

When: Monday – Friday, 11.30am or 2pm.

The Triforium tour can be given to a private group of a maximum of 20 people, occasionally 40 people (run as two tours simultaneously). There is a minimum chargeable number of 10 places. As with our other private group tours, please contact the Sales and Admissions team at least one month in advance of your trip, so we can check availability: admissions@stpaulscathedral.org.uk or 0207 246 8357.

* We’re sorry that the Library closed for refurbishments at the beginning of August 2018. The tour will not enter the Library and extra time will be allocated elsewhere. We expect to be able to show you the restored Library from November 2022.

Touch tours

Price: Free for ticket holders – and disabled visitors join us for free. 

Length: 2 hours.

How to book: Contact the Admissions team.

When: On request. 

This interactive tour of the Cathedral Floor and Crypt is designed for people with visual impairments. Numbers are limited to 6 visitors plus additional places for an accompanying carer or necessary companion per person – up to a maximum of 12 people. 

Pre-booking is essential – please contact the Admissions team to reserve your places: admissions@stpaulscathedral.org.uk or 0207 246 8357.
 

Multimedia guides

If you would like to access a commentary on the Cathedral in a non-English language, or simply want to take your time, we have a series of multimedia guides that bring to life key objects and aspects of our building. Multimedia guides are included for ticket holders. 

General multimedia guides

Our multimedia guides come with a high-resolution touch screen, and include:

  • commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. 
  • fly-through footage of the Dome galleries and zoomable close-ups of Cathedral architecture
  • interviews and commentary from Cathedral experts, members of our congregation and figures from the past
  • archive film footage from the Cathedral's history.
Family multimedia guides

If you are bringing your family to the Cathedral, these guides will provide more activities and talking points for our younger visitors. They include:

  • commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean
  • quizzes, activities and interactive games.
Audio description guides

Our audio description guides are designed for visitors with visual impairments, and encourage listeners to touch sculptures and carvings on the Cathedral floor. These guides also feature music from St Paul’s Cathedral Choir, and interviews and commentary from Cathedral experts.

British Sign Language guides

These guides feature video footage of BSL interpreters signing a commentary of the Cathedral floor, crypt and galleries, with subtitles. It includes a section on BSL services and activities at St Paul's Cathedral.

close up of multimedia guide
Cathedral shop

Books on St Paul's

Visit our shop to find a selection of fascinating books charting the history of our building and the stories behind our art and monuments. 

Visit the shop

More on sightseeing

Book your tickets

On our booking page, you'll find information about our various sightseeing tickets, including what discounts are available for families, groups, concessions and more. 

Book now