Tourists slam England's most crowded attraction - 'chaotic' and 'incredibly busy'
The UK's most crowded tourist attraction has left some disappointed with the sheer number of people it attracts.
The UK is home to many iconic landmarks from the Tower of London to Stonehenge which can often become busy with tourists who flock to admire these destinations.
According to research from luxury travel company, The Thinking Traveller, British attractions are among Europe’s most crowded.
While Edinburgh Castle was the continent’s busiest attraction last year, Buckingham Palace took second place on the list where it was branded as ‘incredibly busy’.
Originally built in 1703 as a large townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham, the famous landmark is known for its historical significance.
Over the years, the palace underwent several expansions, most notably under architects John Nash and Edward Blore in the 19th century.
It became the official royal palace of the British monarch upon Queen Victoria's accession in 1837.
In 2019, before the pandemic, a whopping 578,000 tourists visited the Palace while even more stopped outside the gates for photos.
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Earlier this year Buckingham Palace threw open its doors to previously private rooms in the newly resurfaced east wing for the first time for exclusive £75 limited tours enticing even more tourists to visit the palace.
‘Mira H', who visited in April 2024, expressed her disappointment on Tripadvisor, calling it “too crowded” and “boring”.
She wrote: “It does not look like a palace at all. There are more beautiful-looking buildings around London that look more like a palace than this place. It was too crowded, making it very hard to get good pictures. I thought it was very boring.”
Another tourist ‘Emma’ said she didn’t go inside the Palace but added: “The whole area was incredibly busy with visitors from all over the world.”
However, despite the crowds, the majority of reviews for Buckingham Palace are very positive. The attraction has an impressive 4.5 rating on Tripadvisor.
Carol H wrote in August 2024: “First visit to Buckingham Palace State Rooms and tour of the East Wing. We had a fantastic day. The tour guides were so lovely.”
While Safsal L wrote: “One of the easiest must do activities in London. It's easily accessible by public transport. It's also a must do activity.”
If the crowds are too offputting, tourists could head to one of the UK’s lesser visited castle attractions. According to one survey, Hever Castle is the UK’s most underrated.
The castle, located in Kent, was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Perhaps Henry VIII’s most famous wife, Anne, had a huge impact on the UK.
