HAVE you ever wandered through London and seen the towering dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and thought, I wonder what it is like to visit? We’ve done the hard work and broken down everything you need to know.
St Paul’s Cathedral is the UK’s most popular religious attraction with over two million visitors each year.
It was designed by world-renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren and was completed in 1710, after the original cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.
Amazingly, the stunning landmark even survived the London Blitz during World War II.
And of course, it has a lot of royal connections including hosting the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.
Today, it remains a working church with daily services but the public can visit.
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It costs £26 per adult (£28.60 with a donation) and £10 per child (£11 with a donation).
Concession and family tickets are also available.
The experience
Arriving at the cathedral, I was pleased to find no queue and with a speedy bag check I was inside within a couple of minutes.
And straight away, I was impressed.
The towering ceilings and sprawling cathedral floor were a beautiful sight, with stone arches, statues and ornate windows.
As soon as you enter, you pick up one of the guides which is essentially a small iPhone.
There are multiple videos, audio clips, pictures and activities to explore as you go through the cathedral.
This means you can take the entire visit at your own pace and in all, I spent around three hours there.
Realistically, I think two to three hours is enough, but you could definitely spend more time there.
What is there for adults?
History lovers will be in their element – the cathedral really is fascinating and holds so much more than religious history.
For example, when exploring the crypt you can see the graves of Admiral Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.
The cathedral itself is also an architectural marvel, designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren.
Throughout there are tons of information boards and the interactive multi-media guide even goes behind the scenes and talks to some of the cathedral’s key figures.
What is there for kids?
Despite what you might think, St Paul’s can also be fascinating for kids thanks to a handy guided experience on the multi-media guide with a phoenix.
The phoenix flies through the cathedral and shares interesting facts about the landmark that are appropriate for children.
It is definitely one of the better children’s guides I have seen, as it makes learning about history of the cathedral both fun and accessible.
There are a number of videos that bring past historical figures to life too, such as the artist William Turner who is buried in the crypt.
In addition to the videos, the guide also has a number of quizzes and interactive games for children.
Of course though, as a historical and religious attraction, younger kids might become bored and also struggle with the amount of stairs up to the galleries.
Is it accessible?
The North Transept features an accessible entrance with a ramp, which the cathedral recommends for wheelchair users or those that require step-free access.
When you enter from here, you enter straight onto the cathedral floor.
There are a number of wheelchairs available at the cathedral on request and there is a lift between the cathedral floor and crypt.
The only area wheelchair users or those who cannot use steps cannot access are the galleries, including the Whispering Gallery.
Even if you are able to use steps the Whispering Gallery is 257 steps, Stone Gallery is then an additional 119 steps and the Golden Gallery is an additional 152 – which is a lot.
It can be a bit of a struggle as many of the steps are up narrow staircases without handrails.
For the elderly or small children, I would say miss this part of the cathedral.
Guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are all allowed in the cathedral.
For visually impaired visitors, there are audio description guides and free guided ‘touch tours’ available.
For those who are hard of hearing or deaf, the cathedral has a hearing loop system that covers the cathedral floor, OBE chapel and the crypt.
The multimedia guide also features a British Sign Language tour with subtitles.
I do believe the cathedral has done everything it can do to accommodate those with accessibility needs, however there are some things that are not accessible.
Any add ons?
The multimedia guide has everything you need to learn about the cathedral and its different features and it is free with entry.
But there are a few other tours available.
For example, you could head on a highlights tour for half an hour, which is free for ticketholders.
Or a cathedral floor and crypt tour which is free and lasts an hour to an hour-and-a-half.
For an additional cost, visitors can head on the ‘Triforium Tour’, which includes the library, the Trophy Room and Great Model and a view down from the top of the Geometric Staircase.
However, the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues.
It costs £15 per person and lasts an hour.
Is there a shop and cafe?
We all love a cosy cafe and St Paul’s has a great one.
The Crypt Cafe is located beneath the cathedral floor and recently reopened to the public in March 2025.
Inside it is calm and cosy, with a range of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and salads, and cakes.
One thing that I particularly liked is that you can leave the cathedral experience to head into the cafe, but you can then re-enter the cathedral if you show your ticket – super handy for a quick caffeine hit.
Prices aren’t too bad either.
You could get a deli lunch, which includes a main and two seasonal salads for £13.95.
Wraps and baguettes cost from £6.95 and soup of the day for £6.75.
Coffee ranges from around £4 to £6, as does cake.
Heading away from the cafe, you will then find the shop.
We all love a good landmark or museum gift shop and St Paul’s’ is great.
The book and gift section is extensive, and I was pleasantly surprised by the prices.
A personal favourite of mine was the St Paul’s Sausage Dog teddy costing £22, inspired by Christopher Wren’s famous quote: “The secret of architectural excellence is to translate the proportions of a dachshund into bricks, mortar and marble”.
What else is there to do in the area?
Away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street and Covent Garden, St Paul’s still has a lot of places to explore nearby.
Right next to the cathedral, you could head to the F1 Arcade London or Fairgame – the ultimate adult’s playground, with retro fairground games.
There are a tonne of fast food spots around too including McDonalds, Five Guys and Wagamama.
Just a five minute walk from the cathedral you will find Ye Olde Watling, one of the best pubs in the area with 4.6 stars out of five on Google.
The pub dates back to the 17th century and features a good comfort menu with a range of ales.
The closest bus stop to the cathedral is Stop SH, just outside the cathedral, linking to many different areas of the capital.
The closest tube station to the cathedral is St. Paul’s Underground Station itself, with the Central Line, which is just a three minute walk away.
Final verdict
As someone who has lived in London now for five years and not visited St Paul’s, I wish I went sooner.
The history of the cathedral is truly fascinating for both Londoners and tourists alike.
It definitely is one to visit and for the entrance fee, I think you get a lot for your money.
Especially at the highest gallery where you can see skyline views of London.
Accessibility wise, even without the galleries, I think it is still worth visiting and for kids, if they are bit older or teenagers, they will be fascinated by the stunning artworks, ceilings and winding passages to the galleries.
For younger kids, the interactive guide will definitely keep them occupied whilst parent perhaps look at the more detailed information boards.
St Paul’s also recently announced a new public park and play area that will be the ‘biggest in the city’.
And whilst you are there, check out the adults-only playground.