St. Paul’s Cathedral is yet another site that we had never had time to sufficiently explore while in London, once again confirming that we need to keep coming back here! You might have seen it when Charles and Diana got married there and it was being broadcast on every single TV channel in the US. On one previous trip, we walked in, turned around and decided we didn’t have enough time to adequately see it given the $25GBP entry fee. This trip we didn’t have a huge amount of time but really wanted to see it, so off we went for a quick tour before our afternoon tea reservation at St. Ermin’s.

Walking from the Tube to St. Paul’s, we explored the lanes along the main road, leading us to historic little parks tucked in between towering office buildings. Seeking a warm public bathroom, we luckily found St. Mary Aldermary, a 17th century Gothic church/cafe, where people and dogs can hang out, enjoy snacks and use the facilities. What a haven! We even stumbled upon a very pink cake shop-Spread the Love with Cake! I can embrace that sentiment wholeheartedly. You never know what you will find off the beaten track!

A cathedral dedicated to St. Paul has stood on it’s current site for over 1,400 years but, as our tour guide (free!) told us, the buildings have changed over the years by various events including the 1666 Great Fire of London. You can use a multimedia audio guide for your walk through or take a guided tour with one of the St. Paul staff-all free. We had a lovely lady who told us the history and stories as we walked through the cathedral. There was a statute of English lexicographer Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first dictionary of the English language published in 1755. It took him seven years to complete the work, often writing at a nearby pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, where there is a monument outside the pub honoring Hodge, the cat, Samuel’s beloved pet. Fun facts!

Make sure you take the time to go downstairs to The Crypt where the nation’s heroes are buried and memorialized. Not only are the bathrooms, café and gift shop downstairs but you can also see Christopher Wren’s tomb (he built the cathedral), Florence Nightingale’s memorial, Winston Churchill Memorial Gates (his funeral was held here but he is buried elsewhere) and the Duke of Wellington’s tomb.

Before walking up for a view, consider how many steps you want to take. The Whispering Gallery is 259 steps up. Supposedly you and a friend can whisper to each other at opposite ends facing the wall and your voice will travel around the curved edge and reach each other. We didn’t try it because my knee was acting up. You can arrange in advance assistance if you have disabilities but there is no public elevator.  If you are in better shape than me, you can keep on climbing about 100 more steps up and visit the Stone Gallery, which is the outside area around the dome where you can take some nice photos. If you are really ambitious and physically fit, go all the way to the top and see the Golden Gallery, a total of 528 steps from the cathedral floor. Good views of London landmarks including the Thames but remember you are taking those 500+ steps up and down again.

Opening times may vary so check online before you go:  St Paul’s Cathedral | St Paul’s Cathedral (stpauls.co.uk). When there are services going on, you are not allowed to take pictures on the Cathedral floor. You can attend services at the Cathedral for free. I would recommend taking in an evensong service. We went to one of these services at Westminster Abbey and really enjoyed it. Enjoy the journey!