St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey?

The direct answer: they are two separate paid attractions at opposite ends of central London, each with its own ticket, and neither ticket gets you into the other. If you only have time and money for one and you want a view, choose St Paul’s: it is the only one of the pair with a climbable dome, 528 steps from the cathedral floor to the Golden Gallery, included in a standard sightseeing ticket. Ineke, reviewing the St Paul’s entry ticket, put it in one line: if you have to choose between Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s, definitely go for St Paul’s. The London Pass includes both, which is the only way to treat them as one purchase.

TicketsSeparate, one each

St Paul’s dome257 / 376 / 528 steps

St Paul’s built1675–1710

St Paul’s height111 metres

Sightseeing daysMon–Sat at St Paul’s

Both on one passThe London Pass

What I will and will not tell you here

I guide in the City of London, not in Westminster, so I am going to be careful. This page is not a review of Westminster Abbey and I am not going to invent one. What I can tell you is how the choice works in practice: the Abbey is a separate attraction in Westminster with its own admission ticket, St Paul’s is a separate attraction in the City with its own, and the two are about half an hour apart on foot along the river.

The case for St Paul’s

You can climb it. 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery inside the dome, 376 to the Stone Gallery outdoors, 528 to the Golden Gallery at the base of the lantern. No lift, and no extra charge. Read the dome climb.
One architect, one idea. Wren built it in a single campaign between 1675 and 1710 after the Great Fire destroyed Old St Paul’s in 1666, and the building reads as one thought rather than several centuries of them.
The crypt. The largest in Europe, with Nelson, Wellington and Wren, plus a 270° film. See what to see inside.
The Blitz story. The photograph of this dome above the smoke is the image of wartime London, and the building survived because the St Paul’s Watch, more than 300 volunteers, worked as its own fire brigade.

What works

St Paul’s has the climbable dome; nothing on the Abbey ticket is comparable
The London Pass covers both, along with the Tower of London and 90-odd other attractions
St Paul’s is open for sightseeing from 8.30am, which is early for a London attraction
The two sit at opposite ends of the same riverside walk, so doing both in a day is realistic

Worth knowing

Two separate tickets: neither includes the other
St Paul’s has no general Sunday sightseeing, so a Sunday plan needs the Abbey or nothing
Doing both properly in one day is a lot of walking and a lot of standing
A pass only pays off at a pace of sightseeing that does not suit everyone

Insider tip

If you want both in one day without planning it yourself, the guided walks that finish inside St Paul’s pass Westminster Abbey on the way, though they take in the exterior rather than going inside. The five-hour version runs the Ritz, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards Parade, Downing Street, Parliament Square and the Abbey before ending with entry to St Paul’s. See the guided tours.

How to decide

Pick St Paul’s if you want a view, if you are travelling with anyone who will enjoy 528 steps, or if you are already in the City. Pick the Abbey if your day is built around Westminster and Parliament Square. Pick both, on a pass, if you are sightseeing hard for several days — that is the case I make on combos and passes. And if the honest answer is that you are not sure a paid cathedral ticket is for you at all, I have argued both sides on is it worth visiting.

Check availability & book

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

See Westminster and St Paul’s in one walk

The five-hour guided walk ends with entry to St Paul’s. It has a high rating on a very small number of reviews, so treat the score with caution and read the honest review first.

Check availability & book

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

Most bookedCathedral entry included

Frequently asked questions

Does one ticket cover St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey?

No. They are separate attractions with separate admission tickets. The London Pass is the exception: it includes both, along with the Tower of London and dozens of others. See combos and passes.

Which has the better view, St Paul’s or Westminster Abbey?

St Paul’s, and it is not close, because St Paul’s is the one you can climb. 376 steps gets you outside on the Stone Gallery and 528 to the Golden Gallery at the top. Full detail on the dome climb.

Can I visit both in one day?

Yes, they are roughly half an hour apart on foot along the river, but it makes for a long day of standing. Remember St Paul’s stops admitting sightseers around 4pm — check the hours and plan the cathedral first.

Is St Paul’s open on a Sunday if the Abbey is not an option?

There is no general Sunday sightseeing at St Paul’s. In 2026 the three dome galleries open on Sundays between 15 March and 25 October as a seasonal exception. Services are free to attend any Sunday. See opening hours.