My daughter and I visited St. Paul's Cathedral December 31. Note there is a line to get in and bags are searched at the entrance. Once inside we took quick, non-flash photos of the main interior nave but were told no photos were allowed. The Evensong service was going on up at the front near the altar area. We wanted to climb to the top of the dome for the sunset views, but we were told there was only 15 minutes left before the top area closed and the cost was £20 - so overpriced and not worth it! (Instead, you can go next door to the One New Change building, take an elevator up to the top observation deck for great, free views over London at the same height/level as St. Paul's dome!) Overall, St. Paul's Cathedral was a bit of a let-down. It is such an icon and beautiful landmark in London but the overall experience was a bit disappointing.

We decided to go to see St Pauls as it was something we hadn’t done before. Quite ignorantly our expectation was a quick walk around. We nearly didn’t go in when we realised it would cost over £50 for a family of 4. Our boys were not excited by the thought of learning about a Cathedral!! We went it in (security check your bag and open your coat) I immediately signed us up for a 30 minute tour and I’m so glad I did. I had expected to be walked around the cathedral being told about the things we were looking at, it wasn’t what I expected. We were quite a large group and we stopped at only 3 locations but the gentleman told us about the history of the Cathedral. He had a number of pictures /photos to show us amongst other things the original design and how the area looked after the blitz. He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the journey the building has been on the time flew by and I know I will remember much of the information. The boys were now interested and we walked around the main floor of the Cathedral taking a few photos. We then went downstairs to see where the dead bodies were! We refuelled at the cafe, prices were not too bad, we had soup, sandwiches and coffee. There were offers for soup and a sandwich I think it was about £6. To kept the price down as the boys had tap water Invigorated we walked up to the top of the Cathedral. There are quite a number of spiral stairs and towards the top they were see through metal stairs. If you are up to the climb it was well worth it. The views (even though it was a grey day) were amazing.

If you do nothing else intellectual & spiritual in London, visit St Paul's to contemplate human achievements for god and country. Above architect Christopher Wren's tomb in the crypt is the famous epitaph: “si monumentum requiris, circumspice”—if you are searching for his monument, look around. Built after London's great & horrendous fire of 1666, St Paul's in is in the style of English Baroque, bearing a startling similarity to St Peter's in Rome, despite the latter's being definitely a Roman Catholic church and St Paul's being Protestant Church of England. The 90-min tour that is included in your admission price is well worth taking. Our guide, Jilly, is elegant & commanding, graciously herding her group of ten quietly but firmly through the Cathedral. Her voice is lovely and serene, which seemed perfect. There were a few dicey moments, such as explaining why Wellington's tomb had a horse at the top--Wellington's cherished Copenhagen. Because Cromwell's men had stabled horses in St Paul's during the Civil War, the church fathers objected to Copenhagen's presence, but popular will won out. So much to see, and so much to ponder, in this magnificent building.