Best of · UK TEA EXPERIENCES

Afternoon Tea in Britain: The 15 Best Sittings

69 tea experiences  ·  from $29 a head

Britain turned tea into a two-hour meal and then priced it accordingly. These 15 cover the hotel rooms, the Thames boats and the vintage buses in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with prices and how far ahead each books.

London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames - Boarding at Tower Pier beside the Tower of London
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London: Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

1.Afternoon Tea Cruise on the River Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,274 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $53Our pick

Enjoy sandwiches, warm scones, cakes, and unlimited tea on a 90-minute City Cruises boat from Tower Pier. Cruise past Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard, the London Eye, and Parliament, with live or recorded commentary and an onboard bar.

“This was the second time my family and I have done the High Tea River Cruise and we love it so much. The boat staff and crew are amazing, and the our captain had an amazing sense of humor it made the ride even better! The cruise is great and there’s a good chance our next visit to London, we may be on this cruise again!!”

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London: Afternoon Tea Bus Tour - 1960s Routemaster Bus - What you eat and drink on the bus
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London: Afternoon Tea Bus Tour – 1960s Routemaster Bus

2.Afternoon Tea Bus Tour – 1960s Routemaster Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,032 reviews · 1 hour 25 minutes (approx.) · from $87

Ride a vintage 1960s Routemaster from Victoria Coach Station through central London while enjoying tea, sandwiches, scones, cakes, and pastries. You may sit upstairs or below, with seating assigned on the day. Recorded commentary covers sights near Harrods, Hyde Park, Mayfair, and central London.

“What a delight! Was a little concerned that it might be kinda gimmicky, but Cara made it a real treat. Food was good and more than enough and the tea choices fabulous and hot ! Would recommend and would do again with friends.”

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London: Afternoon Tea Bus with a Glass of Prosecco - What arrives on the afternoon tea stand
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London: Afternoon Tea Bus with a Glass of Prosecco

3.Afternoon Tea Bus with a Glass of Prosecco

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,853 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $64

Ride a traditional double-decker through central London while enjoying sandwiches, scones, cakes, tea, and Prosecco. Choose an upper or lower deck, arrive 15 minutes early at Golden Tours Stop 1, and expect staff-led landmark highlights rather than a full guided tour.

“the service by the2 staff was excellent and the driver gave us a nice smooth,smooth ride”

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Edinburgh Afternoon Tea Experience - The route from Waterloo Place to Edinburgh Castle
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Edinburgh Afternoon Tea Experience

4.Edinburgh Afternoon Tea Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,275 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Ride a vintage Routemaster from Waterloo Place while enjoying sandwiches, warm scones, petit fours, cupcakes, and unlimited tea or coffee. The route passes Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Holyroodhouse, Greyfriars Bobby, and more. This is a dining experience with sightseeing, not a guided bus tour.

“The Big Red Bus Afternoon Tea was a blast. The bus sets a fun and quirky mood. The food was delicious and the music selection was great. The driver and the chef were nice and kind. I'm sorry I forgot names. Definitely another unique experience. This was my third trip to Scotland... I try new things. Will recommend.”

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The Kensington Palace Gardens Royal High Tea - What you see on the garden walk
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The Kensington Palace Gardens Royal High Tea

5.The Kensington Palace Gardens Royal High Tea

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 934 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $158

Walk from Queensway Station through Kensington Gardens with guides such as Doug, Paul, Paddy, or Barbara, then enjoy sandwiches, scones, cakes, and tea at the Orangery beside Kensington Palace. Palace entry is optional, and the two-hour outing suits visitors who want royal history with a relaxed tea stop.

“We had the pleasure of having an exceptional tour guide named Doug. He was extremely knowledgeable, accommodating, pleasant, and helped us understand a lot of the historical facts of London. The High Tea experience was superb and the food was extremely delicious. We highly recommend this experience.”

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Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames - Tea with London moving past the windows
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Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

6.Afternoon Tea River Cruise on the Thames

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 884 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $55

Board City Cruises at Tower Pier for a 90-minute afternoon tea sailing past the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, and Westminster. Enjoy sandwiches, cakes, scones, unlimited tea or coffee, and panoramic river views from the indoor saloon or open-air deck.

“This was such a fun and memorable experience for my family! The snacks and cakes were delicious and there were generous portions. The staff were very attentive and the views were spectacular! This was a fun twist on afternoon tea on the river, rather than at a hotel or restaurant.”

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London Afternoon Tea Bus with Panoramic Tour - The Food: Pleasant Tea Fare With Some Variation
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London Afternoon Tea Bus with Panoramic Tour

7.London Afternoon Tea Bus with Panoramic Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 763 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $67

Enjoy finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, tea, coffee, and a drink while a double-decker bus rolls past Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square. This is a scenic tea outing, not a fully narrated sightseeing tour.

“The tea and sandwich was lovely, the staff friendly but I did expect more than just driving us around and eating. There was some good views of iconic places but keep in mind it was by bus and no history or notification of places we went by.”

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Glasgow Afternoon Tea Experience - Starting with tea, sandwiches, and scones
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Glasgow Afternoon Tea Experience

8.Glasgow Afternoon Tea Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 735 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $61

Ride Glasgow in a vintage Routemaster while enjoying sandwiches, warm scones, petit fours, cupcakes, and unlimited tea or coffee. Crew members including Helen, Tallulah, and George bring humor and occasional commentary, but this is a dining experience, not a full guided tour.

“Wonderful! High tea was great. Tour was fabulous and the staff was friendly and fun! Would recommend it to anyone visiting Glasgow.”

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London: Traditional English Scone Making and Tea Workshop - Learning what makes a British scone British
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London: Traditional English Scone Making and Tea Workshop

9.Traditional English Scone Making and Tea Workshop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 702 reviews · from $45Top rated

Meet your English-speaking instructor at De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar in central London for a hands-on hour of scone making, tea, baking tips, and British food history. You will eat one warm scone, take three home, and leave with a We Are London baking certificate.

“Highly recommend this workshop! It was a great experience. Our host was helpful and engaging, and the scones were great.”

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Edinburgh: Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin - Meeting at Waterloo Place and settling into the bus
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Edinburgh: Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin

10.Vintage Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea or Gin

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 699 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $57

Settle into an original vintage Routemaster for a 90-minute Edinburgh tour with prosecco, afternoon tea, unlimited tea and coffee, and optional gin cocktails served in teapots. Staff such as Helen, Jimmy, and Steven add humor and helpful commentary, but this is not a fully guided sightseeing tour.

“We had a great time on our tour. The food was great and we enjoyed the sing along. The driver was excellent. We were the envy of all of the tourists who saw us.”

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London: Great British Afternoon Tea Bus Tour - What Arrives on the Afternoon Tea Stand
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London: Great British Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

11.Great British Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 616 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $80

Ride a Union Jack-painted 1960s Routemaster from Embankment, enjoying afternoon tea and live English commentary from guides such as Lucy and Cameron. You’ll pass St Paul’s, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and more in 1.5 hours.

“I highly recommend this bus tour. Even if you know London quite well already it gives you a different perspective and is just great fun for a day out. The food is fantastic, excellent quality and more than you can eat. The staff on the bus are fantastic and look after you really well. Excellent value.”

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Afternoon Tea Sightseeing River Cruise in Oxford - Passing through Iffley Lock
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Afternoon Tea Sightseeing River Cruise in Oxford

12.Afternoon Tea Sightseeing River Cruise in Oxford

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 583 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $80

Set out from The Folly at Folly Bridge for a 90-minute Oxford river cruise with afternoon tea, live commentary, and views of Christ Church Meadows, rowing boathouses, Iffley Lock, and quiet water meadows. Guides may include Nick, Henry, Dexter, or Louis, depending on the departure.

“Unfortunately, this event did not rise to expectations. We begin with the fact that there is no parking close to the restaurant. As two in our party have mobility issues, this started the day on a bad note. The morsels on the tea tray were fine but actually, it amounted to one sandwich per person, cut into quarters, a macaroon per person, two scones per person with Devon cream & a pot of jam, and a few other sweet items...nothing near what one would expect of a tea costing what this tea cost. The trip was uneventful. We were not treated to any facts along the journey, it was just…”

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Buckingham Palace & Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour with PG Tips - London landmarks from a moving tea bus
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Buckingham Palace & Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour with PG Tips

13.Buckingham Palace & Afternoon Tea Sightseeing Tour with PG Tips

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 540 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $151

Start with a guided London coach tour and freshly prepared afternoon tea on a tea bus, then walk to Buckingham Palace for a self-guided visit to the State Rooms at 4:15 PM. Expect an audio tour inside the palace, no hotel transport, and a group of up to 52 people.

“Oh my!! The Palace is opulent beyond expectations. Wish photos were allowed in the State Rooms as you cannot describe the splendor.”

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Afternoon Tea at the British Museum - What arrives on the afternoon tea stand
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Afternoon Tea at the British Museum

14.Afternoon Tea at the British Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 511 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $58

Meet at the Great Court Restaurant for a 90-minute English afternoon tea beneath the British Museum’s famous glass roof. Choose organic loose-leaf or flowering tea, then enjoy sandwiches, pastries, cakes, and scones with clotted cream and jam. Prosecco is available as an optional extra.

“Everything was delicious, served nicely. Service was good, everybody was friendly. This was my first afternoon tea in UK ever and was very nice experience!”

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Skipton: 2-Hour Afternoon Tea Cruise - Two hours on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
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Skipton: 2-Hour Afternoon Tea Cruise

15.Skipton: 2-Hour Afternoon Tea Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 508 reviews · 2 hours · from $44Best value

Settle into a warm, comfortable canal boat in Skipton for a two-hour cruise along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. You’ll enjoy sandwiches, scones, cakes, unlimited tea and coffee, plus countryside views through the windows. A licensed bar serves extra drinks, including local beer.

“absolutely brilliant from start to finish thanks so much”

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New in UK Tea Experiences

★ 3.3Christmas Lights Afternoon Tea Bus TourFrom $6620 reviews
★ 4.6Kentuck-Tea, A twist on afternoon teaFrom $294 reviews
★ 4.0Italian Afternoon Tea Experience in ManchesterFrom $3425 reviews
★ 4.5Afternoon Tea and Visit to Cutty Sark Ship in LondonFrom $6625 reviews
★ 4.0Taylor Swift-Inspired London Afternoon Tea BusFrom $6732 reviews
★ 4.5Tower, Cruise, & Harrods Tea Full-Day ExperienceFrom $21833 reviews
★ 4.6Cutty Sark Entrance Ticket & Afternoon TeaFrom $6437 reviews
★ 4.8Afternoon Tea at The Milestone with Champagne OptionFrom $11436 reviews
★ 5.0Private Tour: Royal High Tea At Kensington Palace GardensFrom $27239 reviews
★ 4.5Guided Kensington Palace Tour, Royal Guard Change & Afternoon TeaFrom $14939 reviews
★ 5.0A Fun Afternoon of Baking Scones and Afternoon TeaFrom $6138 reviews
★ 4.5Christmas Lights Afternoon Tea Bus TourFrom $6738 reviews
★ 5.0Tea Time & Doughnuts at Borough Market: A Proper London TreatFrom $4441 reviews
★ 4.5Lake District from Liverpool including Lake CruiseFrom $7949 reviews
★ 4.8Buckingham Palace Walk & Tea at Kensington PalaceFrom $16050 reviews

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Pick a kind of tea day

A ceremony, a garden, a tasting bench or a tiered stand.

The ceremony

Tea CeremoniesIn KimonoMaking ClassesBrush & BowlSweets & Tea

The gardens

Plantation DaysFactory FloorsTastingsFarm Visits

Afternoon tea

Afternoon TeaBus TeasBoat TeasCakes & Sweets

And the rest

MatchaTurkish TeaBubble TeaCoffee