Egyptian Avenue
BEST FOR
Ages 8-17
ENTRY
from £5
SETTING
Outdoors
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
A Victorian cemetery avenue of Egyptian arches and vaults, walked at your own pace; suits kids of 8 and up who like a story.
This is Highgate Cemetery's West side, and the Egyptian Avenue is the bit people come for: a stone archway between two obelisks, then a corridor of eight private family vaults on each side, with heavy cast-iron doors carrying an inverted torch. It's a cemetery, not a play park, so go expecting a quiet walk and a lot of looking up. Kids of about eight and over tend to get the most from it, especially the symbolism on the doors and the sheer age of the place.
Cost is where it gets fiddly. Entry covers both sides of the cemetery all day, and you can wander the East and West sides self-guided without a tour, so you don't have to commit to anything when you arrive. If you come as an organised group of ten or more, a self-guided visit is £10 an adult and £5 for a child aged 8 to 17, with a £100 minimum and payment up front. Private group tours run £18 an adult and £9 a child, again for ten or more. The guided Highlights tour takes around 70 to 75 minutes and covers the West side only.
Some paths are steep and can turn muddy, which is worth knowing before you put a four-year-old in a buggy. The East side is the step-free one and the easier of the two for wheelchairs. Opening runs 10am to 5pm from March to October and 10am to 4pm from November to February, with last entry half an hour before closing. Access can be restricted during funerals or in bad weather, and they close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
There's no café on site and no food or drink allowed inside, though you can eat your own food in the West courtyard and take the rubbish home. Cafés and restaurants sit at the bottom of Swain's Lane or up in Highgate Village. There's a gift shop and wifi, and only assistance dogs are allowed, so the family dog stays home.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 8 to 17; younger ones will find the steep paths and quiet a slog
- Last entry
- 4.30pm March-October
- Booking
- Both sides open for self-guided visits
- Parking
- No on-site visitor parking. On-street free outside 10am-12 noon Mon-Fri restrictions
- How long to allow
- Highlights tour around 70-75 minutes
- Food
- No cafe on site. Cafes and restaurants at the bottom of Swain's Lane or in Highgate Village
- Picnics
- Own food allowed in the West side courtyard
- Pushchairs
- Prams and buggies welcome, keep them with you
- Wheelchairs
- East side is step-free and easiest for wheelchairs
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only, must be ADI/ADUK/IGDF registered
- Getting there by bus or train
- No parking on site — plan by walking, cycling or public transport via TfL or Citymapper
- Worth knowing
- Your admission ticket gives you entry to both sides of the Cemetery, all day
- Entry covers both sides of the cemetery all day, so don't rush the East side
- Group visits and tours are prepaid with a £100 minimum for groups of ten or more
- Some paths are steep and muddy, so go in proper shoes
- No café on site: eat in the West courtyard or head down Swain's Lane
- Only registered assistance dogs are allowed, so leave the family dog at home
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Self-guided visits are covered by your entry ticket, which includes both sides of the cemetery all day. Group visits of ten or more are £10 an adult and £5 a child aged 8 to 17, with a £100 minimum and prepaid, and private tours are £18 an adult and £9 a child.
Do we need to book?
Not for a self-guided wander; both sides are open for you to explore at your own pace. Groups of ten or more do have to book, and the guided tours are recommended but not required.
How long should we allow?
The Highlights guided tour runs about 70 to 75 minutes and covers the West side only. Self-guided, you can stay as long as you like within the day, though some paths are steep.
Is there parking?
None on site, so it's easier to walk, cycle or come by public transport. Street parking is restricted 10am to noon Monday to Friday and free after that and at weekends, and a few spaces are kept for visitors with disabilities.
Is it OK for a toddler or a buggy?
Prams and buggies are welcome and you keep them with you, with baby changing in the West courtyard. Bear in mind some paths are steep and muddy, so it's a bumpier push than a park path and better suited to kids of about eight and up.
Can we bring a picnic?
Your own food is allowed in the West side courtyard, and you take your rubbish home with you. There's no café on site, and eating and drinking isn't allowed elsewhere in the cemetery.
What happens if it rains?
Access can be restricted in inclement weather, and some paths get muddy, so wear something you don't mind dirtying. It's an outdoor site with no indoor shelter to fall back on.
Can we take photos?
Hand-held cameras for personal use are fine. Tripods and filming aren't allowed, and tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Can we bring the dog?
Only assistance dogs, and they have to be ADI, ADUK or IGDF registered. There's no toileting area for them either.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The East side is step-free and the easiest of the two for wheelchairs. Blue Badge parking spots can be booked two days ahead, and there's an accessible toilet on site.
Can we come as a school or a big group?
Groups of ten or more must book, and school visits are something they run. It's £10 an adult and £5 a child for a self-guided group visit, prepaid with a £100 minimum.
What time is last entry?
4.30pm from March to October and 3.30pm from November to February. They're closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
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