At the heart of British politics, this district includes the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace. A center of royal ceremonies and government since the 11th century.
Westminster is central London's political district, where you'll find the Houses of Parliament's Gothic spires rising above the Thames and the golden-stone Westminster Abbey welcoming visitors through its medieval doors. Walk past red-coated guards at Buckingham Palace, watch the pelicans at St James's Park, or spend an afternoon among Monet's waterlilies at the National Gallery.
Exploring the Palace of Westminster
Walk along the Thames to see the Houses of Parliament's Gothic towers and the 96-meter Big Ben clock tower up close. When Parliament isn't in session, join a 90-minute guided tour through the House of Commons and House of Lords. You'll walk through the Central Lobby's octagonal hall, see the medieval hammer-beam roof of Westminster Hall, and learn about British democracy in the Royal Gallery. Book tours in advance through the UK Parliament website.
Westminster Abbey's Royal History
Enter Westminster Abbey to find yourself surrounded by 1,000 years of British ceremony and achievement. The abbey's stone corridors lead you to Poets' Corner, where you can read the memorial inscriptions of Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dickens. Look up to see the intricate fan vaulting in Henry VII's chapel, and examine the wooden Coronation Chair that has seated every British monarch since 1308.
Museums and Galleries
At the National Gallery, walk through rooms filled with masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, and Leonardo da Vinci. The collection includes 2,300 paintings spanning seven centuries of European art. Head to Tate Britain to see British paintings and sculptures from the 1500s onward, including the world's largest collection of J.M.W. Turner's works. In Manchester Square, the Wallace Collection fills a Georgian mansion with 18th-century French furniture, armor, and paintings by artists like Rembrandt and Velázquez.
Green Spaces in Westminster
Walk the tree-lined paths of St James's Park between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade. Stop at the lake to see the park's pelicans during their daily feeding at 2:30 PM. Green Park's wide avenues connect Westminster to Mayfair, while Victoria Tower Gardens runs along the Thames, giving you clear views of Parliament's Victorian Gothic architecture.
Churchill War Rooms
Descend into the underground bunker where Winston Churchill and his cabinet planned Britain's World War II strategy. The rooms remain unchanged since 1945 - you'll see the original maps marked with pins, the transatlantic telephone room disguised as a private toilet, and Churchill's bedroom where he recorded his famous radio broadcasts.
Getting Around Westminster
Take the Underground to Westminster station (Jubilee, Circle, and District lines) or St James's Park station (Circle and District lines). Most landmarks are within a 15-minute walk of each other. Catch Thames river boats at Westminster Pier, or use buses 11, 24, 148, and 211 to reach different parts of the district. Download the Transport for London app to plan your route and check real-time arrivals.
