Royal Westminster: Palaces, Parliament & the Changing of the Guard
Westminster is the seat of British royal and political power—a compact area of London where a 15-minute walk takes you from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament. The route covers: the Changing of the Guard ceremony (one of the great pieces of military pageantry in the world), St James's Park (the oldest of London's Royal Parks), Horse Guards Parade, Westminster Abbey (where every British monarch has been crowned since 1066), the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square.
- 1
Buckingham Palace & the Changing of the Guard
Buckingham Palace has been the London residence of the British monarch since Queen Victoria moved in in 1837. The State Rooms are open to the public in August and September when the Royal Family is at Balmoral (tickets required, book in advance). The Changing of the Guard ceremony—where the Old Guard is formally relieved by the New Guard in a ceremony of band music, drill and marching—takes place at 11am most days (check in advance as it's weather-dependent and sometimes cancelled). Arrive at least 30 minutes early for a view. The ceremony involves the Foot Guards in their distinctive scarlet tunics and bearskin hats and takes about 45 minutes.
- 2
St James's Park — The Oldest Royal Park
Walk east from the palace along the south side of St James's Park—the oldest of the eight Royal Parks in London, originally a deer-hunting ground for Henry VIII who seized it from a lepers' hospital in 1532. The park is now home to a large colony of pelicans (they've been here since 1664, when the Russian ambassador gave Charles II a gift of pelicans) and various wildfowl on the central lake. The bridge over the lake gives the most photographed view in central London: west toward Buckingham Palace and east toward the fairy-tale skyline of the Horse Guards. Free, open all hours.
- 3
Horse Guards Parade — London's Most Ceremonial Space
Exit St James's Park through the north gate onto Horse Guards Road and cross to Horse Guards Parade—a large sandy parade ground facing Whitehall that is the venue for Trooping the Colour (the monarch's official birthday parade, held in June) and the ceremonial heart of British state occasions. On the Whitehall side of the arch, two mounted Life Guards in their silvered breastplates and plumed helmets stand sentry in boxes—they change every hour and you can photograph them very close up. The arch through to the parade ground was once the main entrance to the Palace of Whitehall (now demolished except for the Banqueting House).
- 4
Westminster Abbey — Where England Makes Its History
Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church of English and British monarchs since 1066 (William the Conqueror). Every monarch since—with only two exceptions—has been crowned here, the most recent being King Charles III in May 2023. The abbey also contains the tombs of 17 monarchs, and a vast array of writers, musicians, scientists and statesmen: Chaucer, Darwin, Newton, Handel, Dickens, and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. The building spans nearly 1,000 years of Gothic architecture. Entry is paid (£27) but includes an audio guide. Services are free and the choir is one of the best in England.
- 5
Houses of Parliament & Big Ben
The Palace of Westminster—the Houses of Parliament—is the seat of the UK's legislature: the House of Commons (elected, 650 MPs) and the House of Lords (appointed, about 800 peers). The current Gothic Revival building was largely designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin after the old palace burned down in 1834. The iconic Elizabeth Tower (universally but incorrectly called 'Big Ben'—Big Ben is the name of the bell inside) was completed in 1859. Parliament is open for tours on most Saturdays and when not in session (book in advance). Standing at Westminster Bridge for the classic Big Ben–river shot is obligatory.
- 6
National Gallery & Trafalgar Square — London's Living Room
Walk north along Whitehall—passing Downing Street (the Prime Minister's residence, closed to the public but you can look through the gate), the Cenotaph (the national war memorial), and the Cabinet Office—to Trafalgar Square. The square, dominated by Nelson's Column (52 metres, erected 1843), is London's great public space: venue for New Year's Eve crowds, political protests, and every kind of spontaneous gathering. The National Gallery on the north side holds one of the greatest art collections in the world: van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, van Gogh's Sunflowers, Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus, Seurat's Bathers at Asnières. Entry is free. Don't miss Room 34 for the Dutch Masters.