District guide · London

Historic monuments in City of Westminster, London

The City of Westminster is a London borough containing much of central London, including major shopping areas and the Houses of Parliament. Buckingham Palace, W...

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Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan City of Westminster

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

The City of Westminster is a London borough containing much of central London, including major shopping areas and the Houses of Parliament. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery stand among its landmarks. The district encompasses Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and Trafalgar Square, making it rich in historical sites and cultural institutions.

Checked 2026-09-04

Practical information

Language spoken
English; Welsh is official in Wales
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+44
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Pound sterling (GBP)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
999 or 112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type G · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Public water suppliers regulate mains drinking water; use cold mains taps

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey
    02 2 hours

    Westminster Abbey

    Westminster Abbey brings together royal ceremony, memorials and daily worship in a church whose architecture developed over centuries. Coronations have taken place here since 1066.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. Palace of Westminster Palace of Westminster
    03 2 hours

    Palace of Westminster

    The Palace of Westminster is the seat of the two houses of the United Kingdom Parliament and, unlike the other great buildings on this stretch of the Thames, it is a workplace before it is a monument.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Big Ben Big Ben
    04 1 hr 45 min

    Big Ben

    Elizabeth Tower

    Big Ben is the bell, not the tower.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. Somerset House Somerset House
    05 45 min

    Somerset House

    Somerset House is a large Neoclassical building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames. The structure serves as a major arts and cultural centre, housing various creative organisations, galleries, and public spaces.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  5. Hyde Park Hyde Park
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Hyde Park

    Hyde Park is a 350-acre (140-hectare) royal park in the City of Westminster, the largest of the four central London parks and the one that runs west from Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner to the Serpentine and the boundary…

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square
    07 40 min

    Trafalgar Square

    Trafalgar Square is the ceremonial public square at the top of Whitehall in the City of Westminster, owned by the King in Right of the Crown and managed by the Greater London Authority.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  7. Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus
    08 20 min

    Piccadilly Circus

    Piccadilly Circus is a road junction in the City of Westminster, not a building and not a site with a gate, and everything a visitor comes to see stands in or around the traffic.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  8. Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens
    09 45 min

    Kensington Gardens

    Kensington Gardens is one of the Royal Parks of London, situated immediately to the west of Hyde Park. The gardens were originally the private grounds of Kensington Palace, and were opened to the public in the nineteenth century.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  9. Covent Garden Market Covent Garden Market
    10 45 min

    Covent Garden Market

    Covent Garden Market is a historic market building in London's West End. The structure occupies a prominent position in the Covent Garden district, an area with centuries of trading history.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  10. Royal Albert Hall Royal Albert Hall
    11 45 min

    Royal Albert Hall

    Royal Albert Hall is the circular concert hall on Kensington Gore in South Kensington, London. Queen Victoria opened it in 1871 and named it for Prince Albert.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  11. Royal Opera House Royal Opera House
    12 45 min

    Royal Opera House

    The Royal Opera House is a major performing arts venue in London's Covent Garden district. It serves as the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  12. Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios
    13 45 min

    Abbey Road Studios

    Abbey Road Studios is a world-famous recording studio in London, England. Established in 1931, it is most celebrated as the location where The Beatles recorded the majority of their albums, including the iconic "Abbey Road" album named after the street.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  13. Abbey Road zebra crossing Abbey Road zebra crossing
    14 45 min

    Abbey Road zebra crossing

    Abbey Road Crossing

    Abbey Road zebra crossing is a working pedestrian crossing in St John’s Wood, London. It became globally recognisable after appearing on the cover of the Beatles’ 1969 album Abbey Road.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  14. Temple Church Temple Church
    15 45 min

    Temple Church

    Temple Church is a historic chapel between Fleet Street and the River Thames in central London.

    • High
    • Historic monument
  15. St Martin-in-the-Fields St Martin-in-the-Fields
    16 45 min

    St Martin-in-the-Fields

    St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church located in the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square in central London. The building occupies a prominent position facing the National Gallery.

    • High
    • Historic monument
  16. St James's Park St James's Park
    17 45 min

    St James's Park

    St. James's Park

    St James's Park is a Royal Park in central London, located in the City of Westminster. It is the oldest of the capital's eight Royal Parks, with origins dating back to the Tudor period.

    • High
    • Historic monument
  17. 10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street
    18 45 min

    10 Downing Street

    10 Downing Street is the official residence and working address of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in Westminster beside Whitehall. Its black door and white number 10 have become instantly recognisable symbols of British government.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  18. Banqueting House Banqueting House
    19 45 min

    Banqueting House

    The Banqueting House is a historic building in Whitehall, London. It is the only surviving complete component of the Palace of Whitehall, which was largely destroyed by fire in 1698.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  19. Marble Arch Marble Arch
    20 45 min

    Marble Arch

    Marble Arch is a white Carrara marble triumphal arch at the north-east corner of Hyde Park, beside the meeting point of Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  20. Wellington Arch Wellington Arch
    21 45 min

    Wellington Arch

    Wellington Arch is a triumphal arch at Hyde Park Corner in central London.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  21. Albert Memorial Albert Memorial
    22 45 min

    Albert Memorial

    The Albert Memorial

    The Albert Memorial is a Victorian commemorative monument in Kensington Gardens, London. Commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband Prince Albert, who died in 1861, it stands as one of the most elaborate memorials in the United Kingdom.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  22. Royal Mews Royal Mews
    23 45 min

    Royal Mews

    The Royal Mews

    The Royal Mews is a working royal stable and carriage house serving the British monarch. Located at Buckingham Palace, it houses the royal collection of historic carriages and state vehicles used for coronations, weddings, and official ceremonies.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
  23. Marlborough House Marlborough House
    24 45 min

    Marlborough House

    Marlborough House is a Grade I listed mansion in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and completed in 1711.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·