Half-Day London Tour: Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament

Itinerary
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Stop At: Westminster, Victoria Street at Parliament Square, London SW1P 3PA England

This two-part morning tour gives you an express course in British royal and democratic history by visiting two of the most important institutions in town.

First off, your expert guide will show you around Westminster Abbey, the monumental monarch-owned church where British royals are both crowned and laid to rest. Next, they will lead you to the entrance of the equally impressive Houses of Parliament, where you will explore the hallowed halls with an official audio guide. This is the best way to get to grips with the customs, ceremonies, and conventions (not to mention the astonishing historic architecture) of Britain.

Westminster Abbey ranks among the world’s greatest churches. For 1,000 years, the abbey has been the site of royal coronations, with every British monarch having been crowned here, from William the Conqueror in 1066 to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The 700-year-old Royal Peculiar – a designation that acknowledges the Abbey’s special role as a monarch-owned church – has played host to coronations, royal weddings (most recently Prince William and Kate Middleton) and funerals (including Princess Diana’s). Also, of note are the roster of noteworthy figures interred here, among them 17 British monarchs and an unknown soldier who perished in France during World War I.


Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

Stop At: Houses of Parliament, Parliament Square, London SW1A 0AA England

After touring Westminster Abbey, your guide will accompany you to the nearby Houses of Parliament. Having been escorted right to the entrance, you will be provided with tickets to enter the revered establishment, where both houses of the British government convene. You’ll be given an audio tour guide and can explore key parts of the building at your leisure. See the 11th-century Westminster Hall, the oldest still-standing section of the building; the Queen’s Robing Room, where the Queen dons her ceremonial robes and crown in preparation for the official State Opening of Parliament; the portrait and gilded statue-adorned Royal Gallery, the site of parliamentary ceremonies; and the lavish House of Lords, which, is the most dazzling room in the whole complex with its frescoes, solid brass gates and gilded throne.

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes