Neighbourhood guide · London, United Kingdom
Westminster
The political and royal heart of the country, from Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square.
About Westminster
Westminster holds the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Whitehall and the National Gallery.
Where Westminster is
Our 19 places in Westminster
Cafés & Tea in Westminster
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Under the church on Trafalgar Square
Café in the Crypt, St Martin-in-the-Fields
A café in the brick-vaulted 18th-century crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square, with hot meals, cakes and evening jazz.
St Martin’s Place, WC2N 4JJExplore View on map
See the full list: Cafés, Coffee and Afternoon Tea in London
Bars & Pubs in Westminster
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Est. 1890
Gordon’s Wine Bar
A candlelit wine bar in vaulted cellars by Embankment station, established in 1890, with a large terrace.
47 Villiers Street, WC2N 6NEExplore View on map
Hotels in Westminster
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By St James’s Park
Conrad London St. James
A Hilton Conrad hotel on Broadway in Westminster, across from St James’s Park station.
22-28 Broadway, SW1H 0BHExplore View on map
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Grand Victorian by Whitehall
Corinthia London
A luxury hotel in a restored Victorian building between Trafalgar Square and the Embankment, with a large spa.
Whitehall Place, SW1A 2BDExplore View on map
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In the Old War Office
Raffles London at The OWO
A luxury hotel in the Edwardian Old War Office on Whitehall, with restaurants, The Guards Bar, a Guerlain spa and butler service.
57 Whitehall, SW1A 2BXExplore View on map
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Near Buckingham Palace
The Goring
A family-owned luxury hotel near Buckingham Palace, opened in 1910, with a large private garden and a celebrated dining room.
15 Beeston Place, SW1W 0JWExplore View on map
See the full list: Where to Stay in London: Grand Hotels and Boutique Hotels
Sights in Westminster
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Rubens’s painted ceiling
Banqueting House
The only surviving building of the Palace of Whitehall, designed by Inigo Jones, with a ceiling painted by Rubens.
Whitehall, SW1A 2ERExplore View on map
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Churchill’s wartime bunker
Churchill War Rooms
The underground rooms where Winston Churchill and his government directed the Second World War, preserved as they were left, with a museum of Churchill’s life.
King Charles Street, SW1A 2AQExplore View on map
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The mounted sentries
Horse Guards and the Household Cavalry Museum
The Household Cavalry’s headquarters on Whitehall, with mounted sentries, a museum and Horse Guards Parade behind.
Horse Guards, Whitehall, SW1A 2AXExplore View on map
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The Palace of Westminster
Houses of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster, home of the House of Commons and House of Lords, with Westminster Hall and the Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben.
Palace of Westminster, SW1A 0AAExplore View on map
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The back story
Royal London: palaces, parades and parks, the back story
Coronations at Westminster Abbey, the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace, Changing the Guard and the Royal Parks: how to see royal London.
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Nelson’s Column
Trafalgar Square
The great square at the heart of London, with Nelson’s Column, four bronze lions, fountains and the National Gallery along one side.
Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DNExplore View on map
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Coronation church since 1066
Westminster Abbey
The great Gothic abbey church where English and British monarchs have been crowned since 1066, and where many are buried.
20 Dean’s Yard, SW1P 3PAExplore View on map
Museums & Arts in Westminster
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Faces of British history
National Portrait Gallery
A gallery of portraits of famous Britons, from the Tudors to today, beside the National Gallery.
St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HEExplore View on map
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British art since 1500
Tate Britain
The national gallery of British art from 1500 to today, on the Thames at Millbank, with the largest collection of Turner’s work.
Millbank, SW1P 4RGExplore View on map
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European masterpieces
The National Gallery
One of the world’s great collections of European painting, from the 13th to the early 20th century, on Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DNExplore View on map
See the full list: Museums, Galleries, Theatre and Concerts in London
Health in Westminster
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Opposite Parliament
St Thomas’ Hospital
A major NHS hospital with an emergency department, on the river opposite the Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7EHExplore View on map
New Developments in Westminster
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Completed
The OWO Residences by Raffles
Private residences in the Old War Office on Whitehall, alongside the Raffles London at The OWO hotel.
57 Whitehall, SW1A 2BXExplore View on map
See the full list: Architecture and New Developments in London
Getting Around in Westminster
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Upriver by boat from Westminster
Thames River Boats to Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court
Seasonal river cruises from Westminster Pier upstream to Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court.
Westminster Pier, Victoria EmbankmentExplore View on map