London Essentials: Royal Westminster in an Hour

The stops, in walking order

1. 1

   

   Stop 1: Banqueting House

   ~3 min here

   Banqueting House is the grand surviving hall built for royal entertaining, and it is the only substantial remnant of the former Palace of Whitehall.

2. 2

   

   Stop 2: Palace of Westminster

   ~3 min here

   The Palace of Westminster rises before you as the working home of the United Kingdom’s Parliament, with its elaborate Gothic Revival architecture and the Elizabeth Tower standing among its most recognisable features.

3. 3

   

   Stop 3: Westminster Abbey

   ~15 min here

   Westminster Abbey is the church before you, a place dedicated to Saint Peter and rooted in London’s Westminster.

4. 4

   

   Stop 4: St. James's Park

   ~3 min here

   St. James's Park is a Royal Park spread across 23 hectares in Westminster, with a lake, islands, mature trees and open lawns.

5. 5

   

   Stop 5: Buckingham Palace

   ~3 min here

   Your view is Buckingham Palace, the official London residence and working headquarters of the United Kingdom’s monarch.

More walks in London

• HighlightsLondon Essentials9 stops · ~3 hr 25 min · 9.7 kmSee the walk
• Art & MuseumsWest End to the Temple: Galleries and Museums6 stops · ~4 hr 20 min · 4.4 kmSee the walk
• HistoryThe Old City: Romans, Fire and Cathedrals7 stops · ~1 hr 25 min · 3.0 kmSee the walk
• Old & NewSkyscrapers, a Ruined Garden and the Tower6 stops · ~55 min · 2.4 kmSee the walk
• Food & DrinkBankside and Borough: Theatre, Markets and the Shard6 stops · ~2 hr 45 min · 2.5 kmSee the walk
• Weird & UnusualCurious London: Specimens, Stones and Surgeons5 stops · ~3 hr 5 min · 4.2 kmSee the walk
• Local LifeEast End: Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Columbia Road4 stops · ~1 hr 40 min · 2.4 kmSee the walk
• Parks & MuseumsRoyal Parks to the Kensington Museums5 stops · ~3 hr 20 min · 5.6 kmSee the walk