Houses of Parliament

Houses of Parliament

Houses of Parliament
4.5
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsGovernment Buildings
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Most of this iconic building was built in the mid-19th century following a devastating fire in 1834. Westminster Hall survived the fire and dates from 1097. For the latest updates and online content, please go to the website and sign-up to the e-newsletter.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Westminster
If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand scale, Westminster would be a wise place to start. The ornate Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey sit adjacent at a corner of Parliament Square, and a short stroll along The Mall leads to Buckingham Palace. Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column are just up the road as well. As captivating as the architecture is, the wonders of Mother Nature are highlights of the area too. St James's Park (arguably London's loveliest), the expansive Green Park, and pedestrian friendly tree lined paths along the river showcase the exquisite manicure provided by English gardeners. Just beyond the landmarks and the gorgeous outdoor spaces, quiet residential squares and age old local pubs offer a more subdued take on this global seat of power in the heart of London.
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See what travellers are saying
  • Remi-Strasbourg
    Strasbourg, France1,317 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful and informative
    Particularly interesting visit with a clear, varied and sufficiently documented audio guide to allow you to explore certain elements in greater depth. We understand much better the role of the two assemblies and their functioning, sometimes tinged with surprising traditions. Impossible to take photos in the entire building with the exception of the first two halls. 1h30 informative and surprising.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 10 February 2024
  • pab
    Peak District National Park, United Kingdom287 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tour with Paul
    Excellent tour of the HOP. Really enjoyable and a must do for any person interested in how it all works at the Palace of Westminster. Paul was very informative and amusing (he reminded me of Simon le Bon). So do it if you can…fab experience of approx 1.5 hrs
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 February 2024
  • Misuel
    Beverley, United Kingdom131 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant
    As a constituent of a serving MP we got free tickets to visit the place with a personal tour undertaken by one of his knowledgeable assistants. We had also requested tickets to the public gallery and, coincidentally, it happened to be budget day and PMQs. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience watching the theatre that is the House of Commons.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 March 2024
  • rossieb
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Free guided tour of parliament
    I went on a free pre-booked guided tour of the houses of parliament booked through my local MPs office. Absolutely great, highly recommended. Nick was a very good guide, and although I usually like wandering solo, his direction was invaluable.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 15 March 2024
  • sunshineyrainbow54
    2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    informative tour
    nick the tourguide was very knowledgeable and gave us alot of information to do with parliament. came with school and would definitely recommend to anyone interested in the history of parliament. youre allowed to take pictures at the start of the tour but nowhere else due to security reasons, 4/5
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 March 2024
  • Anca P
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must. Thank you, Phil!
    Exceptional tour. All the thanks to Phil M. - so impressed with his knowledge, humour, charisma. The man could walk you through an insurance policy and you’d be hooked. The building is equally impressive! Worth every penny and every second.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 March 2024
  • EnjoyLife
    Issaquah, Washington13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Entertaining and educational guided tour!
    Nick Richmond excels at educational and entertaining historical storytelling with humor. I learned so much about the House of Lords and the House of Commons, the traditions, symbolism, and meaning behind the art, sculpture, and other visual aspects of the building. Nick could narrate a documentary about Parliament!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 23 March 2024
  • John F
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing experience
    This is one of the best tours I have been on, anywhere in the world. While it helps that there's an amazing product to work with in terms of the history in the building, the tour experience was helped by our guide Phil who was not only incredibly knowledgeable, but was also a tremendous showman in acting out and giving impressions at various stages in the tour. A thoroughly informative and enjoyable experience!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 23 March 2024
  • Piero Fileccia
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Turn the heating on
    The HoP guided tour was excellent - well worth the money. Our tour guide Nick was full of knowledge. The typical tour was supposed to last 90 mins but ours lasted 150 mins. Nick managed to impart huge amounts of information which made the tour very enjoyable. The architecture inside the building was amazing. I was surprised how small both houses were as from TV pictures both chambers looked much larger than they actually were. We also visited Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms but this was by far our most enjoyable visit. Definitely on the ToDo list. Only downside was that the meeting hall and some parts of the tour were cold. I wonder if the heating only comes on for the MPs!!!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 March 2024
  • nsr419
    New Braunfels, Texas38 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ruby gave us a Great Tour!!!
    Ruby gave us an outstanding tour of this impressive building. Her knowledge of history pertaining to the House of Lords and House of Commons was incredible. She was fun, humorous at times and answered all questions! I highly recommend this visit!
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 4 April 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles16,972 reviews
Excellent
12,149
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3,984
Average
693
Poor
94
Terrible
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Travel Blog
London, UK211 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Friends
The nearest tube station is Westminster on the:
District line (Green),
Jubilee line (silver)
Circle line (Yellow)
It is a couple of minutes walk to the Cromwell Gate where you enter the HOP.

I would highly recommend the HOP guided tour-£33 per adult, any one with a disability can take a carer companion free of charge.
The tour itself is around two hours, there is a lot of standing -so if you have mobility issues maybe this tour is not suitable for you.
However, I did see some people in wheelchairs-so it does not exclude you.

This is the second time I’ve been on this tour-and learnt other facts I didn’t on the previous visit.
The guide gives out audio headsets which assists with her speaking during the tour-without shouting, or other guests being unable to hear.

Ours was a large group, and as the guide was quite short in height -some of the group became lost- we couldn’t see/find her. It wasn’t ideal as the areas were extremely overcrowded.

There is a wealth of information, the architecture was amazing, and the historical significance was very much enjoyable.
Written 16 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jennifer D
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Visited with my husband on 16th September, for a “Democratic Access Tour” (free of charge, organised through the office of our local MP by email.)

We had been a little concerned it might be a bit boring or stuffy, but it was really interesting. We were lucky to visit whilst the MP’s happened to be away at recess, so we had full access to almost all of Parliament, including the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Our group size was just 6 adults and 3 children. As the building was noisy in places we were given earphones to listen to the guide as he spoke on a headset.

The guide, Nick, was very pleasant and full of facts about U.K. government and the history of the building. (He was also very patient with a family that had a restless small child with them!)

We arrived in good time to start the tour at 12pm, thankfully there was no queue and after passing easily though the airport style security, the helpful staff on the tour desk advised us to wait in the gift shop or cafe.

The tour itself was 75 mins which flew by.
Having completed the, tour we visited the reasonably priced on-site cafe, for tea and cake. (Including vegan chocolate cake which was delicious!)

Great toilet localities and free water fountain too!
One of the best places we’ve visited in London!
Written 22 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ben B
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Solo
You won’t regret booking this tour. I paid a little extra for a guided tour and he was excellent; spoke clearly and passionately throughout with real pride in his job showcasing these historical buildings. Personally, I would have liked to have gone at my own pace to look at some finer details of certain elements, so perhaps I’ll return without a guide. Our tour went on for about 110 mins, so 20 mins overtime, but that didn’t bother me and you could have just left if you were pushed for time. Security was quick and easy, no more than 10 mins. As I say, don’t hesitate to book this tour, one of the greatest Parliaments in the history of the world and you get to go inside and see where it all happened. It’s awesome.
Written 4 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aulis
Lombardy, Italy1,844 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
The visit to the British Parliament is an experience of great historical interest.
I purchased a ticket directly on site - the ticket office is in nearby Portcullis House - for an audio-guided tour which allowed me to enter, among other things, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
It's just a shame that the audio guide, which up until then was full of information, abandoned me due to battery exhaustion when entering the first...
Photographs are only permitted in the first rooms, from the Central Lobby onwards they are prohibited for security reasons.
Artistically, the palace is a beautiful nineteenth-century neo-Gothic building, which houses several well-made paintings inspired by English history and statues of parliamentarians and prime ministers.
Overall, it was an engaging visit, well worth the £25 ticket price.
Google
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jerry C
Alresford, UK79 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Couples
Decided it was time to visit the houses of parliament to see what goes on. The official tour seems pricey at about £33 but it really is worth going. Note the tour is scheduled for about 90 mins but ours took 2 hours.

I would get there about 30 mins early - once you get through the airport style security there is a seating area and a small cafe where you can get coffee, cakes etc. This is not really made clear when you buy the ticket.
Written 21 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angus D
Surfers Paradise, Australia130 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
I did a guided tour of the UK Parliament booked online via the website.
The Palace of Westminster is spectacular and Tour Guide Nick was very entertaining. His delivery was humorous and informative and he was very able to answer questions.
I wish we were permitted to take photos!
These tours seem to be booked out quite a long way forward (about a month) so I was glad I was in London long enough to make a booking and eventually attend.
Written 1 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David Gray
Washington, UK46 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2024 • Couples
My boyfriend and I went on a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament in June and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience for all the right reasons. Our tour lasted 90 minutes and we saw all the famous and not so famous rooms within the building. As someone who loves UK history, I appreciated the fact that there was a story behind every room, statue and painting. Special thanks are owed to our tour guide Olivia who was outstanding - so engaging, knowledgeable and down to earth and who made this visit really memorable for us. The guided tour is definitely worth the money and I’d highly recommend it.
Written 15 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

StaciH147
San Francisco, CA18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
We visited Parliament on our third trip to London and I only wish we had seen it sooner. What an amazing place! Kudos to the Victorians who were able to save the 11th century Westminster Hall from the fire in 1834 and made the decision to rebuild the rest in the Gothic style. We booked the 90-minute guided tour and it was well worth the £32.00. There is so much to see and learn, I think it might have been overwhelming to rely on the multi-media guide. Note that this is a working government building and the guards are serious about security, so it's best to follow directions and only walk in the permitted areas. Also note that there is no coat check, so be prepared to wear or carry your jacket the whole time.
Written 15 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan H
Benfleet, UK60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Friends
If you like English / GB / UK history then this visit is for you. There were a group of four of us and we went to visit to the House of Parliament/Westminster Palace. Our visit was one of the last visits of the day to HP. We entered via Cromwell Green visitors entrance which off of St Margaret St. as it is a very high security area, firstly we pass through “gatekeepers” who check names on their list and explain the next steps. Step two is passing through a high tech security system with body scans and bag scans, even watches and mobile phones are scanned, including coats and belts.
Next into Westminster Hall to find your tour guide. We had a lovely and very knowledgeable guide named Maria, clearly loved her job and very much a people person. Our four were added into a main group who had Baron James Jamieson and Blake Stephenson, MP for Mid Bedfordshire with them and who were extremely helpful on the visit as well. Westminster Hall, a fantastic building from 1097; it has been modernised/altered on the inside with a new skin of block stone work to strengthen and protect. A small area of old wall about two thirds up is exposed by a little window area so we know what it looked like. So much history in that building alone and has had many uses; a court, a banqueting hall, a market place, addresses to monarchs, lying in states.
There is much more to see in HP, the debating rooms, Houses of Commons (green) and Lords (red) and the corridors asides them where votes are cast. HP does gave lots of traditions that gave to be adhered to and one that affects the visitors is, you are not allowed to sit on the seats in the debating chamber unless you have officially sworn allegiance to the King/Queen. So standing in these areas are the order of the day. There are public galleries to be seen but we don’t go up as tour visitors. There are other places too on the tour and they are all as equally fascinating but too much to review on here. It certainly is worth a visit.
O
Written 11 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dominika S
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Family
We have just returned from a Tour of Parliament. Amazing experience. We paid a bit extra for a guided tour. Our guide Nick was awesome, had great sense of humor, was really entertaining and during the 90 minute tour all in the group were listening to every word, he said. Thanks to the headphones, everyone could hear him clearly and didn't have to rush behind him, it was really comfortable. The tour completely exceeded our expectations and I recommend it. Great experience.
Written 2 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Houses of Parliament, London

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