How to Visit the Houses of Parliament in London: Tickets, Tours & Tips
View of Parliament from Westminster Bridge lit up to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. Photo by John O’Boyle/The Empty Nest Explorers
While I’ve spent a lot of time photographing the Houses of Parliament (also known as the Palace of Westminster) on each of our trips to London, Debbie and I finally had a chance to tour the iconic buildings on our most recent visit.
It was magnificent to be inside one of the world’s most famous buildings.
There was so much to see on our self-guided tour, but we both agree the highlight was walking on the floor of the House of Commons and standing next to the bench where the prime minister sits. You see the spot so often on the news, plus it’s depicted in so many movies.
Note - photography is only allowed in Westminster Hall and St. Stephen’s Hall, but I found the House of Commons Flikr page and they allow you to use their photos with credit.
We visited in August, so Parliament was not in session, allowing us to tour many areas of the building.
We decided to take the self-guided tour with audio headsets. The audio tours are available in English, British Sign Language, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Welsh.
Tours typically run Saturdays year-round and Monday–Saturday during Parliamentary recess.
How to get to the Houses of Parliament
This is the view that greets you when exiting the Westminster Tube Station. Photo by John O’Boyle/The Empty Nest Explorers
Address: Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA
Main Visitor Entrance: Cromwell Green Entrance (often incorrectly listed as “Cromwell Road” in some sources).
Nearest Tube Station: Westminster (District, Circle, and Jubilee Lines) – about a 2-minute walk.
Buses: Routes 3, 11, 12, 24, 53, 87, 88, 148, 159, 211, 453 stop nearby.
What you’ll see on your visit
Westminster Hall
View from the top of the steps inside Westminster Hall. Photo by John O’Boyle/The Empty Nest Explorers
It’s humbling to walk into a thousand-year-old building. The first thing that strikes you in Westminster Hall is the immense size; the second is the massive wooden ceiling.
Westminster Hall is the first spot you’ll visit after clearing security.
It is also the area where you’ll meet with your tour guides or pick up your headphones for self guided tours. Everything is very well marked and easy to figure out.
The building has served in various official roles over the years, and today you can see the markers where King George VI, Winston Churchill, and most recently Queen Elizabeth II laid in state.
President Biden (left) pays his respect as Queen Elizabeth lays in state inside Westminster Hall. Photo copyright House of Commons
St. Stephen’s Hall
The ornate statues and colorful paintings in St. Stephen’s Hall. Photo by John O’Boyle/The Empty Nest Explorers
After walking up the impressive steps to exit Westminster Hall, you’ll enter St. Stephen’s Hall. It was originally St Stephen's Chapel until a fire destroyed the chapel in 1834.
The Hall was rebuilt with colorful paintings of important events in British history and statues of notable members of Parliament.
House of Lords
King Charles (left) enters the House of Lords to begin a session of Parliament. During our tour we were able to walk in ther exact same spot as the King. Photo copyright House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper chamber in Parliament. Unlike the elected House of Commons, members of the House of Lords are either appointed for life or elected for a term, and they do not represent specific constituencies.
Looking at the architecture, there is no doubt which is the House of Lords and which is the House of Commons. The House of Lords is definitely the House of Bling, with gold and ornate woodworking everywhere.
On the tour, you’ll also pass through adjacent rooms such as the dressing room, where King Charles dresses to open a session of Parliament.
The House of Lords in session. Photo copyright House of Lords
House of Commons
Walking by the spot where the Prime Minister speaks was a highlight. Photo copyright House of Commons
While the gold and walking in the footsteps of the King in the House of Lords is fun, walking on the floor of the House of Commons was the highlight for me. Standing at the microphone, channeling your inner Winston Churchill was amazing.
Debbie started chatting with a friendly docent. He told us the history of many of the items you see around the room. Many of the items were gifts from Commonwealth countries after the House of Commons was destroyed in World War 2 bombing.
It is fun to walk around the benches where Members of Parliament sit. I even went to the far back row to be a “back bencher” for a moment.
We had the chance to stand in the exact footprints of the Prime Minister. Photo copyright House of Commons
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What tours are available?
Self-Guided Audio (Multimedia) Tour
This is the tour we took on our recent visit.
On this tour, you can explore at your own pace with a multimedia headset featuring visual and audio commentary.
You can pre-purchase tickets for £27 here.
The ornate Central Lobby that connects the House of Lords and House of Commons. Photo copyright House of Commons
Guided Tours
A 90-minute tour led by an expert guide. You’ll learn about the architecture, history, and the parliamentary process.
You can pre-purchase tickets for £34 here
Speaker’s House (State Apartments) Tour
This 75-minute tour is only available during Easter and Summer recess.
The tour of the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons takes visitors through normally private areas, including the State Bedroom, State Dining Room, and Grand Staircase.
Note - this tour doesn’t include the House of Lords or House of Commons, so if you want to visit those iconic spots, you’ll need to schedule an additional tour.
You can purchase the £21 Speaker’s Tour here
A clock mechanic inside the Elizabeth Tower. Photo copyright House of Commons
Elizabeth Tower / Big Ben Tour
If you are up for climbing 334 spiral steps and want to visit inside one of the most iconic buildings on planet Earth, then this tour is for you.
As you ascend to the top, you’ll stop in exhibition spaces and watch audio-video displays that bring to life the story of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower.
On the tour, you’ll see the inner workings of the clock and its 7-meter dial. You’ll also see the Big Ben bell.
Since you’ll climb 334 steps, this tour is not suitable for those with mobility issues, vertigo, heart or respiratory conditions.
Note - this tour doesn’t include the House of Lords or House of Commons, so if you want to visit those iconic spots, you’ll need to schedule an additional tour.
You can purchase the £35 Elizabeth Tower / Big Ben Tour here
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Hotels - Booking.com. Lots of search options and information. Link
Activities - Get Your Guide. We love food tours and historical guides from Get Your Guide. Link
Airfare - FareDrop. Custom notifications of airfare sales. Link
Phone connection - Airalo. E-Sim for your phone, it’s easy and available for every country. Link
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View of Parliament from across the street in the Westminster Abbey garden. Photo by John O’Boyle/The Empty Nest Explorers
For ideas on free things to do in London, check out our post Free things to do in London.
Additional tips for visiting Parliament
We toured Westminster Abbey in the morning and the Houses of Parliament in the afternoon. They are located across the street from each other and make a perfect pairing
You’ll pass through airport-style security screening, so allow an additional 20 minutes before your tour.
Bags must be under 60cm x 40cm.
There is no photography allowed inside the Chambers and Elizabeth Tower.
Toilets are available in Westminster Hall.
There is a small cafe and gift shop adjacent to Westminster Hall.
For lunch, we recommend St. Stephen’s Tavern across the street, next to the Underground Station. It was a favorite of Winston Churchill, and an original division bell still rings to summon Members of Parliament back to vote. It serves typical pub food, but it’s close by and has a great history.
This post was researched and written by John of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here
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Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. If we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
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