London/St James's

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St James's is the region of central London that encompasses Buckingham Palace, and the Palace of Westminster. It's a very affluent area of the city, and has a great deal to offer visitors.

Table of contents

1 Get in 2 Get around 3 See 3.1 Buckingham Palace 3.2 Palace of Westminster 3.3 Other things to see 4 Do 5 Buy 6 Eat 7 Drink 8 Sleep

Get in

Get around

See

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace at the western end of The Mall is the principle palace of the British monarch. The nearest tube stations are Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.

• Summer Opening. In August and September, the Palace's nineteen State Rooms open to the public, while the Queen is staying at her Scottish palace at Balmoral. The Palace is open from 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday-Sunday. Places are strictly limited, and it might not be possible to just turn up and get a ticket for a specific entry time - visitors should really book in advance to ensure admission. £12.50, including an audio guide.

• Changing of the Guard. Each morning between April and June at 11:30pm the guard changes outside Buckingham Palace. The rest of the year, the guard changes on alternate days, weather permitting. A board is placed outside the palace in the morning to say whether the Changing of the Guard ceremony will take place or not. There is no charge to view the Changing of the Guard - simply turn up and stand at the fence in front of the Palace - but it's worth getting there early to ensure a good view, particularly when the weather is fine.

• Official website: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page554.asp

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster (more widely known as the Houses of Parliament) is located on the east side of Parliament Square, and is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament) is located to the north of the building and is decorated with green leather upholstery, and the House of Lords (unelected Lords) is located to the south and decorated with red leather upholstery. The nearest tube station is Westminster.

• Visiting while the Houses are in session. While the house is sitting (most of the year round), visitors can sit in the Strangers' Gallery of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. There is no charge to do this. You should queue at St Stephen's Entrance (opposite Westminster Abbey). Depending on the popularity of debates happening in the Houses, queueing for admission can take thirty minutes or more. If you do not wish to visit the House of Commons, then tell one of the policemen standing outside that you only wish to see the House of Lords, and you should be able to enter immediately.

Upon entry, you pass through a metal detector, and are very thoroughly searched. You then proceed into St Stephen's Hall, where you are seated to wait for admission. A representative of the Serjeant-at-Arms gives you a slip of paper to complete with your name and address. When called, you proceed from here to the Central Hall, and then up a staircase to the Strangers' Gallery. You must leave all items (bags, mobile phones, cameras and any written or writing material) outside and then proceed through to the House of Commons Strangers' Gallery. Upon entry, you can pick up a copy of the proceedings being discussed in the House that day. You should be quiet - anything above a whisper may lead to you being asked to leave.

After leaving the House of Commons, you head back down to the Central Hall. If you head away from the House of Commons, you pass along a corridor towards the House of Lords. If you ask to visit the Strangers' Gallery, a representative of Black Rod asks you to complete another slip of paper with your name and address. You then proceed up a staircase to the Lords Strangers' Gallery. Again, all items need to be left outside.

Of the two chambers, the House of Lords is by far the most impressive, featuring the stunning throne (opposite the Strangers' Gallery) upon which the Queen delivers a speech outlining the Government's plans for the year ahead at the State Opening each year. Also, the queue for the Lords is always very short. There is no admission to the Lords Strangers' Gallery for wheelchairs though.

After visiting the two Houses, visitors pass back through St Stephen's Hall, and through Westminster Hall. Westminster Hall is one of the few areas of Parliament in which photography is permitted - and it is a very impressive place, dating back to the 9th Century. Plaques on the floor mark where the bodies of deceased members of the royal family lay in state (most recently the Queen Mother in 2002), and significant events which took place in the hall (such as the trial of King Charles I).

• Visiting when the Houses are in recess. While the Houses are in recess, the Palace of Westminster is generally closed - apart from the long Summer recess, during which tours are run through the building, led by Parliamentary employees. The cost of these tours is £7. Popularity of these tours means you're best advised to book in advance - a stall erected on the green opposite the Palace of Westminster on Millbank sells tickets in the Summer.

• Visiting the Clock Tower. Strictly limited numbers of tickets are available to climb the Clock Tower (containing Big Ben). British visitors should write to their Member of Parliament to request tickets. Overseas visitors should write to the address given on http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hcio/clock_tower.cfm three months in advance.

• Visiting Parliament: http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hcio/tours.cfm

• Summer Opening information: http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/summer_opening.cfm

Other things to see

• Apsley House, No. 1, London, Hyde Park Corner. (Nearest tube: Hyde Park Corner) Tu-Su 11am-5pm. The former home of the 1st Duke of Wellington, boasting an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture, medals and swords. £4.50. The official website: http://www.apsleyhouse.org.uk

• Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square. (Nearest tube: Westminster) There are several areas of Westminster Abbey that are open to the public. The abbey itself is open from Mo-Fr 9:30am-3:45pm, We 9:30pm-7pm, Sa 9:30am-1:45pm, closed Su except for worship. The site of the coronation of every British monarch since William I in 1066, and the site of numerous significant events in British history - the marriage and funeral services of Princess Diana took place here. Well worth the admission fee for the stunning architecture and incredible sense of history. £7.50. http://www.westminster-abbey.org

• Whitehall (Nearest tube: Westminster, Charing Cross) This street runs between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square, and is the site of several British Government buildings. Horseguards Parade, and the heavily guarded entrance to Downing Street are on the west side. Banqueting House is on the east side. In the centre of the street sits the Cenotaph - a war memorial erected following the First World War, which is the centre of the annual Remembrance Day ceremony on 11 November.

• Tate Britain, Millbank. (Nearest tube: Pimlico) Mo-Su 10am-5:50pm. This gallery houses the Tate collection of British art from 1500 through to contemporary art. A side wing collects together the gallery's collection of paintings by Turner, including some stunning seascapes. Temporary exhibitions are exceedingly varied - recent examples include exhibitions of Turner's paintings of Venice and the work of photographer Wolfgang Tillmans. The best known exhibition is the Turner Prize, consists of works by four artists shortlisted for the annual contemporary art prize, which runs from late October to January each year. Admission free (though there is a charge for temporary exhibitions) http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

There are a large number of excellent pubs in the St James's area of Westminster.

• The Red Lion on Whitehall, about half-way between Parliament Square and 10 Downing Street, is a good place to see politicians and political commentators. The pub television shows (muted) debates from the House of Commons, and division bell rings here to summon MPs to vote on important issues in Parliament.

• The Albert on Victoria Street is a nice (but often crowded) traditional pub, dating back to the 1860s, named in honour of Queen Victoria's husband. Portraits of British prime ministers (many of them signed) hang on the stairwell, and Chelsea pensioners (British war veterans) can often be seen propping up the bar.

Sleep