Our Guide to Westminster

For pomp, pageantry and culture visit Westminster.

If you have limited time for sight-seeing in London and can choose only one borough make it Westminster. 

This small central borough is top of the list for many visitors and as home to some of the capital’s most famous landmarks, it’s easy to see why.

Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery all lie within this borough. Alongside them are some of the world’s most famous political landmarks like The Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street and Whitehall. Not surprisingly this political district is known simply as Westminster and each year visitors can join the large crowds who line the streets for the parliamentary year’s main ceremonial event, the State Opening of Parliament.

As if its history isn’t enough, there are beautiful parks, shopping, theatres and restaurants adding to Westminster’s appeal as one of London’s best boroughs.

It’s not just culture and politics

Although densely populated, nearly a quarter of Westminster consists of parkland and open space including Hyde Park and Regent’s Park.

There’s a vast shopping district including world-famous Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street and Piccadilly.

The nearest shopping area to central Westminster is in upmarket St James which boasts luxury department store Fortnum and Mason and bespoke men’s fashion and tailoring can be found in Jermyn Street. Mayfair’s upmarket streets are home to high-end fashion including Ralph Lauren, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

For nightlife there is nowhere better than the bustling, colourful area of Soho although Covent Garden with its cobbled streets and The Royal Opera House is a more sedate option! There are more than 50 theatres in Westminster including Her Majesty’s, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Garrick and Apollo. They regularly attract big name Hollywood stars so worth checking out.

A borough for all seasons

It doesn’t matter when you visit this borough. In the summer you can take a tour of the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace and year round you can see the Changing of the Guard, although it’s a little chilly in winter! Celebrate the monarch’s official birthday with the Trooping of the Colour display each June. In 2023, the coronation of King Charles III is scheduled for May 6 at Westminster Abbey.     

Trafalgar Square, home to the famous four lions, hosts carol concerts around its huge Christmas tree during the festive season and is a favourite with revellers on New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year.

For those in search of something green and tranquil, watch the world go by from a hired deckchair in Hyde Park in warmer months. Or head to Regent’s Park, home to London Zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo or St James’s Park where you can watch the resident pelicans get their lunchtime feed.

During your trip to this fascinating borough, you can see stunning masterpieces like van Gogh’s Sunflowers in the National Gallery and works by JMW Turner and David Hockney in Tate Britain. 

If you fancy further intellectual stimulation, experience a taste of history by strolling around the Churchill War Rooms to see Britain’s wartime bunker.

Westminster won’t disappoint on the food and drink front either. From world-famous Michelin-starred restaurants like Scully St James’s and The Goring, to traditional pubs like St Stephen’s Tavern, a favourite with Members of Parliament. With a whole range of street food and authentic cafes, Westminster has something for every taste.

The city of Westminster was established as a borough in 1965 and includes the neighbourhoods of St John’s Wood, Soho, Mayfair, St James, Paddington, Marylebone, Westminster, Pimlico and parts of Maida Vale, Knightsbridge and South Kensington.

It lies to the west of the city of London, south of the borough of Camden and to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It’s a city as well as a borough and lies on the north bank of the River Thames. 

Getting around is easy too - Westminster Underground station is on the Jubilee, Circle and District lines. St James’s Park and Embankment are also nearby and there are London buses everywhere. To make the most of your sight-seeing, there are also hop-on-hop-off buses meaning you won’t miss out on any of the many delights that Westminster has to offer.

So book a visit now! Check out available properties here via our website.