Houses of Parliament
Houses of Parliament
4.7
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
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Plan your visit
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
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.
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
10,000 within 5 kms
Attractions
2,872 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.7
16,989 reviews
Excellent
12,160
Very good
3,989
Average
693
Poor
94
Terrible
53
Jennifer D
2 contributions
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!
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.
mrstraveller1
York, UK2,283 contributions
Aug 2024 • Solo
A fantastic tour of the the Speaker’s State apartments, an array of grand rooms used for entertaining, receiving VIPS etc. The State Dining Room, its long table, formally set, is a particular highlight, as is the working office of current Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, (whose idea it was to open up for tours). You’ll see the pilots helmet recently gifted to him by President Zelensky. Dozens of fantastic portraits and historic art works can be admired, as well as great views of the Thames and Commons terrace. Tours take around 75 minutes and take place when Parliament is in recess. Our guide was excellent. I’ve done a handful of Government tours and all the guides have been exceptional, not just knowledgeable, but very clearly, genuinely & willingly across the detail. Security is speedy, slick, and outwardly, light of touch, and you’re permitted to take reasonably sized bags with you. Photography isn’t permitted until the end of the tour when, apparently by permission of good old Sir Lindsay, you can take a photo/selfie at the foot of the palatial Grand Staircase.
Written 10 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.
Jerry C
Alresford, UK79 contributions
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.
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.
Travel Blog
London, UK221 contributions
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.
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.
A&L Travel’s
22 contributions
Mar 2025 • Couples
Effective and efficient security process when entering.
The self-guiding audio tour is a great way to visit the Houses of Parliament at your own pace. The audio device is easy to use and very informative and provides the opportunity to learn more about each area during the route. The audio also gives a great history of each part of the building.
This is a fantastic tour to walk through the House of Lords and get close to the Throne and also the House of Commons be in the room we see so often on the news.
I visited the Houses of Parliament previous for a guided tour. The self-guiding tour is better because you can go at your own pace and not feel rushed. You are not able to visit the Committee Room if you are doing self-guided, but this was the least importort part of the tour.
The only concern of some could be the limited seating throughout the tour. There are many parts where there is no seating for quite a while which could be an issue for someone with mobility issues.
If you are British and interested in the law of the UK and how the decisions have been made over the last 800 years, this is a fantastic way to spend 1.5 hours when in London.
The self-guiding audio tour is a great way to visit the Houses of Parliament at your own pace. The audio device is easy to use and very informative and provides the opportunity to learn more about each area during the route. The audio also gives a great history of each part of the building.
This is a fantastic tour to walk through the House of Lords and get close to the Throne and also the House of Commons be in the room we see so often on the news.
I visited the Houses of Parliament previous for a guided tour. The self-guiding tour is better because you can go at your own pace and not feel rushed. You are not able to visit the Committee Room if you are doing self-guided, but this was the least importort part of the tour.
The only concern of some could be the limited seating throughout the tour. There are many parts where there is no seating for quite a while which could be an issue for someone with mobility issues.
If you are British and interested in the law of the UK and how the decisions have been made over the last 800 years, this is a fantastic way to spend 1.5 hours when in London.
Written 23 March 2025
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
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.
GiantRobotArchitect
21 contributions
Sept 2024 • Family
I'm not a huge fan of audio guides, so booking a guided tour was a welcome experience. The tour guides for escorted tours were excellent, providing an engaging commentary as we walked through this magnificent building. They were friendly and at all the right moments, were funny, dramatic, and sincere. The explanations of the workings of each chamber were well done. It would be nice if there were more places or times to sit down during this long tour, as well as the ability to take pictures in more spaces, but despite that it was a very good tour well worth scheduling. The small cafe looks like it supports MP's as well. Combine this with a visit to the Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey for a full day. Take your time and walk around the building, the park at the Victoria tower is very picturesque and a quiet respite from all the bustle around Big Ben. Would like to visit when Parliament is in session to get the full experience.
Written 7 October 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.
Nigel N
5 contributions
Feb 2025 • Friends
We have taken part in guided tours all over the UK and indeed the world, however the two hour guided tour of the Houses of Parliament we had on Friday afternoon was just astoundingly good.
Our guide was called Phil. He had a voice that was a joy to listen to, the performance skills of a great actor, the talent of a good comedian and the depth of knowledge of a historian.
At no time was it not enjoyable or a delight. We all rated this tour as being the highlight of our visit to London.
I know you cannot request a guide so I’m sorry if you do not get to enjoy the professionalism of this truly lovely man. Thanks again Phil and good luck for the future.
Our guide was called Phil. He had a voice that was a joy to listen to, the performance skills of a great actor, the talent of a good comedian and the depth of knowledge of a historian.
At no time was it not enjoyable or a delight. We all rated this tour as being the highlight of our visit to London.
I know you cannot request a guide so I’m sorry if you do not get to enjoy the professionalism of this truly lovely man. Thanks again Phil and good luck for the future.
Written 16 February 2025
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.
PeartreesEng
Essex, UK7 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
I went with friends to the Houses of Parliament today on a guided tour I can only describe it as absolutely outstanding. Our guide was called Jess and she was a house of Parliament Guru, She just kept providing the most astonishing insight into its history. Not only does she know her history she was fully aware of every single guest and the support they needed, very kind and it is clear she loves her job, she delivered such a fantastic tour, it is well worth a visit you will not be disappointed. It was the most interesting 90 minutes covering a thousand years of Parliament, Lords, the Commons and the different roles the monarchy has played throughout that time, Treat yourself and go!
Written 8 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.
David Gray
Washington, UK47 contributions
Jun 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.
FarAway45303183860
London, United Kingdom
What is the peak times and days. Also what tube should I take.
Written 30 March 2024
Tours with people guides are available only on Saturdays. Self-guided tours are available on all days. Debate viewings are available only when Parliament is in session.
Written 7 April 2024
Have not received etickets, have tried to get resent and amended my email address as prompted on the website. Luckily I have a screenshot with my booking reference number. Can I turn up and get tickets at the visitor entrance?
Written 2 December 2023
I would try and phone as you may not get on the tour for HP in particular.
Written 10 December 2023
From where do I schedule a guided tour? And how far in advance of the anticipated desired tour date must I do this? Thanks!!
Written 4 January 2023
Are you in the UK? If so you can book by emailing your MP. I did and it was a very simple process.
Written 5 January 2023
Hi,
Are you allowed to bring a backpack into house of Parliament tour? Or is there a place we can leave our backpack during the tour?
Thank you.
Written 17 March 2022
What days is parliament open in December?
Written 9 October 2021
What days is parliament open in December?
Written 9 October 2021
Bonjour,
Il s'agit du palais royal et il est très difficile d'y trouver une chambre disponible, à moins de connaître la reine pour le moins ;)
Bon séjour...
Written 19 October 2019
È necessario stampare i biglietti acquistati online o basta mostrarli dal telefono?
Grazie
Written 27 August 2019
Tutto dal telefono, ma chi sa quando si potrà tornare
Written 10 May 2020
I understand no photography is allowed, however is there an issue bringing a camera bag in? Should I leave that at the hotel?
Written 12 August 2019
There are some places you can photograph and no issues taking your camera with you
Written 12 August 2019
I’m in London and just booked a tour online for tomorrow. I note in the emailed ticket it says it has to be printed up (I thought we were 21st century, seriously!).
I assume I can bring a copy of it on my phone to get in?
Written 29 July 2019
Showed e mail off my phone. Not necessary
Written 9 August 2019
…
Showing results 1-10 of 124
Related Stories
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing