SeeWestminster

Elizabeth Tower

commonly referred to as Big Ben

Strictly limited numbers of tickets are available to climb the Elizabeth Tower, which was renamed from Clock Tower in 2012. It contains the Great Bell, commonly known as Big Ben. British visitors should write to their Member of Parliament to request tickets. Unfortunately there are no tours for overseas visitors.

free

Price: Free
Website: parliament.uk (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: London/Westminster, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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DrinkWestminster
St Stephen's Tavern Pub
Victorian pub established in 1875 directly opposite the Palace of Westminster and the closest pub to "Big Ben" (from which it gets its name—while now officially known as Elizabeth Tower, Victorian journalists nicknamed it St Stephen's Tower). Often busy with tourists and other visitors to Parliament.
Mon–Thu 10AM–11:30PM; Fri 10AM–midnight; Sat 10AM–11:30PM; Sun 10AM–10:30PM
SeeWestminster
Palace of Westminster
more widely known as the Houses of Parliament
On the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Palace of Westminster is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It's often termed the "Mother of All Parliaments" - an exaggeration, but perhaps only a slight one. The present building largely dates from the 19th century when it was rebuilt following a fire in a splendid example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament or MPs) 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.
SeeWestminster
St. Margaret's Church
St. Margaret's is the church of the British Parliament, more specifically, the parish church of the House of Commons.
Mon-Fri 9:30AM-3:45PM, Sat 9:30AM-1:45PM, Sun 2PM-5PM
DrinkWestminster
The Red Lion
The Prime Minister's Local
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 Members of Parliament to vote on important issues in Parliament.
Mon–Sat 11AM–11PM; Sun noon–9PM