London Westminster

Westminster Abbey, Off Parliament Sq. (020 7222 5152; www.westminster-abbey.org ) Founded in 960, Westminster Abbey became the royals' church after the crowning of William the Conqueror in 1066. Nearly every monarch since William has been crowned here. Henry III built the modern abbey, but Edward the Confessor built the first church on the site. Inside the abbey, you can see the high altar where kings and queens are crowned and where coffins are displayed during funerals. The chapels interspersed throughout the church house gloriously sculpted monuments. Especially impressive is the statue of Lord and Lady Norris in the north chapel. Sunlight floods the Lady Chapel during the day, and it's a sight worth seeing. In the Poets' Corner rests the tomb of Chaucer as well as monuments to W.H. Auden, George Eliot, Dylan Thomas, D. H. Lawrence, Lord Byron, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Lewis Carroll, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, and Laurence Olivier. Also buried in the church are Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. At the end of the audio tour, you'll come across the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as the Chapter House, where monks signed the abbey over to the king. Nearby is Britain’s oldest door, built around 1050. Outside the main building lies St. Margaret’s Church, the "parish church of the House of Commons." This church was built by the abbey because the monks didn’t want their worship to be disturbed by the masses of commoners coming to worship there. Sir Walter Raleigh was buried in St. Margaret’s in 1618. Westminster. Walk down Westminster Bridge away from the water on the side of the Westminster Tube stop. Parliament Square and the abbey will be on your left. Audio tours in 11 languages, including English. Definitely take advantage of this free tour (narrated by Jeremy Irons in true Troy McClure fashion), as there aren't many signs around the abbey. £15, students and seniors £12, ages 11-18 £6, under 11 (accompanied by adult) free, family ticket (2 adults and 1 child) £30 plus £6 for each additional child. Open M-Tu 9:30am-3:30pm, W 9:30am-6:00pm, Th-Sa 9:30am-3:30pm. Abbey Museum 10:30am-4pm daily. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.

Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms Clive Steps, King Charles St. (020 7930 6961; www.iwm.org.uk/cabinet ) The War Rooms opened in 1938, a week before WWII broke out. They were used as a shelter for important government officers, and Winston Churchill spent almost every day of the war in the windowless, airless subterranean rooms, recreated here and opened for public access. The rooms are tense with wartime anxiety, and the map room, with lights that were not turned off for six years during the war, still burns bright. Connected to the Cabinet War Rooms is the Churchill museum. Visitors can step on the sensors to hear excerpts from some of his most famous speeches and watch videos detailing the highs and lows of his career. Also on display are his alcohol habits, which included drinks with breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, and his patented "romper," better known as a onesie. The interactive, touch-screen "lifeline" is phenomenally detailed; be sure to touch his 90th birthday and August 6th, 1945, but be prepared to draw stares from the other patrons of the museum. It should be noted that, while a lock of his childhood hair is on display, the heavy security surrounding it makes it impossible to use a voodoo doll or potion to bring the great man back to life. Westminster or St. James’s Park. From Westminster, take a right down Parliament St. and a left onto King Charles St. Free sound guide available in 8 languages. £14.95, students and seniors £12, disabled £9, under 16 free. Special rates available for groups, so call ahead. Open daily 9:30am-6pm. Last admission 1hr. before close. Call about scheduling a 2hr. tour. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.

St. James's Park, The Mall. Despite its proximity to the crowds of Buckingham palace, St. James's Park is a true haven. Established in 1531, St. James's is more natural than its popular, well-tended cousin, Hyde Park. It features a wildlife reserve area reminiscent of a scene from Bambi. The park lake is placid and beautiful, and pelicans feed on the rocks. In fact, the lake and the grassy area surrounding it are an official waterfowl preserve. St. James’s Park. Take a left off Tothill St. onto Broadway. Follow it until you hit the park. Open daily 5am-midnight. Wheelchair access.

Buckingham Palace

George III bought Buckingham House—which wasn’t originally built for the royals—in 1761 for his wife, Queen Charlotte. Charlotte proceeded to give birth to 14 out of her 15 children at Buckingham ...more

The Houses Of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster has been home to both the House of Lords and the House of Commons (together known as Parliament) since the 11th century, when Edward the Confessor established his court here. ...more

Other Westminster Sights

WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL. Following Henry VIII’s (and England’s) break with the Catholic Church, London’s Catholic community remained without a cathedral until 1884, when the Church purchased a derelict ...more