The Houses of Parliament

The "mother of all parliaments", Westminster is the seat of one of the world's oldest democracies, and an impressively ornate seat, at that. The lacy stone frills of the golden Palace of Westminster gleam across the Thames from its northern bank, overlooked at one end by the Elizabeth clock tower and its world-famous bell, Big Ben. Inside the building are the chambers, offices and debating halls of the UK's two Houses: the democratically-elected House of Commons and the appointed House of Lords.

Admire the magnificent frontage of the Palace of Westminster from Parliament Square, the wide plaza outside Parliament on whose lawn demonstrators are often to be seen campaigning for issues close to their hearts, while statues of prominent politicians from Winston Churchill to Nelson Mandela look on. Take a guided tour of the Parliament buildings, passing through the great Chambers of the two Houses and learning more about the palace and the history of democracy in the UK. Or if you prefer to witness the UK’s future taking shape, then sit in on a parliamentary debate to hear the back-and-forth among the country's representatives on the crucial issues of the day.