Westminster

Most people arrive in Westminster with a mental list already half-written, and the good news is that it mostly delivers on foot. Start with the Houses of Parliament, whether that means admiring them from across the river or booking onto a proper Houses of Parliament Tour to get inside. Westminster Cathedral sits nearby too, a different kind of grandeur worth the detour. From there it is a short walk to the Churchill War Rooms, tucked underground and giving a very different sense of the area's history than the ceremonial buildings above ground.

For a first trip, it is worth building in something less obvious than the postcard sights. The Westminster Spy Mission Trail and the Harry Potter London Walk both turn the streets themselves into the attraction, useful if you want to cover ground while still feeling like you are doing something rather than just sightseeing. Huntfun London Westminster works in a similar vein for anyone travelling with a group that wants a bit of competition built into the day. If you fancy slowing the pace right down, Hyde Park Stables offers riding through the park, a genuinely different way to see that corner of London.

Where to stay tends to come down to convenience over character in this part of London, and that is no bad thing when everything is so close together. The hub by Premier Inn branches near Westminster Abbey and St James's Park are built for exactly this kind of trip, small rooms but a base you can walk everywhere from. The Mstay Hyde Park Hotel puts you nearer the park end of things, handy if Hyde Park Stables or a quieter morning stroll is on your list.

Evenings in Westminster range from theatrical to properly grand. Bar 1890 by Gordon Ramsay and Mezzogiorno by Francesco Mazzei both draw on serious culinary names, while The American Bar at The Savoy and The Garden at Corinthina London lean into the area's old-school glamour, the kind of places worth dressing up for. Tattershall Castle, moored on the Thames, gives you a meal with a view of the river itself, and if you want something with a bit of spectacle built in, Moulin Rouge makes for a memorable night out.

For something more relaxed, Fadiga Ristorante Bolognese and Cafe Society offer easier, less occasion-driven meals, useful after a long day of walking between landmarks. Larry's Bar is worth knowing about too, a good option for winding down once the sightseeing is done. With 55 restaurants listed across the area, there is enough range that you are never far from your next meal, whatever kind of day you have had.