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Occupying one of the few areas of the Thames riverbank in central London not directly accessible to the public, the Houses of Parliament are a symbol of democracy throughout the world. Showing off the pomp and financial power of the Victorian era – when the complex was rebuilt after a massive fire – Big Ben has to be one of the most snapped structures in the world.

In fact, to be strictly accurate, the name doesn’t refer to the tower but to its largest bell. Its structure was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee – that’s 60 years on the throne.

The parliamentary chambers have witnessed many historic moments, including several important speeches by Sir Winston Churchill, the country’s wartime leader. The underground lair protected by secrecy and thick steel girders, where the government sought sheltered office space during the London Blitz, can be explored at the Cabinet War Rooms, a few hundred meters away.

But if it’s hundreds of years of history you’re keen to discover, Westminster Abbey should be the next on your list of things to do in Westminster. Forming a loose triangle alongside the Houses of Parliament and Cabinet War Rooms, its origins predate the Norman Conquest of 1066. Since then, it has seen the coronation of every British monarch except two. The simple wood coronation chair is almost lost in this celebration of monarchy and nationhood.

Cross into St James’ Park, and you’ll be treading the same path that royalty has since at least the seventeenth century. At the park’s southern end is Birdcage Walk, once the location of a long-disappeared royal aviary. However, some of the park’s most popular residents remain its pelicans, whose generations have waddled their way around the lake for almost 400 years since first being gifted by one of the Tsars of Russia.

At its western end, St James’ links up with Green Park on the opposite side of The Mall, and Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the British monarch. A short route through the palace gardens is open to the public over the summer as part of tours to the state rooms.

Two further royal residences just around the corner can be admired from afar. Clarence House has provided homes for the late Queen Mother and King Charles, when he was just a “lowly” Prince. Next door’s Saint James’ Palace is the oldest of central London’s remaining palaces, although you’ll need ambassadorial credentials to take a look inside.

No such career choice is necessary to enjoy the spectacle of the red frock coats and bear-skin hats of the Household Cavalry and their allied foot troops at the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace. About as dramatic a way to switch shifts as it’s possible to get, it takes place every day in the summer and several times a week over the winter with music, marching, and plenty of horsemanship on show.

To learn more about the division responsible for the protection of the head of state, like Queen Victoria, there’s the Household Cavalry Museum. Situated between Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade, visits not only allow a peek into 350 years of history but also the chance to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony from a very special vantage point.

Attached to Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Gallery is open throughout the year, displaying important artefacts from the Royal Collection. These include gilded silverware purchased by George III and paintings by Van Dyke, the official artist to King Charles II.

The works of more modern artists can be seen at the Mall Galleries just off Trafalgar Square. Home to the Federation of British Artists, it’s also a major player in the contemporary figurative arts scene.

Although it’s partially blocked off by the Houses of Parliament, the River Thames shouldn’t be forgotten about. For one thing, almost diagonally opposite Big Ben is Westminster Millennium Pier, where Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing cruises arrive and depart on their way to the Royal Museums Greenwich further east.

The Thames Path is a pleasant place to explore at any time of year, with each season giving something different to an area of riverside as stuffed with monuments and landmarks as any part of London. They include memorials to the Battle of Britain pilots of World War Two and, within Whitehall Gardens, William Tyndale – a leading figure in the protestant reformation. The Thames path also provides an ideal spot to capture shots of the London Eye or eat and drink in barges converted into restaurants and bars.

But wherever you end up in Westminster, you’ll never be far from the government ministries you’ll recognize from the movies. Many stretch along Whitehall, a major thoroughfare connecting Parliament Square with Trafalgar Square, where there’s the National Gallery and Nelson’s Column. On Whitehall itself, the war dead are honored at the Cenotaph, and the prime minister’s office at 10 Downing Street can be peered towards through the security gates.