Westminster, London: neighborhood guide

Westminster is a city in its own right, the historic twin of the City of London to the east. The Palace of Westminster became the main royal residence after 1066 and later housed Parliament and the law courts, while Westminster Abbey next door became the coronation church. Royal and then parliamentary power has sat here for around 900 years, which is why the streets feel like a stage set for the British state.

The district is smaller than the City of Westminster, the council area that also takes in Trafalgar Square, Mayfair, Covent Garden and Paddington. For a visitor, the useful boundaries are Trafalgar Square to the north, Covent Garden to the east and Knightsbridge and Chelsea to the west.

Inside it there are four distinct patches. St James's covers Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster and the park between them, and is very wealthy. Belgravia, west of the palace, is among the grandest residential addresses in the country. Victoria and Pimlico in the south-west are the least grand and hold most of the affordable beds. Millbank, on the river to the south-east, is quiet and looks across the Thames.

Expect crowds, coach parties and road closures around state occasions. Expect also that almost everything on your first-London list is here.

Yes if your trip is built around the classic sights and you value walking to them over a short Tube ride. No if you want to eat and drink late, keep costs down, or stay somewhere that feels lived-in rather than ceremonial.

The trade-off is money and evenings. Hotels near the palace charge for the postcode, and the streets empty after the offices close. Victoria and Pimlico soften both problems: still walkable to the Abbey and the river, with more ordinary pubs, cafés and hotel stock.

Two or three nights covers the district well. Base here for the first part of a London stay, then move east or south for a different mood.

Westminster is not a food destination. The centre is dominated by pubs, hotel dining rooms and chains aimed at visitors, and prices reflect the postcode. You will eat well if you choose carefully, but you will not eat cheaply.

The better pockets are Victoria and Pimlico, where locals and office workers keep a handful of pubs, Italian and Indian places honest, and St James's and Mayfair on the northern edge, where the money is. For a proper spread of choice, walk or ride to Soho, Covent Garden or the South Bank.

Pubs are the reliable option: a plate of fish and chips or a pie with a pint, no service charge expected at the bar. Book ahead for anything with a view of the river.

Westminster sits in Zone 1 and is served by seven Tube stations: Westminster (Circle, District, Jubilee), Victoria (Circle, District, Victoria), Embankment (Bakerloo, Circle, District, Jubilee), Green Park (Jubilee, Piccadilly, Victoria), St James's Park (Circle, District), Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly) and Pimlico (Victoria).

Victoria is also the mainline rail terminus for Gatwick Airport and southern England, and Victoria coach station handles long-distance coaches. Waterloo, just across the river, serves southwest England. From either, take the Tube or walk rather than dragging bags through the tourist crowds.

Most of the district is walkable. Buckingham Palace to Big Ben is about 25 minutes through St James's Park; the Abbey to the London Eye is about 15 minutes across Westminster Bridge. Buses run along Victoria Street and Whitehall, and are a cheap way to see the sights above ground.