Buckingham Palace vs Houses of Parliament & Big Ben: which should you do first?

If you only have time for one, do Buckingham Palace first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 90 for Houses of Parliament & Big Ben, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 654. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Buckingham Palace in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Buckingham Palace in London, United Kingdom

Buckingham Palace

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben in London, United Kingdom

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

Side by side

Buckingham Palace compared with Houses of Parliament & Big Ben in London
Buckingham PalaceHouses of Parliament & Big Ben
Ranked experiences669654
Top Outty Ranking9595
Average ranking (top 10)9390
Cheapest experience£14£19
Average time needed3.6h3.8h
Free cancellation100% of options100% of options
Free to visitNoNo

Best ways to see Buckingham Palace

  1. 1. London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £35 · 5h

  2. 2. London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £60 · 3.5h

  3. 3. Changing of the Guard Walking Tour

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £15 · 2h

  4. 4. London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ sights

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 5h

  5. 5. Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace London Walking Tour

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £17 · 2h

All 669 Buckingham Palace experiences

Best ways to see Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

  1. 1. London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art

    Outty Ranking 95 · from £60 · 3.5h

  2. 2. London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ sights

    Outty Ranking 94 · from £19 · 5h

  3. 3. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Guided Tour of London

    Outty Ranking 92 · from £55 · 3.5h

  4. 4. London Classic Landmarks Bike Tour with Local Guide

    Outty Ranking 92 · from £35 · 3.5h

  5. 5. Westminster Guided Walking Tour with Abbey Entry

    Outty Ranking 90 · from £53 · 5h

All 654 Houses of Parliament & Big Ben experiences

Frequently asked questions

Buckingham Palace or Houses of Parliament & Big Ben: which is better?

If you only have time for one, do Buckingham Palace first. Its top ten experiences average an Outty Ranking of 93 against 90 for Houses of Parliament & Big Ben, and it has 669 ranked ways to see it versus 654. With a full day in London, pair them: plan Buckingham Palace in the morning, as it is the shorter visit on average.

Which is cheaper, Buckingham Palace or Houses of Parliament & Big Ben?

Ranked experiences at Buckingham Palace start from £14 and at Houses of Parliament & Big Ben from £19 per person.

How long do you need at Buckingham Palace and Houses of Parliament & Big Ben?

Experiences at Buckingham Palace run 3.6 hours on average and at Houses of Parliament & Big Ben 3.8 hours, so both fit in one day in London with a break in between.

Can you do Buckingham Palace and Houses of Parliament & Big Ben on the same day?

Yes. Book the longer visit for the morning when crowds are lighter, and keep the afternoon for the other. 100% of Buckingham Palace options and 100% of Houses of Parliament & Big Ben options offer free cancellation, which makes it easy to adjust.

What is the best tour of each?

For Buckingham Palace: London 30 Top Sights with Fun Local Guide (Outty Ranking 95, from £35). For Houses of Parliament & Big Ben: London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art (Outty Ranking 95, from £60).

More London matchups

Best things to do in LondonLondon city guideLondon tours comparedHow the Outty Ranking works