Britain’s houses of Parliament are its seat of government and most iconic building. For an orientation stroll through the heart of London, take a "Westminster Walk" from Big Ben along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. You’ll pass governmental ministries, the lavish Banqueting House, stoic Horse Guards, and #10 Downing Street. Finish at Trafalgar Square, marked by the National Gallery, famous lion statues, and pigeons. To bring meaning to the stroll, listen to my free Westminster Walk audio tour.

Westminster Abbey is more than just an "abbey"— it's the most famous English church in Christendom, where royalty have been wedded, crowned, and buried since the 11th century. A thousand years of English history — 3,000 tombs, the remains of 29 kings and queens, and hundreds of memorials to poets, politicians, scientists, and warriors — lie within its stained-glass splendor and under its stone slabs. To experience the church more vividly, take a live tour or attend an evensong or organ concert.

Take a fascinating walk through the 27-room, heavily fortified nerve center of the British government's WWII fight against the Nazis in the darkest days of the Battle of Britain. The rooms are just as they were in 1945. And the top-notch Winston Churchill exhibit dissects every aspect of the man behind the famous bowler hat, cigar, and V-for-victory sign. For details on all the blood, sweat, toil, and tears, pick up the essential audio guide; to avoid lines, book a ticket in advance.

The British Museum is the only place I can think of where you can follow the rise and fall of three great civilizations — Egypt, Assyria (ancient Iraq), and Greece — in a few hours, with a coffee break in the middle. It's the ultimate chronicle of Western civilization: the Rosetta stone, Egyptian mummies, Assyrian lions, Parthenon sculptures, and much more. And while the sun never set on the British Empire, it will on you, so be selective: Use my free British Museum audio tour.

The British Empire built its greatest monuments out of paper. And at these national archives, a single room dubbed "The Treasures" showcases a handful of documents — literary and historical — that changed the course of history, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the Magna Carta, from Beowulf to Chaucer, from da Vinci's notebooks to Shakespeare's First Folio, and from Handel's Messiah to handwritten Beatles lyrics. It's all explained in my free British Library audio tour.

The world's top collection of decorative arts encompasses 2,000 years of art and design: ceramics, stained glass, fine furniture, clothing, jewelry, and more. You'll see a little of everything — and all of it beautiful. The V&A displays a surprisingly interesting and diverse assortment of crafts from the West (Raphael's tapestry cartoons, five of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks, a cast of Trajan's Column) as well as Asian and Islamic cultures (including the 630-square-foot Ardabil Carpet).

From Roman times to Shakespeare's day, London consisted of a one-square-mile area. Today, this neighborhood — The City — is the financial heart of London, densely packed with high-rises and history: St. Paul's Cathedral, the steeples of other Wren churches, historic taverns, a Crusader church, and narrow alleyways with faint remnants of Dickensian London. Visitors also see The City in action today, with bewigged lawyers and pinstriped brokers. For more, listen to my free audio tour of The City.

St. Paul's is England's national church. It was the symbol of London's rise from the Great Fire of 1666 and of the city's survival through the Blitz of 1940. The masterpiece of England's greatest Neoclassical architect, Sir Christopher Wren, St. Paul's has been the site of important weddings and state funerals. And today it stands as the center of the Anglican faith. The church is packed with stirring memorials and capped with a climbable dome, all described in my free St. Paul's audio tour.

The Tower of London is soaked in history and blood. William the Conqueror built its centerpiece, the White Tower (11th century), to keep defeated Londoners in line. Since then, the Tower has served as a castle in wartime, a king's residence in peacetime, and, most notoriously, as the prison and execution site of rebels. You can see the crown jewels, take a witty Beefeater tour, and ponder the executioner's block that dispensed with troublesome heirs to the throne (and two of Henry VIII's wives).

This blade-of-light footbridge (from 2000) is the gateway to London's fascinating South Bank. After enjoying views from the bridge, explore Southwark — where, for centuries, Londoners went to escape the rules and decency of The City and let their hair down. Now gentrified, Southwark features pedestrian promenades, historic pubs, the thriving Borough Market, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, glittering skyscrapers (including The Shard), and a colorful collection of lesser-known sights.