Few would deny that a privately guided, chauffeur-driven tour of the town is a splendid way to go, but don’t worry if your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far. You’ll be delighted to hear there are plenty of great tour options at the free or cheap end of the spectrum.
City Guides host dozens of free or inexpensive walks around London’s historic areas. All start from the City Information Centre near St Paul’s Cathedral. Popular ones include Charles Dickens Walks, London’s Burning, Roman London and Monuments to Murder.
City Garden Walks lead low cost, environmentally-friendly tours of colourful gardens, ancient burial grounds, secret green spots and other downtown horticultural delights, while Walk London run free guided weekends thrice a year. Look out for their Autumn Ambles in late September and Winter Wanders in early 2018.
Footprints of London specialise in culture- connected walks; upcoming choices include Rumpole and the Legal Life, Constable’s Hampstead, Soho and all that Jazz and Tracing the Tudors: the Real London of Wolf Hall. Throughout October the company runs an innovative Literary Footprints Festival.
London’s top museums offer free gallery tours and self-guiding trails along with free entry. Highly recommended are daily tours at the award-winning Victoria & Albert Museum, opening your eyes to some of the treasures on display at this, the world’s greatest museum of art and design. Choose from a dazzling variety covering Theatre & Performance, Medieval & Renaissance, LGBTQ, African Heritage or Britain 1500- 1900. Many old churches run inexpensive, fascinating crypt-to-belfry tours. Try the one at lovely St Brides, with its many royal, literary and longstanding US connections like Benjamin Franklin and North Carolina’s first colonists.
The East End Street and Graffiti Tour is one of the most popular daily tours offered by Free Walks by Foot. Led by a local street artist, it’s packed with visits to some of the capital’s most eclectic, shocking, beautiful and imaginative street art, from massive murals that take up entire buildings to tiny hidden treasures you’d miss if you didn’t have someone to tell you where to look. The tour is bookable and free to take, with an unpressured “pay what you think it’s worth” collection at journey’s end.
Last but not least, for the mere price of a single bus ticket you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the best of London atop an iconic red double decker bus. We recommend Heritage
Route 15 for a whistlestop tour of the city’s most famous sights including Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Courts of Justice.
Blue Badge Guide and native Londoner Erica Moss has been leading bespoke tours for a mainly American clientele for nearly four years. Following a first career in journalism, Erica decided to undergo the rigorous training required to gain the London Blue Badge, considered the Gold Standard of tour guiding.
Since qualifying, Erica has created a repertoire of over 40 different tours. Each tour she gives is then refined for a particular client’s wishes and desires, with the aim of making it fun and interesting in a way they will always remember. One day she might be guiding three generations of the same family through medieval London, the Jewish East End or British rock and pop history, the next she could be leading a honeymooning couple on a chauffeur-driven foray to Windsor Castle, Oxford or Stonehenge.
As Erica tells us, “I think of myself as the London Genie: the client rubs the lamp and I am the genie that comes out of the bottle. I especially love it when clients share their own knowledge and experience or come up with new and interesting questions during a tour.” She considers it a genuine pleasure to spend time with Americans and share with them because “their openness and directness makes me more direct and open myself”.
What might clients expect on one of her tours? “Lots of walking, fun, views and sights that are not obvious-- off the beaten track stuff. I like to aim for the ‘Oh Wow’ factor. Why does she do it? “I really love sharing. London is a world city and my city; it’s brilliant and I like showing it off. It’s always personal. While a client is with me I’m their new best friend and I’m going to look after them”.
Current fees for a Blue Badge Guide start at around £158 per half day and £255 per full day.
London has long been a top location for filming movies, TV, fashion and advertising, so you won’t be surprise to learn that tours with a media theme are a hugely popular choice.
In fact, there’s a tour for every shade of film fan, from Sherlock Holmes, Call the Midwife and Doctor Who location strolls to James Bond, Alfred Hitchcock and Gangster Movie jaunts. Outside London, you’ll find luxury guided trips to Poldark’s Cornwall, Downton Abbey Country and Inspector Morse and Lewis’ Oxford.
We were invited to join current Trip Advisor favourite, the Harry Potter Tour for Muggles.
The Muggles Tour is ideal for Potter movie and book devotees of any age, the proudly self- titled ‘Potterheads’. If that’s you, you’re sure to find loads to see and much to love on this 21⁄2 hour ramble, filled with fascinating facts and Harry, Ron and Hermione legends as you ‘potter’ the magical underbelly of London at a comfortable pace. Included is a short ride on the London Underground although not, we’re sad to say, on a Knight Bus or a Gringotts
Wizarding Bank mine car.
Adoring fans will cherish viewing the site
of the Leaky Cauldron (Borough Market), alleyways which inspired magical Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley (off Charing Cross Road), bridges under which characters flew on broomsticks (Blackfriars, Southwark)
or the Death Eaters attacked (Millennium Bridge), and the spot where Mr Weasley struggled with his Oystercard (Westminster Underground Station). This tour is also a great way to see some of London’s most famous landmarks with Potter connections such as Big Ben, 10 Downing Street and many more.
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour in the company of charming, knowledgeable and vividly-dressed guide Ellie Lovegood, (cousin of Luna) and an international group of Muggles which included Americans Matthew from Washington DC, teen Chloe and Grandma Carmella from Southern California and Allyson, Scott and son Zach from Oregon.
All Tour for Muggles’ guides are genuine fans. When not wizarding, serious Potterhead Ellie is a budding actress and playwright, who confessed she got the guiding job by writing a long ‘nerdy’ letter effusing why she wanted it.
Dedicated followers longing for more will want to progress without delay to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour just north of London, with behind-the-scenes tours of movie sets, costumes and props from the seven films. For the ultimate treat, £99 will get you a place on the Studio’s Breakfast at Hogwarts, a deluxe dining reception complete with Cheeri-owls, Pixie Puffs, a visit to original sets like the Great Hall, the Forbidden Forest and Diagon Alley and a complimentary sample of Butterbeer.
Article by Judith Schrut. Email Judith at judith0777@gmail.com Wands at the Ready! Diagon Alley, Harry Potter Tour for Muggles, photo by Geoffrey Davies
Tally Ho Cycle Tours offer a unique way to explore London’s timeworn streets and to celebrate Britishness in a fun and quirky style. Riding a hand-built classic Pashley bicycle, a bike style you’ll recognise if you’re a fan of BBC’s Call the Midwife (think wicker baskets, comfy leather saddles and ‘ding dong’ bells), you’ll follow an energetic local guide along quiet streets and dedicated cycle lanes to see the city and get up front and personal with both iconic sights and hidden gems. As you connect the dots between each fascinating location, your guide will regale you with delightful facts and curious tales, as well as ensure you get the best photo opportunities. There’s even a stop along the way at a characterful pub for a refreshing pint of real ale with your group.
Tally Ho’s founder Jack Harris confesses it was a “mix of madness and desperation” which led him to set up the company in 2011. The desire to be his own boss and move away from office-bound jobs meshed perfectly with London’s cycling revolution and two of Jack’s favourite passions, exploring by bike and visiting old pubs. “I realised there were probably many people who, like me, enjoy a good day out full of discovery topped off with a chat over a craft beer or two,” he told us.
So, Jack invested in a few vintage bicycles and started leading tours. Six years and hundreds of glowing Trip Advisor reviews later, Jack’s Tally Ho has a fleet of over 60 gorgeous Pashleys and a devoted team of guides who share his passions.
Three tour styles are available, with something for all ages or cycling abilities. The London Landmarks and Old City tours will immerse you in the capital’s grit, grime and glory while the Gin and Markets Ride lets you discover London through the story of gin from the 18th century to the present day and sample open air food markets full of tasty delights.
The Landmarks Tour is ideal if you are new to London and is also most suitable for families since it covers the shortest distance. You’ll take in famous landmarks like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, stop off at an award-winning pub and visit a legal graffiti zone with a chance to have a go yourself, spray paint supplied.
We loved every minute of our Old City Tour, led by the gloriously moustachioed ‘Whiskey Mick’ and his able accomplice, Harry. This tour is perfect for those wanting to look deeper into London’s diverse history and experience the hustle and bustle of the city with its contrasting architecture, cultures and time lines. It’s an invigorating trip through 12 miles and 2000 years of London’s past and present, illustrated with loads of Mick-style weird and wonderful facts and memorable stories. Did you know Waterloo Bridge is also known as the Ladies Bridge, entirely built by women during World War II? That the inside-out design of Lloyds of London is an example of ‘bowellist’ architecture? And although there are plenty of streets, squares and alleys in the City of London, there are no roads? Mick even gave
us a lesson in Cockney Rhyming Slang as we paused beneath the bells of Bow Church and alongside a statue of colonial founding father, Captain John Smith, who is buried nearby.
We pedalled cycle lanes, canals, docklands and Victorian back streets, zipped along cycle ‘Superhighways’ and wheeled our way between ultramodern skyscrapers, with nicknames like the Gherkin, the Cheesegrater, the Scalpel and the Walkie Talkie. We viewed chunks of Roman wall, atmospheric Leadenhall Market, 11th century churches, Cable Street’s anti- fascist mural, the Queen’s boat, Gloriana at St Katherine’s Dock and plenty of other sights that the natives on our tour had never seen, stopping at the city’s oldest riverside pub for a pint and a peep at the hangman’s noose out back, where smugglers and pirates met their grizzly end.
Tally Ho’s tours start and end at The Walrus Pub, SE1 and cost from £25 including bike hire. Private tours can also be arranged on request. Unforgettable and highly recommended.
Eat And Feet
London’s foodies won’t hesitate to tell you their city is the eating and drinking capital of the world. Why not check this out for yourself with a guided tasting tour? And if you’re also looking for fresh air, gentle exercise, a sprinkle of sightseeing and a full-on, five- senses introduction to Londoners’ London, the Eating London East End Food Tour will seem like heaven to you.
Eating London is part of Eating Europe Tours, brainchild of American expat Kenny Dunn. He had moved to Rome and decided to launch culinary walking tours to share his favourite food places and real neighbourhoods with visitors. His company now runs successful food tours in Rome, Florence, Prague, Amsterdam and London. Other London tours are Twilight Soho Food and Cocktails, Old Docks Historic Pubs and Classic Grub and Brick Lane, Flavours of India and Beyond. Each aims to introduce you to places you might not visit on your own, neighbourhoods and side streets you might otherwise miss and foods you might not otherwise try.
The East End tour is a unique chance to sample eight different eateries in East End hot spots from Spitalfields to Shoreditch, each serving great British food of a particular kind. You’ll also view historic houses, famous lanes, pop-up shops, mosques that were once synagogues, a former brewery now an arts and
fashion hub and once-derelict walls now covered in extraordinary street art. The tour suits all ages and walk-abilities but be forewarned: come with an empty stomach, comfortable shoes and an adjustable waistband.
Yes, it’s a four-hour walking and eating tour, but the pace is sensible and relaxing, allowing plenty of photo opportunities and time to stroll, taste, digest and learn fascinating facts and back stories about this most diverse part of town. For centuries, the East End has been home to waves of refugees and immigrants, including French Huguenots, East European Jews and Asian Bangladeshis, all of whom left vibrant marks on the local architecture, atmosphere and edibles.
Led by expert guide Bethany, our first stop is St John Bread & Wine for an introduction to its award-winning bacon sandwich. This is no ordinary ‘bacon sarnie’, but the delicately cured, sliced and unsmoked backside of rare breed pig served on the restaurant’s grilled and buttered sourdough with a side of homemade ketchup. Or, as St John’s founder and chef Fergus Henderson proclaims, “the bacon sandwich of your nocturnal fantasies”. Henderson is renowned for his ‘nose to tail’ style cooking and that’s reflected in St John’s menu of revitalised meat classics plus some rather scary-sounding items like blood cake, deep fried lamb brains, ox heart and crispy pig’s cheeks.
Next on our mobile menu is the atmospheric English Restaurant. Warmly wood-panelled, with furniture upcycled from historic local buildings, this is the place to try updated versions of traditional dishes such as devilled whitebait, pan haggerty or steak and onion pudding, as well as real ales and country wines aged in the restaurant’s cellars.
We were thrilled with our exquisite miniatures of the restaurant’s superstar bread and butter pudding, made with rich brioche and smothered in fresh, hot custard.
Proceeding to deliciously stinky Androuet’s Cheese Shop, we sample mature cheddar and Blue Stilton, which the charming French cheesemonger tells us are but two of 700 different British cheeses. As we leave, fellow food tourist Carole expresses regret that “you can’t put the smells of this tour in your article”.
Then it’s across the street to Poppies and a joyous taste of the nation’s favourite, fish and chips, wrapped in edible inked newspaper. Owner Pat ‘Pops’ Newlands survived The Blitz, served at Dunkirk and met the Kray twins, although for the past 60 years he’s more likely to be found dipping the deep fryer or arranging vintage memorabilia at this regular finalist in the National Fish and Chip awards.
This is followed by a liquid stop for cider and ale at a traditional pub, famed for an inflation- busting £4 lunch menu and Lenny the Pub Cat; a triad of fragrant curries at one of 50+ curry restaurants on Brick Lane; samples of freshly baked East End style ‘beigels’ and salt beef; and finally, loosening our belts one last notch, we make room for a divine slice of salted caramel chocolate tart and a cup of tea at Shoreditch’s trendy Pizza East.
As we bid Bethany goodbye, with some of us needing a little help to rise and roll out the door, Californians Carole and Michael spoke for all: “We’ve been to London many times before but have never seen any of the places on this route. The pacing was excellent, and we were able to taste many different flavours and take time to savour each”.
Image 1: Californians Carole & Michael sample Poppies famous fish & chips & mushy peas, photo by Judith Schrut
Image 2: Bethany can't resist a Brick Lane Salt Beef Beigel (Corned Beef Bagel Sandwich to you and me), photo by Judith Schrut
Few would deny that a privately guided, chauffeur-driven tour of the town is a splendid way to go, but don’t worry if your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far. You’ll be delighted to hear there are plenty of great tour options at the free or cheap end of the spectrum.
Blue Badge Guide and native Londoner Erica Moss has been leading bespoke tours for a mainly American clientele for nearly four years. Following a first career in journalism, Erica decided to undergo the rigorous training required to gain the London Blue Badge, considered the Gold Standard of tour guiding.
London has long been a top location for filming movies, TV, fashion and advertising, so you won’t be surprise to learn that tours with a media theme are a hugely popular choice.
Tally Ho Cycle Tours offer a unique way to explore London’s timeworn streets and to celebrate Britishness in a fun and quirky style. Riding a hand-built classic Pashley bicycle, a bike style you’ll recognise if you’re a fan of BBC’s Call the Midwife (think wicker baskets, comfy leather saddles and ‘ding dong’ bells), you’ll follow an energetic local guide along quiet streets and dedicated cycle lanes to see the city and get up front and personal with both iconic sights and hidden gems. As you connect the dots between each fascinating location, your guide will regale you with delightful facts and curious tales, as well as ensure you get the best photo opportunities. There’s even a stop along the way at a characterful pub for a refreshing pint of real ale with your group.
Eat And Feet
London’s foodies won’t hesitate to tell you their city is the eating and drinking capital of the world. Why not check this out for yourself with a guided tasting tour? And if you’re also looking for fresh air, gentle exercise, a sprinkle of sightseeing and a full-on, five- senses introduction to Londoners’ London, the Eating London East End Food Tour will seem like heaven to you.
Led by expert guide Bethany, our first stop is St John Bread & Wine for an introduction to its award-winning bacon sandwich. This is no ordinary ‘bacon sarnie’, but the delicately cured, sliced and unsmoked backside of rare breed pig served on the restaurant’s grilled and buttered sourdough with a side of homemade ketchup. Or, as St John’s founder and chef Fergus Henderson proclaims, “the bacon sandwich of your nocturnal fantasies”. Henderson is renowned for his ‘nose to tail’ style cooking and that’s reflected in St John’s menu of revitalised meat classics plus some rather scary-sounding items like blood cake, deep fried lamb brains, ox heart and crispy pig’s cheeks.
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