Top 10 History Tours In London, England

Marga
Marga 
Updated
| 5 min read

For many centuries, London has been on the list of the ‘must-visit destinations’ of many travellers. The city is arguably one of the most famous in the world alongside the likes of New York and Paris. In fact, many outside the United Kingdom strangely think that London is a country when it is simply is the capital city of Great Britain. One of the reasons that makes London as iconic and popular as we know it to be is because it’s backed up by a rich and lengthy history. There are many remarkable historic buildings that make up the city. There’s just so much history to be learned and discovered within its busy streets that you may not know where to begin. Luckily, we’ve come up with a list of the top history tours in London, UK, that you can undertake to learn more about the city.

1. See some of London's most iconic sites in one go (from USD 60.0)

There is more than just one or two famous sites in London and it may be a struggle to see all of them at the same time because some of them are scattered all throughout the city. Luckily, this tour allows you to see at least 20 of these, including the iconic London Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and many more. You can also get to visit some of the set locations from the beloved Harry Potter films. Many of these stops are conveniently located in the Southbank area, so you will have plenty of time to appreciate each one.

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Southbank Tour : London's Top Sights

Duration: 2 hours

191 reviews

2. Learn the city's long and rich history (from USD 18.0)

For the hardcore history nerds, this tour is for you. The experience focuses on the city’s long and rich history that dates as far back as the Roman period, 2000 years ago. You’ll get to learn interesting things about the city and the historic personalities like Charles Dickens and Anne Boleyn associated with it. It will also take you through the years when London was threatened by fires and air raids. The tour is a real treat for those who love history as it allows you to take a trip back in time.

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A Walking Tour of London's Fiery History

Duration: 2 hours

6 reviews

3. Get enthralled by the ghastly stories of London's royal parks (from USD 18.0)

There’s no doubt that one of the things people associate London with is the presence of royalty. Aside from the palaces, much of London is also sprawling with royal parks. This tour takes you specifically around Kensington Park and Hyde Park, also two of the biggest green spaces in the city. But what makes this tour unique is it doesn’t exactly tell you about the parks itself. Instead, you will be learning about the eerie and forlorn stories behind them, so it’s definitely not for scaredy cats. If you’re interested in ghost stories and otherworldly tales, this tour is for you!

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Doom & Gloom in London’s Royal Parks

Duration: 2 hours

4 reviews

4. Retrace the footsteps of London's most notorious serial killer (from USD 30.0)

A completely unique and spine-chilling experience awaits you with this tour about London’s biggest murder mystery and most sinister serial killer, Jack the Ripper. The tour will bring you to revisit the murder sites and retrace the footsteps of the horrendous crimes that took place in the late 19th century. It also pays tribute to the victims of these murders. You will be able to experience this in an authentic manner as well, since the tour takes place in the exact area of Whitechapel in London’s East End, where most of the buildings are still in its original state. This tour is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

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Jack the Ripper tour : solve the crime

Duration: 2 hours

141 reviews

London Tour Guide

Robert Woolf

Robert Woolf

I am a London tour guide and my tours include talking about people who have shaped the city plus the many connected places such as Hampton Court Palace, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the commercial centre of the city: the City of London, and London’s world class museums and galleries. I have been guiding for 12 years. I am a licenced London Blue Badge Tour Guide, a City of London Guide, and a Westminster Guide. The reviews I receive from clients speak of their enjoyment from the local knowledge and the humour I bring to my tours. Born within sight of Hampton Court Palace, I am a Londoner and apart from 2 years in the Middle East, I have worked in this capital city all my business and tour guiding careers. I have travelled widely and I appreciate what appeals to visitors coming to London. I can tailor my tours to interest children. I guide couples, families and larger tour groups. I particularly enjoy visits to Westminster Abbey, where I also volunteer guiding students and children through its wonderful interior – on my tours you will hear about monarchs, why scientists and poets are remembered, the architecture and religious history. The Abbey is the story of England. Come on an engaging and fun tour with me. There is so much to show you !

Tours by Robert

5. Unravel some hidden city gems and the stories behind them (from USD 19.0)

Usually when tourists visit London, they would go to the common tourist attractions and sites, which is of course, completely normal. But if you’re an earnest kind of traveller looking for more than just the usual tours, you might want to check out this particular experience. You will be guided by a professional historian in discovering some of the city’s hidden sites. Along the way, you will learn about the interesting stories of Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Katherine Howard, the proprietor Jonathan Tyers, and activist Millicent Fawcett and how their stories can influence yours.

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Discover hidden sites with a historian

Duration: 2 hours

298 reviews

6. Walk through the backstreets of London and learn about its glorious past (from USD 19.0)

There’s nothing better than learning about a city’s history with a professional and dedicated historian. This tour allows you to walk through the backstreets of London while learning about the city’s glorious past. It will take you around the areas of Westminster and Vauxhall, with stops at a Georgian chapel, a Victorian port and graveyard, a Bronze Age religious site, and much more. Along the way, the guide will share thrilling stories about scandals and gossips that will surely get you engrossed and fully interested in the tour, making it feel like a history lesson outdoors.

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Explore backstreets with a historian

Duration: 2 hours

1102 reviews

7. See London's most iconic sites through the eyes of an archaeologist (from USD 42.0)

This tour may seem like one of the usual ones because it takes you mainly to London Bridge, Tower Bridge, and the city center. But that’s not exactly the case as the unexpected aspect of this tour allows you to discover some sites within these landmarks that are unknown to many tourists. The tour is given by a professional archaeologist, thus making the tour so much more interesting as he is able to give a different perspective to the city’s history. The time periods to be tackled will cover Roman times to the medieval era up to the present day, so you will surely be filled with a full dose of history.

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Explore London's History with an Archaeologist

Duration: 2.5 hours

245 reviews

8. Learn about the feminist side of London's history (from USD 18.0)

In an age where gender equality is one of the most important issues, there are certain groups everywhere who do their part to contribute to the cause. In London, you can take part in a unique tour that tells the history of the city from a different perspective - one the history books may have failed to mention. Proudly called “Herstory”, the tour takes you around London’s most popular tourist attractions but instead of the usual fun facts we might already know, the tour focuses on the forgotten or lesser-known women who helped shape the proud city we know today.

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The Feminist Tour of London

Duration: 2.5 hours

330 reviews

9. Learn all about Shakespeare's life and work (from USD 23.0)

Don’t you wish to learn about one of the greatest playwrights to ever live? Whether you’re a literary geek or you simply want to learn about the life of William Shakespeare, this tour is perfect for you. Guided by a scholarly expert in literature and a Shakespeare enthusiast himself, the tour will take you to the spots in London linked to the life of the English poet, from places he lived to places he worked. You will also learn about how the city and its people influenced a lot of Shakespeare works.

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Discover Shakespeare's London

Duration: 2 hours

31 reviews

10. Revisit London's war-torn past (from USD 24.0)

London was one of the cities that suffered a big blow during the Second World War. The infamous Blitz was primarily the major reason for such a big destruction on the city. With this tour, you will learn about the impact of the Second World War on London and how it changed the course of modern history. You will also revisit the sites and buildings that either suffered damage or protected Londoners during the war as well as monuments across the city. The tour is fully wheelchair-accessible and an all-around family-friendly one.

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The London Blitz Tour

Duration: 2 hours

100 reviews

Travel through time in historic London

It’s pretty much common knowledge that London is truly a historic city in its own right. But believe it or not, there’s much more to unravel in a city with such a rich past, so luckily there are one-of-a-kind experiences and tours offered just for that.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
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Marga is a self-employed aspiring writer and budding artist from the Philippines. On days she's not writing, she paints and creates art which she later sells at craft bazaars. Marga also has...Read more

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