The city of London is one of the world’s most iconic cities. Steeped in history, and overflowing with culture, a day out in London is certainly a day to remember. The sights and attractions of London are easily accessible and easy to access thanks to London’s world class public transport system. Hop on the Tube and within a short underground train ride you’ll find yourself in a whole new part of London with a whole new city in front of you to explore.
London receives millions of backpackers, travelers and tourists every year and so it has to offer some fantastic, fun and informative tours. Aside from the major sights, London has a series of tours that take you off the beaten track for a more authentic London experience. Whether you’re looking to skip the queue at the London Eye, cruise the River Thames or explore London’s vibrant music scene, we have found the best tours of London, UK for you!
1. Original London Sightseeing Tour
The Original London Sightseeing Tour is the ultimate London adventure. Commencing wherever you choose to hop on first, the Original Sightseeing Tour is a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of the sights of Central London. This great pass is valid for 24 hours and saves you the stress of a rigid tour itinerary.
Stopping at all of London’s most famous landmarks the Original Sightseeing Tour takes you through Horse Guard’s Parade, down to Downing Street and on to Buckingham Palace on the comfortable and classic double decker bus. The Red Route features Big Ben, the London Eye and Trafalgar Square. The Blue Route covers the main shopping districts and has functions on a two hour loop.
2. Harry Potter Studios Tour
The Harry Potter books by J.K.Rowling have become the most well known book series of the modern day. Made into hugely popular films Warner Brothers Studios have created an interactive tour for Harry Potter fans to enjoy. Set a little away from London city centre, the tour includes round trip transport.
Visit Platform 9 ¾ and pose with Harry and Ron’s famous luggage trolley. Head to Diagon Alley and taste real Butter Beer! This 4 hour tour sees you visit the most famous sets of the Harry Potter films and you can even try riding a broomstick!
Book Tours : London: Warner Bros. Studio Tour with Transfers
3. Thames Hop-On-Hop-Off River Cruise
For those who wish to explore London at a slower pace, the Thames Hop-On-Hop-Off River Cruise is certainly a viable option. The tour commences every 40 minutes from one of four piers in Central London. The Hop-On-Hop-Off aspect means that you can spend as little or as much time on the river as you like.
The open decked river boat makes for a pleasant and serene cruise along the River Thames. From the boat you will cruise under London Bridge, float past the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. On board the boat coffee and tea is served and is a perfect accompaniment to a chilly London day!
4. Faulty Towers Dining Experience
The sitcom Fawlty Towers became a household name in the mid 1970s. Starring National Treasure John Cleese, quotes from the famous television series still crop up in households across the nation. Fawlty Towers, although set in Torquay in Devon, has made a hilarious dining experience in London.
Be transported back to the 70s and join the Fawlty Towers team for a two hour homage to the classic TV series. Watch as Manuel tries to serve food to the best of his clumsy abilities and have a chat to hotel owner Basil about all of his mishaps and misfortunes. Sigh with Cybil over dinner about how haphazard the Fawlty Towers are!
Book Tours : Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in London
London Tour Guide
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 Gu... Read more
Tours by Robert
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5. Jack the Ripper & Sherlock Holmes Haunted London Tour
The Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes tour takes you on a two and a half hour tour of London’s most notoriously haunted alleys and side streets. Walk in the footsteps of serial killer Jack the Ripper, along the dark and misty streets just as he did over 125 years ago. Visit the Old Bailey where public hangings used to be shown and onto Fleet Street, home to infamous Sweeney Todd.
The Jack the Ripper & Sherlock Holmes Haunted London Tour begins at Victoria Coach Station, where you and your tour mates will jump aboard a vintage Double Decker and head off into the city night, ready to explore and learn. The tour culminates at the Sherlock Holmes pub in Trafalgar Square; sit back and reel upon all this new historical information over some classic British fish and chips. For fans of murder mystery, blood and gore, this is the perfect tour for you!
6. London Rock Music Tour
From Queen to the Sex Pistols, from the Beatles to David Bowie, London has produced some of the world’s best known and best loved rock albums. The London Rock Music Tour takes you to some of the places where these great artists created some of their most influential work. In the morning you will visit buzzing Soho and vibrant Islington areas that are still at the heart of the London music scene.
In the afternoon the tour will take you to Abbey Road, where the Beatles recorded their infamous album and took their iconic album cover photo on the road crossing. Visit where Jimi Hendrix lived and died and see the hangouts of Queen, Bob Marley and Elton John. For music lovers of any genre, the London Rock Music Tour is the perfect choice!
Book Tours : London Rock and Roll Music Tour
7. Buckingham Palace Tour
The Royal Family are the figure heads of Britain and the Commonwealth Nations and the principal residence of Her Majesty the Queen is Buckingham Palace. Steeped in military tradition, the Buckingham Palace Tour allows visitors to experience the Changing of the Guard Ceremony up close. The impressive daily ritual sees the changing of the army guards that safe keep the palace and its inhabitants.
Visitors are invited to walk the halls of the palace and explore the State Rooms. The Palace is only open to visitors for two months of the year, so be sure to time your visit right! The Buckingham Palace Tour is a great way to learn about the British Monarchy and their role in history.
8. Inside Parliament and Westminster Tour
This tour incorporates two of London’s most iconic buildings, visiting Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. This insightful tour gains you exclusive access to the UK’s central government building and the closest possible glimpse of Big Ben. During the tour you will learn about Britain’s political system and how parliament functions.
The second part of the tour takes you to Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was coronated and Prince William and Kate Middleton got married. Inside you will find the Coronation Chair and a whole host of important religious artefacts. This four hour tour highlights how politics and monarchy exist together in modern Britain.
9. London Eye Fast Track Tour
The London Eye was originally constructed as a one year temporary structure to celebrate the millennium, much like the now O2 Arena (previously the Millennium Dome). Located on the South Bank of the River Thames, the London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel that overlooks London’s impressive panoramic city scape. Close to the Houses of Parliament the London Eye is in the perfect central location to start your London explorations.
This London Eye Tour includes a fast track ticket, meaning that you skip to the front of the queue and jump straight aboard one of the glass walled pods. A trip on the London Eye takes just thirty minutes and offers breathtaking vistas over London. This tour includes the innovative 4D experience that features special effects to make your trip that bit more memorable.
Book Tours : London Eye Fast-Track Ticket
10. Tower of London Ticket with Crown Jewels Exhibition
The Tower of London is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has played a pivotal role in London’s history. Still guarded by Ravens, the Tower of London is where the Crown Jewels are kept. This tour includes entry to the Crown Jewels Exhibition and it is certainly worth it.
Constructed in the 11th-century, the Tower of London was the site where three of Henry the VII’s wives were beheaded! The Crown Jewels are safety locked away in the tower now instead of prisoners, and so they should be! Thousands of gems are incorporated into the jewels, including 2,800 diamonds, 17 sapphires and 11 emeralds.
There's a tour for everyone
London has plenty of tours to keep you busy for weeks! From fabulous sightseeing tours to bloody and gruesome walking tours of dark alleyways to classic rock music, these tours have something that will suit everyone!
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