London’s Spymasters

(203 customer reviews )

St James's Park Underground Station (Broadway/Petty France exit)

Guided by Dan Parry

Adult: £20 · Students & Seniors: £15 · Children: £5

Walk Times

Day Walk Type Start Time End Time
12 September 2026 Tour du Jour 2.30 pm 4.30 pm Summer
24 October 2026 Tour du Jour 2.30 pm 4.30 pm Summer
21 November 2026 Tour du Jour 2.30 pm 4.30 pm Winter Reserve Online
12 December 2026 Tour du Jour 2.30 pm 4.30 pm Winter Reserve Online

N.B. Location, location, location. The meeting point for London’s Spymasters is St. James’s Park Underground Station, (Broadway/Petty France exit) – opposite The Old Star pub (…down the road from that mother lode of history, the five-star Conrad Hotel – here’s Conrad Confidential, a tasty podcast about the Conrad – yet another reason for going on this walk).

There was a guy with a gun – aka get to know your guide

And this podcast makes three. It’s a sneak preview of this Walk. Picture Dan in Horse Guards Parade, spinning the yarn of Operation Mincemeat, weaving in the James Bond connection, and – for good measure – getting tantalisingly close to unmasking the real 007.

Step into the shadows of Westminster and discover covert locations where spies, assassins and duplicitous double agents plied their trade. Visiting the smartest corners of London, we peer into a murky world marked by treason and treachery, betrayal and murder.

From the wartime HQ of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) to the exceptionally discreet apartment of C, (‘M ‘in the Bond films), we walk in the footsteps of officers and agents who shaped history. Some of them managed Enigma – WWII’s greatest secret; others deviously created the biggest deception operation of the war.

AND WHILE WE’RE AT IT, MEET YOUR GUIDE

MORE ON THE WALK…

Some planned covert Cold War actions, a few gave away information on all of the above and one or two recently revealed GCHQ’s modern-day London secrets.

Stylised noir illustration for London’s Spymasters featuring a shadowy spy figure, secret dossiers, coded documents and the London skyline.

A murky world of treason, treachery, betrayal and murder. London’s hidden espionage landscape reimagined as a bold, deliberately stylised spy-thriller illustration.

Visiting shadowy locations that are rarely seen, we pass Ian Fleming’s wartime office, the glamorous house once used by SIS as a recruitment centre and the beautiful garden that witnessed an ugly assassination. Guided by Dan Parry

“For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.” – John le Carre

Vintage-style classified Secret Intelligence Service dossier on a wooden desk, with aged folders, fountain pen and old map visible around the edges.

Classified Security File, Secret Intelligence Service. Artificially-created spy-thriller illustration evoking the covert world of London’s intelligence services.

203 reviews for London’s Spymasters

  1. Sarah V –

    Outstanding tour by Dan!! He is incredibly experienced, knowledgeable and a wonderful story teller -our family loved every minute of the tour along with all of the tips at end. My husband and son didn’t want it to end. Thank you for a terrific afternoon.

  2. Martin Durkan –

    A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon thanks to Dan’s entertaining and informative storytelling. He successfully managed to evoke the intrigue and atmosphere of the world of spying centred in London during the war, post-war and 1960s Cold War periods. As a Londoner, I was also surprised to discover delightful parts of the area around St James’s that I had never been to before. An added bonus for anyone like me with impaired hearing was Dan’s beautifully clear and robust voice that sounded as though it belonged to an experienced stage actor!

  3. Julie C –

    A very interesting walk on spies, not a subject I knew a lot about. Dan is a great guide, clearly very knowledgeable and able to engage the audience with very interesting stories. It was good to discover areas around St. James’s Park that I had not explored. There were a lot of people on the walk but Dan patiently waited for everyone to get to the next stop and gather round. Heard a lot about the Cambridge spies, and also Ian Fleming’s contribution to the war. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I will definitely look out for other walks that Dan does.

  4. Leigh –

    A ‘must do’ walk that revolves around the secret world of Spies. Dan has a fantastic knowledge of his subject. An entertaining afternoon.

  5. Julie Gray –

    Thanks Dan Parry for a wonderful insight into the spy world in and around WWII and beyond. You really feel like you are drawn into the lives of these men and women. Loved it! I didn’t know much about this topic prior to booking but am now looking at a documentary on British spys! I’ve lived in London for many years and love its history – this is a great walking tour!

  6. Steve –

    Dan Parry made my day with his encyclopedic knowledge of cloak and dagger intricacies of the spy world of London and of the world during the 20-th century. A lot of information and sightseeing spots revolved around the Cambridge 5 group. And Kim Philby in particular. Many previously unknown details cerfaced during Dan’s narration. I was so intrigued that upon returning home I started watching the show “Spy Among Friends” that covered Philby’s betrayal and defection to the USSR.
    I highly recommend Dan’s Spymasters walk for anyone interested in modern history of spy game.

  7. Jenny Backus –

    I’ve been doing London Waks for decades and Dan Parry is one of the best guides I have ever had. Deeply knowledge, well-researched and a great storyteller, Dan took us to parts of London I had never seen before and had a wealth of wonderful stories. I especially liked how he wove together his narrative across multiple stops on the tour. Can’t wait to try out his new walk the best time I am here.

  8. Rob –

    Dan knows his topic well, and manages to pull together multiple espionage threads into an exciting tapestry neatly linked to many of the key buildings and locations involved. It’s remarkable how much history is densely packed into a small section of the City, and Dan knows — sometimes literally — where all the bodies are buried. A great London Walk and highly recommended for history buffs, thriller and mystery readers, or anyone interested in the secret goings-on right under your nose (many of which still continue today in various guises). Bravo.

  9. Phillip –

    Another exhilarating spy walk with Dan. the intrigue and Britishness of the spies add such a spice to the stories that are bring back history to life. Told superbly by Dan with incredible enthusiasm and continual releasing of new information that was protected by the official secrets acts bring those days to life. but if you want to learn more about the white mouse and Bond as well of course as the Cambridge spies and the history of our secret services you will need to go on the walk to find out more

  10. Mark Trosclair –

    Very fun and informative as Dan kept the conversation going and interesting. I would wholeheartedly recommend his walking tour about spies. He tied everything in at the end which made it even more enjoyable

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