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September 2019
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The Seven Deadly Sins – the Capital Vices

(82 customer reviews)

Covent Garden underground station, London

Guided by Ulrike

Walk Times

Day Walk Type Start Time End Time
Monday Weekly 11 am 1 pm Winter Summer Reserve Online

N.B. this walk will not take place on the following dates:

06-11-2023 25-12-2023

It all comes down to the guiding…

Ours is not a journey of virtue, ours is a journey of vice.

Indeed a journey of the capital vices or cardinal sins, otherwise known as the Seven Deadly Sins, leading us into the abyss of hell.  We will visit all seven of them: Lust, Avarice,

Sloth, Envy, Gluttony,

Anger

and Pride, and the people who committed them. People driven by their insatiable passions. The reset after each of the other six is lust. (Picture every other bead on a necklace being a hot, blushing red.)

So between each of the other deadly sins and their venues, their stops…it’s, oh boy, lust and more lust. Piled high…

Stacked up because lust powered, whipped, frenzied the men and women of the City of Westminster like no other sin.

At the end of the tour – the climax – Ulrike or Ian or Adam reveal the one person in history who incorporated all of the Seven Deadly Sins in his (or her) life. And they’ll shed a lot of light – not all of it lurid – about his (or her) personal influence on the history of London, the city built on sin.

Needless to say, you will meet royalty, But also artists, writers, heroes and even the original “It” girl of the Georgian period.

Join us on our sinful walk through Covent Garden and beyond.

A journey – this is a guarantee – you will remember!

Here’s a little Meet Your Guide podcast – it’s Ulrike telling us a little bit about her Seven Deadly Sins Tour.

Ulrike has also written a piece about Christabella Wyndham, one of the dramatis personae principals. It’s a good bit of salacious royal gossip and history without giving away the payoff.

SEVEN DEADLY SINS – THE PRACTICALS

Seven Deadly Sins takes place at 11 am every Monday. Meet Ulrike or Adam or Ian just outside the exit of Covent Garden  Tube.

LONDON WALKS REVIEWS

“A novel, witty and hugely entertaining walk delivered with enthusiasm and dare I say passion by Ulrike.” JulieWright836, London, TripAdvisor, December 2019

“What a gem of a walk! Ulrike’s tour of Covent Garden was packed full of fun, spicy facts of days of yore in Covent Garden. We laughed and reveled over 2 hours of easy, flat walking whilst Ulrike regaled us with many stories of people and places that have left their mark on these streets. Having lived in London for over 30 years, I still learnt many new things about this great city. A great tour to recommend to visitors, including those who think they may already have seen everything London has to offer. Thanks, Ulrike.” Helen F., London, TripAdvisor, November 2019

“We met Ulrike at the Covent Garden Tube stop, and enjoyed the most entertaining walk ever! She began by telling us that the seven deadly sins, were first identified by Pope Gregory 1 in the late sixth century, and are: pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust, sloth, and greed. She then launched into the various sins committed in the several locations she showed. Lust did seem to reign, but others did hold their own in this presentation. I highly recommend the tour and this walk in particular.” ASharp77, Hermosa Beach, California, TripAdvisor, November 2019

 

82 reviews for The Seven Deadly Sins – the Capital Vices

  1. Tania and Paul –

    Brilliant . Ulrike made the two hours enjoyable and informative. She was excellent and told us so much in the time that was interesting and funny

  2. Robin –

    Great tour given by our guide, Ulrike. Informative, engaging and clever as the tour is designed around the 7 vices. Highly recommend!

  3. Mollie and Holly –

    As two girls who live in London – We loved this tour so much, learned so much, had great laughs and a wonderful afternoon. Ulrike was a fantastic guide and we hope to join her on another one of her tours in the near future.

  4. Nadeem Khan –

    Adam stepped into the Hellish breach, whilst Ulrike was holidaying in Dante’s home…Adam was erudite, fiendishly insightful, devilishly funny and wove an intricate web of vices in describing some of the Great and not so Good of British history. Delightful!

  5. Sara –

    We can’t praise Adam highly enough. He is a superb guide and the walk was very entertaining and original. We highly recommend it!

  6. Nicki Francis –

    Very entertaining and interesting walk. Ulrike held everyone’s attention with her great tour. Good fun – highly recommended. Thank you 👍

  7. Philippa –

    Fabulously knowledgeable Ulrika. A great two hours of greed,avarice and lust amongst others. Would highly recommend.

  8. Debbie –

    We loved this walk! Ulrike is a great guide – we learned so many interesting facts and tidbits and such a creative theme to weave everything together!

  9. Linda La-Thangue –

    I did this tour yesterday and found it fascinating. Our guide Ulrike was so knowledgeable and informative. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

  10. Dr Charles E Ritterband –

    Ulrike is brilliant! I learned more about London in these two hours than in many months before… Ukrike has a very English sense of humour and a seemingly endless treasure box of great anecdotes ! History can be fun and fascinating and not a bit boring when presented im this wonderfully committed way – when the lecturer has fun with the story she tells, the audience unavailablely shares the fun!
    I cannot wait to join Ulrike again on the next walk – ASAP!
    Charles

  11. John Lum Young –

    Simply brilliant! The 7 sins concept packs the 2 hours with loads of interesting information. Who says history is boring? For sure, not when its the history of people and their vices. Ulrike’s pace and delivery were on point. At the end of Ulrike’s walk I recalled the words of Rumi, 13thC Islamic poet: “Whoever travels without a guide needs 200 years for a two-day journey” . In this instant – ‘200 years for a 2 hour jaunt’.

  12. Joëlle Laissy-Gontarek –

    What a fantastic walk! Ulrike is incredibly knowledgeable and shares her passion for London in this captivating and instructive walk. Hugely interesting and entertaining, best guided walk I have done in London.

  13. Mike Fawcett –

    Just wanted to say how much we all enjoyed the private walk with Ulrike today. She has a wide knowledge of the subject and great way of getting it over. In particular I appreciated the clearness of the talk, able to hear over the London noise.
    Many thanks from all of us

  14. Maureen Dubuc –

    I was a delighted participant of the Seven Deadly Sins walk this past Monday morning. April 17. Over the years of visiting London, I have gone on about 20 and this was my favorite. Ulrike has it all! A strong voice, encyclopedic knowledge of sometimes obscure but always fascinating history, a sense of humor and ability to present two-sides. Facts and entertainment rolled into the best too short 2 hours!
    Thank you London Walks.

  15. Kate Gough –

    Ulrika was fantastic! I would highly recommend this walking tour. It was very insightful, cheeky and nicely paced. Will tell all my friends.

  16. Kate –

    Ulrika was fantastic! I would highly recommend this walking tour. It was very insightful, cheeky and nicely paced. Will tell all my friends.

  17. Andy Paul –

    Ulrike was very engaging and clearly enjoyed letting us into all the sordid history of the area.
    One of the best London Walks we’ve been on the two hours flew by.

  18. Mary Lawless –

    Everyone in our group of 16 thoroughly enjoyed our private walk about the 7 deadly sins and I would definitely recommend Ulrike as a guide.

  19. Keely S –

    This was a very entertaining & interesting walk. This is our 4th or 5th walk with London Walks & they never disappoint & are of extremely high quality with excellent tour guide hosts. Ulrike was very interesting & a great tour guide companion for the 2 hours. Thank you Ulrike for a memorable tour & some great stories from old London.

  20. Elisabeth H. –

    This is my second 7 Deadly Sins walk with Ulrike. Equally brilliant and highly entertaining. The 2 hours flew by on a cold February morning. Ulrike is a very knowledgable guide who is funny, warm and a great story teller. I recommend both walks very highly!

  21. Svenja –

    I really enjoyed the very entertaining tour with Ulrike. A lot of interessting and funny stories about the seven deadly sins combined with a nice walk to unknown places in covent garden. Looking forward to the sequel Tour in City of London!

  22. Ulrike Ferres –

    My namesake Ulrike is a very talented and witty storyteller and there are quite a lot of stories around the seven deadly sins. She has a very profound knowledge and never stops digging further into history to bring new things to light. I enjoyed every stop and story about the seven deadly sins on a cold and sunny day in January.

  23. Barbara Thorndick –

    Excellent walk – extremely interesting and well researched by Ulrike who delivered it with style and verve. What a fantastic way to spend a Monday morning.

  24. David STAPYLTON –

    Absolutely top class,Ulrike is knowledgeable,charming and vivacious…so many wonderful and unusual insights…made my Monday after a depressing Sunday…thoroughly recommended 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

  25. Ronen –

    We had a great time with Ulrike. She is a gifted story teller, that weave with great talent and creativity historic plots,selected books and poems, old paintings and secret food associations with recent crypto schemes, the opioid epidemic and the Kardashians… She reveals secret spots and new details about the famous ones She will walk every London lover, even the experienced one, in a trail of tales, historical facts and leave you with enthusiasm. She is so knowledgeable, funny and in the details. I highly recommend it.

  26. Neil & Ruth –

    Really enjoyed the walk. The history was so much more interesting than it ever was at school! I think we must have been on a couple of dozen of the walks over the years and this would be right up there as one of the best.

  27. Sean Murphy –

    Thought provoking and entertaining walk illustrating how our politicians, celebrities and public so often fall into the same bad habits as our ancestors.

  28. Frances Farrell –

    Excellent, Ulrike is well informed and leads an entertaining and interesting tour which I and my friend agreed was well worth the time. I look forward to part 2

  29. Siobhan –

    Another fantastic walk with Ulrika..couldn’t recommend this tour enough

  30. Steve p –

    Very good walk today with Ulrike very interesting talks about the various sinners and Ulrike very good guide

  31. David Ward –

    Best entertainment in London. Ulrike
    Presents seven deadly sins, with amazing knowledge and enthusiasm, always ending with a cheeky smile. David Ward, Virginia water England. 9th January 2023

  32. Catherine Moss –

    What a great tour! Fun facts, lots of interesting related historical information and delivered expertly by Ulrike – professional, entertaining and just a little cheeky!

  33. Iris B. –

    Our second ‘Seven deadly sins’ walk with Ulrike in London. What a fantastic entertainment! Ulrike must have done so much research in history. With her excellent knowledge she reveals very interesting and entertaining stories on London’s characters.

  34. Ayshe and Jeff –

    What a fabulous walk! Ulrika was brilliant. So knowledgable and entertaining. She had many interesting facts and anecdotes. She has obviously spent a lot of time doing her research! It was all delivered with such humour and assurance that everyone was totally engaged. And what a lovely clear voice which carried over all the noise around us. Highly recommended.

  35. Pepijn B –

    Ulrike takes you on a sinful journey through Covent Garden and brings London to life in a very original, passionate and humorous way. It’s an informative, funny and well-researched tour that leaves you longing for more! Great storytelling and super original!

  36. Stefan B –

    Thank you very much Ulrike, this tour was one of the highlights of our trip to London!

    It’s such an amazing experience to see this city through the eyes of an energetic storyteller like Ulrike. She is full of captivating stories, and she shares them with a big sense of humor (and even the rain didn’t stop her enthusiasm!).
    We were really happy we did this tour and highly recommend it.

  37. Linda B –

    We thoroughly enjoyed this 2 hour tour as we walked around snowy Covent Garden to Trafalgar Square and learned about the characters in London who had the Capitol Vices. Ulrike was engaging, entertaining and thoughtful in her presentation. We love the stories that are not in any guidebooks! Thank you Ulrike!

  38. Krystyna –

    Thank you Ulrika. A thoroughly entertaining and informative walk. You obviously know and enjoy your subject. A bonus was your voice was heard even above the noise of a very busy city – a bonus for the hearing impaired.

  39. Rob & Steph Hunter –

    Ulrika is an engaging and intelligent storyteller. We had a wonderful history lesson recounting the sins of the past and how they have impacted the present. Fantastic.

  40. Charlie –

    This tour was full of fun stories related to the different sins. There was a big focus on Charles II, the merry monarch, who I didn’t know about so I learned a lot. There is so much current activity in Covent Garden, and it was great to learn the history of the area. Ulrike is an engaging storyteller, and has a nice, loud voice so it was not a struggle to hear even though the neighborhood is quite noisy.

  41. Rebekah –

    Ulrike’s tour is excellent- bringing a short walk together with the greatest protagonists of the Seven Deafly Sins!
    Even on one of London’s wettest days it is captivating!
    Thank you

  42. Stephen Nelson –

    Excellent experience. Ulrike is that rare thing – a guide who is deeply on top of her subject and yet who gets her information over with wit, pace and energy.

    Fur example, many guides would have given us a little potted history of The South Sea Bubble pinched from Wikipedia. Not Ulrike, as her own interests have drawn her to research it at the LSE archives and who includes references to the history of credit, the dotcom bubble and even today’s crypto and SPACs.

    Always engaging and fun, the two hours whizzed by. I learned a lot.

    Highly recommended.

    Stephen

  43. Catherine Nelson –

    We loved this tour! Ulrike has created a fantastic walk that combines historical background and colourful characters, all while exploring this beautiful part of London. The depth of Ulrike’s background knowledge, her sense of humour and her enthusiasm for the subjects shone through. Take this tour – you’ll have a great time.

  44. Ashok Merai –

    We had a most wonderful time. Ulrike was just wonderful. She spoke clearly and was easy to hear. She was very knowledgeable and funny. I have done many of the walks and this one ranks way up there. I highly recommend it.

  45. Joyce Hughes –

    A very entertaining and informative walk. Adam was an excellent tour guide. Highly recommended.
    22nd August 2022.

  46. Pav –

    I really enjoyed this extremely informative walk to understand the murky history of the Covent Garden area and wider central london. Ulrike was very knowledgeable and a superb guide for the 90 mims. Highly recommended.

  47. Kathleen –

    On our recent trip to London, I took three different London Walks in and around Covent Garden and Soho, and a couple of other tours led by different companies. This was my favorite. Ulrike had put a fascinating spin on history. She had great suggestions for further reading, including “All the Tea in China” about the opium wars. Thanks so much!

  48. Bill Lawrence –

    Great tour! Ulrike was an informative and entertaining guide. She has done a lot of original research. Lots of unique history an fun facts in an interesting framework around the seven sins. Highly recommended.

  49. Nigel Bailey –

    A fascinating walk. Ulrike has done a huge amount of work to devise this walk through the more salacious side of history and puts it across with great humour. She has a companion walk in the City – a must for our next trip to London.
    Thanks. Nigel

  50. Wolfgang Noetzold –

    Absolutely brilliant & entertaining – outstanding mixture of knowledge of history & biographies and lively & humorous speech!

  51. Carol Aguilar –

    Such a fun tour. Ulrike kept us guessing until the end. Very clever the way she wove the tale of the sins with our surroundings. Learned a lot.

  52. Gill and Mark J –

    Absolutely brilliant walk yesterday – we’ve done lots of London Walks and they’re always amazing but this must be one of our favourites. Ulrike was so knowledgeable as well as entertaining and we came away with many new and interesting facts about the London we love. Thank you.

  53. Chris H –

    What an inspired theme for a walk in this touristy corner of London. It wasn’t long before we left the Covent Market hub behind and began to explore the much ‘quieter’ surrounding area. Dipping in and out of busier spots along the way.
    The tour was crammed with unusual and very interesting facts. Social & economic history at its best. Ulrike’s delivery was brilliant and she overcame the environmental distractions with professionalism. Never losing her thread and dealing with the constant interruptions with wit and good humour. (Church bells, police vans, wheeled carts on cobbles, traffic diversions). It was a master class in how to hold your audience!
    Each of the seven deadly sins was examined through historical characters who had connections with the area. The tour flowed very well.
    I will definitely sign up for the Friday tour next time I’m in London.Through the medium of London walks I extend my knowledge of this vast city a little more each time, safe in the hands of guides of the highest calibre. Thank you London Walks. Thank you Ulrike!

  54. Emily Ben – Ze’ev –

    Absolutely amazing tour learning so many fun facts that no one ever tells you about . Ulrilke added so much to the tour with her enthusiasm and great sense of humour . Discovered lots of hidden treasures despite being a regular visit to Covent Garden

  55. Una –

    Excellent walk with Ulrike today. Covered all the “sins” via the people and places of London. Everything was woven through so that the walk flowed with the stories. Engaging, interesting and entertaining. Highly recommended.

  56. Lyubov –

    Absolutely fantastic tour. I have been to quite a few walks and this one is one of the best. Ulrike’s story telling skills are great, she keeps the audience captivated. I went to Ulrike’s Seven Sins of the City last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed it, too. I highly recommend doing both Seven Sins tours, you will learn a lot and have lots of fun.

  57. Lyubov, Plymouth UK –

    Absolutely fantastic tour! I have been to quite a few walks and this is one of the most entertaining and informative tours out of all. Ulrike’s story telling skills are great, she totally captivates the audience. I also went to her Seven Sins of the City tour on Fri 25 Feb and thoroughly enjoyed it, too. Highly recommend both – you will have much fun.

  58. philippa –

    Ulrike was assured, informative and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk in a beautiful part of London.
    Will now book for Ulrike’s new walk in the City! Thank you.

  59. Kat –

    What a great tour. Ulrike is érudite and knowledgeable ,wearing her learning lightly she makes her talks very entertaining , full of varied and fascinating facts and insights. A great way to explore parts of London you think you know and parts you don’t. Highly recommended. Thank you Ulrike we are planning our next foray into sin in the city.

  60. Emma Clark –

    Super fun and informative walk. My 14 year old son and I loved it and highly recommend!

  61. Lucy –

    A very interesting tour by Ulrika .She was very kind and helpful to me as I had my walking stick (sciatica)and left my aids behind ,she spoke loud and energetically for the entire tour.We were very impressed with her knowledge .Pseudonym given

  62. Michelle Rendall –

    This is a brilliant, entertaining and informative walk. It brings the streets of London to life with tales of Sins and Sinners. Ulrika is funny, warm and definitely knows her Sins!

  63. Pam Hersey –

    We thoroughly enjoyed the walk, learnt so much and were taken to places that we had never explored before. Ulrike was so knowledgeable and entertaining in her clear delivery. She answered lots of our questions too

  64. Tanya Matveeva –

    Brilliant walk in the heart of London, we did not want the walk to end despite the chilly weather, Ulrike is so knowledgeable and engaging, and the surprise conclusion in the end makes one think and want to explore more, highly recommend this walk!

  65. Einar Vikra –

    An absolutely trill to be guided by Ulrike on this walk on a cold january morning. Ulrike is not only very knowledgable in terms of historical facts, she also deliver stories and quotes in a very witty and entertaining way. I highly recommend this walk with her and I’m looking forward to the upcoming «Seven deadly sins 2» in East London.

  66. Anne Gardner –

    A real 5 star walk on a freezing January day. Ulrike kept us all enthralled with her extremely well researched talk. I look forward to joining her 7 Deadly Sins Part 2 walk in the city of London .

  67. Tim Gifford –

    Fascinating and entertaining walk brought to life with facts and details very well delivered by Ulrike. Highly recommended.

  68. Michael E –

    Great way to spend a few hours. Educational but most importantly for us entertaining and fun! Great job Ulrike.

  69. Ian Young –

    Absolutely first rate. Really interesting 2 hours with a most erudite and enthusiastic guide. Hope there is a part 2.

  70. Ian –

    Superb tour. Ideal mix of erudition and entertainment. Ulrike’s easygoing charm and engaging delivery brings Restoration and Georgian London to life.

  71. Roger –

    My wife and I (and our two dogs) enjoyed the walk immensely. Ulrike spoke well and clearly and the walk was well planned out and our interest didn’t lag at any point.

  72. Ann Hammerton –

    So enjoyed our 1st London Walk with Ulrike. Amusing and historical facts about known and unknown people who had such an influence on London’s history.A great way to spend two hours in London.

  73. Liz –

    This was a fun walk with the charming Ulrike. We recommend this as you see a part of hidden London and its greatest sinners although some were a real blast. Treat yourself! Liz and Scott

  74. Oliver –

    Stop reading guidebooks. Study history and interesting literature for a lifetime – the best stories are hidden there. And if you don’t have that time, just follow Ulrike on a walk. She will release it all for you. It was so captivating. And yes, come for another walk.

  75. Julian –

    Very enjoyable, entertaining and interesting walk. Ulrike was an excellent guide, she was really charming and paced the walk and her tales just right. Recommended.

  76. Christine and Simon –

    We have just enjoyed a wonderful two hours with the erudite and witty Ulrike. Highly recommended tour of key historical events and people on the theme of seven deadly sins. Thank you.

  77. Emily Montague –

    Ulrike was a fascinating guide on this tour of the 7 deadly sins. The tour was two hours but passed very quickly! I’ve lived in London all my life but didn’t know much of the colourful history of debauchery! I highly recommend this tour as a great way to see the Covent Garden area and be thoroughly entertained!

  78. Thomas Guy –

    Wonderful. Ulrike was an amazing guide.

  79. Tony –

    This was my first tour with London Walks and I must say I was very happy to start with an itinerary which is off the traditional “tourist track”. Ulrike guided us for 2 hours and gave us a very clear picture of the places of sins and sinners in central London. I happened to be in a large group (I think we were 20) and it shows how interesting the tour was also for other people. Despite the large group, Urlike was clear in her speech and we all could follow her presentation (we were also keeping the due distance from each other).
    I learned a big deal of historical facts from the tour and clearly Ulrike must have done an in depth (but not boring) research: all the information was interesting and captivating and never banal. With the occasional XXX stories (what else could you find in a tour of sins and sinners?).
    The locations Ulrike chose are very easy to reach and 2 hours were not tiring at all.
    Thanks Ulrike for sharing all this with us. What’s next?

  80. X –

    Ulrike’s walk today was definitely 5 stars. Very informative and entertaining.
    11th October 2021

  81. richard baumgarten –

    Outstanding tour. Our first London Walk since the lockdowns. Ulrike read Dante’s Inferno in the original Italian as inspiration for the walk. She is extremely knowledgeable with wonderful vignettes of English history and lore related to the area walked.

  82. Sally Loosley –

    Such an entertaining walk, full of interesting and amusing facts. Ulrike was brilliant. Two hours of fun. Thanks Ulrike.

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