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taverns, gambling dens, bear baiting, brothels and theatres

History Lost, Found & Decoded...

"the first duty of society is justice"

What is it about Bloomsbury and brilliant women?

It’s a terrible story, it’s a moving story, it will grip you.

  "there's no lovelier piece of lowland scenery in South England..."

"really entertaining"  

A strange amazing day – and walk – that comes only once every four years. For the rest of the time it does not "exist."

turning points in history

"From The Thames to Eternity" guided by a distinguished, award-winning  Geologist 

Guided by a distinguished, award-winning Geologist

"particularly exotic and colourful stones" guided by a distinguished, award-winning  Geologist 

Distinguished, award-winning geologist guides "stones ingrained with geological and historical memories" 

  ‘where is there such another maze of streets, courts, lanes and alleys?’ asked Dickens

Weaves an exploration of Victorian London with Dickens's London Life and writing...

We go on the trail in the Square Mile, seeing a surprising amount that Holmes and Watson would still recognise.

London adazzle – its most glorious constellation of Christmas trees...

What did the Romans ever do for us? We know what guide Ian does for the Ukraine and earthquake crisis appeals – he donates his fee.

Combines highlights of our “Old Jewish Quarter” and “Jewish London” Walks N.B. Guide Ian donates his fee to the World Jewish Relief’s Ukraine and Turkey/Syria earthquake Crises appeals!

A fascinating Walk in SW1

A fascinating walk in SW1  

This walk has been specially created for the Mayfair Times Literary Festival. The charge for this walk is £20 (there are no concessions). 

follows the events of the Revolt as the Peasants move through London in June 1381

Rocks of Ages – Urban Geology in the City (guided by a professional geologist)

Led by Kevin Flude, a former Museum of London archaeologist...

"most of what has passed has left plenty of traces"

"from the deep past to a vision of the future"

This Walk is sold out on Saturday April 29th

My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding for… THE CORONATION WALK!

"the general rule in medicine in Stuart England is ‘better out than in’"

"with a fine disregard for the rules"

One of best preserved 18th Century Streets in London

we use ancient methods to divine what is in store for us in 2024

...incendiary publications, industrial strife, revolutionary trade unions, soup kitchens, housing charities and shelters for the homeless.

"more about those forgotten than those remembered"

"the first great comedienne..."

We could be in 1620. Or May 28, 1940. Or June 6, 1944.

a stretch of London – a secret way across London – you won't have seen before

Bucolic to huzzah and colour and panache and buzz

...a well-concealed World War II pillbox

"radical and revolutionary past to modern media & designer present" + pubs

Take a walk through the most magical corner of the kingdom. Guided by Dan Parry

A new towpath walk created by the London Walks team of Regent's Canal guides (in conjunction with the IWA – Inland Waterways Association)

As the Sun and Moon move around our skies we look at how Londoners organised and celebrated their year throughout history. Guided by Kevin 

"where they sang, wrote poetry and played rugby"

From Legionary Fortress to Medieval Castle

castle, wall, historic buildings, great pubs and 'the smallest house in Great Britain'

Trailblazers of the East End – Guided by Laura

 On the Queen's birthday, take a virtual tour of London through the decades of Queen Elizabeth II's reign from her coronation up to today. Guided by Chris

"...we also look at the evidence for 'Celtic' origins of London" No Need To Book

"London bridge is the key to much of the history of London"

"and we do some serious archaeology – attend to the legend-archaeology 'fit'"

"...we also look at the evidence for 'Celtic' origins of London"

 A new  virtual tour around London, recognising and celebrating our canine companions. Guide by Isobel

The brand new Virtual Tour series from The Story of London team. Live on Sunday evenings (and Thursday mornings). This time we're going with the flow ! Guided by the Story of London Team -  Simon W, Russell, Karen, Adam and Fiona

The brand new Virtual Tour series from The Story of London team. Live on Thursday mornings (and Sunday evenings). This time we're going with the flow ! Guided by the Story of London Team -  Simon W, Russell, Karen, Adam and Fiona

"The national dish is no longer fish and chips, it's curry"

"how ladies' tights saved the 'Rooftop Concert'"

Simon’s seasonal mix of festive facts, fun & frolics...

An undiscovered and fascinating part of Central London. 

"For 3 years running they had both the Christmas number one single and album in the UK"

"a feast of stunning art and architecture"

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Jane Austen devotee must be in want of this virtual tour"

"intriguing nuggets of information at every step" The Times

The story of menswear over the past 200 years. guided by Russell

Discover Richmond upon Thames, the happiest place to live in London. Home to royalty, writers, broadcasters and rock stars. Guided by Anna

We will take a virtual stroll through this atmospheric cemetery. Guided by Brad

A virtual tour of musical Hampstead from classical to rock. Guided by Adam.

A virtual tour of musical southwest London – from Bowie in Brixton to Handel in Barnes. Guided by Adam

A virtual tour of musical Camden from Britpop to Cecil sharp and beyond. Guided by Adam.

The brand new Virtual Tour series from The Story of London team...

Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir lived here. Piaf sang on its streets. Toulouse- Lautrec immortalised its wicked nightlife- eternal Montmartre! Guided by Chris Spence.  

The blaze illuminated the streets like the sun at noon. Even the night sky bore a fiery aspect, like the top of a burning oven. The trailing column of smoke extended 50 miles in length.

Guided by the author of The Lonely Planet Guide to London

One of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in London. Guided by Steve F.

Almost a third of all Londoners are now foreign-born, representing 270 different nationalities and  300 languages. Guided by Steve F

the evolution of the codpiece & the origin of ‘pin money’

"what to wear to an execution"

East London was the epicenter of Jewish life and culture for over a century, and vestiges of its heart and soul lurk around every corner. Guided By Steve Fallon

From Maria Anna Mozart to Peggy Seeger, Siouxsie Sioux to Judy Garland.

from the Beatles' humble Liverpool origins to the splendour of their London homes...

"it was a rat's delight and a health emergency"

Beautiful Bloomsbury with its garden squares, Georgian architecture, hidden corners and reputation for world-class education, has been a magnet for exceptional and trailblazing women. 

Vincent thought himself a failure, selling only 1 canvas in his lifetime. Today his works and life story both captivate and fascinate. Guided by Chris Spence

"reveals the vast importance of horses in asserting the position of those in power"

 Alex takes a look at the world of the 18th Century sex and brothel trade. 

An eight-part series of virtual tours… London From A-Z! Hosted by Adam, Fiona, Karen, Russell & Simon W.

Wimbledon. It's a village. It's a Common. It's parks. It's – needless to say – tennis. Guided by Anna

The Lost Generation still haunt the Paris Latin Quarter. Let's explore the extraordinary Jazz Age together on a virtual tour. Guided by Chris Spence

"Harry Hunks’ place of work..."

The East India Company - What was it? And what are its traces in London and across the world today? Guided by Leila

A 2,000 year story of how Londoners have been entertained. Guided by Russell

Joyous celebration of London's bells in sight and sound. Guided by Rick Jones

The life and times of Elizabeth Newcomen, Shakespeare's milkmaid, benefactor and founder of a girl's school. Guided by Rick Jones

London 5 Km evening runs with historical guided commentary with Andrew Hallett of London Walks

"an oasis, a stone’s throw from gaudy roaring Oxford Street"

The City of 'dreaming spires' and academe. Students and bicycles. And the motor car... Guided by Chris

A story showing people at their worst and best, tells the horrors of the slave trade, the extreme cruelties and yet contains seeds of hope. Guided by Isobel

The Rolling Stones were very much a London Band. Richard can guide you around the Stones major London hangouts in the Soho area. Guided by Richard P  

Tradeswomen, writers, lawyers, feminists, martyrs, muses and murderers: women’s stories aren’t always nice, nor are they niche.

"Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album could only have been made in London"

"the paragon of London villages"

Our tongue's cathedral is the British Library. Guided by Steve

Explore some of the most beautiful buildings in London, the Churches of the City designed by Wren and his colleagues, a London Walks tour. Guided by Fiona

Ever since William the Conqueror (aka William the Bastard) hit the scene in 1066, legitimacy has been a life or death issue for the Royals. Guided by Ian

One of the most beautiful areas of Italy. Sparkling waters, colourful scenery and glamorous resorts take your breath away! Guided by Anna

The old City of London has been a haven for moviemakers for over a century, and here are some of the glorious highlights. Guided by Richard IV

The Stones had the swagger. The Beatles had the tunes. The Yardbirds had the chops. But the only band to blend these basics with a full-blown artistic manifesto and a killer look was The Who.

This is The Who's London. Guided by Adam

1789 sounded the death knell for the Old Regime. Key events played out in Paris and this tour brings a fascinating period to life.  Guided by Chris S. from Paris Walks

"from playing in front of 18 people to playing in front of 10,000"

A virtual tour of Naples to see to the home of pizza, Pompeii and Paestum. Places preserved in time from the eruptions of mount Vesuvius. Guided by Chris

A wild ride through the romance and the reality of 'The Knights of the Road'  Led by Richard Walker

Explore the World's first Dinosaur Models hidden in a south London park, created in the middle of the 19th century. Guided by Aaron

The East End Gangland & The Dark Side Of The Swinging 60s

The world's oldest 'comic strip' tells the engaging story of the Norman Conquest of England in action-packed scenes of pageantry and mayhem. Guided by Steve F

"reputation for medicine is second to none in the world"  Guided by Rick Jones (do click on the Rick link, you'll like what's there)

"The first British Brexit?"

"visionary masterplans and bizarre statues that never got built" Guided by Russell

"a strong cast headed by the immensely impressive Nicholas Day"  Guided (and performed) by Nick Day

"Essential viewing for understanding the way London works" Guided by Charlie  

Join  Chris for a focused virtual walk through the exhibits. Guided by Chris

A wonderful trip to Ancient Greece. Guided by Chris

the 1915 flight path and bomb run through World War I London

London at the Equinox – its calendars, folklore and events associated with the beginning of Spring    

500 years of homes of nobility – fabulous London mansions  and how they developed over time...  Guided by Anna

Your boon companions on this tour of London in the Middle Ages are a Museum of London archaeologist and the greatest medieval poet of them all... Guided by Kevin

"...although the Anglo-Saxons have a rich history how much of it can be trusted?" Find out on this tour. Guided by Kevin

From love-struck lovers to royal romances to dangerous liaisons – love in London in all its many forms. Guided by Simon  

Inside Abbey Road Studios`– how this ordinary townhouse became the cradle of rock music...

Abbey Road wasn't the whole story, you know...

On the trail of 'the quiet one'

where Rock and Roll royalty mixed with actors and models, artists and the aristocracy...

We rediscover those ‘lost’ streets like a Tudor Rebus cutting through ‘the religious and political chaos of the 1540s with sinister élan’ Guided by Andy

"tiny gas-lit alleyways, unknown even to many Londoners..." N.B. Guide Ian donates all of his fee to charities! 

Beatles Meet-up. The Fabs, Swinging London, "the Pied Piper of Beatlemania" and fans from all over the world. Guided by Richard P.

Join John Lennon in London – the unique interactive experience, from the comfort of your own home

"a splendid time is guaranteed for all"  Guided by Richard P., "the pied piper of Beatlemania"

A ticket to ride. Beatles film locations here we come. Guided by Richard P.

Prehistoric stone circles, Roman houses and a Saxon grave fit for a king...

"Liquid history and liquid refreshment, camaraderie, sightseeing, virtual exercise, perfect weather, London's finest riverside taverns..."

The interwoven waterways, lakes, docks and woodlands of an area bristling with history & eyeing the future. You'll be hooked! Guided by Jackie

To mark International Women's Day

The carnival, the market and the movie...  Guided by Richard III

Take a virtual walk through London to hear the untold story of Mayflower in London. A story of money, worship, execution and everyday life. Guided by Chris

London labyrinth. London highlights. London shaping past. Elite London guide. Guided by Chris

A look at London's history through music. Series One: The 60s -  The Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones & more. Guided by Adam

It’s a tale of patriotism, extremism and a country divided. Sound familiar?  

No place out-Christmases London!

Elephants in Trafalgar Square and mammoths at King's Cross and Romans in Londinium

Follow the London trail through the centuries...

"the legal equivalent of Buckingham Palace, but unlike the royal residence we can get inside, explore it, wander around the Inns Court..." Guided by Richard III

"We walk to what has been called the ‘the Pompeii of the North’..."

"both the archaeological evidence and the myths and legends of the origins of London"

Why is this one of the best virtual tours you'll ever experience? Award-winning guide exploring London's capillaries, that's why. Guided By Fiona

"from soaring successes to first night flops to stage door secrets..."

"London specialises in hiding the best of itself"

The blaze illuminated the streets like the sun at noon. Even the night sky bore a fiery aspect, like the top of a burning oven. The trailing column of smoke extended 50 miles in length.

the life, the career, the London of history’s most mythologised composer  Guided by Adam

"What does English history sound like?"  Guided by Adam

The science and show business virtual tour...  Guided by Adam

For Jimi Hendrix the wind whispered London. Here he could ride the breeze. Here he made it big.

Madness performing on top of Buckingham Palace alongside the Queen guitarist Brian May… Mick Jagger at the Ritz… FDR and the first political campaign song… Paul Simon, Handel & Nipper The Dog. They’re all in Musical St James’s & Mayfair…

Madness performing on top of Buckingham Palace alongside the Queen guitarist Brian May… Mick Jagger at the Ritz… FDR and the first political campaign song… Paul Simon, Handel & Nipper The Dog. They’re all in Musical St James’s & Mayfair…

Medicine and cricket… that's Marylebone. Isn't it? Where showbiz and performing arts types are elbowed off centre stage by nurses, doctors and sportsmen. This tour puts the musicians back where they belong.  

"All music is here in Kensington!"

Let's get back. Beatles and Stones in 60s London. The biggest names in Rock’n’Roll. Made right here in London.

Ready, Steady, Go… Guided by Adam

5 years that changed the face of pop & rock 1964-69

4 of the unlikeliest pop stars of all-time

3 number one hits

2 warring brothers

1 unique story

Watch the video. It’s a small miracle – works wonders in 154 seconds. It’s an utterly charming introduction to our Virtual Tours generally and to this walk specifically. It's the handiwork of Magic of London guide Richard Walker. So it’s a chance to meet Richard. And let him tell you a little bit about the Magic of London tour – what it is and how it works. Let him show you a bit of it: magical landmarks, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, secret passageways you won’t have heard of, etc.

Not for the faint-hearted. From the Sweating Sickness, Leprosy and the Plague of medieval times, through the Victorian traumas of Tuberculosis and Cholera to the Coronavirus today. Guided by Russell

The history of Rock & Pop in London – Beatles, Stones, Hendrix THE Greatest Hits tour! Guided by Adam

Pigs WILL fly as we hit Regent Street Polytechnic, Battersea, Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden in search of the band’s genesis and 1970s pomp.

exciting corner of the capital...best street art in London  Guided by Leo

From Dinosaurs and Jurassic Marine Reptiles to Hope the Blue Whale. Guided by Cambridge University Paleontologist Aaron

Reveals the secrets of the oldest underground railway in the world...ranges across engineering, design, architecture and social history. Guided by Fiona

So it’s historical alleyways, centuries-old architecture, the Tower of London and, yes, ahem, filthy street names. What more from an online history walk? Violence, mayhem, fire, sedition and sex. The virtual London Walk that just keeps on giving. Guided by Andrew

400 years of musical history and "goings-on" – Thomas Arne to Franz Zappa. You have often walked down these streets before… but did you debate the whys and wherefores of Rule Britannia? No? Then let's all go down the Strand!

It's the secret places and hidden history that make this virtual walk so compelling.  Guided by Russell

Bob Dylan in 1960 London – three visits that changed the course of popular culture  

At midnight London time at Halloween - join us for Ghosts of the Old City THE Virtual Tour  Guided by Adam 

“Theories! We were almost lost in theories – there were so many of them” – Chief Inspector Aberline  Guided by Richard 

You're invited. Come to Bath with us this Saturday – see the world's most perfect Georgian city

This walk tells the epic tale of the uncovering of London's past by Archaeologists...

Temperatures of more than 1000° meant everything was consumed in the inferno...

How a capital city emerged fit to rule the greatest empire the world had ever known...

The great London mix: the City, Southwark, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe – pearls on the Thames necklace

Guided by a Cambridge University Paleontologist

"We've got an old canal here. And a dock. And memories. And traces..."

Peasants' Revolt to Street Art

"compare the legends with the archaeological discoveries"

Guided by a Cambridge University Paleontologist.

"William the Conqueror!" N.B. Guide Ian donates 100 percent of his fee to the Horizon Scandal Fund! And London Walks donates 75 percent of its commission to the Fund. 

"An amazingly varied walk..."

Whoa! Wow! Peekaboo HS2 & Javelin

Walk the same streets as Colin Firth in Fever Pitch...

London at night in its Christmas finery – preserve those memories Photography Walkshop: fun, companionable and skill-sharpening 

The "decisive moment" and best vantage point London tour!  

The wild card in the London Walks deck. Guided by a London Mayor. "no sense of taste or decorum"

“several London Walks guides have been inside, met the Queen and Prince Philip. One has a contact who worked on the series...”

Golden words in London's heart of gold. 

"...mayhem, Marx, marks, martyrs and mishaps"

Now a chic London neighbourhood but then 'a haunt of thieves and whores'

Now sits expectation in the air (Henry V)

Doctor-guided.

This unusual, highly original walk – indeed, it's sui generis...

Timing is everything. Nov. 17 is Christmas Lights Switch-on; Dec. 15 is traditional Christmas Market Day

"how much horsepower each bus route needed – amazing eye-opener into a lost city"

Leading Actor + Theatreland = Ovation Award for Outstanding New Walk. This Sunday. Includes a major "special access" treat

"Conspiracy, scandal & skulduggery in Celebrities' London"

Eye-opening. And thrilling. London will never look the same. Saturday's Urban Geology Walk. Professional Geologist guides it.

History, architecture, films, the Gunners, a Ripper candidate and for good measure, a short nature walk

The Lost Hospitals of Covent Garden. Guided by a physician.

Shhh! It's a secret. Hampstead is the best place to be on a Saturday evening in London.

"their excesses, their maladies, their treatment, their cadres of medical attendants, their post-mortems..." Guided by a Physician

Urban Geology – Reading the Stones

Special Edition Ghost Walk 

Mountain building & meteorites... Zowie! London will never look the same again

"the Cinderella of London's canal network"

"a secret corner of London closed to the public for 200 years"

"London's only lighthouse...then on to East India Dock"

Tyburn tree, Baynard's water, "where they shoot soldiers", Blair, Little Beirut, the blessing of the horses, the Pets' Cemetery

Your boon companions on this tour of London in the Middle Ages are a former London Museum archaeologist and the greatest medieval poet of them all.

"see the invisible and understand the inscrutable"

Jollying our way along a handsome, tree-lined canal on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Perfect.

"just what one might imagine a classic English village should look like"

Lincoln's Inn Fields is the concentration of the concentration.  

Revelation after revelation...

"It's like walking through a Punjabi village"

Few places in London catapult you back in time as fast and accurately as Wapping. Guided by Steve Fallon

Urban Geology < Fossils, Volcanoes, Seas, Asteroids and Time

Guaranteed Ghosts!

"secret passageways; very pretty, all-of-a-piece little old residential streets;  very pretty little old pubs;  James Bond and real-life spymasters; tons of royal-palace stuff; Shakespeare; Little Ben; etc. etc."

A Behind the Termini Walk. Runs this Sunday.

The scheduling was just a horrible coincidence. Gary must be bracing himself. He's going to get a lot of questions. 

Platonic ideal of a London village, stuccoed Italianate villas, best sightlines in London, local guide...

"there’s no other place like it in London"

The Home of Cool in East London...

"London is stranger than fiction"

"Hello to 'the Cathedral of the Arts and Crafts Movement'."

"one of London's 'lost rivers'"

Dulwich is a world – a hamlet – unto itself. There's no other place like it in London. Be sure to bring your camera.

Doctors' London – Pox & Plague, Leeches & Quacks. Guided by a Physician.

Urban oases, havens of 19th-century tranquillity

"London's last remaining true village" The perfect Bank Holiday Monday walk.

Ever wondered how and why the Monopoly board's streets were chosen? Here's your Get Out of Jail of Ignorance card...

Spring in Kew Gardens. Includes the newly opened, breathtakingly beautiful Temperate House.

Walkers of the World Unite!

"it is a despair to see such a place and ever to leave it"

“Surpasses Stonehenge as a cathedral doth a parish church.” And the most exquisite village in England.

An out-of-the-way, hardscrabble, forgotten corner of London is now a jaw-dropping contrast of old and new..."

Follow Dr Barry Walsh in footsteps of the famous surgeon Dr John Hunter

2.30 pm on Sunday from Manor House Tube

Secret London – every Tuesday morning

Mistresses, Mystics, Mansions, Artists, Courtesans, Cricket...

The green in the grey – the hidden gardens of the City of London.

If this excursion were a book it'd be a must-read. Rare bloom – runs once a year. Distinguished, Queen-honoured guide.

"Best tour I've ever been on" – Hampton Court by boat on Monday, September 3

"the jewel in the crown of the London Walks programme" The New York Times

Open Studios Day in 'the seriously hip artists' quarter'

"loveliest castle in the world"

Regardez la vidéo

Hampstead Garden Suburb & Golders Green. Rare bloom. Only runs two or three times a year. Watch this space.

To mark International Women's Day

"...the most extraordinary letter in London's alphabet"

"a person who is tired of crime is tired of life"  Horace Rumpole 

"Sex and death, the two subjects everybody's interested in..." Guided by a Physician

Enter another world. Step into mediaeval history. Canterbury this Saturday.

Fitzrovia: central London's best-kept secret

"best medley of lost lanes and hidden passageways in all of London"

...this place breathes money

"streets that look like an old movie shot thru a vaselined lens – there's no better sense of place in London"