London · HIDDEN LONDON WALKING TOURS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 hidden london walking tours justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Ride with guides such as Paul, Pat, Ollie, or Johnny through London’s East End and City. Expect Tower Bridge, Brick Lane, old docks, Harry Potter film locations, Jack the Ripper tales, City landmarks, and an East End pub stop.
“Jonathan was a friendly guide who made an interesting experience of the bike ride.”
Walk from Temple Station to Fleet Street with guides such as Rachel, Joe, Paul, and Pepe. Expect quiet lanes, Temple Church from outside, St Bride’s, Samuel Johnson’s statue, a fake Roman bath, old Tube history, and wartime clues. Buildings are viewed from the outside.
“Great tour. Will, the guide, was informative and amusing, with just the right mount of detail. Saw places we wouldn’t have found out about without going on the tour.”
Spend 3.5 hours walking Soho and Chinatown with a local guide such as Paul, Gary, Anita, Anna, or Tom. Expect generous tastings of croquettes, truffle arancini, rendang, bao, vermouth, and three historic gins, plus stories about music, nightlife, markets, and London’s mixed cultures.
“Had a great time and Anna was a terrific guide, full of energy and charisma! Got to know SoHo intimately with lots of recommendations and stories to mark the way. Be warned for those who don’t drink much or are with kids-This was an alcohol heavy tour, not something that I was aware of prior to arriving to the tour itself so be forewarned and there were no nonalcoholic options available either which was unfortunate.”
Plan a private London walking tour around your interests, with a local host such as Becky, Darryl, Tom, or Tem. Choose 3 to 8 hours and a flexible start time, then focus on landmarks, food, creative districts, or lesser-known streets. Attraction tickets, food, drinks, and transport cost extra.
“Darryl is a fantastic guide! He showed us hidden corners of London we’d never have found on our own and really took the time to tailor the tour to our interests. It felt personal, relaxed, and full of little surprises. A great experience — thank you, Darryl!”
Set your own pace on a private London tour with a local guide. Walk through Soho, Borough Market, and Trafalgar Square, enjoy a local drink or tasting, and shape the route around your interests. Guides such as Tom, David, Maria Clara, and Luciana add history, music, food, and local stories.
“Our tour guide David was excellent. Very knowledgeable and passionate about the history of London. My friend and I found it fascinating. We saw sights we had seen before, but didn’t know the history behind them. The three hours walking whizzed by, walking down smaller roads to keep off the busy streets when we could. This tour was designed around where we were before (Tower) and what we had and hadn’t seen before. I have already recommended this tour to a couple of people. Highly recommended and David is very easy to be with.”
Ride a hand-built British bicycle from Waterloo through the City, East End, and Thames waterfront. Your English-speaking guide shares stories of Romans, smugglers, pirates, Shakespeare, and the Great Fire. Groups are capped at 12, with helmets, tweed caps, and rain ponchos available.
“This was a great bike ride throughout London. Katie was engaging, knowledgeable, and very organized in terms of leading our group through the City. Highly recommend.”
Join Stephen or Kevin for a private three-hour walk through the City of London, from St. Paul’s Churchyard to Postman’s Park. Expect quiet gardens, Roman ruins, old churches, Samuel Pepys connections, and stories about the people who shaped London. Hotel pickup is available, though transport costs extra.
“Kevin was one of the most knowledgeable and personable guides we have ever had. Cannot recommend this tour and Viator enough”
Use your phone to follow a 45 to 50-minute self-guided audio walk through Covent Garden. A local guide or historian leads you from the Piazza and Seven Dials to Neal’s Yard, St Paul’s Church, the Strand, and the Royal Opera House, with offline listening and GPS support.
“The trouble with the app was that by the time i got to the 7th stop 2 people were talking over each other so that I couldn’t understand what eithor was saying. Very disappointing”
Walk 2.4 miles through the City of London with photographer Lorenzo, using your phone or camera to find striking views, quiet lanes, St. Paul’s, and Millennium Bridge. The private tour ends at Borough Market, with more than 30 edited high-resolution photos delivered within two to three days.
“Fantastic!!! Lorenzo was amazing. We got great photo shots. He helped us get the best pictures on our tour”
Spend six hours with a private local guide, including Luciana, exploring London from Westminster to London Bridge. See Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, St. Paul’s, Tate Modern, Borough Market, and tucked-away corners. Your route can be adjusted to suit your interests, with no attraction admissions included.
“This is a must tour. Luciana is lovely, knowledgeable and full of surprises. We wanted to see the city from a different perspective less touristic way. Which is exactly what we got. Luciana has a background in fashion as well which we both like so much and the tour ended up being a mix of London, fashion, history and so much more. Highly recommended, thank you luciana for a marvelous time. Diana and Avi”
Travel through lesser-seen London in a classic black cab with a guide who has passed the Knowledge of London exam. You can shape the route, stop for photos, and visit Roman remains, medieval gateways, Dickens-era lanes, hidden courtyards, secret gardens, and historic taverns.
“Seeing parts of London that are mostly hidden rather than the usual tourist spots was fascinating. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable on the history of London and we learned a lot. He took many photos for us and some fun "Bond" style ones in front of MI5. We particularly liked the ruins of the huge Roman Amphitheatre under the Guildhall Art Gallery that we had no idea were there. Well worth doing this tour if you are interested in the history side of things.”
Spend six and a half hours with a private English-speaking guide, visiting Sir John Soane’s Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Inns of Court, and Chelsea Physic Garden. Travel in a private electric London cab, pause for coffee, and enjoy included high tea before finishing near Sloane Square.
“We all felt like there was more walking than gardens but we enjoyed the gardens we saw. Tea at Kensington Palace was delightful and the gardens at Kensington Palace very pretty!”
See Shoreditch through a private host matched to your interests. Expect Banksy pieces, Brick Lane food and shops, independent galleries, local markets, and the original Boxpark. Guides such as Tom, Delia, Sara, and Maria have led relaxed, personal walks.
“What an amazing experience, Tom was such an awesome guide. We had so much fun, absolutely recommended.”
Join Nick of Loudman Tours for a 2-hour-20-minute walk through the City of London. See St Paul’s, the Mithraeum, Guildhall, Leadenhall Market, Garden at 120, and the Tower of London while hearing how Roman Londinium shaped today’s city.
“Nick my guide is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about London and his insights and ability to explain different aspects of the city was fantastic. There were many areas of the city I would not have found if not for the guided tour.”
Spend three private hours with an English-speaking local guide, visiting London favorites such as Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Borough Market while uncovering lesser-known corners and enjoying one local drink or tasting. Anthony, Lixiana, and Flavio have led past departures.
“we had e nice time with lixiana. full of little secret places und useful tips thanks for this new experiences”
Pick a landmark, a river boat or a day out west.
