I love London but have never tried a walking tour so when I was offered some advice and a post on walking tours I had a read and loved the sound of it. I hope you do too as I was keen to share it with you! Does anyone fancy a trip to London? What would you fancy doing?
Those boots were made for walking, so strap on your most comfortable shoes and take to the streets of London where centuries of history and some of the best site-seeing attractions await your every turn. It’s a great way to get that much-needed exercise and not be bored doing it. If you have a day, or even just a couple of hours to spare, there’s bound to be something here for you.
We’ve compiled together some of London’s walking favourites.
Harry Potter Walking Tour
There’s no denying the Harry Potter phenomenon has spread across the world in pretty much the same way the Star Wars saga unfolded back in the 1970s, but unlike its space-aged counterpart, you can visit the scenes that appeared in all the movies and books. If you fancy following in the footsteps of one of the world’s most famous fictional wizards, you can book any number of walking tours that soak up the sites around London. I found some real quirky treats, including Diagon Alley and the mythical Platform 9¾. If you have young ones, bring them along, they will love it.
The Changing of the Guard
If wizards and goblins aren’t really your cup of tea, then why not try a more historical journey into one of London’s most famous traditions. The Changing of the Guard is an unforgettable London experience. It’s everything you expect from the pomp and splendour of the Royal parades and best of all you can walk along with the guards as they make their way down to Buckingham Palace or the parade ground.
Jack the Ripper Tours
If tales of ghastly murder and mystery is what you enjoy then you really can’t get any better than booking yourself onto a Jack the Ripper tour. London’s most infamous bogeyman has had a tour going since he first stalked the streets of Whitechapel in 1888. The great part about a Ripper tour is you get a superb night’s entertainment from an excellent guide (often theatrical) and you get educated on the social history and police techniques of the Victorian age. You also get a chance to play detective yourself and work out who the elusive jack may have been, discussing some of the many Jack the Ripper-related theories. The perks of this tour are it’s much cheaper than a West End theatre ticket, often more enjoyable, certainly more educational and you are getting to walk about and see the sites of Victorian London.
Street Art Tour
All thanks to artists such as Banksy, street art has become an extremely popular form of artistic expression, and the best place to soak that up is in London’s East End, namely Brick Lane or Shoreditch. Taking one of the street art tours operating in this area you will be impressed at the many quirky and stylish pieces of art dotted around the neighbourhood. Better still, along the way, you get to wander down back alleys and secret lanes or along canalside walkways that you never knew existed. Even if art isn’t your scene, discovering parts of hidden London will leave you with a great experience.
Walk along the South Bank of the Thames
Whenever visitors come to London they tend to go straight to the usual spots of Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London, but if you want to see a few more intriguing parts of London’s history, then check out the other side of the Thames River. Take a walk over Millennium Bridge from St Pauls Cathedral and here you will discover Shakespeare’s Globe tavern, Sir Francis Drake’s ship, the Golden Hinde and the Clink prison. You’ve also got Borough street market ancient churches and the famous tower bridge.
If you are looking for Mobility friendly places to visit then don’t worry, a friend of mine has compiled a great list of mobility friendly London attractions you should check out.