3 Hour Guided Private Walking Tour: The Best of London

5.0 (65 reviews) 3–4 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

65 reviews

5.0

Buckingham Palace — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Discover top attractions and famous landmarks across the British capital on this private 3-hour London walking tour. Follow a private guide through the ancient streets of London and gain insight into centuries of British history. Along the way, hear the chimes of Big Ben and take in key sites of interest such as Covent Garden, China Town, and Trafalgar Square. Soak up the atmosphere in Piccadilly Circus and see the royal soldiers at Buckingham Palace. This private tour includes pickup and drop-off at selected London hotels.

Half-day Tours Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours City Tours Excellent Quality

At a glance

Duration: 3–4 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: Ye Olde England Tours

Ages: Children (5–15 years) · Adults (16–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Hotel pick-up and drop-off to selected hotels
Included: Private guide

Not included

Not included: Transportation to/from attractions

Itinerary

Big Ben

5 min Admission not included

The famous clock tower of Westminster Palace.
Thames River

5 min

Behind Parliament is the River Thames and you'll learn a little of the life it has played in shaping London.
London Eye

Passing by

We won't go on it but we'll see it from the river.
Houses of Parliament

10 min Admission not included

The Mother of Parliaments. Once a royal palace, it has inspired democratic movements in the France, the USA and around the world. We'll learn of its history and the role it still plays today.
Parliament Square

15 min

Parliament Square the the political heart of Westminster. Full of statues of people dedicated to Democracy and Liberty from Winston Churchill to Abraham Lincoln to Nelson Mandela. Surrounded by Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the High Courts.
Whitehall

20 min

The broad avenue in Westminster full of beautiful and famous London government buildings.
Stop 7

5 min Admission included

Our national memorial to the fallen of WW1, WW2 and recent wars.
10 Downing Street

5 min Admission not included

The home of the Prime Minister at Number 10.
Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall

5 min

The primary ceremonial parade ground is surrounded by beautiful buildings and parks. It must be why the Queen has her birthday celebrations here.
Westminster Abbey

5 min Admission not included

Beautiful Westminster Abbey is where every monarch has been crowned since the times of William the Conqueror almost 1,000 years ago.
Admiralty Arch

5 min Admission not included

The beautiful old headquarters to the Royal Navy.
Trafalgar Square

10 min

The most famous square in London. Home of fountains, statues, galleries and culture.
Nelson's Column

5 min Admission included

Learn the story of Admiral Nelson and the famous lions at the base of his majestic column
Stop 14

2 min Admission not included

Overlooking the fountains and large plaza, The National Gallery is full of paintings on the inside and street performers and art on the outside.
Cecil Court

5 min

This beautiful old street is full of niche art and cultural shops and the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter.
Covent Garden

10 min

The cultural heart of London with a unique vibe. From Opera to sword jugglers, this is the place to be.
Leicester Square

5 min

The beating heart of the West End. Surrounded by cafes and movie-cinemas.
Women of World War II Memorial

2 min Admission not included

Learn the story of the women who died during the epic war effort.
Piccadilly Circus

5 min

New York has Time Square, London has the much older Piccadilly Circus.
Fortnum & Mason

Passing by

One of many high quality retailers in Piccadilly and one where everyone from The Queen downwards buys their goodies from!
Green Park

10 min

One of the Royal Parks. It is called Green Park for a particular reason!
Spencer House

5 min Admission not included

From Green Park, we will see the London family home of the Spencer family.
The Mall

5 min

The primary Ceremonial road in London. You might recognise it from Royal Weddings and national celebrations.
Buckingham Palace

10 min Admission not included

Buckingham Palace, the home of the King.
Chinatown

10 min

Chinatown in Soho is a unique mix of old London, Chinese heritage and contemporary culture.
St. James's Park

10 min

An ornately beautiful Royal Park with great views of the palace and Westminster. Sometimes used in TV shows such as Downton Abbey.
St. Paul's Cathedral

10 min Admission not included

On the extended tour, we will see the cathedral for London and learn its fascinating history.
Millennium Bridge

5 min

Londons newest iconic bridge. (Extended Tour)
Tate Modern

Passing by

The largest modern art gallery in the world. (Extended Tour)
Borough Market

10 min

Londons most famous food market, here since Roman times. You can get food from all over the world here... freshly made. Many a tour has come to a halt here :-) I like the dairy free goat ice-cream and also the Ethiopian curry but everyone has their favourites! (Extended Tour)
Southwark Anglican Cathedral

5 min Admission not included

One of the smaller and less famous London cathedrals but beautiful nonetheless. (Extended Tour)
London Bridge

10 min

The original bridge was built by the Romans and pulled down by the Vikings. A millennia later and this modern bridge still has a tall spike on the end with a gory story to tell. (Extended Tour)
Stop 33

5 min Admission not included

Learn the story behind the famous Globe theatre and all things Shakespeare! (Extended Tour)
HMS Belfast

Passing by

From London Bridge we will see this old Royal Navy Cruiser. (Extended Tour)
The Monument to the Great Fire of London

5 min Admission not included

From out of nowhere, the epic Monument to the Great Fire of London appears. (Extended Tour)
Tower of London

10 min Admission not included

Built by William The Conqueror and home to the Crown Jewels and with an active military history up past WW2. We will visit the ominously named Traitors Gate. (Extended Tour)
Tower Bridge

5 min Admission not included

We finish by one of the symbols of London, Tower Bridge and learn a little of its interesting history along the way. (Extended Tour)
Ye Olde England Tours

Passing by

This is just one of over 50 tours run and organised by Ye Olde England Tours. Believe it or not the list of places we visit in this tour is not exhaustive. This is the tour for you for your first or only day in London.

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

Just outside Westminster Underground Station on Bridge Street, opposite Big Ben. There is a Caffe Nero, we start from there. Of course we can meet you at your London hotel too.

End point

Just outside Westminster Underground Station on Bridge Street, opposite Big Ben. There is a Caffe Nero, we start from there. Of course we can meet you at your London hotel too.

Pickup points

Zedwell Piccadilly Circus
The Hoxton, Holborn
Cherry Court Hotel
Astons Apartments
Pavilion Rooms at No. 26
Avonmore Hotel
Claridge's
Clifton Lodge Apartments
The July London Victoria
ME London
Howard Winchester Hotel
Grosvenor House Suites

and 419 more pickup points

We can pick you up from any Central London hotel, not just those listed here.

Using your ticket

Dress code is smart casual
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended

This operator requires you to contact them directly prior to this tour/activity.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour involves a moderate amount of walking please wear comfortable shoes
Generally the sights are relatively quiet and we always practice social distancing but at some locations it is possible small sections may have small crowds so we will do our best to avoid them though social distancing is generally not a problem. All of our tours are private so it is just you/your family and your guide. To make it easier and safer for all concerned we would suggest starting this tour a little later than the usual time, perhaps around 10.30-11am which allows us all to miss rush-hour. We are happy to still come to your hotel to meet you but for the moment we would suggest meeting us at the tour starting point. This allows you to arrive by a taxi or uber rather than public transport. Please feel free to wear masks throughout or at times during the tour. Your guide will also have a mask with them.

Options

Additional 2 hours Touring

Everything in the standard tour plus we will then get the Tube a few miles across London to visit St. Pauls Cathedral, The Millenium Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Tower Bridge+Tower of London!
See all the main sights!

3 hour walk to see Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Horseguards Parade, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Picadilly & Leicester Sq, Buckingham Palace and more!