In a nutshell
- A guided tour is one of the best things to do in London for discovering the city’s many different sides. We’ll walk you through our 11 favorites.
- Westminster Sightseeing Tour: Perfect for London first-timers. You’ll get a great overview and fascinating stories about the city’s top sights.
- Harry Potter Tour: An absolute must for Harry Potter fans. On this London tour, you’ll feel just like the young wizard himself.
- Food Tour: For all foodies. Indulge in iconic British dishes and discover the city’s best markets and pubs.
Lies auch:
The Classics: City Tours in London to the Highlights
Is this your first time in London and you want to explore the city’s highlights? Then a classic London tour is perfect for your first visit.
You’ll get to know the city, see the most famous sights, and your guides will even share a few insider tips for London.
For London First-Timers: Sightseeing Tour through Westminster
Want to get to know London without getting lost in a large group? Then this London sightseeing tour is perfect.
On this walk through Westminster, you won’t just tick off classic sights like Big Ben or Westminster Abbey. Your guide will also tell you — with a healthy dose of humor — all about the history of the district and its kings and queens.
In three hours, you won’t just see Westminster’s highlights — you’ll become a real expert on the neighborhood. After this tour, London will definitely captivate you just as much as it did us.
Book the Small-Group Sightseeing Tour through Westminster
For the Active: Bicycle Tour through London
Don’t want to walk too much? Then a bicycle tour through London is a great option for you.
For about four hours, an English-speaking guide rides with your group along both banks of the Thames, giving you unique views of London’s landmarks like the London Eye and the Tower of London.
Especially if you’re only spending a weekend in London, a bicycle tour is seriously worth it — you cover a lot of ground quickly.
Along the way you’ll learn a ton about the history of the city — the legends aren’t skipped either, including the ones that grew out of terrible fires and outbreaks of plague.
Every participant gets a rental bike included in the price. And if London’s weather strikes, the tour still goes on — you can buy a rain poncho on-site.
Book the Bicycle Tour through London
Still looking for a great place to stay for your London trip? We have the best tips for every type of traveler.
For the Relaxed: Boat Tour through London
A boat trip on the Thames is, in our opinion, an absolute must on any visit to London. The gentle rocking of the boat, snacks or a multi-course meal, and soft background music deliver real relaxation right in the heart of the city.
For two hours, you can soak up London’s stunning backdrop and views of London’s top attractions like Tower Bridge and The Shard. This guided London tour is also especially great for anyone who relies on a wheelchair and can’t join many other walking tours.
There are plenty of boat trips in London to choose from. For a cruise past the most important sights, we’d especially recommend the classic boat tour to Tower Bridge or a culinary dinner cruise.
Book the Classic Boat Tour on the Thames
Book the Culinary Boat Tour with Dinner and Live Music
Film Tours in London: Discover the Filming Locations of Famous Movies
London has served as a backdrop for countless iconic films. There’s something special about recognizing a real place from a movie you love — so don’t miss out on a film tour in London!
For Wizarding Students: Harry Potter Tour through London
Harry spends most of his time at Hogwarts. But London itself has plenty to discover from the world of the famous young wizard: Platform 9¾ is hidden in King’s Cross Station, and Diagon Alley is where Harry buys everything for the new school year.
The Harry Potter Tour in London takes you deep into the magical world of witches and wizards and lets you forget the boring Muggle world for a while. Hardly anyone knows as much about the young wizard as your guide, who will answer absolutely every question over 2.5 hours.
On the tour you won’t just visit the filming locations. You’ll also find out which Hogwarts house you belong to, enjoy a Butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron, and see the places that inspired J.K. Rowling to create Harry Potter.
The tour is available in several languages. If you’re traveling to London with kids, the Harry Potter Tour is of course a must!
Book the Harry Potter Tour in London
Want even more Harry Potter?
For Agents: James Bond Tour in London
Who doesn’t know him — the most famous agent in Great Britain? Bond. James Bond. Armed with coolness and ingenious gadgets, his adventures captivate just about everyone.
On this English-language tour through London, you’ll explore the city from the perspective of 007. Naturally, the filming locations are a central part of this London city tour.
But that’s far from all: over the 2.5-hour tour, you’ll also visit places that were significant to Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond — and discover spots where real-life agents made history.
Book the James Bond Walking Tour through London
Culinary City Walks in London: The Way to the Heart is Through the Stomach
When so many cultures come together in one city, something great can emerge — especially on the culinary front.
Join these food tours in London for a delicious journey through the capital from a whole new angle.
For Foodies: British Food Tour
The English can’t cook? Think again! On this three-hour food tour through London, you’ll be convinced of the opposite. You’ll visit some of the most famous restaurants and markets in London and sample the most iconic British dishes.
Your group makes a total of eight stops, and you can really treat yourself: think real English sweets, brownies, and the classic fish and chips.
The best British cheese and chutneys are also on the menu, enjoyed alongside a proper London beer. The tour wraps up with a surprise dish.
While you eat your way through the city, your English-speaking guide fills you in on London’s markets and their fascinating history.
Book the Culinary City Tour in London
For Connoisseurs: Pub Tour through London
What makes a London guided tour even better? Having a fun guide tell you stories about the city while you leisurely sip a pint.
On this three-hour tour, you’ll visit four pubs, all with a great history and most of them made famous through the author Charles Dickens. Depending on how your English-speaking guide is feeling, it could easily turn into one or two more.
If you want to keep the night going after the tour, the West End is nearby. That lively neighborhood with loads of pubs and great London restaurants is just a short walk from where the tour ends.
For this city walk, you should enjoy beer or gin. If neither appeals to you, this one probably isn’t for you.
Book the Pub Tour through London
Special Tours in London: Unique is Always a Good Thing
Looking for a one-of-a-kind London tour? Here come the options that are truly out of the ordinary.
For Art Lovers: Street Art Walking Tour through London
Have you ever seen a real Banksy or admired an Invader? Or do you not even really know what those are?
Then you should definitely join a street art walking tour in London. Because London without street art is like London without the Royals — and yet most visitors know very little about the murals and graffiti that decorate nearly every wall in the city.
Your guide will take you past well-known spots to the colorful works of famous and lesser-known artists alike. These genuinely put many a landmark to shame.
If the street art tour leaves you wanting more, you can become an artist yourself at the end in a workshop — and take your creation home with you.
Book the Street Art Walking Tour in London
Book the Street Art Tour with Workshop
For Thrill-Seekers: City Tour in the Footsteps of Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper. Even the name sounds creepy. No other killer has had so many rumors, clues, and gruesome details spread about him over the years.
He was never caught. So there will always be new theories about who murdered five women in Whitechapel in 1888.
The English-language Jack the Ripper Tour takes you through one of the darkest chapters in London’s history and makes the terror that Jack caused feel all too vivid.
As your guide walks you through the few clues that police were able to gather at the time, you’ll travel back in time to foggy Victorian London. And who knows — maybe in those two hours you’ll spot the crucial detail that finally solves the mystery.
Book the Jack the Ripper Tour in London
For Romantics: Notting Hill Tour
Notting Hill has been around for a long time, but it wasn’t until the film of the same name with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts that the whole world really fell for this neighborhood — starting in 1999.
During the Notting Hill Tour, you can step into the movie for a while: you’ll walk to the bookshop from the film and, of course, to the famous blue door.
Haven’t seen the film? No problem. Your guide will show you the highlights of this colorful neighborhood, walk you through the famous Portobello Road Market, and share everything about the annual street carnival.
To fully enjoy this 1.5-hour tour, you should be comfortable with English.
For Music Fans: Beatles Tour through London
Attention music fans! This London tour is made for you if you love the Beatles and the pop music of the ’60s.
The 2.5-hour tour takes you to the most famous spots in London’s music history, all made legendary by the Beatles.
A small bus whisks you and your group quickly from one location to the next, where you’ll hear the most fascinating stories about the band.
Together with your English-speaking guide, you’ll visit places like the Scotch of St. James Club. And of course you’ll get to snap a photo on the famous crosswalk on Abbey Road.
Book the Beatles Tour in London
Free City Tours in London
Want to keep your travel budget in check? You can also join free tours in London.
One great option is the so-called free walking tour, which you’ll find in many major cities around the world.
The concept is simple:
There’s usually no fee when booking — sometimes just a small reservation fee. Instead of a fixed ticket price, you decide at the end how much tip you want to give your local guide, based on how much you enjoyed it and what feels right for your budget.
Here are three free London tours we think are really worth it:
London Essentials Free Tour: A 1.5-hour tour covering London’s absolute must-see highlights and the best photo spots
Free Harry Potter Walking Tour: A two-hour tour to the Harry Potter filming locations in London
Mysteries of Jack the Ripper: A two-hour tour through the Whitechapel neighborhood where Jack the Ripper terrorized in 1888 — packed with fascinating stories
