London is a city with a history stretching 2000 years. Whilst other cities may have happily ambled on over such an extended period, London’s past saw many periods of tumult, wars and rapid growth over tens of centuries. It’s unsurprising then that when you see its skyline, the buildings are often incredibly different. Just look at the area surrounding Park Grand Hyde Park accommodation, an assortment of Victorian townhouses, modern developments and royal palaces. With many quirks and oddities peppering the mise en scene of London,
It’s reasons such as these that make London such a prime city for guided tours, many of which you can ask your concierge about at the front desk of hotels near Westbourne Terrace. The layers of history, legends and untold stories make it one of the most exciting places in the world for walkabouts and street level rambles - although the tour guides certainly won’t!
Guests of the hotel restaurants near Hyde Park are perfectly placed to enjoy the guided tours of London; the city centre is within a half-hour walk away. That’s why this blog will outline some of the most popular in the city, and what you’ll gain from each of them.
Tours Of Buckingham Palace
Between February and November, the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace sees the gilded gates open and monarchy loving tourists explore artworks and artefacts from the Royal Collection which has been amassed over hundreds of years. The State Rooms, where the Queen and other royals entertain foreign delegates, open up between August and September, giving you the chance to enjoy tours of these beautiful Georgian-era halls.
Jack The Ripper Tours
With a wealth to choose from, Whitechapel and Shoreditch are flooded with fun, informative and downright spooky tours of Jack The Ripper’s “haunts”. The infamous Victorian-era serial killer stalked the streets of East London and tourists and locals alike can’t get enough of these tours. Our top picks would be the Jack The Ripper Interactive Guided Tour, which gives you the chance to see photographic evidence from the crime scenes and will challenge you to try and crack the case. With a Ripperologist on hand to guide you through many details of the crimes, you’ll be given suspect cards to help you draw your own conclusions.
Shoreditch Street Art Tours
Another East London based tour that’ll add colour to your life (hopefully not red like the Jack The Ripper Tour!), the Shoreditch Street Art scene can be easily overlooked due to the many galleries across London. Street art is rarely subtle, but amidst the hubbub of areas like Brick Lane, you could quite easily miss some of the most vivid and political art from some of the country’s best creatives. The Shoreditch Street Art Tour is hosted by photographer and tour guide NoLionsInEngland, an expert on British street art, and starts at Spitalfield Market and at various times throughout the day.
Red Bus Tours
Red Bus Tours are a firm favourite, especially for tourists and guests of 4-star hotels near Hyde Park who are strapped for time on their London visit but want to see as much of the city as possible. The Red Bus Tour usually takes about half a day and runs at 8.30 am, with a second afternoon session starting after the lunch hour. The Red Bus Tour whisks visitors off on an open-top London bus from Victoria Coach Station and will have them see many of the biggest landmarks in London, all accompanied by narration from a professional tour guide. There are optional add-ons to your ticket too, offering you discounted trips on the London Eye, a Thames River cruise and many more unforgettable bonuses.
Football Stadium Tours
There’s a reason why London’s Premier League football clubs are some of the most famous in the world, and it’s partly down to how iconic their stadiums are. From Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium, many tours are available either online or through private booking that will explore the history, architecture and the big wins of London’s most famous football arenas.
Harry Potter Tour
Unguided needn’t mean uninformative, as the Harry Potter Tour at Leavesden Studios can attest to. In fact, this walk-through tour will immerse visitors in the lore, construction and devising of the Harry Potter film franchise. Warner Brothers Studios is located just outside of London and has become a worldwide phenomenon thanks to its immersive Harry Potter experience. The tour will take visitors through the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and many more famous sets from the franchise. You’ll leave knowing a lot more about set design, concept art and bringing magic to the big screen, even if you’re not a movie or Harry Potter buff.
Thames RIB Tours
With a choice of durations to choose from, the RIB tours are a speedboat thrill ride past some of the River Thames' most famous landmarks. Whizz through central London towards the Thames Barrier and you’ll see the likes of Big Ben, the O2 Arena and many more stunning sights along the meandering banks of the river.
Ghost Signs Walking Tour
This niche tour of London might seem unremarkable on the surface, much like its focus and theme, but beneath the surface, a tour of London’s many disused signs will provide insight into the city that you’ll not find anywhere else. From long-liquidated local businesses to the history of British advertising, the Ghost Signs Walking tour takes around 2 hours and starts from the first point of interest - a post box in Stoke Newington.
London’s Abandoned Tube Stations
Set up by the London Transport Museum, the tours of London’s former underground stations will provide visitors with an in-depth view of the way that one of Europe’s most impressive transport networks was developed and designed. From former stations turned film sets to spooky tunnels and service areas, this tour, organised by the London Transport Museum is more than a walk through subterranean London, it’s a walk through the history of engineering.
