As a city that spans 1500 square kilometres and has existed for almost 2000 years, it’s no surprise that London has many stories to tell. From the Romans to the Rolling Stones, guests of hotels near Earls Court London are well-placed to enjoy the many stories and legends from across the city.
With such a long history and large surface area to explore, one of the best ways to get to grips with London’s scale and historic weight is by one of the many walking tours that are available in the city. From exciting deep dives into history to hidden artworks on the city streets, the walking tours of London provide background and orientation for first-time guests of hotels in Kensington and virgin London tourists.
Whether visiting for work or sightseeing, walking tours are often guided by world-class professionals in their field. Be it the history of transport, geography or the paranormal, you can rest assured that London tour guides are some of the best in the world. This blog will explore some of the best walking tours of London, giving guests of Park Grand Kensington accommodation an absorbing and expansive lens through which to learn about the city they’re visiting.
Harry Potter Walking Tour
The Harry Potter Walking Tour is not to be mistaken for the Warner Brothers Making of Harry Potter Tour in Leavesden, which we’ve talked about in another blog, but it’s well worth it for those looking for a new way to see London. These tours provide an in-depth overview of the locations in central London that were used in the Harry Potter films. It’s not just that franchise that your knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide will show you, scenes from Mission: Impossible, Mary Poppins and Captain America are among the other films that you’ll see locations from during your river cruise and 2-hour walk.
Jack The Ripper Tours
There are several of these to choose from in the Whitechapel and Bethnal Green area, but one of the best is the Jack The Ripper Interactive Guided Tour, where a knowledgeable “Ripperologist” will guide you through some of the hunting grounds of this notorious Victorian serial killer. You’ll see photographic evidence from the crime scene and will be able to make your mind up about who the infamous and elusive serial killer was through in-depth details of the suspects.
Euston: Lost Tunnels
Started by the London Museum of Transport, these tours of subterranean Euston will draw you into a forgotten world of disused underground stations and old posters from a network that will soon be swept away. Indeed, there’s a limited time to enjoy this Hidden London tour, as soon it will be used as the London Terminus of the HS2 train line to the Midlands. Before work begins though, a professional tour guide will take you on a 75-minute walk through the tunnels. Many of them have been left untouched for 50 years and so this is a rare opportunity to learn the secrets of its past, and what the future holds for this vital network. Tours run until the 24th of July 2022.
Hidden London Walking Tour
Though London is home to a wealth of world-famous attractions, some of the more unique landmarks are not as well advertised. The Hidden London Walking Tour will provide you with insider knowledge on the panoramas, squares and attractions that are a little off the beaten track.
Haunted London Pub Tour
Some might be tourist gimmicks but others have long histories behind them. Indeed, some of London’s oldest pubs date back to the 14th century and so it’s unsurprising that there are a great many ghost stories surrounding them. This pub tour will teach you legends and stories about some of the city’s most historic – and spooky – pubs, along with a few pints on the way!
London Ghost Walk
From the Georgian origins of the Park Grand Kensington Hotel London to long-standing West End theatres, many of the city’s buildings have a lengthy, sometimes bloody history and so it’s not unusual that some of these gorgeous landmarks are considered to be haunted. The London ghost walk is hosted by an engaging raconteur and paranormal expert who will guide you through some of the city centre’s most famous ghost sightings.
London Street Art Tour
Take a trip down the rabbit hole with this East London walking tour that will show you a whole different side to the cultural scene. The Shoreditch Street Art Tour is hosted by NoLionsInEngland, an esteemed photographer himself who knows all the best spots in buzzing Shoreditch to find beautiful, often hidden graffiti and prints. Street art is expressionistic and political, so learning the stories behind these blink-and-you-miss-it pieces will provide great context to the city they’re sprayed on.
Ghost Signs Walking Tour
Learn about London through a new unique lens – its abandoned buildings. The Ghost Signs walking tour is not about ghosts as you may think of them, but more about the left-behind echoes of East London’s warehouse districts, and how their advertisements and buildings came to fall into obscurity. The Ghost Signs Walking Tour starts from a very specific old post box in Stoke Newington and takes around 2 hours to complete.
London’s Dark Side Tour
If the London Dungeons only whet your appetite for more blood and guts, then the London Dark Side Tour is the one for you. This 3-hour walking tour provides insight into the grisly murders, executions and events from the city’s past. As a large city with a history teeming with tumult, it’s unsurprising that there’s a lot to squeeze in here.
Buckingham Palace State Room Tours
One of the most popular tours and one that is only available during the summer months, the Buckingham Palace self-guided tours allow visitors to learn about the history of this beautiful, still-running palace. As the headquarters for the royal family, some areas of Buckingham Palace are off limits but visitors can enjoy learning about the lavish State Rooms, dating back to the Georgian era, where foreign dignitaries and influential leaders are entertained by members of the royal family.