Private Walking Tour: Historic London Pubs with Unique Characters and Rich History
5.0
34 Ratings
Greater London
Embark on a private walking tour of historic London pubs with unique characters and rich history. Discover hidden gems and enjoy an unhurried drink in unspoilt locations.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Viaduct Tavern - Visit this old Gin Palace where in the cellars you might find cells for prisoners awaiting execution at the old prison next door.
  • East End - Passing through Farringdon we will see The Castle pub and learn its unusual connection to the Royal Family.
  • The Castle Farringdon - Learn the intriguing story of what happened when the King visited here one day.
  • Clerkenwell - We will pass by the one of the old haunts of Communism as well as seeing part of the ancient estate of the Knights of St. John.
  • Crown Tavern - You may recognise this grand old pub from television and films, it also has a backdrop in a distinctly Dickensian part of London. Perhaps most importantly it is said that this is the spot where Lenin and Stalin may have first met.
  • Ye Olde Mitre, Holborn - The hardest to find pub in London which actually somehow be in Cambridge! Once the haunting ground of Queen Elizabeth I
  • The Seven Stars - This old pub is in the middle of ‘legal’ London and it is here where clients would come to celebrate with their legal team if they were found ‘Not Guilty’.
  • Lincoln’s Inn Fields - After passing through beautiful Lincolns Inn, we will come to Fleet Street, the famous home of the British Newspapers. Here we will find a pub that was once part of an old monastery and learn about its most famous resident, a once vile mouthed, stuffed parrot.
  • Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - This pub dates back perhaps 700 years old and has been the haunt of every famous London resident for centuries. Learn about its foul-mouthed parrot that lived here 100 years ago and explore the numerous underground levels and bars.
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to/from attractions
Additional Information

Experience the charm of age-old pubs, some even pre-dating The Great Fire of London. Each establishment oozes its own distinct character and narrative, offering you the opportunity to leisurely savor a beverage in unparalleled and well-preserved locations, just like the locals do.

Kindly bear in mind that this is an exclusive tour intended only for you and any accompanying friends or family. This is NOT A GROUP TOUR.

  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Location
St. Paul's
Cheapside
We can meet you from any Central London hotel. Otherwise we can meet just outside St Pauls Underground Station, next to the Caffe Nero.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(34 Ratings)
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Rries4321
Apr 29, 2024
Fantastic Pub Tour!!! - What an incredible tour!!! Our guide Stephen took us to five pubs that were fantastic with each one having a very unique history (and the beers were great too!). My favorite was the Mayflower, the oldest pub on the River Thames! Stephen is incredibly knowledgeable on London's history and shared many interesting stories about the pubs and the surrounding area. I would recommend this tour to anyone and we look forward to booking another tour with him next year!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guide542168
Apr 26, 2024
Don't miss this pub tour - Stephen was an exceptional friendly and knowledgeable guide! We got great pub history as well as history around London. Definitely worth it! I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suess835
Jan 15, 2024
Learnt so much great day out - Stephen took us on this amazing tour of some of the hidden historic pubs in london.We loved the day very much Stephen is very friendly chatty and has so much knowledge. We will go on one of his tours again and would thoroughly recommend his tours to everyone. we saw places we didn't know existed despite living only an hours drive from London . He also gave us a longer day than we expected and didn't feel rushed at all 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taylor_d
Sep 26, 2023
Wonderful way to spend your day - Such a wonderful tour. Stephen was an amazing guide full of knowledge and enthusiasm. We not only went to pubs with an abundance of history but also saw numerous monuments and special sights. Would highly recommend to anyone looking to go on a pub tour, it is definitely worth it
Review provided by Viator
Gailm57
Sep 2, 2023
London History and Pub Tour - Fantastic tour. Stephen is an amazing guide. It’s not just a Pub tour but a tour that provides interesting historical information. Stephen is an entertaining guy and we enjoyed every moment of our tour. A great way to spend a day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mjs7779
Aug 31, 2023
Historical Pub Tour is a must do! - The Historic Pub Tour is highly recommended. Such a great way to get away from the usual touristy stuff. Stephen is a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, engaging, generous and personable. This private tour (that’s right, a private tour so no large groups, or a guide yelling their boring script or wearing dodgy audio sets!) took us off the tourist tracks and showed us an interesting and intriguing history of London, stopping at numerous authentic historical pubs and enjoying a drink at each one (the drinks were included in the price). Conversation easily flowed with Stephen. We enjoyed his stories and the way he shared his knowledge. He is a passionate guide who wants to give you a great experience. This tour was exactly what we were looking for and we can’t recommend it enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_s
Jan 16, 2023
Historic Pub Walking Tour with Kevin - We thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour with Kevin. He met us at our hotel to bring us on the tube to our destination. Area. He shared his knowledge of history and interesting points of comment along the way which was very insightful and added a tremendous amount to this tour. It was just the right balance of enjoying a pint, learning unknown facts about the pubs we visited and walking. We would highly recommend this tour and Kevin!
Review provided by Viator
M0tij
Dec 31, 2022
One of the best experiences we’ve had in London! - *my family and I booked this tour on Viator. Cross posting our 5 star review because this tour deserves it and to note that the 3-star review here is not accurate and is actually misplaced. Please disregard it My family and I absolutely loved this historic pub tour with Stephen. He showed up promptly at the agreed-upon meeting spot and time, and immediately charmed us with his vast knowledge of the history of London. It was fascinating learning about the various streets and corners of London and the original significance of each of the pubs we visited. Also, the drinks served at each bar were delicious. Seriously, Stephen is a more reliable Wikipedia and you would be hard pressed to find a better guide. My family and I will be booking future tours with Stephen when we return to London next time as he offers a wide variety of tours throughout London.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Moti_j
Dec 31, 2022
One of the best experiences we’ve had in London! - My family and I absolutely loved this historic pub tour with Stephen. He showed up promptly at the agreed-upon meeting spot and time, and immediately charmed us with his vast knowledge of the history of London. It was fascinating learning about the various streets and corners of London and the original significance of each of the pubs we visited. Also, the drinks served at each bar were delicious. Seriously, Stephen is a more reliable Wikipedia and you would be hard pressed to find a better guide. My family and I will be booking future tours with Stephen when we return to London next time as he offers a wide variety of tours throughout London.
Review provided by Viator
Karishma
Dec 31, 2022
Stephen is absolutely exceptional - We were a big group for the private tour and Stephen was an exceptional guide. I’ve personally been to London 5-6 times and I ended up seeing a lot of new neighborhoods and pubs that I hadn’t ever visited. Stephen is extremely knowledgeable, all of us were blown away by the fun facts and depth of history he shared. The pubs he took us to were exceptional and ones where the locals drink, no touristy spots. He was fun, delightful, kind, EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGABLE. He was one of the highlights of our trip, highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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July 2024
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