Price: Starting from USD $40.10 per personDuration: 2.5 Hours
Take a visit to the countryside within London! Away from the crowded city this walk explores the undulating leafy lanes of village Hampstead with its pretty cottages, unique shops and hidden corners. Hampstead was home to famous painters and poets, such as Constable and Keats, and novelists too. See the areas that inspired them, from uplifting views across the Heath to spooky overgrown churchyards, plus the home of an architect who became a James Bond villain. Peaceful Hampstead is a charming and attractive area from which you see unexpected glimpses of the city you've left behind. It is hard to believe that a journey from central London that took 3 hours in the 18th century now takes only 20 minutes on the Underground!
Want to see more of the countryside? Add the following Kenwood Extension and really make a day of it!
Hampstead Heath and Kenwood Extension - London's Countryside
This countryside walk, across Hampstead Heath, through woods and open spaces, provides sweeping views of London. It culminates in a visit to an exquisite 18th century house, home to a magnificent collection of paintings. Your guide will show you masterpieces by Rembrandt, Gainsborough and Vermeer, as well as the place to buy a refreshing cup of tea and some excellent cakes! This afternoon tour lasts about three hours and some of the paths maybe muddy. Great for walking enthusiasts! ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $40.10 per personDuration: 2.5 Hours
'Beginners please' for a stroll through London's theatre land! London's West End contains the largest concentration of performing arts venues in the world. This walk includes stories of theatrical superstitions, ghosts of actors who were murdered by jealous rivals and 'pretty, witty Nell' the darling of the Theatre Royal who was the favourite mistress of King Charles II. We visit the actors' church, see where filmmakers and actors buy their make up and do some star spotting along the way. The scenery includes the cobbles of Covent Garden piazza, the grand Royal Opera House and a sumptuously decorated restaurant. You'll give this walk a standing ovation!
Want more? Add the following Soho Extension and really make a day of it!
Soho Extension - The Bohemian Heart Of London
The Bohemian heart of London still beats in the lively streets of Soho. Spend an afternoon discovering the links between Mozart and the first television show, Casanova and Karl Marx and how a dead woman in north London stopped a cholera epidemic. This immensely varied area has been influenced by the sex trade, past and present, but is also home to trendy fashion around Carnaby Street, funky music shops and a wonderful wall painting. You will finish near the famous shopping district of Regent Street and Oxford Street. ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $40.10 per personDuration: 2.5 Hours
2000 years of history are contained within the one square mile occupied by the City of London. Take an alternative route through its hidden gardens and atmospheric alleys to see the City in a different way. From the devastation of the Great Fire of 1666 and the Blitz of the 1940s, the City's famous financial institutions have risen again, like a phoenix from the ashes. Along the way they have influenced our culture and our language. Medieval buildings jostle with modern architecture, Charles Dickens speaks across the centuries to Harry Potter and a large golden grasshopper adorns the 'exchange'. Come and discover this extraordinary place!
Want to see more of the City? Add the following City Extension and really make a day of it!
The City Extension - From Ancient to Modern
A Roman temple, a Wren church, a memorial to heroic self-sacrifice, a street of buildings by leading contemporary architects, Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and Terry Farrell, plus the site of Braveheart's execution - all part of this varied afternoon walk that develops the theme of ancient to modern in today's City of London. Why was a City church moved to America? Where did the postmen eat their sandwiches? Why is Smithfield associated with blood? This walk will answer all these questions and more! ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $40.10 per personDuration: 2.5 Hours
Chelsea was fashionable long before the King's Road became the centre of 'swinging 60s' London. Its varied inhabitants - kings, artists, fashion designers and rock stars, provide a wealth of extraordinary stories for this lively and interesting walk.You will see a wealth of extraordinary buildings too, from the impressive Royal Hospital (home to the famous Chelsea Pensioners), to an "Arts and Crafts cathedral" and not forgetting part of the Berlin Wall. A beautiful garden with a hot chocolate connection, Dracula's author leaving a dead body on the kitchen table and who do you think most annoyed the neighbours, Mick Jagger or Julie Andrews? Come on this walk to find out!
Want more? Add the following Belgravia Extension and really make a day of it!
Belgravia Extension - The Rich and Famous
A late London development less than 200 years old! Belgravia is truly an area of wealth and splendour. Huge houses, wide streets and one family that rose through the ranks of the nobility imbue this afternoon walk with that British obsession - status and social class. En route you will hear stories of the great and not-so-good, see cobbled mews that once housed horses but are now desirable residences for humans and a hidden pub with the ghost of a soldier. The walk finishes in fashionable Knightsbridge, very handy for Harrods! ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $138.35 per personDuration: 4 hours
Designed in the style of a smart motor yacht, the "Salamander" is the best boat of her capacity (maximum 140) on the Thames today. Spread over 3 decks she offers an upmarket evening experience.
You will be welcomed with a glass of Bucks Fizz, and enjoy a substantial buffet dinner which is served soon after you have embarked. This leaves the rest of the night to dance away on the large dance floor as the resident DJ lays down hit tracks from the past 40 years for your enjoyment.
The fully stocked bar will be serving drinks at normal pub prices throughout the evening, and at midnight you will hopefully be under Big Ben to hear the chimes and sing "Auld Lang Syne" in the traditional manner.
The cruise (subject to tidal conditions) will travel between Chelsea Harbor and the Thames Barrier covering all the best sights of London. ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $138.35 per personDuration: 5 hours
The Erasmus is a spacious (250 capacity), airy boat on three levels, offering superb views of the attractions and skyline of London, and of course the New Years Eve fireworks!
You will be welcomed with a glass of Bucks Fizz, and enjoy a substantial buffet dinner which is served soon after you have embarked. This leaves the rest of the night to dance away on the large dance floor as the resident DJ lays down hit tracks from the past 40 years for your enjoyment.
There are 2 fully stocked bars serving drinks at normal pub prices throughout the night, and at midnight you will hopefully be under Big Ben to hear the chimes and sing "Auld Lang Syne" in the traditional manner.
The cruise (subject to tidal conditions) will travel between Chelsea Harbor and the Thames Barrier covering all the best sights of London. ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $138.35 per personDuration: 5 hours
You can look forward to a spectacular night on this stunning vessel which underwent a $10 million conversion into London's finest showboat. Until a year ago the Dixie Queen was Stockholm's favorite cruising Night Club. Now she is London's largest party and event boat, cruising from Tower Bridge to the Thames Barrier and beyond.
Fitted with a full specification nightclub lighting and sound rig, on the top deck there is over 2,500 square feet of dining and dance area, and although licensed for 575 guests, the numbers are restricted to just 520 to ensure comfort.
Be welcomed on board with a complimentary Bucks Fizz, before exploring the luxurious interior. Two bars will serve reasonably priced drinks throughout the cruise and as you set off you will have a fantastic photo opportunity of the Tower Bridge open especially for you!
Over 2,000 square feet of exterior decking on two levels gives everyone unrivalled views of the illuminated Thames sights. And if you want to relax and unwind away the nightclub there is a restaurant area and bar for your use.
From 8:30pm a delicious buffet will be served on both decks and ample supplies of party poppers and streamers will all add to the fun. This wonderful vessel is normally only available for private charters so take this unsual opportunity to bring a few friends and come on board for the best London New Years Eve party ever! ... read more »
Price: Starting from USD $69.68 per personDuration: 3.5 hours
For centuries, the East End of London has been a significant locale for London's gay community. You will be taken on a journey of the area, the places, haunts and buildings that have played a role in shaping the gay movement here in the UK and across the world.
Throughout history the area has absorbed waves of immigrants who have each added a new dimension to the culture and history of the area. Most notably the French Protestant Huguenots in the 17th century, the Irish in the 18th century, Ashkenazi Jews fleeing Eastern Europe towards the end of the 19th century and the Bangladesh community settling in the UK from the 1960s. Today, the east end has a growing reputation as one of Europe's most creative enclaves, attracting a buzzing community of artists, creative folk and free thinkers.
The East End: Past & Present tour, exclusive to Viator, has been designed to showcase the old and the new. You will visit where Quentin Crisp posed for nude art classes in the 1930s, hence the title of his autobiography 'The Naked Civil Servant' and the site of a 'Molly House' a gay, bisexual men's pub raided in 1727.
Along the way you will see where Philosopher Jeremy Bentham was born who then went onto write 'Offences Against One's Self' the earliest defence of homosexuality. You will be introduced to approximately fifteen places of historic and contemporary significance as you move beyond the tourist trail to discover an alternative view of London life.
However, we don't forget today on your quest as we point out the studios of renowned, eccentric British conceptual artists Gilbert and George, and the pubs and neighbourhoods that attract London's gay creative and style elite.
For gay visitors to London this is a journey of discovery and insight as we remember the significant role the East End played, and continues to play in the lives of gay men across the UK and the world. ... read more »
