freelance tour guide london

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 48 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

Walking Tours of London

See our Calendar Below for All Tours, as well as Things to Do & Travel Tips

Featured tours.

City of London & Rooftop Garden View

City of london & rooftop garden view highlights.

• St. Paul's Cathedral
• The Tower of London
• The Bank of England
• Temple Church (dates permitting)
• Royal Courts of Justice
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
• London Bridge
• Tower Bridge
• Millennium Bridge
• The Monument
• River Thames
• HMS Belfast
• and much more

Graffiti & Street Art

Graffiti & street art highlights.

• Spitalfield's Market
• Hanbury Street

London's Ghosts & Gruesome Past

London's ghosts & gruesome past highlights.

• Farringdon Station:  "Mind the gap" as you learn about the ghost of a girl that is said to haunt the station.
• Smithfield Market:  This market was a place for public executions for centuries.
• Charterhouse Square:  Learn how plagues changed London, how deadly they were, how doctors tried to stop them and what happened to those who survived.
• Cloth Fair : Here your guide will show you where to pick up a drink before attending a public London execution.
• St. Bartholomew the Great Church:   Surrounded by centuries-old tombstones as you find yourself standing in one of London's most haunted graveyards.
• William Wallace Memorial : Hear the true story of William Wallace, of "Braveheart" fame, from the gory details of his triple execution to the later consequences for the UK and the inaccuracies of the film loosely based on his life.
• St. Bartholomew's Hospital : You will be grateful for your current medical service when you find out what methods, tools and means the doctors here used in the past!
• Holy Sepulchre Church : Empty pits are a reminder of the times, over two hundred years ago, when some people made a living by taking dead bodies out from their graves and selling them.
• The Old Bailey:  At this legendary courthouse, your guide will introduce you to the "worst serial killer" England ever saw. And if you think it's Jack the Ripper - think again!

Magical Harry Potter Tour (& Real Bottle of Butterbeer)

Magical harry potter tour (& real bottle of butterbeer) highlights.

Enjoy a real bottle of Butterbeer on this tour.

• Borough Market:  Borough Market was transformed into the setting for the Leaky Cauldron's entrance. The market's bustling atmosphere and historic architecture added an authentic touch to the magical world of Harry Potter and the Knight Bus scene that was filmed here.
• The Clink Prison:  Considered an inspiration for Azkaban Prison, The Clink adds to the historical ambiance of the area, which was utilised as a filming location for scenes in Harry Potter.
• The Globe Theatre:  Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Rebuilt by actor Sam Wanamaker, who is actually the father of Zoe Wanamaker who played Madame Hooch. In addition, David Tenant, who played Barty Crouch Jr. was married here.
• The Millennium Bridge:  This iconic London landmark, built in the year 2000 (hence the name) was blown up by the Death Eaters in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!
• St. Paul's Cathedral:  This is where Newt Scamander met Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series and served as the set for the staircase to the Divination Tower in the Harry Potter film franchise.
• The City of London School:  Daniel Radcliffe attended the prestigious City of London School, which has a reputation for academic excellence and notable alumni. His education at this esteemed school provided a strong foundation that complemented his burgeoning acting career.
• Scotland Yard:  Here you will stand in the footsteps of the Trio as you explore the location where they infiltrated the Ministry of Magic in The Order of the Phoenix.
• Trafalgar Square:  The site of the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 on July 7, 2011, attracting thousands of fans from around the globe. The cast walked from here, up the world's longest recorded red carpet, to Leicester Square for the final film screening and we will walk in their footsteps.
• Godwin's Court:  Godwin's Court in London, with its narrow, winding alley and historic charm, is believed to have inspired the set designers' depiction of Knockturn Alley in the Harry Potter series. The atmospheric setting, characterised by its cobblestone street and period architecture, evokes the mysterious and slightly sinister ambiance of the dark wizarding marketplace.
• Cecil Court:  Cecil Court, a quaint pedestrian street in London known for its antiquarian bookshops and historic charm, is widely believed to have inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. The enchanting atmosphere, lined with eclectic shops and Victorian architecture, mirrors the magical shopping district where wizards purchase their spellbinding supplies.
• Charing Cross:  The entrance to Diagon Alley is depicted as being located on Charing Cross Road, a bustling thoroughfare in London known for its bookstores and proximity to the theatre district. This central and vibrant location adds a touch of magical realism to the series, blending the ordinary Muggle world with the hidden wizarding realm.

Historic London Pub Tour

Historic london pub tour highlights.

• Visit pubs frequented by London's most famous poets, writers, and free thinkers!
• Follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth I and visit the hardest-to-find pub in London.
• Explore parts of London as a local and get away from the tourist crowd.
• Drink in a pub that has actual jail cells in the basement from medieval times.
• See the first Irish Pub outside of Ireland.
• Hear the tales of and visit some of the famed Victorian Gin Palaces!

• Royal Westminster

Royal Westminster Highlights

• St. James's Palace
• Buckingham Palace
• The Changing of the Guard **
• The Houses of Parliament
• Westminster Abbey
• 10 Downing St.
• Churchill War Rooms
• St. James's Park
• and much more!

Walking tours of London, including guided walks, free self-guided, and GPS-led audio tours, are a great way to experience the city.

Our model of live guided tours ensures that your guide strives to give his or her best on every tour, from our name-your-own price tours, where you choose how much the tour is worth, to specialty ticketed tours.

• Guided Walking Tours
• Free Self Guided Tours (written and researched by our team of professional guides)
• Audio Tours (written, researched, AND recorded by the same guides!)

Everyone should be permitted to take a guided tour for a price they feel it is worth! We offer name-your-own-price tours and ticketed specialty tours to cover all budgets and interests.

• Due to city regulations and the overall enjoyment of guests, we must limit our group size and have a strict Group Policy for groups 6+.
• If your group is 10 or more, please refer to our private booking page
• Some tours have a reservation fee to help us maintain group size for popular tours and support our State School Scholarship.

Searching Availability...

REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOURS

• London All in One
• Brixton History, Street Art and Culture
• City of London
• Harry Potter
• Notting Hill Markets and Culture
• Shakespeare's London
• Graffiti and Street Art
• Majestic Mayfair
• Soho, Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown
• World War II
• Sunday Southbank
• Rock n' Roll
• Dark Side of London Ghost Tour
• Jack the Ripper
• Roman London

Food/Pub Tours Tours

• Borough Market and Maltby Street
• East London Food Tour
• City of London Historic Pubs
• Bermondsey Beer Mile
• Pub Crawl and Cockney Sing-a-Long
• Westminster auf Deutsch
• Royal Kensington
• London Christmas Lights
• Twilight on the Thames Night Tour

PRIVATE ONLY

• British Museum
• Covent Garden and the West End
• London Christmas Markets
• London Docks
• The Tea Tour
• The Final Journey : Execution Walk to Tyburn

AUDIO TOURS

Can't make one of our guided tours?

No problem, we have recorded some of our best tour guides giving their tours and made them available to you at any time.  

Here is how it works:

• Purchase an Audio Tour
• Receive a confirmation email with details.
• Enjoy the tour(s).

Even if you don't download any tours, you will still have access to valuable information on sightseeing, eating, and playing in London.

Available Tours:

• Royal London (Westminster)
• Harry Potter Locations  (in English and en Espanol)
• Rock N Roll London
• Thames River Walk
• Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Kensington Gardens
• Public Bus #11 (temporarily rerouted - unavailable)

Private London walking tour?

We also offer our guiding services for private groups where we can guide you anywhere in London. We are also experts in the region. 

Call us or email us and we will get back to you with a timely quote.  

And much, much more

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

• Tours of London
• Other UK Tours
• London Travel Guide
• Meet our Guides

Private London Tours

Our private tours in london are 5-star rated on tripadvisor, fantastic london private tours & uk tours with a local guide.

We offer professional local guides, delivering fantastic, in-depth  private London tours . Whatever you want to see and do in London , we can show you. Our team of expert guides know London like the back of their hands and so you will get to know the city like a local on one of our London Tours .

Whether it’s your first time visiting or if you’re just returning for a day trip , we have an expert guide waiting to make your journey unforgettable.

Our Most Popular Private Tours of London

Westminster abbey private tour, london highlights walking tour, tower of london & westminster abbey walking tour, why book a private tour with us.

• All of our Guides are Blue Badge holders, this is Britain’s highest professional tourist-guiding qualification, they are the only external guides able to show you around the most famous attractions and museums
• Skip the Line, we buy all our entrance tickets in advance avoiding long queues, leaving you with more time to discover those hidden gems
• We pride ourselves on being able to tailor tours to your interest, your personal guide will bring your tour to life, making it enjoyable for all ages, groups and families.
• Blue Badge guides are carefully selected for an intensive 2 year course culminating in an extensive series of exams in all aspects of British History, Art, Architecture, Contemporary Britain and much more
• Your time on holiday is precious, let our expert team make it memorable for all the right reasons with our private sightseeing tours

Other Popular Tours Around the UK

As well as our central London tours , we also run other tours in the UK . We cover most major cities and our local private tour guide can deliver the same high standards that you can expect from our London tours . 

Liverpool Highlights Tour

Windsor castle tour, tour of edinburgh, private walking tours of london, let our private guide make your trip memorable for all the right reasons, tripadvisor reviews, grab your special london travel guide.

YOUR PRIVATE LONDON GUIDE

At a Glance

Our private experiences, art & music, nature & canals, history & secrets, get in touch.

Due to Covi-19 we are not running any experience until further notice to safeguard the health and safety of our clients as well as our staff.

Hello London Private Tours

Let's make a perfect day.

Your personal guide to London

Hello!  Welcome to Hello London Private Tours.

I’m Katreya Somerville.  I’m a professional Blue Badge London Tour Guide and specialised City of London guide.

Are you in the right place ?

Is this your first visit to London?

Are you making a return visit and want to discover the hidden depths and secrets of this city?  

Are you on a business trip with a few hours to spare to see as much of London as possible?

Are you between flights and want to squeeze everything into the ideal London Layover trip?

Would you like to maximise your enjoyment and activity while in London, and minimise the drudgery of checking opening times and admission restrictions?

Yes?  Then you’ve arrived at the right place.

This is my offer to you.

I provide customised sightseeing tours of London. They are ideal for individuals, couples, families and small groups of friends.

These can be ‘walking’ tours where we travel around London on foot, by taxi, bus, tube, riverboat or a combination of all of them!

If you prefer, I can arrange for a car and chauffeur for our tour exploration.

I can also arrange for day trips out of London by car and chauffeur, or in some cases by train.

You just tell me how long you’d like the tour to be, give me your list of things you’d like to see, and I’ll come up with a plan. It will save you hours of organisation before your trip.  I can promise you that you’ll see as much as possible on the tour itself.

• London Walks
• Museums and Galleries
• Day Tours From London
• Overnight Tours
• Stonehenge Tours
• Military Tours
• Rambling Tours
• Virtual Tours of Britain
• Paris Day Tours
• Day Tours from Paris
• Overnight Tours of France
• Normandy Tours
• Airport Transfers
• Rome Day Tours
• Day Tours from Rome
• Overnight Tours of Italy
• Special Interest Tours

London Tour Guides

Since 1958 , British Tours has recruited many of the best tour guides available in England.

Our team of 47 London tour guides , both men and women, are chosen for their enthusiasm, personality, academic backgrounds and professional experience. They are extensively trained by us and qualified and registered with the London Tourist Board.

Many also have in-depth knowledge in  specialised areas  such as:

• Archaeology
• Architecture
• London for Kids
• England's Gardens
• TV & Film Locations
• Legal London  & The Inns of Court
• The British Museum
• John Wesley
• Museums & Galleries
• Historic Pubs
• Rock 'n' Roll London
• Shopping Tours
• Military & WW2 History

Your guide will collect you by car or minibus  - or larger parties by coach - from any London location and personally guide you inside places of historic importance. 

We have tour guides speaking most languages including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Chinese

Colin  is a Justice of the Peace and a College Lecturer specialising in the Military and Battlefields of Europe.

Harri  is a former Detective in the C.I.D. at New Scotland Yard. He is the only qualified Welsh speaking guide in England and also a British Museum guide.

Sylke  is a linguist, keen traveller, and specialises in Art, Antiques, England's Gardens and family tours. Sylke is the former Sales Manager of London's prestigious St Giles' Hotel.

Jim  is a former Group Captain in the Royal Air Force and Military Attache at the British Embassy in Paris. He was recently awarded the OBE by the Queen.

Sam , as an engineer and diver, worked on the raising and restoration of Henry Vlll's Tudor flagship the Mary Rose that sunk in 1545. He lives next door to Highclere Castle in Berkshire, better known as Downton Abbey, and has a passion for walking and enjoying our wonderful historical buildings.

Ulla  is a St Martin's School of Art Graduate and former Editor of several London Tourist and Shopping magazines. Ulla specialises in the Monarchy, the Social Season, Gardens and Architecture.

Jonathan  is fluent in French, German and Italian and specialises in tours of Normandy by Private Plane, London, Hampton Court and his old University City, Oxford. One of Jonathan's many 'claims to fame' is as a leading extra with Hugh Grant, in Hugh's first movie!

Callum was born in London and educated in Scotland. A physics graduate and former management consultant with Accenture and Unisys, he has always loved discovering and imparting the facts. Qualified as a guide to the City of London and City of Westminster, he is currently reading an MA in Historical Research at the University of London.

Olga loves sharing her passion for History with visitors from all over the world - she guides expertly in five languages!

Mark  grew up in London and Dorset, the county that features in the novels of Thomas Hardy. He holds a degree in English Literature and his thesis on H.G. Wells is in the British Library! Mark worked in the British Museum for several years and specialises in the British Museum, The National Gallery, The Tate Britain, East London and the Docklands.

Jeremy  is an expert in British History (he used to teach the subject) and passionate about it. He has an International career in import and export, working with the Middle East, France and India.

Richard  worked for the BBC World, Sky News, ITN. With a background in journalism, he worked as a foreign affair reporter, political correspondent and television presenter.

Geoff  ‘s areas of expertise include prehistoric Britain and the history of the monarchy. After thirty years as a police detective in London, Geoff now enjoys "meeting new people every day who are actually pleased to see me!" 

Rod  is a published author and lived in Europe for a number of years. Rod specialises in the military history and is currently involved with writing a further volume on the war dead of his home village. 

Nikki specialises in modern and classic art and has led tours all over the world with private adult groups and students. She is renowned for being able to engage with all age groups and tailors her tours accordingly. She has a particular love of all things Royal and knows all the gossip! She's a good all rounder too. 

Mike , as a former BBC TV news correspondent, has reported from many of the world's trouble spots before going on to found a TV production company specialising in history programmes. His special interests are the Royal Navy - especially in the 18 century - and Tudor England. His family home is next to Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) in Berkshire (although he's not appeared in the tv series yet!) and the Middleton's live in the next village so he's up on royal gossip.  

Alan  first guided for us as a student before entering a career in chartered surveying. Alan's interest in historic buildings has led him to Postgraduate studies in building conservation & architectural history. His special interests include Georgian architecture, Parish Churches and Cathedrals - notably St Paul's Cathedral where he has worked as a volunteer guide for a number of years.

David  has extensive knowledge of Scotland and Wales, specialises in World War l and ll and has guided many tours to the East Anglian airbases as well as the Normandy beaches.

Steve  is an architect who has specialised in restoration work to a number of England's Museums, Art Galleries and Palaces including Hampton Court Palace.

Michael  is a London university lecturer in Art and Design history. Michael is a born Londoner and cannot remember a time when he was not exploring the city’s streets, museums and markets. His special interests include Architecture, Fine Art, Museums & Galleries and Sport.

Nick  was educated at Eton and is a History Teacher. His special interests include tours of his University City, Cambridge.

Tom  studied Modern History at Oxford and his career has included journalism, teaching and magazine editing. Tom has travelled extensively throughout Great Britain and specialises in extended tours throughout England, Scotland & Wales.

Sue  is a registered guide in London and the West Country and specialises in tours of Bath, Windsor Castle and country houses and gardens.

Sheila  studied History and History of Art at the University of London and her many special interests include the Houses of Parliament, Garden History and Victorian London.

Nigel  graduated in Law and worked in film, commercials and light entertainment with names such as Bob Hope, Tommy Cooper and John Cleese. On leaving the industry Nigel went sailing for 10 years+ skippering his own 48' sailing yacht the length and breadth of the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Nigel's interests include history, architecture, the sea and the arts.

Adrian  is an author, linguist and former Royal Engineers officer, Army freefall parachute instructor and diplomat who served in Cyprus, South Vietnam, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada, South Korea (as Olympic Attache for the Seoul Games) and Jamaica.

Some illustrious former guides

W e have tour guides in other cities - please  contact us  for more information

A wonderful day in Rome with your guide ... the highpoint of our trip

Follow us on our journey.

Tour Guide London

Best Tour Guides

Enjoy our fast and easy services!

Welcome to London

Tour Guide London for panoramic or museum tours. As well as for day out trips from London.

Who we are?

We are a UK travel agency based in the City of London. Our hospitality experience is been offered to the tourism market since 2012. Our team is young and modern.

What we do?

Tour Guide London, plus cars for your tours, plus all tickets and restaurants bookings. We do everything for you to have a great time in London. Enjoy with a pleasure!

How much is it?

You pay for the tour guide’s time. You hire a tour guide. It doesn’t matter how big is your group. If you are a single tourist or family or school group the prices for your tour guide stay the same. And here they are.

• For London panoramic tours up to 4 hours from £210.00
• For London panoramic tours 4 – 8 hours from £300.00
• Any museum tour in London from £210.00
• Trips outside London up to 5 hours from £280.00
• Trips outside London 5 – 12 hours from £300.00

We do charge on top of prices above 20% our commission.

Prices for Mercedes E / V / S Class or similar

• Transfer Heathrow ⟷ London from £80 / £100 / £100
• Transfer Gatwick ⟷ London from £110 / £145 / £150
• Transfer Luton ⟷ London from £110 / £145 / £150
• Transfer Stansted ⟷ London from £125 / £170 / £175
• Per hour in London — from £35 / £40 / £50
• Per hour outside London — by request

Minimum hire is 4 hours. You have a car with the driver. And this is separate from your tour guide. For transfers prices per one trip and one way only. And to central London.

For transfers, we charge £30.00 our commission on top of the prices above, and for the hourly bookings is 20%.

If you’re visiting attractions with paid entrance, you have to pay for your entrance tickets. You do NOT need to pay for your tour guide’s tickets as licenced guides do not need them.

It is always a good idea to ask us to buy tickets for you. When we do it, we charge 15% on top and this is to cover our labour.

We also can book restaurants for you, and we charge £10.00 per booking.

Mercedes S-350

How to book?

Do contact us! You can chat in WhatsApp or in Telegram . Email Us or Call Us . As well as using the booking form below.

Accept an offer

We then make you an offer. All bookings are different, and we provide customised and flexible services with options for you.

Once you accepted our offer, we will send you a payment link for your booking. You can pay any bank card. Privacy .

Tour Guide London – Book now!

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Look Up London Guides

Hi, I’m Katie! I created Look Up London back in 2015 to provide the type of fun, history-filled walks that I – a born and bred Londoner – would love to join myself.

Since completing the Blue Badge Tourist Guide training course I’ve been lucky to meet some other incredible guides who – like me – are totally passionate about London’s hidden history. Along with me they’ll be leading public weekend walking tours across London!

Come, meet the team!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “As always an excellent tour around the parts of London  even   locals aren’t aware of. I love the way Katie tied in all the various people we heard about throughout the walk and saw buildings and sites that knitted all this history together.” – Maggie, Tripadvisor Review

Another Katie (aka Katie 2.0 – not my idea!) Katie studied History at Cambridge University then trained as an Actor at the Oxford School of Drama before gaining her Blue Badge. As her mentor throughout the course I immediately saw her flair for story-telling, expert knowledge and wonderfully personable nature first hand.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It was the perfect blend of history, architecture and social context.  Katie  ( 2.0 ) helped us see this area in a whole new light. Cannot wait to join more tours.” – Danny A, Tripadvisor Review

Emily is a ray of sunshine on your tour! Fun, energetic and full of the most wonderful descriptions that make you look at things with new eyes. Emily and I trained together on the Blue Badge Guiding course and she always pointed out a new angle or detail which I hadn’t considered. She first worked with Look Up London presenting her ‘Female Rebels of the Tate Modern’ tour, a inspiring and uplifting tour about the galleries epic artwork by women.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Emily’s tour of  female artists at Tate Modern was excellent! So thought-provoking, carefully curated, and moving. Emily is an incredible storyteller, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learnt many new things despite being a Tate member and frequent visitor. Highly recommended!” – Moring, Tripadvisor Review

Born in the US, Emily has lived in Central London since 1991, working as a freelance travel writer. Don’t let the American accent fool you, Emily is as knowledgable as any born and bred Londoner and I had the pleasure of training with her on the Blue Badge Guide course. She is full of passion for London’s history, especially the colourful characters and literary figures and always tells stories in the liveliest ways with fascinating details and enthusiasm.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “ Emily  was fabulous – energetic, enthusiastic and had great tales to share. Her selection of characters was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, the history, the anecdotes and would thoroughly recommend both  Emily and Look Up London.” – Rona Cruikshanks, Tripadvisor Review

Muriel was born in France but now lives in Marylebone, training together on the Blue Badge course it was impossible not to fall in love with her charming accent and wonderful way of explaining history. She was Guide of the Year and knows London inside out!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  “Thank you to Katie and Muriel for organising and presenting a wonderful tour for my daughter and I. From the first point of contact, to delivering a unique guided tour, we were personally, and professionally looked after. Muriel is passionate and so very knowlegable” – Helen, Tripadvisor Review

Look Up London Walking Tours

Look Up London runs regular weekend public walks, starting at 11am and covering areas like The City, Bloomsbury, Smithfield, Clerkenwell, Spitalfields, Kings Cross, Bermondsey and Soho. The public walks are led by Katie.

Tickets are £20 per person and the walks typically last around 90 minutes. Browse all the available public walking tours here .

All guides are also available to hire for private bespoke tours, get in touch using the contact form for more information or read more here . Private tours start from £250 for a couple or small group.

Private Tours

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When are you in London and for how long?

Any 'must-see' venues on your checklist?

Anything else you'd like to add?

Walking Tours and Experiences in London

Free Royal Westminster Tour*

Explore the history of the Royal family and Parliament as you see London's most famous sights, from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben.

     Schedule  - See Calendar

     Meeting Point - The Clermont Hotel

     Duration - 2.5 Hours

Free Historic City of London Tour*

Learn the story of the City of London's evolution from Roman trading port to the most powerful financial district in the world.

     Schedule - See Calendar

     Meeting Point - Tower Hill

Free London in a Day Tour*

Explore all of the London Landmarks in one tour ! Everything from Big Ben to the Tower of London and everything in between!

     Schedule - Private Tour Only

     Duration - 5 - 6 Hours

Free Jack the Ripper Tour*

Travel back to the Autumn of Terror 1888 and investigate a series of murders that sent shockwaves through London.

     Duration - 2 Hours

Free Street Art of  Shoreditch Tour*

Enter a world of possibility, where the walls are blank canvases and the flick of a spray can inspire rebellion and revolution.

     Meeting Point - Shoreditch High Street

Free Harry Potter Wizarding Tour*

Leave your inner muggle behind and discover the magical secrets hiding right under your nose.

     Meeting Point - The Palace Theatre

Free Ghosts, Ghouls and Ghastly Murder Tour*

Hear the terrifying tales of London’s worst villains, who killed and were killed and then came back to kill again.

     Meeting Point - Cleopatra's Needle

Free Rock and Roll Soho Tour*

Explore the birthplace of London's Rock and Roll scene, the heart of the old Red Light District and hear tales of debauchery and drunken misadventure through the ages.

     Meeting Point - Golden Square

Free Sherlock Holmes & the Art of Deduction Tour*

Grab your deer stalker hat and explore locations visited by Sherlock Holmes in the books, films and tv show!

     Meeting Point - Piccadilly Circus ​

Free James Bond & The History of Espionage Tour*

Join and step into the shoes of the world’s most famous spy!

    Schedule -  Private Tour Only

    Meeting Point -   The Clermont Hotel

    Duration -  2 Hours

Free Queer & LGBTQ+ History Tour*

Explore London's queer hub & home and uncover 2000 years of LGBTQ+ history.

    Schedule -  See Calendar

Private Tours

Booking a tour for 8 or more people? Whether you're a school, friends or family, get in touch about our different packages.

What our Customers say:

"Excellent free walking tours of London. Did three of them. The guides were great. Their knowledge and understanding of the subject they were speaking of was fantastic. Would recommend this company to anyone, especially the tour guides Olivia, Joel and James. Thank you for bringing London to life!"

WHAT IS A FREE TOUR? *

We run all of our walking tours of London on a pay what you think it’s worth basis. We've all had the experience of paying for an activity up front and then later on, feeling like it was not worth the money. We take that problem away. There is no booking fee for our free tours, and no payment is required before the tour begins. If you have fun then you can decide if you would like to tip your guide. The value is up to you, whatever fits in with your budget. This makes our tours affordable to everyone, regardless of their finances, but also incentivises our guides to never stop trying to improve, as the system rewards the guides who provide the best quality tours. Tipping is always voluntary and our guides will never pressure you into it, but this is their job so if you have had fun, we ask that you take a moment to consider what it was worth to you.

• Santiago de Chile
• Santiago de Compostela

Free Tour of London

Book the original London free walking tour and visit many of the city's highlights with a local guide

ABOUT THE Free Tour of London

No other tour covers so many major London landmarks! Have your cameras at the ready as we walk past Westminster Abbey and the Big Ben, and see where the King Charles lives as we stroll past Buckingham and St. James’s Palaces. On this 2.5-hour free walking tour you'll tick off many of London's must-see sites.

Your gratuity-based London Free Tour starts in front of the Apple Store in Covent Garden and finishes by Westminster Abbey.  We never cancel; tours run rain, hail or shine.

Homes of the British royal family

Around every corner is another piece of royal history on this gratuity-based free London walking tour! Your expert local guide will take you to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of His Majesty King Charles III (some tours will even see the changing of the guard!), and you’ll walk past St James’s Palace, where Princes William and Harry grew up. You’ll also see Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was crowned, Princess Diana was farewelled, and Kate and William were married. However, it’s not only the current royals who feature on this London walking tour – you’ll also hear about other kings and queens who left their mark on Great Britain.

Some of the world’s most iconic monuments

Of course though, it’s not just the royals who helped to shape London, the UK and indeed, the world. Your guide will tell you about Winston Churchill as you walk past the Churchill War Rooms, talk about Guy Fawkes as you stroll past the Houses of Parliament, and tell you about Admiral Nelson as you visit the Nelson Column on Trafalgar Square. With other must-see sites like Covent Garden, Horse Guards Parade and of course, the Big Ben, this London gratuity-based free walking tour shows you many of London's major landmarks.

Gratuity-based Free Tour concept

The gratuity-based model of the Free Tour allows guests to support and reward only the highest quality tours, and to ensure that the tour fits within their expectations, and within their budget.

The gratuity-based London Free Tour starts in front of the Apple Store in Covent Garden

• See the homes of King Charles III, Buckingham and St James’s Palaces respectively
• Stand before the stunning Westminster Abbey, site of royal coronations, weddings and funerals
• Learn about Guy Fawkes and his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament
• Look up at the iconic Big Ben
• See Nelson’s Column on Trafalgar Square
• Hear about Winston Churchill outside the Churchill War Rooms
• Stroll down the famous Horse Guards Parade

TOUR SCHEDULES

Click on 'See more dates' to check availability

• Local English-speaking guide
• Gratuities for the guide (optional)
• Our business is connecting great guides and smart travelers, and we’re proud that so many local guides employ us to welcome travelers like you on their journey through some of the world’s best cities. No two tours are alike, and the sites, stories, and length of the tour will vary depending on what your freelance guide decides is best. That’s why the tours we promote never get stale or feel scripted, and why both independent guides and savvy travelers prefer SANDEMANs
• Wheelchair accessible

Customer reviews

Wonderful, Informative Free Tour gives a great overview of London

Our guide, Trevor, really made the tour worthwhile! He was knowledgable, friendly and entertaining and Trevor's love of history and the city of London was evident throughout the tour. Given that this was a free tour our expectations were fairly low, but this was significantly better than some paid tours I've taken in the past. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Sandeman's Free Tour to anyone and plan to take their other tours in the future.

Really enjoyed our free tour of London with our guide "Big Ben". As a historian, he knew a ton about Royal history and told some great stories that I thought were hilarious. Would definitely recommend for first time visitors to London like myself as I gained some great knowledge and seen some places that I plan on going back to see in my remaining time here.

Our experiences with this company were absolutely amazing. The tour guides are very fun, outgoing, and knowledgeable. They knew a lot about what they were talking about and they provided other ideas for things to go do if you had extra time. We had Charolette in London, and she did a fabulous job!

Did a free walking tour with amazing tour guide Angus. It was nice to hear interesting stories about the different sites and the monarchs. I love this concept so much and plan to take more Sandeman's walking tours in other cities as well.

Excellent free tour

We took the free tour with Rob, who was fantastic. Excellent way to see the city and explanations were excellent. Best guide tour in the city. Free means you pay as you decide. Of course we paid, it was worth every penny.

Sandemans London Free Tour

I did the free tour with David Flannagan and absolutely loved it. His love for history showed. It was both entertaining and interesting.

Rob was my guide and he was very informative and entertaining, and also great at answering general questions about the place or certain attractions. Would highly recommend if you are newly arrived in London and want a good tour to get your bearings and get some info behind some of the monuments.

My husband and I did the free tour and the old town tour, both with Angus as our guide. We really enjoyed the two of them. We got to walk the city and learn about all the history of it. Angus is a great storyteller and very fun, definitely recommend.

What is a gratuity-based Free Tour?

The gratuity-based Free Tour is the best introduction to London! A general overview tour including many of the highlights of the city, the Free Tour usually lasts around 3 hours and is provided by a local freelance guide in partnership with SANDEMANs NEW Europe, so tour content can vary depending on your guide’s particular area of interest and expertise.

The gratuity-based Free Tour is a walking tour with no need for public transport and is designed for independent travellers, not groups. You can book your spot in advance online or simply show up at the start point on the day. There is no payment necessary at the start of the tour but you are welcome to tip your guide at the end!

We believe in supporting local communities and are committed to giving a voice to some of London's best local freelance tour guides, who passionately share the city's history and culture with their own unique and always-entertaining style. They'll never pressure you to tip; we believe that, if money is given, it should be voluntary and in direct proportion to the quality of the tour and the budget of the traveller.

Why join the SANDEMANs FREE Tour?

• The route covers many of London's major landmarks
• The meeting point is centrally located in Covent Garden
• The Free Tour is guaranteed to fit within your budget
• The guides performing tips-based Free Tours are incentivized to perform every time

WALKING TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN LONDON

• Select Tour
• Private Tour

London Old City Free Walking Tour

Discover major London landmarks on this 3-hour London Old City Tour!

London Street Art Tour

Join a 2.5-hour walk through East London to see and understand some of the city’s best street art

London Harry Potter Tour

Discover the magical world of Harry Potter with local experts

British Museum Small Group Tour

Enjoy a semi-private guided tour through some of the British Museum's most interesting artefacts

Oxford Day Tour

A day tour from London to the beautiful and historic city of Oxford

London Jack the Ripper Free Tour

Discover London’s darkest history – including Jack the Ripper – on this 2-hour walking tour

London Pub Crawl

Have a great night out in some of London's best bars and clubs!

Tell us the landmarks, stories or parts of the city you want to see, how long you have to see them and when you want to go, and we’ll build an itinerary that suits you.

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2-hour London Highlights Private Tour

Make the most out of your visit and discover London's main attractions with your private tour guide

3-hour London Private City Tour

Enjoy a comprehensive overview of London's fascinating history and must-see sites with your private ...

Participation in tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe is strictly on a voluntary basis. Neither SANDEMANs NEW Europe, nor the self-employed freelance guides who are the providers of the tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe, will be held responsible in any way for injuries to body or property incurred during tours. The tour guides reserve the right to deny participation in any tour, to any person, for any reason. Thank you for your understanding.

Free Tour of Liverpool

Free Tour of Edinburgh

Thank you! Your support means more to us than we can express in words. Chris Sandeman and the SANDEMANs Live Community

Give anything you want

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Payment is secured with

• Private Family Tours
• 2 Hour Free Oxford Walking Tour
• Oxford University & City Tour with Alumni Guide
• Christ Church With Extended University Tour
• Harry Potter Tour of Oxford
• Oxford Ghost Tour
• London To Oxford Express Tour
• Oxford Bike Tour
• Oxford Bike & Walking Tour
• Oxford to Stonehenge and Bath
• Blenheim Half Day Tour
• Private Day Tours
• School Group Tours
• Foreign Language Oxford Walking Tours
• All Our Oxford Tours
• Cambridge Free Walking Tour
• Cambridge University & King’s College Tour
• Private Family Tour of Cambridge
• Group & Student Tours of Cambridge
• Private Tours of London
• School Groups Tours of London
• Day Trips From London
• Bath Free Walking Tour
• Roman Baths & City Walking Tour
• Private Family Bath Walking Tour
• Group Tours of Bath
• York Free Walking Tour
• York Minster & City Tour
• Private Tours of York
• Group Tours of York
• Oxford City Guide
• London City Guide
• Cambridge City Guide
• Bath City Guide
• Become A Guide

Work With Us

Available Roles

As the highest rated attraction in several cities across England, we provide walking tours to thousands of visitors every week. Our clients range from ordinary tourists to private commercial organisations and conference groups.

Our guides are outgoing individuals who are comfortable interacting with groups of 20 strangers and building up a bond during the 2-hour experience.

What makes you a Footprints Tour Guide?

– You’re a friendly and outgoing “people person” with effective communication skills. – You have an excellent command of spoken English. – You have a passion for history and for sharing it with others. – You are self-motivated and always strive to do better than the day before. – You are physically active and enjoy working outdoors.

What would also help?

– Prior experience of working in a customer-facing role. – A good knowledge of the city you are applying for. – Good knowledge of another language.

What availability do I need?

We work with lots of students around England, so other commitments such as studies or other part time work is not a problem.

What is the package?

– Tour Guides can expect pay of £100 per day or £15 per hour depending on the type of tour. – A mix of private and public tours to complement a candidate’s availability. – We offer a highly competitive rate of pay, based on a composite of an hourly bookings rate, fixed rate per tour and sales commission.

Need to know

We operate an equal opportunities policy and recruit only on the basis of work criteria and individual merit. Tour Guides will work on a self employed basis.

The tours themselves are on an ad-hoc basis, and allow for flexible working. We are currently looking, in particular, for guides who want to work a regular 2 or 3 days per week (taking tours from 11:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:00) on a self employed basis.

We operate Day Tours to and from London, Bath, Stonehenge and the Cotswolds. This is a role for a guide who will be trained in delivering fun and engaging tours in all these locations – along with being able to help provide tours in Oxford.

The role also includes a valuable driver license qualification (PCV D1) in order to drive our minibus.

What makes you a Footprints Tour Day Tour Guide?

– You’re a friendly and outgoing “people person” with effective communication skills. – No experience in providing tours is required – You have an excellent command of spoken English. – You have a passion for history and for sharing it with others. – You are self-motivated and always strive to do better than the day before. – You are physically active and enjoy working outdoors.

– A PCV D License (not required as training will be provided if not). – A good knowledge of the city you are applying for. – Good knowledge of another language.

5 Days a week is required – timings vary, but the applicant should be available and willing to work from 7:30am till 6pm. Actual hours will reflect bookings.

– Day Tour Guides will be paid from £27k – £30k, depending on experience with additional target orientated bonus package available.

We require confirdent and outgoing individuals to help spread the word of our tours in the city centre.

Our leaflets are outgoing individuals who are comfortable interacting with members of the public on the street.

What makes you a Footprints Tour Leafleter?

– You’re a friendly and outgoing “people person” with effective communication skills. – You have an excellent command of spoken English. – You are self-motivated and always strive to do better than the day before.

– Prior experience of working in a customer-facing role.

– Leafleter can expect pay of £10 per hour. – We offer a highly competitive rate of pay, based on a composite of an hourly bookings rate, fixed rate per tour and sales commission.

We operate an equal opportunities policy and recruit only on the basis of work criteria and individual merit. Leafleters will work on a self employed basis.

You need to be available at least three days a week, from 10:00-13:00

We operate an equal opportunities policy and recruit only on the basis of work criteria and individual merit.

Flexible Work

You decide how many tours you want to accept. This can be increased or decreased depending on your other commitments. 

Industry Leading Reputation

Work with a business you can be proud of. We are one of the highest reviewed experienced providers in England, originally setup by students to be run ethically and professional, and to combat the “cowboy” perception of other tour operators in the city

Public Speaking Masterclass

Anyone can learn 2 hours of information on a city – but how do you captivate the attention of a group, for whom English might be their second langauge? We are experts at it, and will make you one also. All our guides find the skills they develop in public speaking to be of great use for future interviews and careers. 

Fun Group Of Guides

From Christmas to Halloween social events. Feel free to opt in or out of some fun events, with a group of equally minded individuals 

On The Grow

Many of our guides have switched over to administration full time / part time roles, after having completed their post graduate studies at Oxford and Cambridge University. Should you wish, there may be potential for full time work in an ever expanding, ambitious and adventurous company.

I loved being well paid, for showing my city to people from around the world; with the role specifically designed to work with students and fit around my academic commitments. The training process was clearly structured and the flexible nature of the role allowed me to set my work days and hours. Ferguson (English - Brasenose College)

• Work With Us / Where To Meet Us

• Français ( French )

Blue Badge Tourist Guides work as freelancers so it is important to establish in advance what the exact fees are, as well as the terms and conditions. There is an additional charge for other languages.

Blue Badge Driver Guides provide private tours by car. There is no set tour. Tours can be for a half-day, full-day, or overnight. The tour can be within London, a day trip from London or for several days around the country. The cost depends on the number of people, the length of the day and the distance travelled. There is an additional charge for other languages.

Blue Badge Tourist Guides and Driver Guides are typically engaged for either Half days or Full days:

• Half days are up to 4 hours maximum , which can be either morning (expected to finish by 13.00) or afternoon tours (expected to start from 13.30).
• Full days are up to 9 hours (finishing no later than 18.00).

Blue Badge Tourist Guide Fees for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025: 

• Fees for  English  language speakers typically start from  £208 for a half-day  and £339 for a full-day .
• Fees for any  other language  speakers typically start from  £237 for a half-day  and  £376 for a full-day .
• Fees for Driver Guides typically start from £480 for a half-day and £690 for full-day.

Blue Badge Tourist Guide Fees for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026: 

• Fees for  English  language speakers typically start from  £218 for a half-day  and £356 for a full-day .
• Fees for any  other language  speakers typically start from  £246 for a half-day  and  £391 for a full-day .

96 hours (4 days) prior to the commencement of engagement: Full fee.

10 days prior to the commencement of engagement: 50% of the fee.

Blue Badge Tourist Guides usually work according to the terms and conditions laid out in the attachments below. We recommend contacting the guide to discuss your tour requirements as well as confirming the fee and full set of terms and conditions.

Travel Trade Fees:

• Blue Badge Tourist Guide Travel Trade Fees 2024 – 2025
• Blue Badge Tourist Guide Travel Trade Fees 2025 – 2026

Driver Guide Fees:

• Blue Badge Driver Guide Fees 2024 – 2025

Booking Terms & Conditions:

• Blue Badge Tourist Guide Booking Terms and Conditions