10 Very Best Tours In London To Book (And Which To Avoid) – Hand Luggage Only
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London is an incredible city to visit! With all the diverse neighbourhoods to explore, beautiful London palaces to see and the heaps of markets in London, it’s a city that’s got something for every visitor. That being said, with so much choice comes a bamboozling amount of the best tours in London to book whilst you’re here.
From casltes to places, markets to the best west-end shows, you’re going to be spoiled for choice.
That being said, don’t always feel like you need to book a London tour to see the best spots in the city. Remember, there is a mind-boggling amount of free things to do in London that’ll fill up any trip. From museums like; The British Museum, The Natural History Museum and galleries like the Tate Modern. Lots of London’s iconic sights are free to enjoy.
So, to help you get the most out of your time, I wanted to share some of the very best tours in London that you can’t miss. This way you can focus solely on enjoying your trip, without the faff of researching.
Have an amazing visit to London.
1.) Westminster Abbey Tour
There’s no denying that London has heaps of historic buildings to explore, with Westminster Abbey being one of the most famous places in London to visit.
Now, although you don’t necessarily need a tour to enter, you will need to book this Westminster Abbey ticket to gain entry. Like lots of places in London, it’s well worth booking in advance as timeslot entries can fill up fast.
That being said, if you want to learn more about Westminster Abbey and the coronations, royal weddings and funerals, you can book this guided Westminster Abbey guided tour that’ll take you through the centuries of history inside.
You’ll even get to spot the tombs of iconic people of history, from Charles Darwin to late royalty.
Read more: Best areas of London to visit
2.) The Tower of London Tour
One of London’s most iconic historical buildings, the Tower of London has witnessed a huge heap of turbulent history. Acting as a Royal Palace, an execution site, a prison and the house of the Crown Jewels, it’s been (and is) a little bit of everything.
To get inside, book these Tower of London and Crown Jewels tickets that’ll get you right inside in no time. Personally, I don’t think a guided tour is necessary (as there is so much information within the Tower of London). So, I’d always recommend going it alone by booking these tickets; it’s one of the very best tours in London to book.
Read more: Best palaces in London to visit
3. The Harry Potter Studios Tour
Love a bit of Harry Potter? Then get yourself over to all things Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Now, make sure to book these Harry Potter Studio tickets and transfer them in advance of your trip.
This way, you’ll know that you’ll have everything sorted and ready once you arrive. It can get quite busy, especially at peak times.
Again, for the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour, you don’t need a guide, but the arranged transfer certainly helps as it’s a little outside of Central London. It’s one of the very best London tours to book, especially as it can be explored at your own pace.
You can see the location on this Google Maps pinpoint.
Oh, and if you’ve already visited the studios, book this amazing Harry Potter walking tour that’s so much fun. It’s also a great way to see a slice of London itself.
Read more: Best things to do in Central London
4.) The London Eye
Probably the world’s most famous Ferris wheel, the London Eye has been an iconic part of the London skyline since the turn of the year 2000.
Now, personally, you don’t need to get a guided tour of the London Eye. That being said, you do need to book these tickets that will get you onboard in no time. We always book these Fastrack London Eye entry tickets as the queues can be quite long at peak times.
Read more: Best West End Theatre shows to see in London
5.) London food tour
London is a food lover’s paradise, it’s got something for everyone and this guided London food tour is just too good to miss. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it’s one of the very best tours in London to book if you want to experience some delicious local produce and dishes.
Not only will you get to try real ales and British ciders, but you’ll also be able to try things like sticky toffee pudding which is so good.
Read more: Best things to do in Covent Garden
6.) The British Museum Guided Tour
The British Museum is one of the world’s greatest museums, housing artefacts from all over the UK, and the rest of the world. It’s the kind of place you can visit and spend days exploring. It’s that vast.
Now, the British Museum is totally free to enter (and great to walk around on your own). That being said, if you want more in-depth information on the artefacts, then book this incredible guided tour of the British Museum. You’ll be taken through to see artefacts such as the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, and heaps of artefacts from Egypt.
You’ll also be able to see so much history from mainland Europe and other continents and places in sub-Saharan Africa.
Read more: Best beaches to visit from London
7.) The Street Art Tour
London is home to some of the world’s most famous street artists, with heaps of neighbourhoods to explore their work.
One easy way to see some of the best street art in London is by booking this alternative guided tour. Not only will you be partnered with a local guide, but you’ll also get to explore areas such as Shoreditch and Brick Lane which are totally cool areas to visit.
Just be sure to book this street art tour in advance. Places do fill up fast as it’s one of the very best tours in London to see street art from the likes of; Banksy, ROA, Invader and Shepherd Fairy.
8.) Towe Bridge Tour
Tower Bridge needs very little introduction!
It’s probably one of London’s, if not the world’s most famous bridges to cross. That being said, lots of people don’t know that you can actually go inside Tower Bridge, too.
Before arriving, book these Tower Bridge tickets that’ll get you right to the top of the bridge. Not only that, you’ll get to go within the mechanics of the bridge and see the ‘hidden’ bits you can’t see without a ticket.
Read more: Best things to do in South London
9.) Riverboat tour
Probably one of our favourite pastimes in London is booking this beautiful boat tour down the River Thames. It’s such a great way to see London and it’s so relaxing and peaceful. Though, definitely book this guided boat tour one in advance as spaces are limited at certain times of the day.
It’s one of the very best tours in London that’ll take you all the way from Westminster to Greenwich (which is a stunning part of London). Once arriving in, be sure to check out the top spots in Greenwich that are too good to miss.
Read more: Best things to do in Greenwich
10.) Jack The Ripper Walking Tour
Love it or hate the macabre, this Jack the Ripper Tour in London is world-renowned. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the very best tours in London to join if you’re interested in the history of Jack the Ripper.
After joining the tour, you’ll be taken ‘back in time’ to 19th-century London with an expert guide that’ll even take you to the real-life crime scenes that are all around the Whitechapel area of London.
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