Essential London
Joined 2023
This London tour has it all - world famous sights, photo opportunities galore, history (the interesting bits), stories, English culture, architecture, pageantry, royalty, palaces, a fortress, royal gossip .... your tour takes in so much of what London is about with full explanations on what you are seeing along the way. If you only have time for one London highlights tour - this is the one!
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Green Park or at your hotel
Green Park or at your hotel (provided that it is in central London)
We meet by the Diana the Huntress drinking fountain (I can give precise details)
Buckingham Palace
An outside view of the Palace with full explanations - walking tour around the Mall area
St James's Palace
We get into position to catch the start of the Changing of the Guard ceremony - great views from here. PLEASE NOTE: the Changing of the Guards only happens on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If your tour happens on a Tuesday or a Thursday I will show you other sites in the area. PLEASE NOTE: Occasionally The Guard Change is cancelled on the day due to wet weather.
Catch the Horse Guards riding down the Mall
This is a truly magnificent sight.
Westminster Abbey - private tour
Using a special entrance we step inside this medieval church which is probably the most intricate in the world in terms of it's function, history, associations and memories. It is where Charles III was crowned in 2023, featuring an ancient ceremony dating back centuries.
Parliament Square
Photo opportunity with 'Big Ben' in the background! Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.
Lunch
You've worked hard this morning, you'll need a break!
The Tower of London - private guided tour
Royal palace, fortress, home to the magnificent Crown Jewels, state prison, place of torture and execution, royal zoo - the Tower has been all of these in it's long history. Home to the famous Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), lots of history and some wonderfully gory stories too.
Tower Bridge
Great views of Tower Bridge as we exit the Tower of London.
Your tour ends (I'll be sorry to see you go!)
We can end at the Tower taxi rank or I can walk you across the road to the nearby London underground station at Tower Hill. I always try to make sure that my guests are not left wondering where they are in an unfamiliar city at the end of my tours.
Ending Point
The Tower taxi rank or nearby London underground station at Tower Hill
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
My London Blue Badge Tourist Guide expertise
My London transport fares
My entrance to any site we visit (Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London etc)
Your entry tickets to Westminster Abbey - £29 per adult (age concessions apply)
Your entry tickets to the Tower of London - £33.60 per adult (age concessions apply)
Lunch
Transport as we move around London either by London transport (the tube), or by London black cab (taxi) which can be hailed in the street as required.
Tour Important Information
London experiences a lot of different types of weather (sometimes in one day), so please check the forecast and dress accordingly because we are both outside and inside during this tour.
Comfortable footwear is a must. You will be walking and standing on hard surfaces all day and there are cobble stones at the Tower.
Please let me know in advance if you have any mobility issues. This is YOUR tour and I want you to be comfortable.
Bring water. It's amazing how there is never a water seller when you are really thirsty.
Important message from the supplier
Even if I appear unavailable for a particular day you should contact me just in case I can unblock that date for you.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2023
About Tour Guide Vivien S.
I LOVE London! But I really KNOW London too...
I'm proud to be a Blue Badge Tourist Guide, one of a select few who have passed the highest criteria to become a fully qualified London guide.
I hold other London guiding qualifications - I am a City of London Guide and Lecturer, A Westminster Guide and a St Paul's Cathedral Guide.
I specialise in private, customised (to YOUR requirements) London tours, giving in-depth insight into the best locations such as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, St Paul's Cathedral, the Churchill War Rooms, Kew Gardens, Buckingham Palace (summer opening), the British Museum, National Gallery and many more.
.... and we can discover hidden alleyways, explore ancient churches, stand where Dickens or Shakespeare or the Romans would have stood...London's many secrets from so many centuries.
Guiding is my passion, but I am also a dog-loving, countryside-walking, museum junkie, knit-aholic, who loves to curl up with a good book (I collect old London books) with a lovely cup of tea and a slice of something nice on the side.
Come with me to discover London. Whether this is your first visit or you've been here before, I will make sure that you have a wonderful time and take home memories to cherish - and lots of fabulous photos!
Reviews
Jacqueline G.
“Pleasant and knowledgeable. ”
Vivien was lovely! We toured the Tower of London and British Museum with her. On both tours she easily guided us through the maze of rooms and objects; informing us of the history and stories connecting them. She easily handled our questions and kept us focused. We had the opportunity to overhear other guides, some (loudly) reading information from a tablet which made us appreciate Vivien that much more. We highly recommend your tour with Vivien.
Vivien S.
What a pleasure it was to meet you both today and I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for your tour rating and very kind comments which are greatly appreciated. Enjoy the rest of your stay and happy onward travels. Vivien x
Tim K.
“Vivian was the BEST!”
We enjoyed our tour with Vivian and would highly recommend her. Great knowledge of all the sites of London… very interactive and friendly. We had spoken to several guides prior to hiring her and they just didn’t hit and understand like she did. She provided a great service to us and hope you discover what we did! A real GEM
Vivien S.
Hi Tim & Lisa - Very many thanks for your wonderful review and tour rating. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour so much and for my part it was a great pleasure to spend the morning with you both. Wishing you happy onward travels. Vivien x
$800/ per group
Other Popular Highlights Tours in London
Highlights of the City of London
We will visit the City of London and it's historic centre. We'll cover 2000 years of history and some amazing buildings and explore the history, food and drink of the city.
Royal London: Best of Westminster
The best of Royal London - Westminster Abbey the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Downing Street, Buckingham palace, Changing of the Guard (if available) and Trafalgar Square - all in one morning.
The Tour of the Tower, All Hallows Church and St Dunstan-in-the-East
During our tour we will explore the history of this site from Roman times and until today. We will look at how the fortress gradually evolved into a luxurious Medieval royal palace and then -- into the dark and fearsome place. You will hear the stories of the Tower's former inhabitants and inmates: from kings to courtiers who fell out of favour, young York princes, or the Gunpowder plotters. We will certainly visit the Jewel House where the Crown Jewels are kept under armed guard.
London Highlights in a day
On this tour you will see all the main sites in London with a friendly, enthusiastic guide. Sites include Westminster (Abbey and Parliament Square), The Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square. You will also have the chance to have lunch in a traditional pub. After lunch we travel to Bankside (home of Shakespeare's reconstructed Globe Theatre), London and Tower Bridges and the Tower of London (home of the Crown Jewels).
