Unique and unusual tours in London

Take a look at London from a different angle and see the quirkier side of the city.
Written by Visit London Editors Edited by Hannah Cornish 07 October 2024
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With so many sightseeing tours in London and top 10 attractions to choose from, satisfying your hunger for culture, history, excitement and entertainment is easy. If only there were more hours in the day!

See London from a unique perspective with an unusual tour through history, across the water, on foot and by bus.

Unusual attraction tours in London

Discover the Tower of London with a Beefeater. © Shutterstock

Explore the Tower of London with a Beefeater guide and learn about the bloody history that dates back over many centuries. See the Crown Jewels, those famous black ravens, the Mint at the Tower and the iconic White Tower. Prepare yourself for tales of royalty, treachery and torture. 

Professor Sprout's Greenhouse at the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Image courtesy of Golden Tours.

Take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour for an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at filmmaking. The tour features sets, costumes and props from the Harry Potter film series and showcases the British artistry, technology and talent that produced world-famous movies at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. You can also visit during one of the tour's takeovers that happen throughout the year, including Magical Mischief, The Dark Arts and Hogwarts in the Snow.

Unusual walking tours in London

Jack The Ripper Walking Tour London. Image courtesy of Golden Tours.

Join the Jack the Ripper walking tour only if you dare! This guided walk around the spooky streets of east London delves into the famous unsolved murders that took place in 1888. This gruesome trail is not for the faint at heart.

Where:

Tower Hill Underground Station, London, EC3N 1JL

Price:

From £15.00 (USD 19.12)

Sherlock Holmes statue. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Uncover a multitude of important settings from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books on the Sherlock Holmes tour around London. See where Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr played the famous detective for film and TV. It would criminal to miss it.

Step back in time on a Beatles London Walking Tour. Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash.

Wander the vibrant alleys of Soho and capture a photo on the iconic Abbey Road crossing on a Beatles Walking Tour of London. Follow in the footsteps of one of the world’s much-loved bands, uncovering locations across the city where the band recorded, performed, socialised, and more!

A puzzle-filled urban adventure. Image courtesy of Treasure Hunt London.

Take on a puzzle-filled urban adventure to discover a new side of London with a CityDays experience, working together as a team or competing head-to-head. Choose from a variety of unique immersive experiences including a Charles Dickens-inspired trail through Victorian London (A Rift in Time), or exploring the cobblestone mews and hidden gardens of Kensington (Mysterious Mews). 

Where:

Piccadilly Circus, London, W1J 9HR

Explore the city with London Walks. Image courtesy of London Walks.

London Walks is the most extensive manager of walking tours in London. With more than 100 walks built up over half a century, including Jack the Ripper walks, Olympics walks, Harry Potter walks, ghost walks and many more, you’ll find all your walking needs satisfied with a tour courtesy of London Walks.

Where:

PO Box 1708 London, London, NW6 4LW

Explore the creepy corners of London. Credits: Shannon Tremaine on Unsplash.

Beginning in 15th-century London, the Sandemans Grim Reaper Tour takes walkers through dark East End streets, retracing steps taken by the notorious Jack the Ripper. Stop off at the world's first psychiatric hospital and examine Traitors' Gate on this spooky tour, which departs from the exit of Tower Hill Underground Station.

Where:

Outside the Apple Store, Covent Garden Piazza, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8HA

Unusual food and drink tours in London

Sample delicious food at Borough Market. Image courtesy of Red Letter Days.

What better way to spend an afternoon in London than by sampling the city's best cuisine at the famous Borough Market? Savour a classic English breakfast, try award-winning fish and chips, the best sausage roll in town, and much more! 

Try beers at Camden Town Brewery. Image courtesy of Golden Tours.

If beer happens to be one of your favourite tipples then a trip to Camden Town Brewery is a must. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse (trying beer straight from the taps!), before sampling a flight of five tasters from its exclusive range whilst your guide teaches you how to see, smell and taste like an expert.

Where:

Camden Town Brewery, Wilkin Street Mews, NW5 3NN

Price:

From £25.00 (USD 31.86)

Unusual bus tours in London

Brigit's Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour. Image courtesy of Brigit's Bakery.
Pair city sights with delightful bites, all aboard a vintage routemaster bus with Brigit's Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour in London. Tuck into French-inspired cakes, sandwiches and pastries on the top deck, while spotting the likes of the London Eye and Buckingham Palace on this tea-tastic 90-minute tour.
Where:

8 Northumberland Avenue, off Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5BY

Price:

From £60.00 (USD 76.47)

London By Night bus tour © Golden Tours. Image courtesy of Golden Tours

See the city in a whole new light, with a London by Night Bus Tour during the darker, more romantic hours. See Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly all lit up on this guided tour, available in various languages.

The Ghost Bus Tours. Image courtesy of The Ghost Bus Tours Ltd.

Step on board the Ghost Bus Tour and prepare your nerves for a theatrical experience that will take you through the scariest parts of London. Actors will guide you through the City of London, the West End's Theatreland, and across Tower Bridge to the more frightful parts of South London.

Where:

Pick up point: Northumberland Avenue near Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5BY

Price:

From £25.00 (USD 31.86)

Cheese and wine tasting London bus tour. Image courtesy of Golden Tours.

Enjoy four premium wines paired with a delicious cheese plate on a cheese and wine tasting London bus tour. Admire panoramic views of London and see iconic sights such as Big Ben and the London Eye, with an engaging pre-recorded commentary on the wines and regions.

More unusual tours in London

Hop aboard the Wee Toast Tour bike bar. Image courtesy of Wee Toast Tours.
Hop on your group tour bike for an entertaining trip around London whilst you enjoy your favourite tipple. Discover the city with Wee Toast Tours, peddling your way around famous landmarks whilst sipping on glasses of beer or prosecco. See the bustling streets of Soho, be dazzled by the lights of Piccadilly Circus and stop by a world-famous pub.
Where:

1 Regent Place, London, W1B 5EA

Price:

From £30.00 (USD 38.24)

Whizz down the Thames with Thames Rockets. Image courtesy of Thames Rockets.
Kids (and adults) will love whizzing up the Thames in a speedboat, it's the most thrilling way to see London! Step on board a small but speedy RIB, and an expert guide will point out attractions such as Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and the London Eye.
Where:

The London Eye Pier, Boarding Gate One, Southbank, London, SE1 7PB

Recreate the Beatles iconic album cover at Abbey Road. Image courtesy of Golden Tours.
Travel back to the decade that rocked the world on a tour of London in the 1960s. Choose from a selection of private scheduled tours that pay tribute to London’s music and fashion scene during this epic decade. Cruise the King’s Road on a swinging 60s experience, visit the spiritual Richmond home of The Rolling Stones or follow The Beatles’ footsteps in West London.
 
London by bike. © Unsplash/Jose
Combine top London sights with quirky stories about the capital on a Grand London Bike Tour. Cycle around the city exploring hidden spots with your local guide who will show you a Londoner's London. Roam along the river and through idyllic parks, ticking off landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square 
Discover legal London. © Shutterstock

Book your London Legal Tour with British Tours and be guided around the city's historical legal institutions in a private car or minibus. Witness the Supreme Court, the Old Bailey and the Royal Courts of Justice in action and sit in on a real courtroom hearing.

Where:

615 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London, W1B 5TE