LONDON
The London shortlist.
The 15 most popular self-guided tours in London. What each one includes, how long it takes, what it costs, and who you book through.
Emirates Stadium audio tour with Arsenal-star stories, changing room and tunnel access, plus Arsenal Museum entry for $47 in 1.5 hours.
Most Popular“Great experiance. The kid loved the tour the digital guide”
Timed Westminster Abbey entry with an audio guide. See the Coronation Chair and royal memorials at your pace after security.
“Lee was wonderful. So knowledgeable, with great stories, information and passion. We loved his enthusiasm for everything British. Great morning.”
Priority entry and a 50-point British Museum audio guide from Russell Square, plus a Political London app tour.
“The museum is HUGE! To fully get the most out of it you’ll want to plan to be there for at least 4 hours.”
Explore the Churchill War Rooms via multi-language audio, then tackle 15 key political London stops with a self-guided audio map.
“It was an amazing experience that we could see rooms where Mr Churchill made every strategies on WW II. Seeing all the ashtrays also brought us to the time when he couldn’t go without his cigars😃”
Half-day coach trip from London to Windsor Castle with prebooked entry and an audio guide, plus time to explore State Apartments and St George’s Chapel.
“Was nice to see but not worth the money. Two hours on the bus for less then2 hours at Windsor. Plus, the drive, although he was nice, rushed from the bus to the ticket booth and the group had trouble staying together.”
London panoramic open-top bus tour with a partially covered 360-view ride, audio in 12 languages, and big-sight stops in about two hours.
“DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR VIA 3rd party!!!! Book directly with the tour guide and DO NOT book the tour with the “live guide” (about $48 US per person) because it doesn’t include the hop on-off benefit AND you’ll pay less on the tour operator website. You are stuck on the bus for 2 hours…”
Royal walking tour to Buckingham Palace with skip-the-line entry, St James Park and The Mall guide, audio inside, plus a special exhibition.
“Our guide, Chris, was superb; so knowledgeable and interesting, and concerned that everyone was able to engage with what he was saying. And the entry to the palace was smooth and easy.”
Self-guided Notting Hill walk with Trippy app: blue door photos, Portobello Road, Electric Cinema, mews streets, 2 hours, $14.
“I really enjoyed this self-guided Notting Hill walking tour. The app was easy to use and took me to all the key spots, including famous locations from the Notting Hill and Love Actually movie scenes, plus so much more. A great way to explore the area at your own pace and really soak in the…”
Step into Emirates Stadium with a self-guided audio tour plus the Arsenal Museum, full of famous boots and FA Cup shirts in London.
“A must do if you are an Arsenal fan! Being able to see the dressing rooms and the players entrance to the field was fantastic.”
A 2.5-hour royal walk to Buckingham Palace plus skip-the-line entry and an audio guide, with St. James Park context along the way.
“We had a great experience on this tour! David was a very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. At first we weren’t sure how important the walk through St James Park was, as we weren’t familiar with it. But it was super informative, and all the royal history we learned while walking helped to bring the…”
Skip the museum line with small-group entry, a phone audio guide in 7 languages, and a handy Political London add-on for a 3-hour plan.
“David was a great guide, communicated with us in advance and got us right in at the museum. He gave us some helpful tips and got us underway. The museum is incredible as well!!”
Walk London’s Harry Potter sights with an app-based audio tour, from Westminster to Platform 9¾ and real Diagon Alley.
“veel informatie. de filmscenes worden duidelijk beschreven bij iedere locatie. de tour is erg lang. we redden het niet binnen de tijd. omdat we nog iets anders geboekt hadden, hebben we hem de volgende dag afgemaakt.”
A flexible, offline audio walk through Kew Gardens’ top sights, with GPS guidance and historian narration, ending at the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
“Thoroughly enjoyed the mature trees, and the alliums blooming in the beds in front of the palm house.”
A timed, free-entry reservation plus a detailed British Museum audio guide for $11.01. Download first; headphones not included.
“This company is a scam! I booked my tickets 8 days in advance and they refused to end my tickets. When they eventually sent it, it was not valid at the Museum for entry. It's been 3 weeks nd they are refusing to refund me my £33.60.”
A 45-minute app-guided walk through Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Neal’s Yard, and the Royal Opera House. Offline GPS for $9.58.
“The app kept crashing on us as we went around Covent Garden, we tried a few times to get it back, in the end we were able to but it charged us again, so we were charged twice. It wasn't the best app to follow either a bit disjointed”
Every corner of the city, and the best days out beyond it.
