Private Walking Tour · London · The City Most Visitors Never See
Secret London
Private Walking Tour
A lamp that runs on sewer gas. A tunnel where a King met his lover. The alley that inspired Diagon Alley. And much more.
There is more to London than Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square — iconic and incredible as they are. This tour opens your eyes to a London that most tourists never see and most locals never notice. Quirky, surprising, funny, and utterly fascinating — welcome to Secret London.
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Meeting point
Your hotel or Temple Tube Station
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Character
Quirky · surprising · utterly unique
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Format
100% private — just your group
The London Nobody Tells You About
A lamp powered by sewer gas. A church built back to front. An alley that inspired Harry Potter. The spot from which the entire British Empire measured its distances.
London is one of the most visited cities on earth — yet the vast majority of visitors see only a fraction of what it has to offer. The famous landmarks are magnificent, but they are only the surface. Beneath them lies another London entirely — strange, funny, surprising and packed with stories that most guidebooks have never heard of.
This private walking tour sets out to find that London. Starting near Temple and weaving through the hidden streets and alleys between the Strand, Whitehall and the Embankment, every single stop on this tour will show you something you almost certainly have never seen — or never noticed — before.
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The famous farting lamp of London
An extremely rare surviving gas lamp post — and not just any gas. This lamp runs entirely on methane piped up from London’s Victorian sewers. An extraordinary, slightly ridiculous, and completely genuine piece of living history that has been burning since the 19th century.
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The Thames flood lion heads — London’s ancient water gauge
The ancient lion faces overlooking the Thames are not merely decorative. They are a clever Victorian flood gauge — when the water reaches the lions’ mouths, London is in serious trouble. Walked past by millions every year, noticed by almost nobody.
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King Charles II’s secret tunnel — and the ghost of the Savoy
Some of the oldest streets in London conceal a secret tunnel that King Charles II used to meet with his mistress away from prying eyes. Nearby, the ghost that haunts a tunnel beside the luxurious Savoy Hotel. London’s royal scandals never really go away.
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Craig’s Court — where something we all use every day was invented
The quirky and largely unknown Craig’s Court holds an extraordinary secret — it is the site of an invention that every single person on earth uses every day of their lives. You will be astonished to learn that it came from here.
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The alley that inspired Diagon Alley — and much more
A beautiful old alley that was the direct inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. The narrowest street in London. A church mistakenly built back to front. The old water clock. The mysterious statue of a nose. The Texas Embassy. And the home of Nelson’s mistress.
Sniffing out the secrets — London rewards those who know where to look
Also on this tour:
🏛️ The house identical to 10 Downing Street
📏 The very first modern pavement in existence
🌍 The centre point of the British Empire
🤠 The site of the Texas Embassy in London
⚓ Home of Lord Nelson’s mistress
👃 The mysterious statue of a nose
🕰️ The old water clock
🌿 Looking for more hidden London?
For a completely different take on Secret London, try the #1 most authentic tour on the site — our Secret Gardens of the City of London tour, based on your guide’s own #1 bestselling book.
Pricing — 3 Hour Tour
Per Person — Guide Included
Entry fees not included. Child prices on request. Departure 10:00am from your hotel or Temple Tube Station.
Book via the calendar below or by email.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Secret London Tour
Departure Time: 10 am
City Location: London
Duration of Tour: 3 hours
How to book the Secret London Private Walking Tour
To make a booking please use our automated calendar and booking form below or contact us by email above.
“A lamp powered by sewer gas. A tunnel where a King met his lover. The spot from which the entire British Empire measured its distances. The alley that inspired Diagon Alley. Welcome to the London that most visitors never find — and most locals never notice.”
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