Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For many of the above mentioned bus and cycle tours—as well as walking tours
and a unique tour of the city by Mini Cooper (£99 per car) run by
Small Car Big
City
(
&
020/7585-0399;
www.smallcarbigcity.com)—it's worth checking with
Discount London
(
&
020/8295-8383;
www.discount-london.com) for savings on
headline prices.
WALKING TOURS & GUIDED VISITS
London Walks
(
&
020/7624-3978;
www.walks.com) is the oldest established walk-
ing-tour company in London—and still offers the best range of guided walks, departing
every day of the week from points around town. Their hallmarks are variety, value, reason-
ably sized groups (generally under 30), and—above all—superb guides. The renowned
crime historian Donald Rumbelow leads the daily Jack the Ripper walk (www.jackthe
ripperwalk.com) on Sundays, and alternate Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays; gather out-
side Tower Hill station before 7:30pm. Other popular themed walks include “Shake-
speare's and Dickens' London,” “The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour,” and “Hidden
London.” Several walks run every day, and all cost £8 for adults, £6 for students and
seniors, children 14 and younger go free. No reservations are needed and walks last
around 2 hours.
Context
(
&
020/3318-5637,
or 800/691-6036 in the U.S.; www.contexttravel.
com) takes a more didactic approach to its walking program, with smaller groups led
by engaging docents who are experts and scholars in their fields. Walks such as “Lon-
don: Portrait of a City” are ideal for visitors who want to dig a little deeper. Prices
range from £35 to £55 per person for walks of 2 to 3 hours' duration.
If you want to see behind the scenes of the world's most famous broadcasting
organization,
BBC Tours
(
&
0370/901-1227
or 01732/427770; www.bbc.co.uk/
tours) leads group visits around Television Centre, in White City, and recently reno-
vated Broadcasting House, in the West End. The former focuses on television and
includes a visit to the BBC newsroom, while the latter is all about radio and takes in
the famous BBC Radio Theatre and the chance to create your own short program.
The tours are restricted to visitors aged from 9 and 12 upward, respectively. There's
also an interactive tour of CBBC (Children's BBC) aimed at accompanied kids aged
7 to 11. Little ones get a chance to see inside a real BBC dressing room, hang out on
sets of well-known programs, and even make a short TV spot of their own. All tours
last between 1
1
⁄
2
and 2 hours and cost £9.95 for adults, £9.25 seniors, and £7.75
children. Family tickets for up to four people cost £30. There's something running
most days of most weeks; book online or by telephone.
Soccer fans may be interested in an all-areas tour of Arsenal's
Emirates Stadium
(
&
020/7619-5000;
www.arsenal.com/stadiumtours). Approximately 1-hour guided
visits around the capital's finest club ground take in the dressing rooms, players' tun-
nel, and directors' boxes. Tours are arranged for most non-matchdays, and cost £15
for adults, £8 for children aged 5 to 16, and £38 for a family of four. Dedicated
Arsenal fans should consider paying extra (£35/£18) to join a tour led by a club legend
like Charlie George or Kenny Sansom.
VOLUNTOURISM & SLOW TRAVEL
If you have an interest in giving something back, try volunteering while you're here.
Conservation charity
BTCV
(
&
020/7278-4294;
www.btcv.org/london) runs ses-
sions improving the city's natural spaces. Many are part of its “Green Gym” program
designed to keep you fit as you work on such projects as clearing ponds and coppicing
woodland. Anyone can volunteer via the website, and it's free to take part. Sessions
last a few hours and run most weeks.
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