Curated, not cluttered
This isn’t every London tour under the sun. It’s a tighter edit of the ones that actually help shape a brilliant trip.
THE BEST TOURS IN LONDON
Best Tours in London: Curated Experiences Worth Booking
Looking for the best tours in London can feel like trying to choose a restaurant in Soho when you’re already hungry — too many tabs, too many options, and suddenly you’re wondering whether you need a river cruise, a food tour, a skyline view or a fortress full of ravens.
This is the Hey Lolly edit: classic landmarks, brilliant views, delicious detours and the sort of experiences that make a London trip feel properly memorable.
Before you book
A quick note on choosing well
The best London tour is rarely the one everyone tells you to book. It’s the one that fits the kind of trip you actually want.
Book the anchor first
Choose the one experience you’d be gutted to miss, then build the rest of your day around it.
Follow your London mood
Classic, foodie, skyline, cinematic or strange — the best booking is the one that feels like your kind of London.
Start here
Best Tours in London at a Glance
Skimming before you book? Here’s the quick edit — the best London tours to choose depending on your mood, your trip style and how much of the city you want to squeeze into one day.
Tour
Best for
Vibe
Tower of London
History lovers
Classic, royal, iconic
London Eye
First-time visitors
Scenic, easy, iconic
Westminster Abbey
Royal history lovers
Historic, elegant, architectural
The Shard
Skyline views
Polished, romantic, photo-worthy
Warner Bros. Studio Tour
Film fans and families
Immersive, nostalgic, magical
Madame Tussauds
Families and photo moments
Playful, famous, fun
The Curated Edit
The best London tours to book
The headline experiences worth starting with — iconic landmarks, brilliant views, famous names and properly memorable London moments. If you’re short on time, start here.
HISTORIC LONDON
Royal history, ravens & iconic London
Tower of London & Crown Jewels
Nearly 1,000 years of royal drama, fortress walls, Crown Jewels and Yeoman Warder stories. Tourist classic? Yes. Still worth it? Absolutely.
FAMOUS LONDON
Harry Potter fans, families & full-day magic
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
Step behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films with sets, props, costumes and all the little details that make this one feel less like a tour and more like walking into the story.
ICONIC LONDON
Skyline views, first-timers
The London Eye Entry Ticket
A proper London classic with big skyline views over Westminster, the Thames and the city beyond. Tourist favourite? Absolutely. Especially if it’s your first time in London.
ROYAL LONDON
Royal history, Gothic architecture
Westminster Abbey Guided Tour
Step inside one of London’s most iconic landmarks, where coronations, royal weddings and centuries of British history sit beneath soaring Gothic arches.
ICONIC LONDON
Skyline views, date days & iconic London
The View from
The Shard, London
See London from above with sweeping views across the Thames, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s and beyond. Polished and perfect if you want a proper “we’re in London” moment.
FAMOUS LONDON
Families, famous faces & classic London fun
Madame Tussaud's Tickets
A playful London classic packed with famous faces, interactive moments and photo opportunities. Tourist favourite? Yes — but that’s exactly why people book it.
Before you book
Choose London well, not randomly.
This guide is here to help you skip the guesswork and book the London experiences that are actually worth your time — and your money.
Make it a London trip to remember ♡
Less planning stress. More London magic. Book your tours below ♡
Hand-picked for a reason
Only the tours I’d actually recommend to friends, family — and myself — make the list.
Save time, skip stress
Book ahead for the big experiences so you can spend less time queuing and more time enjoying London.
A better trip, your way
Whether you love history, food, views, film magic or hidden gems — there’s something here for your kind of London.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE CLASSIC
Tower of London & Crown Jewels
If you only book one historic London experience, this is the one that still feels properly worth it. Fortress walls, royal drama, ravens, Yeoman Warders and the Crown Jewels — touristy, yes, but in the best possible way.
THE CLASSIC
The London Eye
A proper first-time-in-London moment. The London Eye is easy, iconic and wonderfully unfussy, a slow sweep above the Thames with Big Ben, Westminster and the city unfolding beneath you.
HEY LOLLY PICK
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE CLASSIC
Westminster Abbey
For the grander, quieter side of classic London. Westminster Abbey brings the ceremony, architecture and royal history without needing much theatre, it already has centuries of it built into the stone.
THE CLASSIC
Westminster to Greenwich Thames Cruise
A relaxed way to see London from the water, starting at Westminster and drifting towards Greenwich with the city opening up around you. Expect open-deck views, live commentary and big-name sights along the Thames, from the London Eye and Shakespeare’s Globe to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
HEY LOLLY PICK
The quick edit
If you only book one…
Classic
Tower of London
For royal history, ravens and the Crown Jewels.
View
The Shard
For a polished skyline moment above the city.
Food
Soho & Chinatown
For grazing, flavour and proper London energy.
Wildcard
The Gunpowder Plot
For something darker, stranger and more theatrical.
Still choosing? Browse the full London edit and find the tour that fits your trip.
Discover all London toursSkyline London
Best London tours for views
For those proper “look where we are” London moments, river bends, glass towers, golden light, Westminster rooftops and the city laid out beneath you. These are the tours to book when you want London to feel big, cinematic and beautifully worth the view.
THE CLASSIC VIEW
Best for, first time visitors
The London Eye
Easy, iconic and instantly recognisable. The London Eye is perfect when you want big Westminster views, a simple booking and that classic Thames-side London moment.
THE HIGH-RISE VIEW
Best for skyline lovers
The View from The Shard
A sleeker skyline experience with sweeping views across the Thames, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s and beyond. Polished, grown-up and very photo-worthy.
THE UNEXPECTED VIEW
Best for something quick and different
IFS Cloud Cable Car
A slightly different way to see the city from above. Glide over the Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks for skyline views without the big-ticket sightseeing feel.
THE RIVERSIDE VIEW
Best for relaxed sightseeing
Thames Sightseeing Cruise
Not high, but still one of the best ways to see London open up. Cruise past the city’s bridges, riverside landmarks and skyline moments while doing very little except looking up.
Foodie London
Best London food tours for delicious detours
For the people who plan a city break around what they’re eating next. These are the London tours and experiences that swap stiff sightseeing for markets, bakeries, bites, tea, queues worth joining and the kind of food-led wandering Hey Lolly was made for.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE MARKET WANDERER
Borough Market Food Tour
The one for grazing your way through London – cheese, bread, street food, little bites, big queues and that excellent feeling of following your appetite instead of a strict itinerary.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE LOCAL TASTE
London Food Walking Tour
A delicious way to see the city through its bakeries, markets, neighbourhood stories and proper edible detours. Come hungry — this is London with snacks built in.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE INDULGENT STOP
Afternoon Tea Experience
For a softer, more indulgent London moment — tea, cake, tiny sandwiches and a bit of old-school charm between all the walking, sightseeing and trying not to check your step count.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE SOHO BITE
Soho & Chinatown Food Walking Tour
A brilliant one for grazing through two of London’s tastiest neighbourhoods, with Mediterranean, Indian, Chinese and British dishes woven into Soho and Chinatown’s local stories.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE DINNER RIDE
Gourmet Dinner on a Luxury Coach
A more polished London gourmet food experience: a 6-course dinner served on board a glass-roofed luxury coach while you pass landmarks like Tower Bridge, The Shard and Westminster Abbey.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE EAST END WANDERER
East End Food Guided Group Tour
A food-led wander through Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitalfields, mixing tastings with street art, multicultural history, market atmosphere, brilliant neighbourhood stories and proper East London character.
Hey Lolly edit
The classics are worth booking. But the best London stories often start with the tour you almost didn’t choose.
Film, Fun & Immersive London
London tours for film fans, famous faces and full-on experiences
For the London experiences that feel less like sightseeing and more like stepping into another world — film sets, famous faces, theatrical storytelling and attractions with a bit more spectacle.
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE BIG DAY OUT
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
This is the one to build a whole day around. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London takes you properly behind the scenes, with sets, props, costumes and all the tiny cinematic details that make the Harry Potter films feel so loved. It’s nostalgic, immersive and full of those little “oh my god, that’s actually there” moments — especially if you grew up with the films or you’re travelling with someone who knows every line.
THE FAMOUS FACES ONE
Madame Tussauds London
Madame Tussauds is one of those London attractions people pretend they’re above, then secretly have a brilliant time in. It’s playful, polished and packed with photo moments, from famous faces to red-carpet-style scenes and immersive zones. Not every London experience has to be serious and historic — sometimes you just want something fun, easy and a little bit ridiculous in the best possible way.
HEY LOLLY PICK
HEY LOLLY PICK
THE DARKLY FUN ONE
Visit The London Dungeons
For a darker, louder, more theatrical version of London’s history, the London Dungeon brings the city’s grisliest stories to life with live actors, immersive sets and just enough jumpy moments to keep you on edge. It’s not your quiet museum kind of history — it’s messy, dramatic, funny and slightly unhinged, which is exactly the point.
Not your standard sightseeing
Unlock London’s stranger side.
Wildcard London
Unique London tours for something a little different
Done the classics? This is where London gets a little more interesting — darker stories, unexpected views, immersive theatre, hidden corners and experiences that feel less like sightseeing and more like stepping into another version of the city.
These are the tours for when you don’t just want to see London. You want a story to come home with.
Explore the wildcards
Best for curious wanderers, repeat visitors and anyone who likes their city breaks with a little more theatre.
Wildcard London
Unique London tours for curious wanderers
For the side of London that feels a little darker, stranger, more secretive or simply less obvious. These are the tours for when you want a proper story to come home with — the odd corners, hidden histories and after-dark tales that make the city feel properly alive.
Dark history
The notorious one
Jack the Ripper Walking Tour
A darker walk through East London’s most infamous story, with shadowy streets, old clues and the kind of Victorian crime history that still manages to pull people in.
View the tourBest for dark history and atmospheric storytelling
Ghostly London
The haunted one
Ghost Walk with Thames Boat Ride
Part ghost walk, part river ride, this one gives you London with a little more chill in the air — eerie stories, riverside atmosphere and a proper after-dark feel.
View the tourBest for ghost stories and evening atmosphere
Secret city
The hidden one
Secret London Walking Tour
For the London tucked behind the obvious one — quiet corners, strange details, half-missed histories and the little places you’d probably walk straight past on your own.
View the tourBest for repeat visitors and curious wanderers
Wartime London
The wartime one
Westminster, WW2 & Churchill War Rooms
A more serious but brilliant wildcard, taking you into wartime Westminster and the underground world of Churchill’s War Rooms. History with proper weight.
View the tourBest for history lovers and wartime stories
Gritty London
The criminal one
Gangster London Walking Tour
London with sharper edges — gangsters, infamous names, underworld stories and the kind of city history that feels a bit more filmic than textbook.
View the tourBest for gritty stories and true-crime energy
Theatrical fun
The fun one
Ghost Bus London Tour
Less sensible sightseeing, more spooky theatre on wheels. A playful, slightly ridiculous and very memorable way to see London’s darker side from a vintage-style bus.
View the tourBest for groups, families and spooky fun
Still deciding?
Which London tour is right for you?
Think less about what everyone says you should do in London and more about the kind of trip you actually want — easy sightseeing, big views, brilliant food, royal history, film magic or something a little more unexpected.
First time in London?
Start with the experiences that give you that big, unmistakable London feeling without needing a complicated itinerary.
Book
Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey
Want the best views?
Go high, go glassy, go slightly giddy. These are the ones for skyline photos, river views and that little “look where we are” moment.
Book
The Shard or London Eye
Here for the food?
Choose the tours that let you eat your way through London properly — markets, neighbourhood stories, brilliant bites and no sad sandwich energy.
Book
Soho & Chinatown, Borough Market, East End Food Tour
Travelling with kids?
Pick something with spectacle, movement and enough fun to keep everyone off their phones for at least a little while.
Book
Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon
Want something special?
For date days, birthday trips, celebrations or simply making London feel a little more polished than usual.
Book
The Shard, Luxury Dinner Bus, Afternoon Tea
Already done the classics?
Go for the odder, moodier, more curious side of the city — the kind of thing you remember because it wasn’t the obvious choice.
Book
Gunpowder Plot, Hidden Gems, IFS Cloud Cable Car
Quick questions
London Tour FAQ.
Good to know before you book
This guide is written as a curated Hey Lolly edit — not a random list of everything available. The tours featured here are chosen for strong traveller appeal, clear trip value and the kind of experience that actually makes sense to book ahead.
What are the best London tours for first-time visitors?
For a first visit, start with the big London anchors: Tower of London, London Eye, Westminster Abbey and one easy sightseeing experience that helps you get your bearings. They give you history, views and a proper sense of place without making the itinerary feel too complicated.
Are London tours worth booking in advance?
Usually, yes — especially for timed-entry attractions, food tours, immersive experiences, afternoon tea and anything popular at weekends or during school holidays. Booking ahead means less faffing, fewer sold-out moments and more time actually enjoying the city.
Why book a London tour through this guide?
Because this is a curated edit rather than a giant overwhelming search page. I’ve grouped the experiences by the kind of trip you’re planning — classics, views, food, film, immersive fun and wildcard ideas — so you can choose quickly and book the one that genuinely fits your London.
What London tour should I book if I only have one day?
Keep it simple. Choose one headline experience, such as the Tower of London or London Eye, then add either a river cruise, a food tour or a neighbourhood walk depending on your energy. One brilliant booking beats trying to cram in five things and enjoying none of them properly.
What are the best London food tours?
Borough Market, Soho and Chinatown, and East End food tours are the strongest options if you want to eat your way through the city with a bit of context. For something more polished, afternoon tea or a luxury dinner bus works beautifully as a food-led experience rather than a walking tour.
What is the best London tour for views?
The London Eye is the classic choice, especially for first-timers. The View from The Shard feels more polished and grown-up if you want a proper skyline moment, while the IFS Cloud Cable Car is a more unexpected, lower-key way to see the city from above.
Are London tours good for repeat visitors?
Definitely — but skip the obvious if you’ve done it before. Look at hidden-gem walks, immersive theatre-style experiences, food tours in neighbourhoods you haven’t explored, or wildcard picks like The Gunpowder Plot and the IFS Cloud Cable Car.
Do London tours work for families?
Yes, but choose experiences with movement, story and spectacle. Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon and the London Eye are all easier family wins than a very long, very serious walking tour.
Final thoughts
The best London tours are the ones that give your trip a story.
Whether you’re here for the Crown Jewels, a skyline view, a food-led wander through Soho, a full day of film magic or something deliciously strange, London has a way of turning even the obvious things into a proper moment.
Hey Lolly pick
First-timers: Tower of London. Food people: Soho & Chinatown. Wildcards: The Gunpowder Plot.
London, properly edited
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you book through one of these links, Hey Lolly may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All recommendations are selected editorially and are based on what we believe offers genuine value for a London trip.
