Secret Gardens of the City of London Private Tour Discount Tickets

Get your discount tickets for the Secret Gardens of the City of London Private Tour, save up to 14% !

Overview

This private walking tour takes us to many hidden, silent, sacred and secret gardens and ruins in the City of London. Even Londoners don't know about most of these sites and that is why they are such wonderful and historic places. Beautiful old gothic church yard gardens, each a peaceful, historic oasis in busy London. This is an immersive historical and architectural walking tour of the City of London's public pocket gardens, ancient churchyards, and medieval ruins. It does not enter private residential squares or domestic backyards. Secret Gardens of the City of London is also a #1 ranking travel book and has been the travel feature in the Independent Newspaper.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Paternoster Square, England, EC4M 8AD, United Kingdom

The tour starts just outside Caffe Nero outside St Pauls Underground Station

Pickup Information

We can meet you at any Central London hotel (not just those listed) and then go by tube to the starting point at St Pauls.

Language Offered

English-GUIDE

Itinerary

1. St. Paul's Cathedral
The tour starts under the majestic gaze of one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
Duration: 5 mins
2. Saint Paul's Churchyard
Explore the beautiful landscaped gardens of St Pauls Cathedral.
Duration: 10 mins
3. Festival Gardens
Delightfully colourful gardens with an incredible backdrop.
Duration: 5 mins
4. Reflection Garden
This beautiful garden was redeveloped during Covid and features a water feature and view not to be missed.
Duration: 5 mins
5. Distaff Lane Garden
Beautiful shady garden, a haven for silver birch with a cooling water feature at the rear amongst other things.
Duration: 5 mins
6. Cleary Garden
Beautiful gardens with an Italian inspiration due to the Roman ruins that lay beneath.
Duration: 5 mins
7. Whittington Garden
This secret garden is dedicated to one of the most famous Lord Mayors of London who amongst other things built the nearby church.
Duration: 5 mins
8. St Swithin London Stone Church Garden
Almost completely hidden from view, this beautiful garden has a definitive Welsh theme with a sad history behind it.
Duration: 5 mins
9. The Monument to the Great Fire of London
See the incredible monument to the Great Fire of London
Duration: 5 mins
10. St. Dunstan In The East
Visit the most beautiful ruin in the old City of London.
Duration: 10 mins
11. Seething Lane Garden
One time home of the most famous diarist in history, Samuel Pepys, the garden has some incredible decorative stones illustrating the unique and memorable life of this fascinating man,
Duration: 5 mins
12. St Olave's Church
This historic church and garden has been through Great Fires, Plagues, World Wars and as such as some incredible history.
Duration: 10 mins
13. All Hallows Staining Church Tower
80 years after The Blitz this garden is finally being redeveloped but its true secret is why it is hear at all and for that we have to go back to one of the darkest moments in Londons history, many centuries ago.
Duration: 5 mins
14. Garden at 120
Visit London's newest sky garden which offers a fantastic view of where we have been and where we will be going. The garden has a capacity of 207 people so it is possible that on rare occasions we cannot get in. So far so good though!
Duration: 15 mins
15. Hogarth Court
A beautiful modern garden with a poignant work of art regarding the slave trade on the spot where two men campaigned tirelessly for its destruction.
Duration: 5 mins
16. Leadenhall Market
A stunning Victorian market built on top of a Roman market, beautiful and iconic, seen in many shows and movies.
Duration: 5 mins
17. St Peter-upon-Cornhill
The garden of this ancient church is relatively plain but it has a grave within it that is possibly the most famous grave in English literature, set as it is amongst ancient lanes and alleys.
Duration: 5 mins
18. St. Michael's Cornhill
No cars or any vehicles can get close to this secret garden, huddled away in the medieval passageways. A beautiful garden with a nice sun trap too. Surrounded by old churches, pubs and the oldest coffee shop too.
Duration: 5 mins
19. Guildhall
Right in the middle of London we will stand on top of the old Roman amphitheatre
Duration: 5 mins
20. St. Lawrence Jewry
This little space in the heart of the old Jewish district of London and almost entirely rebuilt after WW2.
Duration: 10 mins
21. Churchyard of St John Zachary
This sunken garden has a history both ancient and the merely old.
Duration: 10 mins
22. Noble Street
These unusual gardens hold an ancient secret uncovered in WW2, ruins of the old Roman City Wall.
Duration: 5 mins
23. St Mary Aldermanbury Garden
This little garden has strong associations to William Shakespeare and even Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill.
Duration: 10 mins
24. St Mary Staining
A magnificent old tree steels the show here with incredible modern architecture all around.
Duration: 5 mins
25. Postman's Park
Visit this beautiful but rarely visited park with its touching memorial to everyday heroes.
Duration: 10 mins

Inclusion

Local guide

Private tour

Professional guide

Tour escort/host

Hotel pickup

Exclusion

Transportation to/from attractions

Cancellation Policy

Check mark icon Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

  • 100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
  • 0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Dress code is smart casual

We have earmarked this tour as especially safe during the Coronavirus outbreak due to generally quiet places that we visit where social distancing is generally not a problem. All of our tours are private so it is just you/your family and your guide.  To make it easier and safer for all concerned we would suggest starting this tour a little later than the usual time, perhaps around 10.30-11am which allows us all to miss rush-hour. We are happy to still come to your hotel to meet you but for the moment we would suggest meeting us at the tour starting point.  This allows you to arrive by a taxi or uber rather than public transport. Please feel free to wear masks throughout or at times during the tour.  Your guide will also have a mask with them.

Supplied by Ye Olde England Tours

Reviews

4.9

★★★★★ ★★★★★
Based on 40 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

5 stars
39
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
1
1 stars
0

Explore other options