Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER England
One of London's most sophisticated department stores, it's hard to believe it started life as a market stall! We will wander around the ground floor so I can point out what the store invented 300 years ago which is still in demand today and explain what intriguing structures are on its roof. I guarantee you will want to return at a later date for a more leisurely browse of the entire store to do some serious shopping!
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House Piccadilly Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD England
Built by the Earl of Burlington in the mid-1660s, I doubt he would recognise it today as at least 9 architects have worked on the building since then! Currently occupied by the Royal Academy, its summer exhibition is a firm fixture in London's 'Social' calendar.
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Burlington Arcade, 51 Piccadilly, London W1J 0QJ England
The Burlington arcade has just celebrated its 200th anniversary and was built by one of the Earls of Burlington, George Cavendish. As we wander through and enjoy window shopping some of the 45 retailers who occupy the arcade today, we will see the Beadles who have guarded the arcade since day 1!
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Berkeley Square Gardens, London W1J 5AR England
Most famous for its nightingales which are, in all probability completely fictional, this is one of London's most historically interesting squares. With a forgotten river flowing beneath it, the square is home to many plane trees and a collection of grade 1 listed buildings around its edges one of which is home to the world famous Annabel's night club.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Mount Street Gardens, Mount St Mayfair, London W1K 2TH England
An oasis of peace and tranquility, it is hard to imagine you are only 5 minutes walk away from one of the busiest shopping streets in London. But life has not always been so calm here - in the 10 minutes we'll take to wander through these gardens, I'll tell you what lies beneath our feet and what gruesome secret one of the buildings at the side of the gardens holds.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QU England
A leafy retreat nowadays, it used to be the centre of Mayfair's red light district where the aristocrats of old, with too much time and money on their hands, went for their entertainment. It was also the downfall of one MP - but which one?! I'll fill you in on the tour!
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Green Park, Piccadilly, London W1J 9EJ England
As we cross Piccadilly and move from Mayfair in the north to St James' in the south, we leave the aristocrats behind and concentrate on the royals. Hear the legend of how Green Park gets it name and learn about the Royal dynasties who will feature during this part of our tour.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: St. James's Palace, Marlborough Road, London SW1A 1BQ England
Built by Henry VIII on the site of what used to be a woman's leper hospital, this was intended to be the palace for Henry's son promised to him by Anne Boleyn. But as the son turned out to be a daughter, Henry used the palace as a hunting lodge instead. The palace has been at the centre of many a Royal event so I will tell you many interesting stories from its past. If it's a day the ancient ceremony of the Changing of the Guard is scheduled to take place, we'll be able to enjoy pageantry at its best.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Buckingham Palace, Spur Road, London SW1A 1AA England
One of London's most iconic and recognisable buildings, Buckingham Palace is the office of the monarchy. The late Queen Elizabeth II used it on weekdays and Charles III has yet to decide where he will make his London home. This is a chance to see the world famous palace balcony which has been the focal point of many Royal celebrations including the late Queen's 50th, 60th and 70th jubilees and William and Kate's wedding celebrations. This stop is all about the Royals!
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: St. James's Park, Horse Guards Road The Storeyard, London SW1A 2BJ England
One of eight Royal parks in the capital, St James' is one of my favourites with its ornamental lake and wildlife frolicking in its waters. With luck we'll catch a glimpse of the resident pelicans, a pair of which were gifted to Charles II in 1664 by a Russian ambassador - there have been pelicans on the water ever since!"
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall, Horse Guards Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX England
Originally Henry VIII's tiltyard for jousting, it is best known today for its ancient ceremonies of the Changing of the Guard and the Trooping of the Colour. Horse Guards was home to a gigantic sandpit during the 2012 London Olympics - the question is, though, which sport was it for?! .
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: St. James' Square, London SW1Y 4JU England
Built by Henry Jermyn as a reward for his loyalty to Charles II during the English Civil War, this was the place to live in the 17 and early 1800s. A pretty square, there are still remnants of the days of old with Nancy Astor's former home and one of Sir Christopher Wren's churches gracing its edge.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: 16B Jermyn Street Jermyn Street Theatre, London SW1Y 6ST England
How better to end the tour than a wander along one of the most historic and sophisticated shopping streets in London. With a cheese shop which used to be a market stall and a perfumery dating back to the 1700s, this street has many stories to tell.
Duration: 15 minutes