Mayfair, London's famous aristocratic village - Exclusive, Private Walking Tour | La Vacanza Travel

Mayfair, London's famous aristocratic village - Exclusive, Private Walking Tour

Duration: 150 to 180 minutes
Destination: United Kingdom, England, London
from
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  • 150 to 180 minutes
  • London
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Just 300 years ago, the Mayfair and Berkeley Square area was no more than a muddy field. This walk charts its progress from a playground for the aristocracy in the 1700s to today's comfortable mix of luxurious mansions, exclusive shops, enchanting parks and squares.  There are hidden gems everywhere, and as we pass houses once occupied by Royalty and the aristocracy, you can marvel at the architecture and be amazed at the beautiful glass and china on display in Mayfair's shop windows! We visit London's most sophisticated department store to hear how they invented the hamper, why Michelle Obama was responsible for clearing its shelves and the inside story of Royal Warrants. Discover how Mayfair used to be one of London's most notorious red light districts and find out its sordid secrets.  This tour tells tales of Mayfair's highs and lows, of the characters who called it home and of the odd celebrity with a connection to this fascinating area. 100% of my TripAdvisor are graded Excellent

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER England

It's hard to believe looking at this sophisticated store that Fortnum and Mason's started life as a market stall! William Fortnum worked as a Footman for Queen Anne of 'Favourite' fame and took the half used Royal candles to sell on his house mates market stall and there began the entrepreneurial business - we'll do a quick turn around the ground floor of this magnificent store which will leave you wanting to return for certain!

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House Piccadilly Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD England

If the original owners of this property, the Earls of Burlington, could see their home today, they wouldn't recognise it! Since it was built in the 1660s, at least 9 architects have worked on it to make it the glamorous home of the Royal Academy. Its transformation from private home to world famous art treasure is fascinating to hear.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Burlington Arcade, 51 Piccadilly, London W1J 0QJ England

This arcade has just celebrated its 200 year anniversary - it was originally built by George Cavendish, one of the Earls of Burlington, so that his wife and her aristocratic friends would have somewhere to shop without being pestered by beggars! It also stopped all and sundry from tossing rubbish over his garden wall because, of course, he lived in Burlington House next door! A pleasant 10 minute stroll along the arcade gives you a chance to see the arcade's guardians, the Beadles, in action and enjoy a spot of window shopping as well.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Bond Street, London England

The only road joining Piccadilly and Oxford Street, it is one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. As you walk the pavements, the shops certainly read like a who's who of retail! As you absorb the well known names and marvel at the window displays, we'll saunter along Old Bond Street and a part of New Bond Street for about 10 minutes before turning off to see the home of Norman Hartnell, one of fashion's most famous designers from the 1950s and 60s.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Bruton Street, Bruton St, London, UK

Although the building no longer stands, we can see the site where the late Queen Elizabeth II was born and let our imaginations do the rest!.

Duration: 5 minutes

Stop At: Berkeley Square Gardens, London W1J 5AR England

Most famous for its nightingale singing which is stuff of legend, this is a square full of historical interest. From the centuries old plane trees to the grade I listed buildings around its edges, this is one of the most beautiful squares in London - and who would have thought a river runs through it too. All will be revealed as we wander between the ancient trees.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Mount Street Gardens, Mount St Mayfair, London W1K 2TH England

A tranquil oasis in the heart of a City that never stops. Its past is not quite so calm as today though - come on the tour and in the 10 minutes we'll stay in the gardens, you will find out what lies beneath your feet and what gruesome building used to grace the side of the gardens.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QU England

Set up in James II's reign, the market he established gave Mayfair its name. For centuries, Shepherd Market was Mayfair's much visited red light district (what else was there for the aristocracy to do!). During our 10 minute stop here you will find out its fascinating history and which MP lost his reputation here!

Duration: 10 minutes

Inclusions
  • A fun & experienced professional local guide, accredited by the ITG & University of Westminster.

Exclusions
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy), your guide on this tour. My aim is to give you, my client, the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to let me know what they are!
  • Your comfort is my priority - if you need to stop for a coffee or a comfort break just let me know.
  • Service animals allowed
  • The tour will last up to 3 hours.
  • Near public transportation
  • The tour will cover about 2 - 3 miles in total.
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing. If needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella!
  • The tour is an outside walking tour but does include an internal stop at one of Mayfair's most unique department stores.
  • I will meet you at 10.00 a.m. under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly.
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Unlike some other guides, I specialise in just five areas of London, Mayfair being one of them. This means that I have detailed knowledge of the area which I pass on to my clients in a fun and interesting way.
  • 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews in total, I must be doing something right!
  • I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying above the usual street noises of a busy city. Also, everyone can ask as many questions as they like.
  • I ALWAYS contact my clients in advance of a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before your tour date, please contact me.
  • I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

The Ritz London, 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR, UK


Departure Time

10:00 AM


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

150 to 180 minutes


User's Reviews

Sibarjo

29 Sep, 2023

The tour was excellent. Our guide, Sandy, was well prepared, well informed and very up to date with what was happening around us. She was interesting and engaging and alert to the small group that we were with to get the pace and interests just right. We would thoroughly recommend.

Road60396773721

25 Sep, 2023

If you do one thing on a visit to London I suggest that you book one of Sandy’s tours. We did the Mayfair tour and her enthusiasm and knowledge was apparent from the start. The 2 ½ hours flew past whist we leaned facts old and new - from the building of Burlington House in a muddy field over 300 years ago to the pub once owned by Madonna. Yes, it might be a little cheaper to book a large tour with 20 or 30 others but if you want a real insight to what lies under the surface of this fascinating area then I would recommend this private tour.

johngG8682OT

17 Aug, 2022

Wonderful revelations! Bowled over by Sandy’s description of surroundings I’d worked in all my life and not noticed or enquired about. Routine and business as usual sometimes needs a step outside the box to appreciate values and the society in which we live and Sandy achieved this. She is exceptionally interesting and knowledgable on so many aspects we’ve not been able to stop telling our friends about. My wife and I would like to do more of her tours.

Estie H

11 Jul, 2022

Sandy was just wonderful. Our party of 3 learned so much about the neighborhood where we were staying. We loved the way that she mingled history with shopping and international relations. We would recommend Sandy’s tours very highly and strongly encourage anyone who is interested in one of her tours to book with her. We wished we had done the tour earlier in our visit to London so we could have taken advantage of more of her suggestions for eating and shopping! Highly recommend!

821EmmaO

07 Nov, 2021

Sandy is an excellent guide. My husband & our boys thoroughly enjoyed their tour of Mayfair. They haven't stopped talking about the tour since! Sandy personalised the tour to suit our boys - 13 & 9. A highlight for them were the Bentley & Ferrari car garages on Berkley Square. Sandy arranged for them to actually go inside. My husband found some of the quirky facts about the buildings fascinating. We will definitely book up another tour very soon.

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