This was my second Rick Steves Tour (the other a 7 Days in Rome) Gillian was outstanding. The traveling group was perfect and we made new friends. He made the difference!! I have to look at my pictures to remember it all. I loved the variety of experiences and sites. The Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Assyrian galleries were amazing! It was an amazing experience. London’s Anglesea Arms Pub. In addition to being exceedingly knowledgeable about London and it's history, Tom was funny,engaging and friendly. Sadly, Big Ben was behind scaffolding.". Our tour guide Roy adjusted our schedule so we could see the Queen and her entourage leave from behind Parliament.It was such a special opportunity to witness such a historic all event.". Most tour members arrange to fly in and out of London's Heathrow (LHR) or Gatwick (LGW) airports. We found the restaurant and sat down for dinner. We feel like we saw all the sites one would hope to see on their first trip to London and there was just enough free time built in to the schedule to do a few things we wanted to as well! The free afternoon times were great. Loved Spitalfields!". We has the most delightful guide and fellow travelers. "There were so many! My favorite activities were: the bus tour, changing of the guard, Tower of London, St. Paul's, Windsor Castle, Globe theatre and Borough Market. The itinerary was a great mix of group sightseeing and time to explore on our own. Rick’s South England Drive. When I first booked the tour I thought it looked like a great fit- walking, good mix of activities, food plus free time for outside adventures. Jamie our guide knows his stuff. He blended comedy with history.". Very knowledgeable tour guide in Tom with great personal insight. While standing and watching The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff, after drinking from a pint of beer, laughed, and then profusely spit out a mouthful of it upon the audience. It was very chill most of the time even when were in a group traveling through the city it felt pretty relaxed but organized. The itinerary provided a comprehensive overview of London, its culture, history, and influence. I would highly recommend it to all my friends and family! The one-square-mile historic core of London — called simply … This is different from the typical Rick Steves tour in that we never changed hotels. With Rick Steves. The tour was action packed and top of the line. The ravens and their backstory was really interesting--I hadn't heard about them before--and the crown jewels were spectacular. This tour is an excellent way to experience many facets of London in a short period of time. "My favorite days were the trip to Windsor Castle, a beautiful little village and the food tour of the East End! Westminster Abbey FREE TIME ALLOTED WAS JUST RIGHT. "We were there on the first day of the opening of parliament. The other tour guides were very good and knew their subjects. Enjoyed all the tourist things we did but really enjoyed Jeanie taking us in all the ethnic neighborhoods and discussing past history of London. I was expecting to really enjoy this tour, but I absolutely LOVED it! I enjoyed having Jaime as our knowledgeable guide. This made everything so much more meaningful and interesting. Depending on your interests, choose from the British Library, Tate Britain, Museum of London, Imperial War Museum, or Kew Gardens (consider a cruise to Kew, return to London by Tube). We visited all the sites as expected; got there the way were were told we would; felt prepared once there. I loved the abbey and St. Paul's, and how it survived the blitz. Wonderful! This was not just tromping through another big European church. Windsor Castle unbelievable. Good combination of scheduled activities with ample free time for personal exploration. We couldn't have asked for better weather. I will be looking for other RS Tours to enjoy. We really appreciated the suggestions by Jeanne on different activities we could do on our own. However I really enjoyed the tour of The Tower of London. We'll see the Tower Bridge and Southwark Cathedral, and learn how this side of the river has evolved since Roman times. We had Jeanie Carmichael as our guide. He seemed to always be available later to talk in more detail about particular points of interest.". We enjoyed our trip very much and the "local" insight Roy offered. Enjoyed the sights and sounds of London, watching the people as they head to and from work on the Underground, enjoying their drinks at Pubs at lunchtime (!) Evening  Cap your day with South Bank sights and experiences that are open late (a ride on the London Eye — last ascent 20:30–21:30 depending on season; a Shakespeare play at the Globe — usually at 19:30 in summer; or Tate Modern — open Fridays and Saturdays until 22:00). We were all amazed when we were allowed to go into the Tavern's basement, and saw that the prison cells we had read about were really there. Our best day, for sure!". Our guide Gillian was outstanding, calm, helpful and very informative. Tom, our guide, absolutely made the trip a delight. Interesting sites, great traveling companions. "Tom positioning us in time to see the Horse Guards return to the barracks -- fantastic to see the horses up close as they trotted past.". The way that Rick Steves tours are designed take all of the guesswork out and enable us to see more than we could possibly do on our own. Boy was I mistaken London is a fantastic city with a huge amount of history, "My personal favorite was not actually on the tour although there were a lot of wow moments on tour. The architecture, craftsmanship and history/age of the buildings is just mind-boggling. Nice balance of history, art, and local communities. Incredible history and architecture.". "Westminister Abbey was such an amazing Church filled with soooo much history and beauty. The guide went out of his way to value each member of the group. Additionally, our son was the youngest of the trip (12) and Jeanie treated him with great respect - not talking over him, or dumbing down the content. Supplement $825. Overall it was just standing in places where so much of history has taken place--Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, Churchill's War Room and Museum, the Globe Theatre, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral. I was flooded with so many emotions. "I really enjoyed the walking tour of the East End and the Churchill War Rooms. It was my second Rick Steves tour--hopefully of many more to come! "Windsor Castle, Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey. Our fearless leader, Gillian, couldn't have been more perfect. The overall tour experience was outstanding. "While almost impossible to choose, the food tour of the East End of London with Felicity was a true highlight. Enjoyable introduction to London for a first time visitor. Enjoyed every moment of the tour. He knows his stuff and is a real people person, making us all feel welcome and the week enjoyable. I definitely plan on going on another Rick Steve's tour. Loved the variety of included activities and seeing various areas of London. I enjoyed the small group size, having a balance between the planned activities and free time, and going to multiple locations in and around London. "Seeing Windsor Castle, especially St. Georges's Chapel. Our tour leader, Gillian, was absolutely wonderful. Easy city to get around and enjoy the sights. Our tour guide, Jeanie, was terrific. "Seeing the crown jewels was my WOW moment.". Overall, very impressed and pleased with the tour. Loved our guide, Liz. "Each day seemed to bring a new and different "WOW" factor.". Our guide Jeanie was fantastic! Not only was he very knowledgeable about London, he made our trip fun and interesting. A PLEASANT SURPRISE WAS STUMBLING UPON THE FEARLESS GIRL STATUE NEAR ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.". If you're spending only a few days in London, Rick Steves Best of England is all you're likely to need. Jeanie was the perfect guide. The Tower of London was so much fun to explore. On the tour, being given V.I.P. She was so knowledgeable about London and it's history. That was a real treat.". Since it is not nearly as crowded as Buckingham Palace, it was far easier to get up close and feel the experience. My favorite was a little pub that our tour guide Tom suggested we go to. spending time together. The food tour was outstanding. ", This trip was my first time to London and to the the UK. I would say that her description of how she personally attends the Shakespeare Globe theatre with "groundling" (standing) tickets - and how unique and engaging that experience is - inspired us to check that out. Rick Steve's tours are the best! "My favorite wow moment was Beefeater tour at the Tower of London! The tour was well organized and everything ran as scheduled. Made me mindful of efforts involved in beating Hitler in World War II". Roy was outstanding! Overall, the London city tour was fantastic for a holiday getaway. I appreciated the pace and variety of activities. It will inspire you to learn more about British history and monarchy and to brush up on your Shakespeare. Learning about famous events, royal history, made it all so enjoyable!". Jeanie provided many excellent free time activity choices. It was definitely an insiders tour which was tasty and informative. "Having just been to the D-Day beaches the previous week, I was fascinated and inspired by the Churchill War Rooms. Excellent tour. Gillian was an awesome guide and very knowledgeable. Paperback. Smaller text Larger text. It has been awhile since I have walked so much! What a great tour experience!". Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Great tour of London saw many sights and enjoyed the "free time " during the week. A great chance to see a different yet vibrant part of London, with wonderful stories and - as we discovered - a variety of tasty treats.". crown jewels, castles, pubs, etc. Clearly, a modern and thriving metropolis, but one steeped in history. Our group definitely benefitted from Lady Chadwick's expertise! Probably St. Pauls Cathedral and the view from the top of the dome, West Minster Abbey and all the history that goes with it, seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and seeing the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. "My favorite WOW moment was walking into Saint George's Cathedral. There was so much served up that I can't chose one wow moment.". The beauty of Westminster Abbey struck me as well, especially the fan vaulted ceiling. So much to see, so little time. Be prepared to walk and to navigate the Tube! Rick Steves Top Sites in London. On my own time, I also saw Hamilton as well as A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe. The parks and gardens are beautiful. I just can't say enough how great this tour was! We will just have to come back and do it again. I enjoyed each and every days experiences! Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. I would absolutely take another RSE tour if finances/scheduling allowed. 4.8 out of 5 stars 189. I loved it all. Others who guided us on the walking food tour and at the Shakespeare Globe theater were also excellent. I spent so much time there that I thought that they were going to charge me rent.". I loved feeling like I didn't miss any sites because we maximized every minute of every day. This was our 4th RS tour. "Every day in London! My first time in London, extremely pleased with the experience. During your week-long stay in London, your Rick Steves guide will lead you on a magical history tour along the Thames and through the Tower, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, historic neighborhoods, and plenty of priceless art — and even take you on a train trip to Windsor Castle. Well for us, i.e info under `` what is included '' said we n't. `` one favorite moment was Beefeater tour at the Tower we liked mix. The tube, and Egyptian hieroglyphics '' how to get to know room. `` and! 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