Free tour

Free Sherlock Holmes Tour

4.85

Excellent(34)

London

Duration: 2 hours

Languages: English

Guru: London with a Local Tours

PRO

Verified quality

Registered on 17 January 2023

London with a Local was created in 2018 out of a desire to bring something different to those visiting (or living in) this wonderful, hectic, ever-changing City. We wanted to provide the best quality tours at a price that works for everyone. London is expensive – believe us, we know. Our aim was to provide at least one part of your time here where you feel like you are truly getting your money's worth. London With A Local is made up of a mix of born and bred Londoners, who can give you a picture of how it feels to grow up in the midst of the chaos, and those who decided to become Londoners after visiting as a tourist and falling in love. They combine a knowledge of the secrets that have been passed down through generations, with the hunger and excitement that comes with embracing a new place as your home. Our tours, of course, visit the iconic architectural structures that London the most recognisable city on Earth, but also allow a peak behind the curtain, away from the glitz and glamour of the West End, to give you the opportunity to see the “real” London, far from the tourist trap souvenir shops, to where the true treats and treasures, so often hidden away from tourists, reside. In short, we want everyone who gets the opportunity to join us on a tour, to feel like they are getting to know the essence of this great city. As well as experience in guiding and a knowledge of the history and politics of Britain, our expert guides all come from a performance background. We are actors. We are musicians. We are comedians. We are dancers and directors. Above all, we are storytellers and our aim is not just to reel off a load of dates that will be forgotten in a split second, but to paint you a picture of the people and events that built the foundations that we tread upon.

Free reservation and cancellation

Pay-what-you-want tour, no set price, reservation and cancellation are free

Tour description

Few characters in world literature are as inseparably linked to a city as Sherlock Holmes is to London. From fog-filled alleyways and grand hotels to gentlemen’s clubs and gas-lit streets, Arthur Conan Doyle’s London is as vital to the stories as Holmes himself. Join our Free Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour and explore the real places that inspired the adventures of the world’s greatest detective.

Beginning in Piccadilly Circus, where the original book series began, this guided walking tour takes you through central London to locations connected to the original Sherlock Holmes stories, the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the many famous film and TV adaptations that have kept Holmes alive for over a century.

Along the route, you’ll stop at historic hotels, elegant gentlemen’s clubs, and atmospheric streets mentioned in classic tales such as The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Scandal in Bohemia, The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, and many more. A highlight for many visitors is a stop at London’s only Sherlock Holmes Pub, a must-see for any Holmes fan.

Even if you haven’t read the books, this tour is packed with familiar sights. You’ll visit locations used by actors including Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Brett, Christopher Plummer and even Millie Bobby Brown, discovering how London has continually reinvented Sherlock Holmes on screen while remaining faithful to its Victorian roots.

Beyond the mysteries themselves, the tour delves into the fascinating life of Arthur Conan Doyle. Learn about his friendships with Oscar Wilde and Harry Houdini, his interest in science and deduction, and his later belief in the paranormal and spiritualism elements that add surprising depth to the creator of the world’s most rational detective.

Blending literary history, Victorian London, famous filming locations, and storytelling, this 2-hour Sherlock Holmes walking tour finishes at the historic Lyceum Theatre, a fitting end in London’s theatrical heart.

Perfect for Sherlock Holmes fans, literature lovers, history enthusiasts, families, couples, and solo travellers, this experience is one of the most engaging free walking tours in London and a fantastic activity for anyone looking for interesting things to do in London on a budget.

Places are limited, so book now, grab your deer-stalker hat and put your powers of deduction to the test on the streets of Sherlock Holmes’ London.

Important information: Groups larger than six people and educational groups must contact us in advance to arrange a private tour, as they cannot join the public tour.

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

Piccadilly Circus, London W1J 9HS, UK

We begin in the centre of Piccadilly Circus, next to the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, just near the underground station. The station is on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly line, and around a 5-10 minute walk from Leicester Square and Oxford Street. Your guide will be holding a red umbrella, so you can find them.

Outside visit

Criterion Theatre

Outside visit

Royal Academy of Arts

Outside visit

The London Library

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours don't have a fixed price. At the end, each person contributes to the guide the amount they consider fair based on their satisfaction. As a guideline, Guruwalk recommends between €15 and $50 per participant.