Winter tours for London visitors
WINTER may not be London’s peak tourist season, but travellers with plans to head to the city this season can look forward to new tours that are far from run of the mill. Whether it’s your first time in London or you’re a repeat visitor, the tours here are meant to unearth perspectives that both surprise and entertain.
London is known for being a child-friendly town, so why not book a tour that caters to children but is also enjoyable for parents? On the two-hour Childhood in Kensington Palace excursion of Kensington Palace and its gardens, each child gets a Snakes and Ladders-type game board and follows the instructions to actually lead the tour. Along the way, you’ll learn about how royal children used to live and play. (Price: £385, about $525, for up to six people. Book at familytwist.com.)
Decidedly for grown-ups only is the Gin Making excursion from Airbnb’s Experiences. The host, Mark, makes a brand called 58 Gin. Participants visit him in his East London distillery and choose botanicals that they will use to make their own gin – bottling, sealing and naming it is part of the fun. They’ll sip gin and tonics while they work. (Price: $157 a person. Book through Airbnb.com/experiences.)
The one-hour Landmarks of London tour, offered by Small Car Big City, puts travellers in a restored Mini Cooper. The fast-paced excursion is an ideal way to catch a glimpse of many of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, including Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey and more. A guide does the driving while guests enjoy the ride. (Price: £119, for up to three people. Book at smallcarbigcity.com.)
The four-hour Street Art Tour and Graffiti Workshop is also in the East End neighbourhood. This is a part of town known for its street art, and the tour is an immersion into the world of artists like Banksy, Invader and Shepard Fairey. An art expert guides a walk through the streets to view works by these artists. Participants then head to a studio, where an artist helps them create (mini) street art. (Offered several times a week. Price: £25 a person. Book at alternativeldn.co.uk.)
It’s hard to figure out if Moriarty’s Game is a tour or a game, but either way, the four-hour excursion through Marylebone, in central London, is likely to keep you on your toes. The experience takes inspiration from Sherlock Holmes novels. (Offered several times a week. Price: £60 for a team of four players. Book at inthehiddencity.com.)
The big news out of London is the engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The four-hour When Harry Met Meghan Royal Black Taxi Tour may be the fix for those hankering to know more about the couple. See sights in London related to them, including Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, where they will live, and Battersea Park, which they visited together. Stops at sites like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey are also included. (Price: From $509 a person. Book at viator. com.)