Pub Tours in London: The 15 Best, Priced and Timed

1.London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10,422 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40Our pick

Walk from St. Paul’s and Fleet Street to four historic London pubs on a 3.5-hour, small-group tour capped at 14 people. Guides such as Tim, Chris, Freddie, Mark, and Dave mix pub customs with stories of Dickens, Shakespeare, churches, journalists, and legal London. Drinks and food cost extra, so you choose how much to order.

“My mom and I went and we had a good time and learned a lot of history about pubs. Some spots are a little rushed.”

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2.Soho Music & Historic Pubs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,993 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $44

Spend two and a half hours walking through Soho with an English-speaking guide such as Ben, Gherto, Danny, Tom, or Harvey. Visit four music-linked pubs, hear where The Beatles recorded Hey Jude, and learn about Hendrix, Ella Fitzgerald, the Rolling Stones, and Mozart. Drinks cost extra, and groups are capped at 15.

“Wonderful history of SOHO! Great music stories and of course the pubs! Ghetto was so enthusiastic! Go ahead and book it!”

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3.Pub Crawl of Central London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,022 reviews · 2 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $35

Join the London Party Pub Crawl at Zoo Bar & Club in Leicester Square, then visit up to four more bars and clubs. You get entry, free shots, drink discounts, photos, and lively hosts such as Liz or Liam. Arrive at 7:45pm for the full five-venue route, and bring valid photo ID and smart-casual clothes.

“Had an amazing time with friends. Got to meet people from all over the world. Great hosts with good energy.”

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4.London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 943 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $104

Ride classic British Pashley bikes through central London with guides such as James, Edward, or Jack. See Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, and the London Eye, then stop at the Lamb & Flag pub and spray-paint a mural in the Waterloo Graffiti Tunnel. Small groups, helmets or tweed caps, and bag storage are included.

“Jack is a fun and knowledgeable tour guide who engages the group with local insights and occasional history trivia questions. Bikes were Pashleys, a respected British brand that are an easy ride. No gears. It is flat terrain. We came away with lots of British history and, moreover, an understanding of London from day one. Enjoyed the stop at the Grafitti Tunnel and the chance to do some spray painting. The pub visit changed my standards on ales for good. We highly recommend this tour!”

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5.Royal Historic Pubs Walking Guided Tour in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 803 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $44

Join a local guide such as Ben, Luke, Henry, Tom, or Carlos for a 2 to 3 hour walk from Piccadilly Circus through St. James’s. Expect four historic pubs, royal and celebrity stories, beer and gin suggestions, and a group capped at 12. Drinks and food cost extra.

“If I could give more than 5⭐️’s to Ben, I would. What a treat. Found some real gems of pubs and loved the stories and wee nuggets in between. His banter and craic was mighty. Thank you Ben and we hope to see you one day on the other side of the Irish Sea. 💚”

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6.Private Group: Historical Pub Walking Tour of London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 660 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $173

Explore London’s pub culture on a private three to four hour walk from Cheapside to Holborn. Guides such as Lyndon, Lachlan, Adam, Ricky, and John mix local history with drink advice at the Black Friar, Old Bank of England, and Princess Louise. Drinks cost extra, and the route can be tailored to your group.

“We loved our time with Claire. She was so knowledgable and fun. Collectively, we agreed the historical walking tour was one of our favorite activities while on vacation.”

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7.Historic Pub Walking Tour of London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 484 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $19Best value

Meet your guide beneath a yellow umbrella at Embankment Station for a four-hour walk through London pub culture. You will visit four historic pubs around Covent Garden, hear stories of old taverns and pub folklore, and receive drink suggestions from guides such as Rachel, Mike, Carolina, and Connor. Drinks and food cost extra, and all guests must be 18 or older.

“Our guide was really informative and informal, managed a big group well. The pubs were all different and interesting. We had a great time!”

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8.London Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 247 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $29

Start at Simmons Bar on Golden Square at 8:45 pm for a four to five-hour crawl through London nightlife. Expect several West End venues, free entry, discounted drinks, free shots, group photos, and hosts such as Will, Amy, or Pukka. The crowd can reach 120 people, so venue space and guide attention may vary.

“It was ok. Not much engagement from the hosts, and one of the places we went to felt somewhat like a prison. They had about 9 different security guards, some of which looked like ex convicts, roaming both the outside and the inside of the club. They also didn't allow hats. Which is fine, but the hosts don't inform on their post. So, it came as a surprise.”

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9.Camden Pub Crawl in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 238 reviews · from $34

Start at Belushi’s Camden at 7:30 pm and follow hosts such as Liz or Amy through five Camden bars and clubs. Your ticket includes free entry, welcome shots, drink discounts, and digital photos. Expect a social seven-hour night for adults 18 and older, with smart-casual dress and valid photo ID required.

“Amy was a great host. She was fun, talkative, and friendly. My cousin and I had a great time. I liked all the bars except Coyote Ugly. The staff was rude; it took forever to get a drink. Overall, I would recommend the tour to others.”

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10.The Original Shoreditch Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 136 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $34

Start at 333 Old St at 7:30 pm for a four-and-a-half-hour Shoreditch night out. You will spend about an hour meeting the group, then visit several pubs and clubs with free entry, drink discounts, and shots. Hosts such as Ash, Jess, and Ali have been praised for keeping groups together and welcoming solo visitors.

“Definitely a must do for solo travelers! Our crawl guide, Ash, was amazing. She made sure everyone was taken care of and having a great time! I was able to meet people from all over the world and had great conversations and made friends, which is great to do as a solo traveler . I would highly recommend this bar crawl to anyone solo traveler or not.”

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11.Devour London Historical Pub Tour:Traditional British Food & Ales

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95

Spend an afternoon walking through old London with a local English-speaking guide, stopping at Ye Olde Mitre, The Old Bell Tavern, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, and Ye Olde Cock Tavern. Four drinks and four food tastings are included, with portions best viewed as a generous pub crawl rather than a full dinner. Groups are limited to 12.

“A great way to learn about the history of the City of London and visit some of its historical pubs for ale and bites. Very little dinner is needed afterwards.”

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12.Historic London Pub Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $54

Meet guide George at Chancery Lane Station for a 1-hour-45-minute walk through London’s pub culture and city history. Visit The Cross Keys and Covent Garden’s Lamb & Flag, enjoy an included half-pint, and hear local stories along the route. Expect a small-group tour in English, with plenty of walking and a historic focus.

“We were enjoying the tour, our guide was friendly and informative, but then very abruptly ended the tour. It was supposed to go for two hours, but went for an hour and a half. He bought us a beer and left. We were all a bit stunned.”

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13.Private Pub Tour of Central London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Spend 2.5 hours with your private guide visiting Central London pubs linked to Sherlock Holmes, Nell Gwynne, Richard Harris, and London theatre. The route includes the Ship & Shovell, Sherlock Holmes, the Chandos, the Harp, the Nell Gwynne, the Coal Hole, and Gordon’s Wine Bar. Guides such as Ian, Michael, and Tom bring plenty of local stories.

“Interesting tour of some old London pubs. Many just off the main tourist routes. Very informative talk by Michael our guide.”

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14.The “Big Six” of London and a Pub – 5 Hour Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $82

Start at Notting Hill Bike Tours and cycle about 25 kilometres through central London with a guide such as Ola. You’ll pass St. Paul’s, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Tower Bridge, and the Monument. The group stays small, with no more than eight riders, and a hybrid bike and helmet are included.

“Ola was an absolutely fantastic tour guide!! Truly the best! Having a small group of only 5 of us was also a huge plus!! This was a great way to see a lot of the major sights!!”

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15.Historic London Pub Walk. A Walk Around Belgravia and Her Amazing Pubs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $0

Walk Belgravia from The Shakespeare near Victoria to Sloane Square with an English-speaking retired Met detective, identified in guest comments as Grant Lander. Over about three hours, you’ll hear local stories, visit pubs such as The Grenadier and Horse & Groom, and enjoy a private evening route. Drinks cost extra.

“I highly recommend this tour! Grant was amazing! We visited a very nice part of London that we would not have known about. Grant gave a great historical review and fun stories about each pub! It was a great start to our trip!!”

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