WHAT ARE REAL LONDON EXPERIENCES?
Our guests are interested, curious people who want a real experience of London. That’s why we offer walking tours and we use public transport, it’s the best way to see and learn about the city, as well as being the most eco-friendly way to get around. Anyway, who doesn’t want to see London on foot and by bus, Tube and boat, exploring fascinating, historic, neighborhoods with their own friendly, expert guide? We guarantee our London tours are an experience that you’ll never forget. This is what we do:
London in a Day Tour: In one amazing day, you'll explore the city by foot, Tube, bus and boat to visit Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, Whitehall, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly, Covent Garden, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London Tower Bridge, the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern Museum. Want to get to know the real London? This is how you do it. (10am daily).
Introduction to London Pt 1 Tour: Explore some of the best, most historic, parts of the city before lunch. Visit iconic spots such as Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St James Park, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly and the West End. Tour ends at Covent Garden at the perfect time and in the perfect spot for lunch (10am daily).
Introduction to London Pt 2 Tour: Spend the afternoon crossing London by foot, Tube, bus and boat, as we take you on a tour that includes Covent Garden, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and key South Bank spots, such as Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern Museum. (2pm daily).
Old London True Crime & Ghost Tour: Unfortunately London has had many ghastly crimes committed within it over the years. We go on a deep dive of some famous murders, such as those of Jack the Ripper, and look at some equally horrific, but lesser known cases. We also visit one or two haunted pubs. (6pm Saturday).
All of our experiences can be booked as private tours.
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OUR REVIEWS AND REPUTATION
OUTSTANDING LONDON FULL-DAY TOUR
We booked the London full-day tour (by foot, bus, tube and boat) and it turned out to be an exceptional experience. The guide shared tons of historical facts that truly brought the city to life. What made this tour unique was that we visited so many “firsts of the world” — an unforgettable experience.
The tour was extremely well organized, enjoyable and informative from start to finish. The day concluded perfectly with a relaxing boat ride, making a memorable and satisfying end to an incredible tour. We were extremely happy and truly enjoyed every moment.
Highly recommended for anyone visiting London and wanting to experience its rich history in the best possible way. A big thank you to Nikky and Real London Experiences for an unforgettable day!
– Jeeva_R, Viator (2026)
Between our companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco we've had over 25,000 guests join us for a tour since we opened, in 2013, and we've been awarded over 2,500 reviews, more than 90% of which are 5 star.
WHY US?
Our expert guides create entertaining & enlightening tours, which will transform your understanding & appreciation of London.
We have London tours for all budgets: free self guided tours, group tours from just £40 pp & private tours from just £250 for a group of up to 10.
We get off the beaten track to reveal the hidden beauty & history of London, meaning you have a truly memorable & enjoyable experience.
Our London Tours Calendar
Our Story
I love travel. In the past there was nothing I enjoyed more than visiting a city and getting lost wandering its streets. However, during a trip to Europe in 2012, I discovered a guided walking tour and realized that it’s a much better experience. I got a quick history lesson, saw most of the best sights and was able to ask all the vital questions I had (like where to have lunch) from a local expert. It was the highlight of my trip and I began doing walking tours in every city I visited.
Returning home, to Los Angeles, I looked for a walking tour there, but all I found were bus tours of Beverly Hills, which isn’t where the “stars” live now, and Rodeo Drive, where real Angelenos never go. So I decided to start a new company, The Real Los Angeles Tours, offering totally different experiences – ones that would allow both visitors AND locals to properly experience LA and learn its fascinating history.
We opened in 2013 and we've been awarded multiple TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame awards since then, in recognition of hundreds of five-star reviews. Following that, in 2021, I launched Real San Francisco Tours, which is already one of the top tour companies in SF.
I was born and raised in London, majoring in history and politics at University here, so I always had a dream to start a tour company on this side of the pond too. One that would delve much more deeply into London than the typical bus tour itinerary of Westminster, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. So, in 2025, Real London Experiences launched.
Our mission at Real London Experiences is to give you an entertaining and authentic experience of London's deep culture and rich history. Join us on one of our tours and we promise that you'll really get to know this amazing city, whether you're a visitor or a local.
– Damien, founder of Real London Experiences
Our London Tours
BOOK
LONDON IN A DAY TOUR
10am daily, Parliament Square
£95 pp (inc transit)
8 hours
BOOK INTRODUCTION TO LONDON PT 1 TOUR
10am daily, Parliament Square
£40 pp (under 12 y.o. free)
3 hours
BOOK INTRODUCTION TO LONDON PT 2 TOUR
2pm daily, Covent Garden
£65 pp (inc transit)
4 hours
BOOK OLD LONDON TRUE CRIME & GHOST TOUR
6pm Saturday, Leicester Square
£40 pp
3 hours
Our Team
Nikky
Hi, I’m Nikky. I’m an accredited tour guide, published author and food writer. I love food, buildings and London and I especially love weaving them together to create fun, factual guided tours that show guests the real London. As an Irish person who moved to London over 25 years ago, I’m told I haven’t lost my native accent, humour, sense of hospitality and storytelling skill, and I’ve added the perspective that comes with being an adopted Londoner. I want every guest to feel at home during the tour. In conclusion, I love cities, I love people, I love my job – and I know how to make them all fun in the rain if needed!
Dara
I’m Dara, a Californian who splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles. As well as giving tours I’m also operations manager, in charge of recruiting and scheduling guides, and I love both jobs. Being a tour guide in 2 amazing cities is a joy and, even though I am a local expert, I’m always discovering new great spots that I’m excited to share with our guests! With over 15 years experience working in events and travel as a guide, manager, tour developer and more, I really believe I’m doing my dream job. I hope to show you around one of these two incredible Californian cities soon, or welcome you to a tour in London!
Damien
I grew up in London, studying history at the University of London. Travel was one of my big passions though and I lived in Germany, Spain and Australia, before moving to Los Angeles. Living there I wanted to learn its history, but when I looked for a tour, all I found were celebrity bus tours So in 2013 I started The Real Los Angeles Tours, bringing walking, bike and metro tours, focused on history, culture, architecture and food, to LA. Real San Francisco Tours opened a few years later, offering the same kind of experiences there. However my ambition was always to open a company in London, so I’m very happy that I’ve fulfilled that dream.
Got Questions about London or the UK?
LONDON INFO
If you’re a visitor looking for specific information related to your trip here, such as fun things to do in London, interesting places to go to in the U.K. or the best activities to do here with your kids, be sure to check London Info.
We also have general information about the U.K., including an explanation of many of the strangest customs of the British.
INSIDE LONDON
The London Rundown is designed by us to take you inside London whether you’re visiting or you live here.
From current-affairs inspired articles on its history (such as how it was founded), to our suggestions on the best events being held inhere every month, via inside information on authentic and fun London experiences, we give you the essential scoop on the old smoke.
Whatever your questions about London, we have the answers on this website.
Our Gallery
Media
BBC Presenter Ben Thompson talks to Real London Experiences owner Damien Blackshaw about travel trends in the US in 2026.
Cronkite News reporter Emilee Miranda interviews Real London Experiences owner Damien Blackshaw about eco-tourism.
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