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St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
London, England, United Kingdom
$279.00
This is an experience gift voucher. The recipient will book the experience after
they redeem the gift voucher.
Overview
This fascinating tour of two of the most loved areas of London, St James' and Mayfair, lasts for 3.5-4 hours. St James' developed around the Royals whereas Mayfair was built for the aristocrats so you follow in the footsteps of both! The centrepiece of St James' is the majestic palace built by Henry VIII and as you wander the streets in the shadow of its great gatehouse, you will pass the gentlemen's clubs, elegant outfitters which have been a mecca to royals and gentlemen alike for centuries and beautiful parks. With Buckingham Palace a stone's throw away around the corner, it is truly Royal London!
Walk a little further north and the tour takes you past the luxurious houses, beautiful gardens and exclusive shops of aristocratic Mayfair. We pass retailers with exquisite displays ranging of china, glass and silverware and arrive in Shepherd Market, home to Mayfair's thriving sex industry for centuries.
Walk a little further north and the tour takes you past the luxurious houses, beautiful gardens and exclusive shops of aristocratic Mayfair. We pass retailers with exquisite displays ranging of china, glass and silverware and arrive in Shepherd Market, home to Mayfair's thriving sex industry for centuries.
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St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
Tour guide
Language: English
Human tour guide
Availability depends on seasonality and number of participants. Bookings can not be made for the same day. Please read our TnC’s.
When giving as a gift, your recipient can choose a date at their convenience during a booking process. Otherwise, you can choose one after checkout and voucher redemption.
When giving as a gift, your recipient can choose a date at their convenience during a booking process. Otherwise, you can choose one after checkout and voucher redemption.
Check available dates by emailing us at [email protected]
- A fun & experienced professional, local guide, accredited by ITG & the University of Westminster.
- Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk
- Gratuities - optional
- Food sampling
- Food and drinks
Meeting point
We meet under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel at 9.45 a.m. beside the sign on the wall which reads ‘Ritz Club’.
Return details
We meet under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel at 9.45 a.m. beside the sign on the wall which reads ‘Ritz Club’.
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Fortnum & MasonOne of London's most sophisticated department stores, it's hard to believe it started life as a market stall! We will wander around the ground floor so I can point out what the store invented 300 years ago which is still in demand today and explain what intriguing structures are on its roof. I guarantee you will want to return at a later date for a more leisurely browse of the entire store to do some serious shopping!
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Royal Academy of ArtsBuilt by the Earl of Burlington in the mid-1660s, I doubt he would recognise it today as at least 9 architects have worked on the building since then! Currently occupied by the Royal Academy, its summer exhibition is a firm fixture in London's 'Social' calendar.
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Burlington ArcadeThe Burlington arcade has just celebrated its 200th anniversary and was built by one of the Earls of Burlington, George Cavendish. As we wander through and enjoy window shopping some of the 45 retailers who occupy the arcade today, we will see the Beadles who have guarded the arcade since day 1!
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Berkeley SquareMost famous for its nightingales which are, in all probability completely fictional, this is one of London's most historically interesting squares. With a forgotten river flowing beneath it, the square is home to many plane trees and a collection of grade 1 listed buildings around its edges one of which is home to the world famous Annabel's night club.
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Mount Street GardensAn oasis of peace and tranquility, it is hard to imagine you are only 5 minutes walk away from one of the busiest shopping streets in London. But life has not always been so calm here - in the 10 minutes we'll take to wander through these gardens, I'll tell you what lies beneath our feet and what gruesome secret one of the buildings at the side of the gardens holds.
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Shepherd MarketA leafy retreat nowadays, it used to be the centre of Mayfair's red light district where the aristocrats of old, with too much time and money on their hands, went for their entertainment. It was also the downfall of one MP - but which one?! I'll fill you in on the tour!
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Green ParkAs we cross Piccadilly and move from Mayfair in the north to St James' in the south, we leave the aristocrats behind and concentrate on the royals. Hear the legend of how Green Park gets it name and learn about the Royal dynasties who will feature during this part of our tour.
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St. James's PalaceBuilt by Henry VIII on the site of what used to be a woman's leper hospital, this was intended to be the palace for Henry's son promised to him by Anne Boleyn. But as the son turned out to be a daughter, Henry used the palace as a hunting lodge instead. The palace has been at the centre of many a Royal event so I will tell you many interesting stories from its past. If it's a day the ancient ceremony of the Changing of the Guard is scheduled to take place, we'll be able to enjoy pageantry at its best.
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Buckingham PalaceOne of London's most iconic and recognisable buildings, Buckingham Palace is the office of the monarchy. The late Queen Elizabeth II used it on weekdays and Charles III has yet to decide where he will make his London home. This is a chance to see the world famous palace balcony which has been the focal point of many Royal celebrations including the late Queen's 50th, 60th and 70th jubilees and William and Kate's wedding celebrations. This stop is all about the Royals!
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St. James's ParkOne of eight Royal parks in the capital, St James' is one of my favourites with its ornamental lake and wildlife frolicking in its waters. With luck we'll catch a glimpse of the resident pelicans, a pair of which were gifted to Charles II in 1664 by a Russian ambassador - there have been pelicans on the water ever since!"
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Horse Guards Parade at WhitehallOriginally Henry VIII's tiltyard for jousting, it is best known today for its ancient ceremonies of the Changing of the Guard and the Trooping of the Colour. Horse Guards was home to a gigantic sandpit during the 2012 London Olympics - the question is, though, which sport was it for?! .
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St. James' SquareBuilt by Henry Jermyn as a reward for his loyalty to Charles II during the English Civil War, this was the place to live in the 17 and early 1800s. A pretty square, there are still remnants of the days of old with Nancy Astor's former home and one of Sir Christopher Wren's churches gracing its edge.
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Jermyn StreetHow better to end the tour than a wander along one of the most historic and sophisticated shopping streets in London. With a cheese shop which used to be a market stall and a perfumery dating back to the 1700s, this street has many stories to tell.
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You choose from 10,000+ experience gifts
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We deliver the eVoucher or the Physical box to the recipient
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Recipient books the experience and creates unforgettable memories!
St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
London, England, United Kingdom
$279.00
This is an experience gift voucher. The recipient will book the experience after
they redeem the gift voucher.
How it works?
01
—
You choose from 10,000+ experience gifts
02
—
We deliver the eVoucher or the Physical box to the recipient
03
—
Recipient books the experience and creates unforgettable memories!