Free tour
Soho & Chinatown: A Tale of Refugees, Radicals, Revolutionaries & Social Rebels (Some Adult Themes Not Suitable for Younger Children)
4.95
Excellent (236 ratings) Guru: Justin
PRO
Verified quality
Registered on 08 March 2023
Want something a little deeper than the London popular culture tours? I'm a former teacher, economist, analyst and a lover of history, books and ideas.
If you just want to take photos to put on social media, have little interest in history and don’t really like walking, then PLEASE BOOK A DIFFERENT TOUR!!!
If you are intellectually curious and like to think, then let me take you through the streets of London, from the City (the old Roman town of Londinium), to Southwark on the south bank of the River Thames and then to Covent Garden, Soho, Mayfair & St James’s (6 different walks in total). I'll explain how London came from being a European backwater in the 1500s to the largest city in the world in the 1800s.
Today, London surpasses New York in diversity and has become a playground for the rich. From clean money to dirty money, I'll tell you the back story behind London's rise, not just the official version! The good, the bad and the ugly: you'll hear about it all.
Free booking and cancellation
Pay-what-you-wish tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
Tour description
Soho & China Town: A tale of refugees, radicals, revolutionaries and sexual rebels, from Karl Marx, to George Orwell, Oscar Wilde and beyond
Welcome, I'm Justin. But some friendly advice! If you just want to take pretty pictures to put on social media (and don't really like walking much), I am the wrong tour guide for you! My tours attract people who like ideas, history and books. If that is not what interests you, book another tour :)
I have 6 walking tours on GuruWalk: 1) The City, 2) Soho, 3) Covent Garden, 4) the South Bank, 5) St James's & Mayfair and 6) ArtLand, which together have around 1,500 reviews averaging 5 stars (the highest on GuruWalk).
Highlights of the tour include:
- Site of the old Red Lion pub: Where Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels were instructed to write the Communist Manifesto, a document that changed the world
- The John Snow Memorial Pump: The place where Dr Snow demonstrated the link between dirty water and cholera
- 22 Dean Street: The apartment where Marx started work on Das Capital and three of his children died in conditions of extreme poverty
- The Dog & Duck Pub: Where George Orwell celebrated the publication of Animal Farm
- St Anne's Churchyard: Resting place of a Corsican king who died in poverty in London in exile
- Old Compton Street: Centre of Soho's gay community, underground until 1967, when homosexuality was legalized in the UK
- Kettners: The famous restaurant where the author and playwright Oscar Wilde dined with his aristocratic lover Bosie and unfortunately became the target of Bosie's rabidly homophobic father
- 1 Greek Street: Home of Richard Beckford, one the wealthiest men in London, whose money was made from slave plantations in Jamaica
- Soho Square: Home to waves of immigrants and now the centre of London's creative industries
I do have a card reader so can can take credit/debit cards for tips.
Highlights
What will we see on this tour?
Meeting point:
44-46 Regent St., London W1B 5RA, UK
I will meet you outside of Boots at Piccadilly Circus (Exit 1 of Piccadilly Circus Underground station on the Piccadilly or Bakerloo lines). I'll be carrying a yellow umbrella and wearing a black hat or cap.
1
Outside visit
Great Windmill Street
Site of the Red Lion: a pub that changed the world through being the birthplace of the Communist Manifesto
2
Outside visit
Golden Square
Centre of London's diplomats in the 18th century, who were are a target of the anti-Catholic Gordon riots
3
Outside visit
Carnaby Street
Centre of the London's swinging sixties
How much does this tour cost?
Free tours don't have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
Tour Reviews
4.95
Excellent (236 ratings) Generic
228
7
1
0
0
By category
Professionalism
4.99
Fun
4.88
Expression
4.96
Quality
4.94
Route
4.87
Who is this tour for?
Accessibility
Not suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group bookings.
Pets
Not suitable for bringing pets.
What should I know?
Minimum Attendees
Requires a minimum of 4 people to conduct the tour.
Additional Costs
The tour does not require payment for tickets or additional expenses.
Free Cancellation
If you cannot attend the tour, please cancel the booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment Methods
Electronic or card payment accepted.
