St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
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.
Options
St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
What's included in St James' & Mayfair - Private Tour of London's Royal & Aristocratic Villages
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Fortnum & Mason
One 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!
Royal Academy of Arts
Built 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.
Burlington Arcade
The 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!
Inclusions
- A fun & experienced professional, local guide, accredited by ITG & the University of Westminster.
- Food and drinks
- Food sampling
- Gratuities - optional
- Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy) your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to tell me what they are! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me.
- The tour will last between 3.5-4 hours depending on what walking pace you set and the number of questions you ask.
- The tour will cover roughly 2 - 3 miles in total.
- The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
- Due to the distances involved, and the speed with which we need to travel between events, this tour is not recommended for those with serious medical conditions including walking difficulties and back problems.
- Tours start at 9.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly.
- If you need directions from your hotel to the Ritz Hotel, do contact me on [email protected].
- Unlike some other guides, I specialise in just five areas of London, St James' and Mayfair being two of them. This means I have detailed knowledge of the areas which I pass on to my clients in a fun and interesting way.
- 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews in total, I must be doing something right!
- I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying above the usual street noises of a busy city. Also, everyone can ask as many questions as they like.
- I ALWAYS contact my clients before a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before the tour is due to go ahead, please make contact with me.
- I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting / End Points
- We meet under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel at 9.45 a.m. beside the sign on the wall which reads ‘Ritz Club’.
