Urban Saunters

Home
United Kingdom
London
Urban Saunters

🇬🇧 Purveyors of guided tours & experiences in lovely old London. Come saunter with us.
(1)

06/02/2023

🌱 From the ashes…

✝️ Named for a monk/poet/metalworker turned Archbishop of Canterbury who purportedly seized Satan’s actual face with a pair of tongs (serious monastic main character energy), burned in the 1666 Great Fire, restored and wiped out again during the London Blitz… the church ruins turned divine gardens of St Dunstan-In-The-East.

With the bankers and bigwigs gone, of a weekend, you’ll find this hidden gem
down a non-descript turn in the City of London and it the solitude means it👏 is 👏 the 👏 perfect place to do some ruminating and contemplating.

🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🚶‍♂️Handily saunterable - yep, we just totally made that word up - from some of the biggest icons in the city, you can combine it with ascending the Monument to the Great Fire, feasting at and touring the Tower of London too. The city is only a square mile after all….

Happy sauntering!

01/02/2023

Yasssss Queen 🫰

👑 When we get into the 1000 year line of monarchs in the UK, it’s a tale resplendent with Henrys, Elizabeths, & Georges.

But let’s talk about Anne, shall we?

That’s her. The one with a statue in a prime position outside the mighty , on which some horrid little oik wrote a long time ago, ‘Brandy Nan, Brandy Nan, left in the lurch. Her face to the gin shop, her back to the church’ due to her alleged love of the demon drink.🫢

But this is not the sum of her parts.

She may often be overlooked in the books but under her, our country saw something that would, for better or worse depending on who you ask, change the face of it forever.

Yes, it was during the reign of the sickly but surprisingly successful Anne, last of the Stuart dynasty, that England and Scotland, in 1707, would be joined in a union that exists to this day.

🇬🇧 Under Anne, Great Britain was born.

So, next time you go to this most famous of cathedrals, remember this little bit of herstory in amongst the history.

PS. The wonderful did an INCREDS job bringing her story to life in The Favourite. You have to see it. The end 🍿

07/08/2022

🌳 But where in rural England to find this bucolic dream?

🚨 Friends, you need adventure no further than London’s Zone 2.

This is Hampstead Heath.

🐿 First mentioned by Anglo-Saxon King Ӕthelred the Unready as ‘Hemsted’ in 986ad, the rather large 800 acres of rolling hills boasts:

🏊‍♂️ the 3 swimming ponds that get us through the summer

🔥the insanely good view from Parliament Hill to the city (a name dating to the civil war but also from where Guy Fawkes et al allegedly planned to watch Parliament burn if they were successful. Spoiler: they weren’t)

🦋 The conservation areas that keep our flora and fauna ticking over.

🌳 Lots of lovely oak trees which have not only been sacred to Britain since early years (the Druids bloody loved them) but can live for over 1000 years and are one of the most biodiverse trees in the country.

And so much more history, celebrity and natural beauty.

🚶🏽‍♀️Fancy a sylvan saunter? You don’t need to go very far. Just hop off the train at Gospel Oak or Hampstead Heath, and get a taste of rural England without leaving the city.

04/08/2022

☝️ Veni, vidi, vici

I came. I saw. I conquered.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 But actually , while the dude who uttered these words (Julius Caesar) did invade Britannia twice, they never actually conquered it during his lifetime.

It would take almost 100 years before the Romans (under Claudius) finally held these mysterious isles in their imperial hands.

🕰 And wow, the changes that came. It’s probably safe to say, things would have looked a whole lot different here without them…

🕵️‍♂️ Did you know that London as a city actually dates back to these Ancient Romans? Founded as Londinium in around AD47, it might not be evident when walking around today… but if you know where to look, there’s still a links to our Anglo-Roman past.

A temple to a mysterious cult, London’s own Colosseum lost for years and now hidden beneath an art gallery, bath houses and of course, the London Wall (seen here with a statue of Emperor Trajan who… never actually came to Britain).

🚨 Fancy reaching across 2000 years of history with an expert local guide? Come saunter with us, back to Londinium.

23/07/2022

🚨 Why just stand at the gate when you get inside (for a limited time only)?

Though we’d love to show you photos of the interior, alas, it is top secret. Guess you’ll just have to book a tour with us eh?

In August and September:

☑️ See the iconic landmarks of London as you journey through Westminster with your guide
☑️ Admire the gorgeous gee gees and swanky soldiers at the Horse Guards Parade
☑️ Explore Buckingham Palace at your own pace
☑️ Fill your eyeballs full of the lavish State Rooms.

Places are selling fast so tap that link in the bio to book and come saunter with US to one of the most famous palaces in the whole darn world.

18/07/2022

👋 Oh Hallo(ws-by-the-Tower)

🌞 Coming to you live from the London heatwave which is hotter than the Western Sahara today, you’ll be thrilled to know.

⛪️ This lovely little church is located, as we’re sure you’d guessed, by the Tower of London and it is long believed to be one of the oldest churches in London with a potential founding year of 675ad.

✅ Dedicated to ‘all saints’, is where Samuel Pepys ascended to watch the city burn during the Great Fire, played host to the only known wedding of an American president on foreign soil (John Quincy Adams, don’t ya know) with all sorts of marvellous Roman, Saxon and Crusader-era bits and bobs to be discovered.

🚶🏽‍♀️With over 50 churches in just the ancient heart of London, it is well worth spending a day wandering in and out to discover some of the city’s most hidden gems and we’ll-kept secrets.

Or you know, come saunter with us on a bespoke experience and we’ll show you the way 😉

06/07/2022

🕵️‍♂️ But how the bloody hell DID they henge those stones?

Today, this lovely family headed off to the West Country in an electric black cab with the awesome to see if they could uncover the mysteries of

(Which is another way of saying that this was the first of some new tour types en route to our website soon 🤫 🚕 )

It’s nearly time to explore not just London, but England with us.

05/07/2022

🤘Caught between a ‘Hard Rock’ and a P(a)lace

The sweater, the building - if you’ve heard the British idiom ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’, you’ll know it was too good an opportunity to pass up 🤣

On the Ultimate Royal London tour with Richard, these lovely folk have just Tudor Town, otherwise known as St James’ Palace.

Founded by Henry VIII in the site of the titular l***r hospital, this extraordinary building might not have the global acclaim of Buckingham Palace, but should be quietly confident of its place in British history.

✅ Some fireplaces within near the initials HA in a lover’s knot. Quuuite awkward when you realise that stands for Henry and Anne Boleyn, one of the incredible women who feel victim to this man’s ego.
✅ In the chapel, Elizabeth I prayed for the safety of the realm during the Spanish Armada.
✅ In 1649, Charles I spent his last night here before his ex*****on at the Banqueting House, being the Civil War to a close and ushering in the Protectorate Era 🤮
✅ Was last used as living space by the monarch by George III (yes, that George : 🇬🇧 to 🇺🇸) who also purchased a little gaff called Buckingham House for his wife Charlotte. Formalised by the accession of Queen Victoria, Buckingham Palace has been the place for the sovereign to live in London ever since (but actually, St James’ is still considered the OFFICIAL residence which is why it’s not open to visit).

Oh, our dear friends, there’s plenty more where this came from. Join US for the ULTIMATE royal experience.

04/07/2022

🌞 It’s a beautiful day for…

🏰 A pair of Private Tower of London tours with Guy

🎩 A Private Westminster in WW2 and Churchill War Rooms with Alison.

🛥 An Ultimate Royal London with Richard

💂🏽‍♀️ A Changing of the Guard tour with Nathan

And a whole lotta sauntering.

Let’s have ya London! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

(Awesome 📸 by the one and only Slawek, co-founder of Urban Saunters)

02/07/2022

💥 Happy Golden Anniversary

🚨 50 years ago, on the 1st of July 1972 - inspired by the events of Stonewall a few years prior - around 2000 people took part in the very first large-scale q***r celebration/protest/march in the city’s history.

💜 It is because of you that the community is able to march today in relative safety and in MUCH larger numbers. It is all because of you. We celebrate but we never forget why we can.

🌈 As one of the founders of Urban Saunters, I could not be PROUDER to be part of London’s wonderfully diverse LGBTQ+ community and to all the people sauntering, marching or dancing your damn way down the parade route today, have the very best of times.

🥂 Let’s raise a glass (or two) to 5000 years more.

Visibility. Unity. Equality.

With love,
Shabby, co-founder of Urban Saunters and proud q***r person ###

Incredible 📸 of Oxford Street getting ready for the vibes by

01/07/2022

⏳It’s a long journey from modern day Seattle to London, circa. 1079 but…

… they made it and we love to see it.

Our Ultimate London tour yesterday with these lovely guests, guided on their whirlwind tour through 900 years of history by the fabulous …

✅ Tower of London.
✅ Thames boat ride.
✅ Westminster walking tour.

Maybe it’s London, maybe it’s a tour of London with access to the Tower, a boat ride on the Thames and a Westminster walking tour in just half a day 💁🏽‍♂️

For fun times with people who genuinely care about your experience, come saunter with US …

28/06/2022

🥩 We got Beef…

…eaters. Two of them, in fact!

Here’s some facts bombs for you re: these snazzily-attired guardians of the Tower of London.

💥 The oldest of the royal guards, with an origin story dating back to 1485 (sort of), their full title is ‘The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’. Try that after a few!

💥 More widely known as the Beefeaters, we’re not 💯 % certain what the etymology of that name is. Most theories tend to follow two lines. 1. That they taste food for the monarch to make sure it wasn’t poisoned or 2. They got paid in beef. The latter more likely, the former more exciting.

💥 All the Beefeaters are retired from the armed forces, must have served at least 22 years AND be in receipt of a Good Conduct medal. I mean, you have to warn your right to live in one of the most famous buildings in London right? (Yes, they live there in one of the and even have their own pub! Nice!)

💥 If you think these garms are fancy, you should see them in their ceremonial dress!

💥 One of these guys serves as the Raven Master, tasked with ensuring that these incredible birds (fed on a diet of biscuits soaked in blood and beef - the real Beefeaters some might say!) don’t fly away. Legend has it that if they do, then London will fall.

Need more Beefeater facts in your life alongside a deep dive into over 900 years of history and a eyeful of Crown Jewels?

Best get booking our private Tower of London tour with a licensed, expert and really bloody lovely guide.

Come saunter with US!

21/06/2022

⏳This whirlwind journey through 1000 years of British history doesn’t need trains anyway…

It may have been the biggest strike action in 30 years today but that didn’t stop many of our lovely guests from sauntering with us.

Whether and Superbloom experience, getting closer to the action of Changing of the Guards or the private tour with the lovely lot pictured here, this day of summer solstice experiences has been great, whatever’s going on (or not, as the case may be) in the tube system below 💫

17/06/2022

🌞 Shiny, happy people in the London sunshine. We love to see it!

You too could look this pleased with life alongside the fabulous Francis outside Lizzy’s residence. All you have to do is hit the link in our bio… and come saunter with us 🚶🏽‍♀️

16/06/2022

👀 But who is this rakish hipster?

⭐️Not, in fact, a vintage clothes store owner from Shoreditch, it is photo of a young Charlie Chaplin, one of London’s most beloved sons.

He may have gone on to become the world’s most hilarious man but there was nothing funny about his childhood.

Born in 1889, the young Charles saw a series of sad events befall his family and spent many of his formative years on and out of the wretched Lambeth Workhouse. Truly a place you would only go if you had nowhere else to turn.

⭐️ We all know what happened next but understanding this about his past, makes his move to America and eventual global stardom even more remarkable.

🎥 Bit of a soft spot for ‘The Little Tramp’ ? On your next trip to London, do NOT miss a guided tour of the in Kennington. Running on select dates (check the website to find out when and book), this incredible ode to the silver screen is actually inside the workhouse that sheltered Charlie as a child.

Another unique experience in an incredible old city ✅

11/06/2022

🇺🇸 > 🇬🇧 Things just got a whole lot easier for our US friends to come saunter with US.

The lifting of Pre-Departure Testing looks set to not only boost American tourism, but make it far less stressful for Americans heading home after a wonderful vacation.

Coming to London soon? Then you’re going to want to experience iconic places with passionate guides who know the city inside out - we’re your people!

Summer or winter, get closer to Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and a whole host of local experiences (including some rather exciting new experiences on the horizon).

America, we can’t WAIT to have you come saunter with us 🇺🇸 ❤️ 🇬🇧

08/06/2022

📚 From leprosy hospital to oldest Royal palace in the UK.

When another amazing group stopped off in London on their grand European adventure, guide Richard was more than happy to help than unearth the treasures of our royal Borough .

Thanks for sauntering with us guys, enjoy the rest of your trip!

06/06/2022

🇬🇧 Post-Platty Joobs weekend, normal service is resumed…

👑 Don’t worry though, if you can’t get enough of the regal life, we have something very special launching in August and September that REALLY gets you closer to the action.

👀 Discover thousands of years of royal history on a spectacular walking tour, followed by your chance to get inside Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official London residence.

💌 Take up this invitation to get a rare glimpse into life at this nationally cherished palace and don’t forget to stop by the 16-hectare Palace Gardens where the Queen holds her world-famous tea parties.

🏃‍♂️ With the palace being open to the public for just two months a year in August & September, tickets are always in high demand for this unforgettable experience.

Come saunter with us to the home of the longest-reigning British monarch of all time…

Awesome 📸 by

01/06/2022

🌞⛴🌧 From dry to drizzly …

… come rain or shine, this epic tale of two cities is still the same dramatic read. No season can dampen the excitement of discovering centuries of history with your expert guide.

From a visit to the Tower of London in the old city to a walking tour down the ‘red carpet’ in the regal city of Westminster and a boat ride down the Thames, this is the ULTIMATE Royal London experience.

Just ask this lovely family who sauntered with us yesterday…. 👑

31/05/2022

🏰 Fortress, palace, zoo, mint armoury, treasury, ex*****on site … garden?

In celebration of London’s beautiful diversity (and of course, a little regal celebration that you’ve proooobably heard about), have only gone and filled the moat up with a dazzling array of ‘Superbloom’ flowers, haven’t they?

Why not come and check out some botanical beauty amidst the 900 years of history on your Tower of London tour? 🌸

28/05/2022

💂🏽‍♀️Super fun times on the Changing of the Guard tour with this lovely family from Germany

22/05/2022

📚The City of London is like a novel written in steel, concrete and glass.

On our ‘City Stories’ private tour, your licensed City of London guide is taking you on a crash course though history, using the breathtaking buildings that punctuate London’s famous skyline (and underground) to weave the tale together.

✔️ Hear why the city became the most influential in the world
✔️Discover how, out of disaster and turmoil, London was able to rebuild itself and even prosper.
✔️Discover 2000 years of history including the Roman Amphitheatre, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpieceat St Paul’s Cathedral and the glistening building of the Square Mile.

What DID the Romans do for us? Meet tyrants who constructed buildings with the sole purpose to intimidate alongside engineers who laid the first train tracks. Hear how the Great Fire and the Blitz shaped the city around us and discover buildings that range from eco-friendly or inside-out to literally able to melt cars.

Come learn to read one of the greatest cities in the world with a guide who really knows his stuff 🎉

18/05/2022

⌛️Return to 1940s Westminster and discover a city under siege.

Like this lovely pair, deep dive into Blitz-era London on a private walking tour with an expert guide.

See:
✅ the Houses of Parliament
✅ Westminster Abbey
✅ the Cenotaph
✅ Ministry of War
✅ 10 Downing Street
✅ Whitehall

And hear their stories through the lens of the reality of life here in WW2 before exploring the bunkers from where Winston Churchill and cabinet were to conduct their part of WW2- frozen in time and ready to be explored once again.

Just like in these present days, let’s remember how much is owed by so many, to so few.

16/05/2022

💂‍♂️ We did say we get you closer to the action….

No zoom lens, no trickery, no jiggery pokery (totally a saying ok?), this was Changing of the Guard as seen on an Urban Saunters tour this past Sunday.

Pretty cool huh?

Come saunter with us and march to the beat of a new drum… 🥁

14/05/2022

👀 Mudlarking - the act of scavenging though the river mud for lost items.

🌊In Victorian London, this practice was not just a hobby but a necessity for some scraping a living by turning trash into treasure at low tide.

🍺Nowadays, this term and deep intimacy with the Thames is applied to those (holding a permit!) who scour the foreshore for historical artefacts. As a tidal river, twice a day it turns itself over revealing hidden gems and connections to London’s long and tumultuous history - Roman pottery shards and pilgrims badges, Victorian clay pipes and bits of Tudor beer tankards

This really rather wonderful pastime is beautifully showcased here in this South Bank piece from mudlarker … a Shakespeare quote, some found artefacts and a way to open your beer. London on a piece of wood right there.

📸 2020

10/05/2022

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 London + …. what a way to start a multi-day tour of Europe!

As an optional excursion debut, today, we were honoured to host the first of many groups from (where Urban Saunters co-founder Shabby cut her teeth as a European tour leader).

Exploring Westminster, those who opt for the London + optional will discover the facts, goss and history behind this most regal of boroughs on a completely bespoke tour crafted just for Expat groups.

Apart from getting up close with Rather Large Benjamin, the groups also get to discover a lesser-known piece of ceremonial action along the way … because that’s how we do(swipe right for that).

It’s time to and … can’t wait to meet you all.

Oh, and love this 📸 featuring our wonderful guide Richard and lovely Expat Explore TL

09/05/2022

💂‍♂️ Marching into the working week like…

Here’s a sneaky little peek at rehearsals for the ‘Trooping the Colour’ ceremony, filmed on tour this weekend.

Want to find out a bit more about this incredible local celebration whilst getting closer to the action?

Better get yourself on a Changing of the Guard tour before June 2nd 😉

08/05/2022

🖼 All hail the Chewing Gum Man

👀 Most wisdom about London will tell you to look up if you want to see incredible things. Whilst this is true, looking down also brings rewards (other than not tripping over kerbs, dogs and your own feet).

🌉 On the Wobbly Bridge/Millennium Bridge/Harry Potter bridge (delete as you feel) linking the northern and southern banks, cast your eyes downwards and you may well see a riot of colourful artworks in miniature dotting the surface.

👨🏼‍🎨 This is the work of the marvellous Ben Wilson aka the who, since a rather long time ago, has been painting his mini masterpieces using the shapes of discarded chewing gum on the pavement. True trash to treasure vibes.

🌟This gem of a recommendation was suggested by Gina, the fabulously talented Blue Badge guide who knows rather a lot about a lot.

🏰 Come spend unforgettable times with her on a private Tower of London tour, a Westminster Abbey experience or hey, maybe even a bespoke itinerary of your own devising

Anything’s possible when you Come Saunter With Us

02/05/2022

🎭 “London, a little village on the Thames whose principal industries are music hall and the confidence trick"!

Find out who said this and why on ‘Walking the West End’, our brand new small-group walking tour of London’s dazzling West End, led by actor, director, tour guide and legend .

Discover 17 venues, take a whirlwind adventure through centuries of theatrical history and peek behind the curtain as a chorus-line of backstage gossip and scandal.

Note: Jazz hands not required but absolutely encouraged 🤗

( by the way, 📸 by whose incredible images of London’s doorways are WELL worth a look to get you excited for your trip)

25/04/2022

⚡️When Myles met Guy

Great snap of the ever-so-lovely American football legend Myles Garrett and guide extraordinaire on an Urban Saunters Westminster Abbey tour last week.

We hope you had an incredible whirlwind trip through 1000 years of history at this rather important church and enjoyed the rest of your time in London. So nice to host you !

Why not come walk in the footsteps of legends, both present and past, on a tour your own?

Address

London

Website

http://www.urbansaunters.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Urban Saunters posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Urban Saunters:

Videos

💂‍♂️ Marching into the working week like… Here’s a sneaky little peek at rehearsals for the ‘Trooping the Colour’ ceremony, filmed on tour this weekend. Want to find out a bit more about this incredible local celebration whilst getting closer to the action? Better get yourself on a Changing of the Guard tour before June 2nd 😉

Shortcuts

“The streets of London have their map, but our passions are uncharted. What are you going to meet if you turn this corner?”

With 25 collective years in tourism, working for some of the best companies in Europe, we here at Urban Saunters have seen it all - the good, the great and the truly magical.

As COVID-19 shifted the sands of our beloved industry, we took our expertise gleaned over the years to bring the personal touch to private and small-group walking tours in our home city, London.

Be it regal, cultural, culinary or something a little different, we will take you deeper into the heart of the Big Smoke.

And the jewel in the Urban Saunters crown? Our wonderful guides. We don’t mean to brag but we truly believe our guides are the best in the business. Unscripted and truly local, guiding is no part-time gig for the crew here at Urban Saunters. They are true experts in their field, getting you closer to the action with their unparalleled knowledge of the city and personal anecdotes of life here. Think of them more as your new friend in London. But don’t just take our word for it… come Saunter with us.