Operating throughout the year except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, our free guided walking tours are the perfect way to explore Exeter. No booking is required, simply choose a tour, meet your Red Coat Guide and spend 90 minutes discovering Exeter. Tours depart from the Ho**er Statue on Cathedral Green, or from the Custom House (Quayside). For more information call 01392 265203.
Regrettably, dogs (except Guide dogs) are not permitted on the tours and children must be accompanied by an adult. The tours may contain steps, slopes and steep or rough ground, however the Red Coat Guides will do all they can to make tours accessible to all so please speak to your guide before the tour about the suitability for your individual needs.
Cathedral Close & Bishop’s Palace Garden - Learn how the buildings in the Close have evolved through time, and visit the peaceful Palace Gardens.
Cathedral to Quay - A walk from the Cathedral via Southernhay and alongside the impressive City wall, finishing at the historic quayside.
Churches, Cemeteries & the Catacomb - Visit some of the city’s medieval churches and burial grounds, and, if the bats allow, discover the cathedralesque Victorian Catacomb.
Exeter’s City Wall (2 hours) - Discover the fabulous history of the Romans’ City Wall, of which 70% still remain. Some uneven surfaces and steep slopes.
Exeter Old & New - Chart Exeter’s history from pre-Roman times to the present.
Forgotten Exeter - Be intrigued by hidden corners and curios of the city, long since gone from memory.
Georgian Exeter - How Exeter’s transformation came about, from industrial hub into an elegant Georgian city.
Ghosts & Legends - Chilling tales of one of the most haunted cities in the country. Suitable for all ages. Special Halloween tours, from 6.15pm on 31 October. Last tour 7pm.
Heart of Exeter and the Devon & Exeter Institution (DEI) - Exeter from Roman times until the present day; and a short visit to the amazing libraries and archives of the DEI.
Introducing Exeter (1 hour) - A short introduction to Exeter and its astonishing history.
Medieval Exeter - How Exeter became one of the wealthiest cities, and see some of the surviving medieval buildings, including the Medieval Bridge.
Oddities & Curiosities - Interesting snippets of Exeter’s past, including some of the odder and more curious aspects.
Tudor Exeter - Learn about Tudor Exeter, including its buildings and individuals from that turbulent period of history.
Group Tours
Red Coat Group Tours & Coach Commentaries
Groups of 10 or more are not permitted on public tours.
Group tours and coach commentaries must be booked in advance and incur a small charge. A minimum of 14 days’ notice is required.
Please call us on 01392 265203 or send an email to [email protected]
Additional tour information
Please note guided tours may be subject to cancellation or alteration without notice.
Please note tours will only go ahead with a minimum of two people on the tour.
Some tours contain steps, slopes, and steep or rough ground.
Only assistance dogs are permitted to accompany owners on the tours.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Adults remain in charge of the children and are responsible for their care and control.
All tours except the Canal Trip, Churches, Cemeteries and the Catacomb, Cathedral Close & Bishop’s Palace Garden and Forgotten Exeter are accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooter, or have an alternative route.
