The Haunted Pubs of Old London: Small Group Tour
Recommended by 97% of travelers
London, England
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Learn all about the darker side of London’s history and experience its spirited pub culture at the same time on this small-group walking tour around some (allegedly) haunted pubs. Tour with a qualified historian who’s called this area home since they were a kid, and listen as they share stories all about everything from murders to the Black Death. Visit locations you're unlikely to discover if exploring solo, and hear chilling tales that only the locals know about.
- Hear tales you won't find in the guidebooks
- A great way to meet fellow travelers with similiar interests
- Tour in an intimate group of no more than 14 people
- See where movies like "Skyfall" and "Shakespeare in Love" were filmed
What's Included
- Walking Tour
- Alcoholic BeveragesYou will be expected to purchase a drink of your choice (from around £2.50-£6.50) at the pubs visited. A half-pint of beer (or equivalent soft drink) is included at the first pub
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Underground Ltd, Aldersgate St, Barbican, London EC1A 4JA, UK
I will meet you at the main exit of Barbican Underground Station, on Aldersgate Street
End points
This activity ends in a different location. See details below:
Operating hours.2:30 pm
Itinerary
Barbican Centre (Pass By)
1
The Sutton Arms, EC1
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Charterhouse Square
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Florin Court (Pass By)
3
The Charterhouse
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Cloth Fair
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Church of St. Bartholomew the Great
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Rising Sun
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Smithfield Market
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
St Bartholomew the Less
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
St Bartholomew's Hospital
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
Cock Lane
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Old Bailey (Pass By)
11
The Viaduct Tavern
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 39 reviews
Jan_S, Feb 2026
Arthur is a very knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic guide. The whole tour and a pint of two as well was really enjoyable and I would definitely look forward to Arthur being my tour guide in the future!
Becky_R, Feb 2026
Arthur was great guide and lovely person. You can tell how much he loves history and he is a great story teller. The tour wound up being a private tour as nobody else had booked which allowed I think more freedom to do some different things and also lots more conversation instead of just standard tour guide stuff. We learned so much - I actually wish I had taken notes!! And the tour was in a part of the city I had not been to which was nice to explore a new area. Arthur also generously took the time to give us a bunch of restaurant recommendations, share general societal history, and more. It was just an all around good time.
Saskia_H, Dec 2025
We had an amazing Haunted Pub Tour in London yesterday, and a big part of that was thanks to Arthur. What a fantastic guide! He has an incredible amount of knowledge, tells his stories with genuine enthusiasm, and brings such great energy to the tour. From the very beginning, he really drew us into the story of London.
The tour took us to four different pubs, all with great atmosphere and well worth visiting. But what really made this tour special were the moments in between the pubs. Along the way, we passed several fascinating historical locations, and Arthur had so many interesting stories to share about them. You can truly tell that he knows London inside and out and loves sharing its history.
This tour is perfect if you want to learn more about the city, its history and haunted stories, while also enjoying a good beer in beautiful, authentic pubs.
We would absolutely give this tour a 9 out of 10 and highly recommend it to anyone visiting London who wants to explore the city in a fun, relaxed and engaging way.
— Esmée & Sas
Jeremy_H, Dec 2025
We had an absolutely fantastic experience on the haunted pub crawl in London, especially around the historic Smithfield area. From the very start, Arthur, the guide stood out for his deep knowledge of both the documented history and the darker folklore tied to the neighborhood. His storytelling brought Smithfield’s past vividly to life, blending facts, legend, and atmosphere in a way that was engaging without ever feeling exaggerated.
The neighborhood itself was the perfect setting. Smithfield’s narrow streets, ancient buildings, and centuries-old pubs radiate old world charm, and learning about its macabre history, public executions, plague tales, and lingering legends, added a fascinating layer to every stop. Each pub felt carefully chosen, not just for a drink, but for its role in the area’s long and often unsettling past.
What made the crawl especially memorable was how seamlessly Artgur connected the stories to the physical spaces around us. Standing in places where history truly happened gave the experience an authenticity that you cannot replicate in a book or museum. It was equal parts eerie, educational, and entertaining.
If you enjoy history with a darker edge and appreciate expertly told stories in atmospheric settings, this haunted pub crawl is a must-do. It is a brilliant way to experience London’s past while enjoying some of its most character-filled pubs.
Sarah_M, Oct 2025
Our guide was amazing, we really enjoyed it.
The entire tour was so well thought out and our guide took the time to answer all off our questions
Psnfamily, Oct 2025
A journey full of surprises — fun eye opening, and unforgettable from start to finish. He was Very knowledgeable. We had a great time thank you!!
Edward_G, Oct 2025
Fantastic tour. Very interesting and enjoyable. Our guide (sorry do not remember his name) very very personable and engaging.
Cristina_L, Sep 2025
Interesting historical inputs. The guide has studied history and knew lots about all kinds of topics. Not just reciting, but "living" the stories. We loved it.
Ashley_C, Sep 2025
My husband and I (we're from Chicago) were visiting our friend who lives in london and the three of us were looking for something that was unique, took us to some pubs and where we could learn something, this was everything. We got to go into a lot of places that are not full of tourist, but oddly, should be, very beautiful old buildings that are original London (our friend that lives here, works near these spots but didn't know they existed or that you could even enter them, so it was really fun for him). The pubs were cool. The guide is so informative beyond the tour that we took food recommendations from him and the places were great, he really knows London. Also, while you go to a lot of spots you don't actually walk too far. Its definitely a great tour and we plan on finding another one of his tours when we visit again.
Teryl_S, Aug 2025
Arthur was fabulous. We enjoyed the pubs and haunted tales, but his knowledge of England and London history is phenomenal. We went to several churches and sites that were superb (St. Bart’s, St. Bart’s the lesser, and Charterhouse) . These lesser known sites were amazing and Arthur showed us lovely detail after lovely detail about these running places. You must do this tour.
Robert_S, Aug 2025
What can I saw other than DO NOT MISS this tour. Arthur is an absolutely gem and fountain of local London knowledge. We had the pleasure of being the only people with him and his tour, his stories, his in-depth historical knowledge completely blew us away. Plan for a bit extra time and he'll deliver. Thanks so much Arthur. We'll look you up again next time we're in the city.
Todd_P, Aug 2025
That was such a great tour! We were able to mix in all kinds of fun with tons of history and some good stories along the way. Could not recommend more! A+
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you, Todd! It was a pleasure to have you on the tour.
Rob_H, Jul 2025
Arthur was amazing, fun as a tour guide and had a wealth of knowledge that was beyond the normal tour environment. We had a great time with Arthur and would recommend him without a doubt!!
Kathy_H, May 2025
He was very knowledgeable about history. Gave a review of all available beers on tap. Enjoyed tour very much.
Stephanie_E, Apr 2025
Arthur is a friendly walking encyclopedia of historical facts and fun spooky trivia! We learned a lot and saw many things that we never would have seen had we not taken this tour. Great pubs too! We really enjoyed this experience and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history. Pro tip: wear comfy walking shoes and bring any weather gear you might need.
LynnD, Jan 2024
There was 4 of us in our party and we all enjoyed the tour but agreed that Arthur firstly waffles a bit and secondly had no concept of time! We had to leave before the tour really finished (we missed the last pub) which was a shame. To be honest it wasn’t really a haunted pub tour but we did visit some interesting place in the backstreets of London and Arthur was very knowledgeable and loved his subject.
Ashtyn_G, Jan 2024
I wholeheartedly recommend this tour for anyone intrigued by the obscure and haunted history of London. Arthur guided us to a lesser-explored part of the city that we hadn't discovered on our own, providing us with a unique and fascinating experience. His depth of knowledge was impressive, and we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the tour. Exploring the enchanting historic pubs was a particular highlight for us!
From $103.10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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