London Walking Tour: A Self-Guided Route From Westminster to the City
A self-guided London walking tour from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben through Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden to St Paul's and the Tower of London.
- 8 stops and 11 minutes of stories, told as you reach each place
- The intro and stop 1 are free in the app: try before you buy
- Download before you go; the audio plays without signal (the street map needs a connection)
- Walking with friends? Pick 1 to 10 seats; everyone hears each stop on their own phone, at the same moment
30 seconds of the real narration
Plays in the free Walk With Me app on iPhone and Android.
What you'll see
What costs extra
4 stops have a ticket to go inside. The story plays outside, so going in is your choice.
| Stop | Inside | Ticket from |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Westminster Abbey | Optional | £31 |
| 2. Houses of Parliament | Optional | £31 |
| 6. St Paul's Cathedral | Optional | £27 |
| 8. Tower of London | Optional | £34.80 |
About this tour
This walk follows the historic spine of London in one long line, and on foot you feel how its layers connect. From Westminster Abbey, where monarchs are crowned, you pass Parliament and Big Ben, walk up Whitehall past the mounted guards, cross Trafalgar Square and the market piazza of Covent Garden, then go on to the dome of St Paul's, the Millennium Bridge and the Tower of London by the river. Each landmark leads to the next, and walking shows you what a bus would blur past: a guard's motionless horse, a singer in the piazza, the dome standing above the rooftops. It is long but flat, so take it steadily. If you would like company, open the Walk With Me live map to see who else is out walking London.
The route
7.5 km in walking order from Westminster Abbey to Tower of London. Stop 1 is free in the app.
- 1Westminster AbbeyThe Gothic abbey church of coronations, royal weddings and funerals, its pale carved west front, and the poets and scientists buried inside.£31 to go in, optional
- 2Houses of ParliamentThe Palace of Westminster along the river, its great clock tower and famous bell, and the fire that led to the building you see.£31 to go in, optional
- 3WhitehallThe broad avenue of government, past the gates of Downing Street, the mounted Household Cavalry and the nation's stone war memorial.
- 4Trafalgar SquareThe great square of fountains and four bronze lions around a tall column topped by a naval hero, with a free national gallery alongside.
- 5Covent GardenThe old fruit and vegetable market hall of glass and iron, now shops and cafés, with performers holding crowds on the piazza.
- 6St Paul's CathedralThe domed cathedral that rose after the Great Fire, its double row of columns, and why it became a symbol during the war.£27 to go in, optional
- 7Millennium BridgeThe steel footbridge from St Paul's toward a power station turned gallery, with the dome behind you and the river below.
- 8Tower of LondonThe medieval fortress by the river, its White Tower, dry moat and ravens, and the prisoners and jewels kept within its walls.£34.80 to go in, optional
Toilets and water on the way
16 public toilets (3 free) and 14 drinking fountains within 150 m of the route.
| Stop | Nearest toilet | Nearest water |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Westminster Abbey | 325 m | 476 m |
| 2. Houses of Parliament | 217 m | 376 m |
| 3. Whitehall | 378 m, free | 355 m |
| 4. Trafalgar Square | 39 m | 87 m |
| 5. Covent Garden | 43 m | 167 m |
| 6. St Paul's Cathedral | 86 m | 94 m |
| 7. Millennium Bridge | 207 m | 147 m |
| 8. Tower of London | 73 m | 71 m |
The full map is in our London guide. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.