As night descends, nothing short of spectacular happens as bright lights cast off the characteristic dreariness of London. No wonder the city has been used as a location in many films—Mission: Impossible, James Bond, and The Bourne Ultimatum.
What better way to experience its nighttime allure than with a tour?
See the London Eye awash with a festive glow and watch timeworn structures like Westminster Abbey appear in a luminous mood!
Sounds good? Check out this list curated by local people who have traversed these roads, ancient and new, many, many times over.
Sightseeing Night Tours
Nighttime Open-Top Bus Tour
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Website: https://www.goldentours.com/
Price: Starting from £29 per adult
Duration: 1-2 hours
Language: English, available in 11 languages
Contact info: +44 (0)207 630 2028
With so many places to go in London, the ideal way to see its famous landmarks all in one go would be an open-top bus tour. Except if you’re James Bond, then you’d be dropping from a chopper!
That means passing by—with the wind in your hair—many famous landmarks all lit up. This includes the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London.
Trust us—you’re going to see these icons in a different light!
What’s great about this tour is that it offers different meeting point options within Central London and conveniently ends at the same place. Plus, no hop-ins or hop-offs are allowed, making it continuously enjoyable.
London by Night Taxi Tour
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Website: https://www.visitlondontaxitours.com/tours/london-by-night-taxi-tour
Price: Starting from £350 per 6 people
Duration: 3 hours
Language: English
If you’re crowd-averse, then this private tour of London’s iconic black cab is a good idea. Plus, with a glass roof overhead, you can stay warm without missing the view in case it rains.
Good for first-timers and repeat visitors alike, the tour is fully customisable. This allows you to freely visit the places you’ve Googled about or ask cabbies yourself for recommendations.
Moreover, you can request an itinerary that takes you to local attractions tailored to your interests.
Customisation is the name of the game. This tour allows you—extra quids and all—to take a breather from crowded tourist spots or run when nature calls unexpectedly.
Walking Night Tour around London’s Famous King’s Cross
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Website: https://www.withlocals.com/experiences/england/london/tours/night-tours/
Price: Starting from £28 per adult
Duration: 3 hours
Language: English, German, Portuguese
Starting at King’s Cross, this stroll takes you along lesser-known haunts where locals mingle after hours. It is led by a university professor/guide who’s been living in London for over 20 years.
The guide can take you on a culinary, audiophile, or art journey within the set duration or as far as your knees can carry. Even better, it’s fully customisable as a one-on-one or group tour!
Some of the stops include a drink at a Victorian bathhouse-turned-bar and a visit to the famous art school, Central Saint Martins. The tour usually culminates with a drink at—Harry Potter fans rejoice—Platform 9¾ back in King’s Cross.
London Historical Night Tour
London: Maritime Greenwich Tour
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Website: https://www.guidelondon.org.uk/tours/greenwich-tour/
Price: Starting from £200 per person
Duration: Customizable
Language: English
History aficionados and everyday folks alike would love a trip to Greenwich because of two things.
First, this UNESCO heritage site is home to the best of British advancements in art and science. Second, it’s where counting time technically starts, popularly known as GMT 0+.
Steeped in history, here’s the place where you can learn more about the tea clipper Cutty Sark, old-time British movers and shakers, and the armada-defeating Elizabethan navy.
Don’t forget to spend an evening under the stars with the century-old telescope at the Royal Observatory.
Tower Twilight Tours
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Website: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/tower-twilight-tours/
Price: £30 per person
Duration: 1.5 hours
Language: English
One of the oldest in the city, the Tower of London—castle, fortress, and prison all in one—is perhaps the most storied of all.
Designed to be impregnable, it has been the go-to refuge of threatened royals in the past and the storage-now-turned-exhibit space for their crown jewels.
Adding to its intriguing history, it also served as the execution place of Anne Boleyn and was rumoured to be the torture chamber of Guy Fawkes.
With all this history and more, the Tower of London is a must-visit itinerary for serious historians and those who learned history from TV and movies.
London: Jack the Ripper Guided Walking Tour
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Website: https://www.jack-the-ripper-tour.com/
Price: Starting from £16 per person
Duration: 2 hours
Language: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish
History buffs and urban legend fans would enjoy a stroll along the locations where the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper happened in 1888.
You’ll experience the atmosphere of Victorian London as some of these alleyways have remained slightly unchanged since.
Led by guides who have international recognition for their knowledge of these cases, the discussion tour is more historical CSI than sightseeing. You’ll visit murder sites and examine handout copies of original police documents.
At the end of the tour, you’re going to feel like you’ve cracked the case of the still-unsolved heinous crime in all of London’s history.
Special Interest Tours
London Bike Tour
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Website: https://www.londonbicycle.com/tours/half-day/night-tour
Price: £39.95 Adult (18+)
£29.95 Child (12-17)
Duration: 3 hours
Language: English
If you’re into eco-conscious tours and some cardio, try biking along particularly chosen routes. This lets you feel the romance of London’s riverside at dusk and the pulsating energy of its multi-centres of night commerce.
The tour not only lets you speed past markets, stalls, and restaurants but also iconic landmarks. This includes the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, and Waterloo Bridge.
Moreover, you’ll see modern-day buildings such as the Tate Modern Art Gallery and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Overall, the sunset tour is highly recommended for those who want to hit two birds with one stone—having fun while losing calories all in one go!
Night Photography Tour of London
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Website: https://www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk/product/night-photography-tour-of-london/
Price: £47
Duration: 2.5 hours
Language: English
Shutterbugs, whether pros or hobbyists, would quiver in delight at the many Instagrammable places in London.
The night photography tour is a hands-on learning experience that allows you not only to take snapshots of majestic landmarks but also to capture light at different speeds and exposures.
This means photographing dramatic reflections on the Thames and the streaking lights of London’s infamous traffic.
With this tour, you’ll get coached according to your skill level. You can also expect to cover basics such as shutter speed, ISO, light painting, and presets.
Photographers of all ages can strap on their DSLRs or clutch their selfie sticks to get started!
Pub Crawl
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Website: https://londonpartypubcrawl.com/pub-crawls/london-pub-crawl/
Price: Starts at £19.50
Duration: 2 hours
Language: English
Do the most British activity by going on a London pub crawl. If you’re a Brit, London offers some of the best places for an epic night out.
This tour lets you into some of the best bars and clubs within the heart of the city and its nightlife life centres—West End and Soho.
You’ll always be in a party mood with your host and fellow clubbers with the tour’s free shots, discounted drinks, and complimentary entrance fees. There’s no need to break the bank to experience the nightlife!
Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours
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Website: https://www.secretfoodtours.com/london/
Price: Starts at £131 per adult
Duration: 3.5 hours
Language: English
Visiting inconspicuous dining places in the metropolis is definitely a must for hardcore foodies. This is especially true for those who believe they’ve sampled everything London has to offer and are prepared to be proven wrong!
Because of so many places to choose from, this curated tour takes you to the best of British taste, such as the sticky toffee pudding, cheese from the Isles, and fish and chips.
Since no gastronomical journey is complete without London’s multicultural cuisine, you’ll also be treated to exotic flavours. These mean rotis, rendang, bao buns, and aiolis.
Without a doubt, a good meal is always finished off with some alcohol, so you’ll also be treated to staples such as gin and ale. Of course, teetotalers can also reach for non-spirited drinks.
Themed Tours
Magical London: Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour
Media credit: getyourguide
Website: https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/magical-london/
Price: Starts at £19.00 per person
Duration: 2.5 hours
Language: English
Because London is the physical location of the Harry Potter universe, a tour of these places is the only way to immerse yourself in the wizarding world.
The tour takes you into Potterverse places such as the Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Diagon Alley, and Knockturn Alley.
Furthermore, guides will keep the stroll magical by providing trivia about the places that inspired J.K. Rowling. Through quizzes, they will engage you and your tour companions in a game reminiscent of the challenges faced by the 4 houses in Hogwarts.
It’s definitely a magical night for muggles, wizards, and witches alike!
Ghost, Ghouls, and Gallows Walking Tour with Boat Ride
Media credit: seeyourcity1
Website: https://seeyour.city/london-ghost-ghouls-gallows-tours
Price: Starts at £35.64 per person
Duration: 2.5 hours
Language: English, French, German
Because London is an ancient city, ghostly tales from its dark history abound. What better way to see the darker side of London than with a nighttime stroll and boat ride?
With this tour, you’ll get to listen to little-known legends while walking along dimly lit parks and haunted houses. You’ll also be visiting places that have once been torture chambers, execution sites, and crime scenes.
Then, with a river cruise along the Thames, you’ll see unobstructed views of well-lit landmarks. The eerie light reflections and the water’s murkiness add up to the spine-tingling experience!
Christmas Lights Tour
Media credit: uk.explores
Website: https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-christmas-lights-by-night/
Price: Starts at £29 per person
Duration: 1.5 hours
Language: English
Nothing is more festive than going around London during Christmas. You can be even merrier aboard an open-top bus, listening to Christmas jingles while marvelling at the magical lights.
Some of these displays include Britain’s tallest Christmas tree on Trafalgar Square and the dazzling angel-shaped fairy lights on Regent Street.
Furthermore, you’ll learn more about the inspiration behind London’s acclaimed Christmas lights, including the sustainable magical displays on Oxford Street.
‘Tis indeed the season to be jolly! But don’t forget to brrrrring your coats, for it’s going to be c-c-old!
