14 Self-Guided Tours in London to Plan a Day Around

1.Emirates Stadium Entry Ticket and Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5,513 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $47Our pick

At Emirates Stadium, Arsenal stars guide you by audio through the changing room, players’ tunnel and dugout, with interactive shirt and tour cams. Arsenal-branded headphones and museum entry are included. Allow about 1.5 hours; audio is available in six languages.

“Overall it was good, but you should at least provide water around the 11 option for all visitors in Arsenal bottles as souvenir and thirst quench, if possible a pack of crisps. You can also put a carpet and make people snap on the pitch itself. Thank you”

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2.Westminster Abbey Entrance Ticket Including Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 661 reviews · from $41

This self-guided Westminster Abbey visit pairs timed admission with a multimedia guide available in 14 languages. Allow two to three hours to explore the coronation church, royal tombs and memorials to figures including Jane Austen, Charles Darwin and Geoffrey Chaucer. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries are not included.

“Book and go early, traffic gets busy from 10am on especially around 12 noon, make sure uyou have water with you also”

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3.British Museum Audio Tour & Priority Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 631 reviews · from $9

Meet a Vox City host at Russell Square, then explore the British Museum at your own pace with reserved entry and a phone-based audio guide covering more than 50 highlights. Look for the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Parthenon sculptures, and the Lion of Knidos. The package also includes a London sightseeing app and a Political London self-guided tour.

“The British Museum should be on every visitor's list to London..it was an amazing experience. Our tour guide David was an excellent communicator, prompt in meeting us and very informative. His explanations of the app were clear and concise and if we had any questions, we were invited to call him during our visit. Highly recommended to all 👍”

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4.Churchill War Rooms Ticket & Political London Audio

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 224 reviews · 1 day · from $62

Enter Churchill War Rooms with an audio guide, then use VoxCity’s map and political London audio tour to find 15 points of interest. There is no live guide, so bring a charged phone and headphones. The bunker’s Map Room and concealed communication room offer a close look at wartime planning.

“Fascinating place with useful audio tour but extremely crowded during the holidays so felt very rushed. I’d been many years ago before they added the museum. The museum is worth a visit in itself. Would like to visit again in the future at a less busy time.”

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5.Windsor Castle Tour from London with Transportation & Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 222 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $94

Travel from Central London to Windsor Castle by coach, then spend about two hours exploring independently with an audio guide, if available. See the State Apartments, St. George’s Chapel, and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. The driver handles the journey, but this is not an escorted castle tour.

“The tour of the castle was very informative and skip the line tickets made it easy to enter the castle. I like the audio guide as it moved quickly, covering the highlights and we were able to choose the exhibits we wanted to see.”

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6.Royal Walking Tour and Buckingham Palace Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 154 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $100Top rated

Walk from St James Square through St James’s Park and along The Mall, hearing royal stories from an English-speaking guide. Then enter Buckingham Palace with a skip-the-ticket-line ticket and explore its rooms with the official audio guide. Guides have included Jen, Sophie, Lee, Siôn and Chris. Plan for 2.5 hours, including about 105 minutes inside the palace.

“Great tidbits of in formation before touring the Palace. Tour did say you will tour St.James Park, but it really was just walking through it. Set aside time before or after to explore the park on your own.”

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7.Self-Guided Notting Hill Walking Tour with an APP

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 120 reviews · 2 hours · from $14

Follow a two-hour, self-guided Notting Hill route from Notting Hill Gate to Westbourne Park Station. The Trippy Tour Guide app provides more than 20 audio points in six languages, with directions to famous film locations, elegant crescents, mews and Portobello Road. You set the pace, but need to download the tour before you start.

“I really enjoyed this self-guided Notting Hill walking tour. The app was easy to use and took me to all the key spots, including famous locations from the Notting Hill and Love Actually movie scenes, plus so much more. A great way to explore the area at your own pace and really soak in the charm of the neighbourhood. Highly recommended!”

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8.Harry Potter Movie Location Tour with an APP

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 41 reviews · 3 hours · from $12

Follow a self-guided route from Westminster to Tower Bridge, stopping at film locations and London sights linked to Harry Potter. Trippy Tour Guide’s app provides more than 40 audio points in six languages. Bring headphones, a charged phone, and time to spare: the route can take longer than three hours.

“veel informatie. de filmscenes worden duidelijk beschreven bij iedere locatie. de tour is erg lang. we redden het niet binnen de tijd. omdat we nog iets anders geboekt hadden, hebben we hem de volgende dag afgemaakt.”

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9.Self-Guided History City Tour with an App

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 21 reviews · 3 hours · from $9

This self-guided London walk uses the Trippy Tour Guide app to connect more than 30 narration points, from Sky Garden and the Great Fire Monument to Borough Market and St. Paul’s Cathedral. You follow the route at your own pace, with audio in six languages. There is no in-person guide, and attraction entry fees are not included.

“Nous n’avons pas pu terminer le tour l’application a eu un bug en plein milieu et impossible de finir… très déçu”

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10.Londra Audioguide – TravelMate app for your smartphone

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 12 reviews · from $5Best value

Explore London at your own pace with TravelMate’s smartphone audio guide: 70 professionally written and narrated clips, totaling 215 minutes, cover major sights from the British Museum to Westminster Abbey. Choose from seven languages, read the audio text in the app, and listen online or offline. There is no meeting point or fixed route.

“Problems with the purchase. But the app is quite well made.”

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11.Jack the Ripper Walking Tour with an App

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 11 reviews · 3 hours · from $12

Follow an app-led, three-hour walk through Whitechapel and Spitalfields, with more than 40 audio points in six languages. The route links pubs, market streets and crime-scene locations, including Mitre Square and 13 Miller’s Court. You set the pace and can pause or replay the narration, but you’ll need a charged phone and the downloaded app.

“L'idée est très sympa. Agréable de suivre la visite à son rythme et bonne idée de suggérer un arrêt au pub (cela permet en plus de recharger oes téléphones, car l'application demande pas mal d'énergie) Dommage que le commentaire en français soit une traduction automatique, par contre.”

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12.Gin and Afternoon Tea Bus Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 11 reviews · from $94

Ride a vintage Routemaster through central London for 90 minutes, with an English audio guide, Brigit’s Bakery afternoon tea, unlimited hot drinks and three gin serves. The route takes in sights including the London Eye, Westminster Abbey and Marble Arch. Boarding is from Victoria Coach Station or Trafalgar Square, depending on your booking.

“A great idea to combine tea time with sightseeing. The food was very good, and the gin tasting made it even more interesting. Due to the classic double-decker bus (without doors), it's more recommended for warmer weather.”

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13.Christmas Lights Self Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 8 reviews · from $9

This self-guided app tour takes you from the Strand through Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Regent Street, Seven Dials and Covent Garden. GPS-linked audio, an offline map and directions guide you past festive lights, markets and the famous Christmas tree. There is no live guide or transport included.

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14.App-Based Walking Tour with 30 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3 reviews · 4 hours · from $14

Follow an app-based route to more than 30 London stops, with audio stories, an offline map and the freedom to start, pause or replay as you go. You’ll pass Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Borough Market and Tower Bridge. There’s no in-person guide, and entry fees are not included.

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