vintage london bus tour

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London Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea at Harrods

Our Vintage London Bus Tour with Afternoon Tea at Harrods is a fun way to discover the city. Enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour on a vintage 1950’s open-top bus that is a British cultural symbol. You’ll get to see the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and The Tower of London, with photo stops along the way. This is followed by a short cruise along the River Thames with an expert tour guide. Finally, enjoy afternoon tea at Harrods Department Store, with jam, scones, home-grown tea and a glass of prosecco.

Our vintage London bus tour with afternoon tea at Harrods is available every day departing at 1pm.

highlights:

13:00: Depart Victoria Station Coach Station on a vintage London red bus, with an open-top roof! Drive through the streets of London on a panoramic tour of the city with an expert tour guide.
15:30: Take a 40-minute cruise along the River Thames, where you’ll see amazing views of Tower Bridge, The Shard and Shakespeare’s Globe.
16:45: Enjoy afternoon tea at Harrods, with homemade scones, jam and tea. After your afternoon tea, you’ll have free time to explore Harrods, the world’s most luxurious department store!

Vintage London Bus Tour:

Sightseeing on Vintage London Bus Tour

The 1950’s Vintage Routemaster London bus is considered an English cultural icon. These buses were used from the 1950s until 2005, and are instantly recognizable with their open rear platforms, where passengers can get on and off even when the bus is moving!

Our vintage London bus tour includes a live guide who’ll point out the major sites along the way. The bus has an open roof, which makes it perfect for sightseeing and taking pictures. Highlights include seeing the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. We will also stop for photos outside Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.

The panoramic tour is followed by a 40-minute cruise along the River Thames where you’ll get fantastic views of more major London landmarks. This includes Tower Bridge, the Shard, Shakespeare’s Globe and the London Eye.

afternoon tea at Harrods

Harrods Tea Room

Harrods department store offers an unforgettable experience. Its seven-story building is located in the heart of the capital and is where the world’s rich and famous go shopping. Harrods also offers a truly world-class dining experience. Our vintage London bus tour includes a cream tea at Harrods Georgian Restaurant. Enjoy one of the best afternoon tea’s in the city, with a choice of boutique teas served with homemade scones, jam, clotted cream and a glass of prosecco.

The tour departs from Victoria Coach Station at 1pm. It ends at Harrods Department Store
It includes a guide, panoramic tour, river cruise and afternoon tea at Harrods
The dress code for Harrods is smart casual
We can arrange gluten-free & nut-free meals but require 72 hours notice (since the overall menu prepared in the kitchen, nut traces could still be present)
We recommend bringing a coat in case of rain
Free cancellation up to 72 hours before departure

Tour Booking

Vintage london bus tour route.

We begin our vintage London bus tour in Parliament Square where you can see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. The Routemaster bus will stop for photos outside of Westminster Abbey, which is where Queen Elizabeth II was coronated on 6 February 1952. We continue our drive along Whitehall and to Trafalgar Square. The square was named after Britain’s victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, with a huge monument called Nelson’s Column standing in the centre of the square. The square is surrounded by the National Gallery, St Martins-in-the-Field Church, Admiralty Arch and The Mall.

Our vintage London bus tour continues along the Strand and Fleet Street, which was once the home of most British national newspapers. From here we pass St Paul’s Cathedral which was the tallest building in London until 1962. The dome is the second-largest in the world, and it is an architectural masterpiece designed by Sir Christopher Wren. We continue onto the Tower of London, with a photo stop outside of the home of the Crown Jewels. The Tower of London is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of England’s most iconic structures. The White Tower was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and is the most complete example of an 11th century fortress palace remaining in Europe.

Our cruise along the River Thames is another opportunity to take in the best London landmarks on this vintage tour. You’ll get the best view of Tower Bridge, an iconic symbol of London. As you cruise along the river, you’ll see Shakespeare’s Globe which is a reconstruction of the theatre for which William Shakespeare wrote his plays. You’ll also see the Shard, which is the tallest building in the UK standing at 95 storeys. Our cruise ends at the London Eye pier and from here we continue our vintage London bus tour with afternoon tea at Harrods.

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea is a quintessentially English custom, that first started in the 19th Century. It became a social event for the upper-class where people would have dressed up, with women wearing hats and long gowns. Today, there are many ways to take afternoon tea. Brits around the country will usually enjoy a simple cup of tea and biscuits at 4pm. However, many restaurants in London, including Harrods, will serve luxury afternoon teas with scones, jams, preserves and a selection of teas. For international travellers heading to London, this is often a highlight of their visit to the city and is a popular part of our Vintage Bus Tour.

Harrods has been serving afternoon tea since 1896, and it is one of the most famous and iconic places to enjoy afternoon tea in London. In 1911, a new restaurant was built at Harrods and since it was completed in the same year as George V’s coronation it was named after the new king. Today, you’ll enjoy afternoon tea in these rooms that are steeped in a rich history of English tradition. The scones are home-baked and served with Harrods exclusive preserves. Choose from a selection of fine teas, many from Harrods own tea gardens and all handpicked adhering only to the highest standards.

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London Hop on Hop off Bus with Optional River Cruise

join us on a quintessentially british journey

The Classic Tour is London’s number one bus tour and sightseeing experience. Step on board our carefully restored classic 1960s Double Decker Routemaster buses for a unique open top ride through the best attractions in the city.

Our hand-picked, highly trained, entertaining and comedic tour guides are the best in the business and will help you experience an authentic London you may have never known. They are also very funny. You will see more, learn more and understand the astonishing history of the Capital.

Our tours depart from Northumberland Avenue at:

Please Note: Our tours only run on certain days, please check our booking form for the latest date & time information

Please note that tour times are subject to change.

Ticket Types

Choice of seats and deck are given on a first-come first-serve basis.

The following tickets are available when you book:

HOW TO FIND US

Our bus stop is right at the centre of London, on Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. This is where the tour begins and ends. Our bus stop is outside the Grand Hotel, opposite the Sherlock Holmes pub.

Public Transport Links

Train: Charing Cross station, Embankment tube station

Bus: 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 53, 87, 88, 91, 159, 176, 453 – Trafalgar Square area

Your Journey

In 75 minutes, our open top, refurbished, 1960s Routemaster bus will take you on a sightseeing tour of the top attractions in London. Perfect for days out in London, our tours have been specifically designed to show you all the sights of the city. Visit London’s iconic buildings including Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace (weekend only or as traffic permits), the London Eye, the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and The Shard in our uniquely tailored London tours.

we are a unique tour with a unique story behind it

Every detail of the Classic Tour has been worked out, including relevant atmospheric music and sound effects to add to your experience. The Classic Tour lasts 75-90 minutes (depending on traffic) and you will see all the famous sights of London. These include the amazing and historical Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Downing Street, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, London Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, The Shard and St. Paul’s Cathedral amongst much much more.

Did you know?

The Routemaster has retained iconic status, and is considered a British cultural icon. In 2006, the Routemaster was voted one of Britain’s top 10 design icons which included Concorde, Mini, Supermarine Spitfire, London tube map, World Wide Web and the K2 telephone box.

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St Paul’s Cathedral, London, is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. It sits on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grade 1 listed building.

Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar, Spain.

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster.

The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 95-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London, that forms part of the London Bridge Quarter development. Standing 309.7 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, the fourth-tallest building in Europe and the 111th-tallest building in the world.

The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. The structure is 443 feet (135 m) tall and the wheel has a diameter of 394 feet (120 m). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel.

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London, resulting in it sometimes being confused with London Bridge, situated some 0.5 mi (0.80 km) upstream

Downing Street is a street in London, United Kingdom, known for housing the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. “Downing Street” is used as a metonym for the Government of the United Kingdom.