literary pub tour london

Welcome to the London Literary Pub Crawl

The london literary pub crawl, with charles dickens (deceased), visit the public houses and taverns that  inspired previous generations of writers an d artists. and meet dylan thom as, charles dickens, shane macgowan, virginia woolf, george orwell, anthony burgess, t.s eliot and others. and  support new london writers.

See wh ere the giants of the literary w orl d ate, drank,  discussed, thought and worked. The pubs and taverns that inspired some of the greatest creative minds in the world - and still do. This unique tour is artist-led and arranged by the not-for-profit charity The Maverick Theatre Company. It involves local writers and artists from London's West End and the UK TV and Film industry. There's a lovely synergy, that by coming on our tour, you are supporting a current generation of (usually!) struggling writers and artists in London! We are delighted to announce that the late Charles Dickens  (and  occasionally  the late Virginia Woolf)  have agreed to host the tour!   It takes in not only the history of literature in London but some of its contemporary places and spaces too - including those relevant to songwriters such as Shane MacGowan, Sir Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix - and looks at some key elements in our writers' lives.  Our new online and our regular live tours start in Fitzrovia , and end in Soho. Our tour also includes those pubs and bars associated with the British Film industry and contemporary writers. So you never know which modern writers or artists you might bump into...!

Check out our new website for Podcasts, Posts and the Best Bohemian Boozers... www.BohemianBritain.com .

New - premium,  bespoke, private tours. birthdays, weddings, stags, hens and office parties.you pick your day and time, "highly enjoyable, off the beaten track pub tour..."                                        the guardian, "we had a great time we've been on a few london walks now and this was by far the best and most entertaining"                                                         karen young, london., "we drift off into the soho evening, comforted that a vivid approach to the life's work of some of the world’s most famous authors shows that there is as much to be learnt in their pubs as their pages."   sunday telegraph ..

Wow! We've been featured all over the world!

The Guardian

Why not give the gift of Literature & culture... (and the odd beer perhaps!) 

Gift vouchers are valid for 24 months, celebrate dylan thomas. special tour, may 2024. book early.

Dylan Thomas Day. .. Sunday 12th May, 2024, 5pm... see the Welsh Wizard's London haunts. We start at the Pub where Dylan first met his wife! (SPOILER; it was love at first sight)

See HERE for details.

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We send out (very) occasional newsletters. we never share your data and you can come off the list at any time. cheers, literary pub crawl gift vouchers. , ideal for the book, poetry, literary and/or classic pub lover of your life....

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books from london.

We are all writers - and we know of some great books you may not have heard of.  See our London Books Page. And if you have a favourite please  Contact us.

We've won a Society of London Theatre  (S.O.L.T) Stage One Award!  

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All content copyright ©2024 - NHA, Maverick Theatre and Literary London productions Ltd. Reg in England and Wales.  

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9 Best London Literary Tours for Bookworms (2024)

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Ready to learn about your favorite authors and stories while touring London?

You’ve come to the right place, as we’re going to explore the best 9 literary tours in London – all led by expert guides who want to share their love of literature with other bookworms.

If you’re like, just cut to the chase already, then don’t worry.

The best London literary tour is this Literary Pub Crawl and Tavern Tour in London.

London has been home to dozens of talented authors.

It has inspired some iconic works of literary art.

Learn all about these English classics on a tour in London

⏳ Don’t have time to read the whole list?

The best London literary tour is this Literary London Pub Crawl & Tavern tour !

Click here to check prices and availability.

If you want to see what your other options are, here are 8 more tours that are definitely worth your time, including London literary walks, literary pub crawls in London, and literary tours of London.

So let’s get into the list of the best literary tours in London so you can book it already!

PS – booking in advance is highly, highly recommended so you don’t miss out.

Hey! Want more honest UK tips and planning advice? Click here to join my London and UK Travel Tips Facebook group , where I can answer more of your questions!

Easy Guide: Best London Literary Tours

1. literary pub crawl and tavern tour in london : best london literary tours.

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 46+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR

• Walking tour of Soho and Fitzrovia
• Live entertainment with literary walking tour London
• Learn about historic and modern day creatives
• British pub quiz

This walking tour will take you all over Soho and Fitzrovia.

You’ll visit the historic haunts of people like Virginia Woolf , Karl Marx, and George Orwell.

You’ll also get to see places that are linked to more modern creatives, such as Paul McCartney and Damien Hirst .

Many creative people find their inspiration at the local pub.

As you visit some of these places, you’ll understand why.

Learn the history of these places as well as the people who frequented them.

Your tour guide will share so much information!

You’ll also be able to listen to readings and even participate in a British pub quiz .

The readings of poetry and select samples of stories will help you to truly envision London life throughout the ages.

Immerse yourself in history and literature during this pub crawl!

2. Small-Group Tour: Historical Pub Walking Tour of London

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars, 2,500+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3.5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Small group capped at 14 guests
• Pass by 10 locations
• Time to enjoy a drink
• Informative tour guide

If you love a good pub crawl, why not try a pub walking tour ?

Your guide will share the stories of many historic pubs . 

Where did Charles Dickens , Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle go for a pint?

Learn about their favorite haunts and see the world that inspired some of their iconic stories and poetry.

You’ll stop at four (or more) historic pubs to grab a pint.

Whether you prefer a local ale or cider, you’ll be able to drink something that appeals to you.

Learn about London’s drinking culture through the ages.

You might be surprised at some of the interesting factoids you will learn!

The traditional London pubs on this tour will give you a good idea of what an authentic British pub should be like.

Many of them still feel as though they are from a time in the past.

This tour will allow you to transport yourself to the days of some of the world’s most prolific authors.

3. A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens Old London Walking Tour : book London tours

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars, 5+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2-3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Private group tour
• Professional guide
• Christmas cheer all year
• 7 attractions from Dickens’s life

Fans of Charles Dickens will love this tour !

Even if you’re not a huge fan of Dickens, if you love the Christmas Spirit, you might like this tour.

Since Dickens wrote many stories that we remember during the holiday season , you’ll be able to reminisce over Christmas memories no matter what time of year!

You’ll stop at many places that inspired Dickens’s iconic stories.

You’ll start at the Inner Temple and head to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, of David Copperfield fame.

Visit the Royal Exchange Building London and a few other places Scrooge visited in A Christmas Carol.

You’ll visit one of the author’s favorite pubs as well as his favorite chop house.

The Hellfire Club convened in both of these places!

The tour will end in Leadenhall Market .

Many Harry Potter fans may recognize this place, but it’s also part of an iconic scene in A Christmas Carol .

Find out which scene on the tour! 

4. Private Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour in London : literary walks London

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars, 20+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off
• Comfortable mini-coach
• Sherlock Holmes museum
• Visit filming sites

Sherlock Holmes has been a favorite literary character for ages.

As the world changes, the world’s love for this detective stays the same. 

On this tour , you can learn all about Sherlock Holmes.

Walk in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s footsteps .

See what his world was like and how he brought Sherlock Holmes to life.

You’ll visit the detective’s home , museum, and souvenir shop.

You’ll also tour many filming sites for the popular BBC TV series about this sleuth.

Your guide will share loads of knowledge with you.

You’ll learn so much about Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You will stop at 16 locations to learn about their links to Sherlock and take a few pictures.

You can also visit Torrington Square and Bloomsbury.

Both of those places are quite instrumental for the creation of the Sherlock Holmes we know and love today!

5. Shakespearean London: Theater, magic and history

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 4+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  40 minutes | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Self-guided walking tour
• Leisurely tour at your own pace
• Offline chapter and powerful mapping
• Lesser-known facts about Shakespeare

This self-guided tour is a casual way to explore Shakespeare’s London .

It’s extremely affordable and doesn’t take too long.

This is perfect for anyone who would love to learn about Shakespeare, but is too busy doing other activities throughout their London vacation!

You’ll be provided with audio commentary, music, and poetry to commemorate William Shakespeare.

Walk by some iconic places in his life.

Explore Southwark and London Bridge and catch a glimpse of the Globe Theatre !

You’ll walk by London Bridge, the Clink Prison Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Rose Theatre, the Queen Square Park and Garden, and Southwark Cathedral.

Learn about why each of these locations are significant to the works of Shakespeare.

You’ll be able to go at your own pace and enjoy a laid-back walking tour of this cultural part of London.

6. Harry Potter London Walking Tour : literary things to do in London

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 230+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Insider trivia
• Filming locations
• Iconic London attractions

Harry Potter fans have many tours to choose from.

While most of them mostly focus on the movie, this tour will satisfy people who prefer the books. 

Not only will you see locations from the Harry Potter books and movies , you will see many quintessential London landmarks, as well. 

The best part about visiting locations from the movies is that you can recreate scenes with your friends.

Take lots of pictures while you visit the Leaky Cauldron or Ministry of Magic !

You’ll make 4 main stops on this trip.

Visit St. Paul’s Cathedral , Millennium Bridge, Leadenhall Market, and Borough Market.

You’ll learn how each of these destinations is linked to Harry Potter’s life.

It is a fast-paced tour .

This allows you to see the most things in a small amount of time.

This is perfect for people who are already busy but want to enjoy a Harry Potter tour while in London.

7. Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour in London

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 100+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Learn Sherlock Holmes trivia
• Royal Academy

This is your chance to follow in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes .

He is one of the most prolific detectives of all time–and he is a part of a fictional world.

Although Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character in a literary world, his home was based on London.

As you walk around London, you’ll see the same sights that Holmes would’ve seen.

This tour includes stops at the Pentonville Prison , Royal Academy , and the Diogenes Club. 

While many of these locations have been made famous by the BBC TV show Sherlock , that’s not the only screen adaptation you’ll learn about.

This tour also shows sites from other adaptations, such as the popular Murder by Decree . 

The tour will take many breaks for photo opportunities.

The guide will be sure to share loads of knowledge with you as you see Sherlock’s world.

8. Shakespeare London Walking Tour : literary London tour

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars, 5+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Professional actor
• Listen to extracts from Shakespeare’s plays
• See where the classics were written
• Follow in Shakespeare’s footsteps

No matter how you came to know and love Shakespeare, you’ll appreciate this tour .

The tour guide is also an actor who will help to immerse you in the world of William Shakespeare.

You’ll walk along the same footsteps as the Bard himself as you learn all about him.

You may even learn some controversial ideas for the first time.

As you walk throughout London, you’ll learn about the different locations that have been linked to Shakespeare.

See where he wrote some of his most popular works, such as Othello or Macbeth. 

Hear excerpts from his plays as you look at the world that inspired some of these stories.

This is one of the best ways to immerse yourself into the world of Shakespeare.

9. London Literary Private Walking Tour Of Bloomsbury

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars, 3+ reviews | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

• Professional guide on this London literary tour
• Explore museums and squares
• Commentary about many literary heroes

Bloomsbury was a haven for 19th and 20th century writers .

On this tour , you’ll be able to explore the Bloomsbury district and learn about the authors who lived here.

On this tour, you’ll explore many of the squares in the area.

Learn about how each square is connected to a literary icon .

Maybe they were home to an iconic author.

Maybe they inspired the idea for a world-famous book. Find out on this tour!

Obviously, you’ll learn about Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf .

This tour will also take you to locations linked to George Orwell, Aleister Crawley, WB Yeats, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Visit the British Museum and a few sites with suffragette history attached.

This private tour will accommodate your desires and allow you to learn about your favorite authors.

It will also be a dreamy day that may inspire you to put your own words on paper.

Hey! Want to use our trusty guides to the best tours in other places across the UK? Check these out!

• 11 Best Tours of the Cotswolds from London in 2023
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• 5 Best London Open Top Bus Tours
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UK Travel Planning Guide: the FAQs

🏥 Should I buy UK travel insurance?

Absolutely yes. Basic coverage is not expensive, and as a visitor you are NOT covered under the NHS. Compare policies and prices with Travel Insurance Master here , a big name in the travel insurance business, and cross that off your list.

🔌 Do I need travel adapters for the UK?

Yes, you do, otherwise you won’t be able to plug in your electronics/phone/lifelines. I recommend this one , which is all-in-one so you can use it in other countries.

🚗 What do I need to drive in the UK?

The first thing you need to check out if you’re planning on renting a car in the UK is this guide to driving in the UK for visitors – the roads, signs, and driving experience will likely not be what you’re used to and it’s essential to prepare yourself to stay safe and aware.

🛌 What’s the best way to book hotels in the UK?

For UK hotels, Booking is the best site as it offers free cancellation on many properties. If you want an apartment, I always recommend VRBO over AirBnb.

📳 Will my phone work in the UK?

Yes – if you set it up right. Check out my guide on making your foreign phone work in the UK to ensure that you get the type of service you need.

🚿 Can I drink the water in the UK?

Yes, UK water is great and perfectly safe. But drink out of taps in any kitchen or use water fountains. Double check before drinking out of the taps in hotel bathrooms, though, as they may be on a different system. London water is safe to drink .

Heading to London? Want the best tips?

Check out my Ultimate Guide to London for Visitors. Using text, images and video, this guide is packed full of tips, tricks, safety advice, knowledge on how to get around and what to do, and more!

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London Literary Tours

Theatrical walking tours about famous writers in Bloomsbury and St James's

Come on one of our tours of literary sites and delight in tales about some of London's most illustrious writers - like Virginia Woolf, Ian Fleming, Graham Greene and Noel Coward - brought to life in their own words, and with performances of excerpts from their novels, plays and poems.

Key features of our tours: • Limited to small groups • Two guides, Mike and Cindy, working as a double act • Performed extracts from novels, plays and poems • Writers ‘brought to life’ with quotations from their letters and diaries • Researched and created by guides 

THE BLOOMSBURY BLAST Starring Virginia Woolf, T S Eliot and friends

Available Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons

Characterised by grand garden squares and streets lined with bookshops, cafes and pubs, Bloomsbury is an area synonymous with  writers, commemorated in numerous plaques on the walls of their former residences.

On our Bloomsbury Blast you'll meet dazzling literary stars like Virginia Woolf, T S Eliot, W B Yeats, D H  Lawrence and E M Forster, and unique, experimental women like Charlotte Mew, Dorothy Richardson and Hilda Doolittle. Joined by a giant of world literature in Rabindranath Tagore, and movers and shakers like Ezra Pound and Wyndham Lewis we'll reveal a Bloomsbury buzzing with radical ideas, progressive movements and literary pioneers.

• The price is £25 per person and pre-booking is essential. Click on 'Book Tour' to see available dates.
• Private tours - on day and time of your choosing - available by appointment.
• Discounts for student groups. 
• Can be purchased as a gift - see below. 

THE ST JAM ES'S JAUNT Where Mrs Dalloway meets James Bond

With its clubs, shops and galleries, and a library at its heart, swanky St James's has been a magnet for writers over centuries. Scenes have been set here, plays performed here, and masterpieces penned here.

Our St James’s Jaunt ranges from World War 1 to the Cold War, from the poems of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon to the spy novels of Graham Greene and Ian Fleming. We celebrate brave, experimental women like Virginia Woolf, Nancy Cunard and Edith Sitwell, and we relish the biting wit of Noel Coward and Evelyn Waugh. The wry prognostications of Aldous Huxley and Rose Macaulay complete a picture of a St James’s bristling with intellect and intensity.

This tour is seamlessly crafted by the guides themselves who are passionate aficionados of the interwar literary landscape.  Not only do they recite and perform excerpts that transport you to the London of that era, in so doing Mike and Cindy offer insight into the socio-political climate of the time.  The warmth and charisma with which Mike and Cindy welcome us into this world nurtures a sense of connection and belonging irrespective of biblio-credentials, and when the tour concluded it felt like bidding adieu to family.

Róisín McGrogan

Never has learning been more fun!  Cindy and Mike were amazing guides, their knowledge is extraordinary and the passion they have for their subject is infectious.  Not only did they bring these incredible characters to life in the places they lived and worked, but they showed how their lives were interwoven and regaled us with scandalous stories of what they all got up to!  They gave me enough of a taste of the writers' work, at times moving and at others hilarious, to make me want to go out and read, read, read...

Gunna Finnsdottir

AND FOR YOUR FRIEND WHO LOVES BOOKS...

Simply click on either the gold 'Book Tour' button at the top of this page, or the floating 'Book Now' button at the bottom and you'll have the option to purchase a gift card.

The recipient(s) can then get in touch with us to come on a tour of their choice, on a date that works for them.

WHY NOT MAKE A GIFT OF ONE OF OUR TOURS?

Hi from Mike and Cindy

London Literary Tours exists to spread passion for brilliant writing on the streets of the city that we love and call home.

We follow in the footsteps of some of our greatest literary figures, tell scintillating stories about them peppered with extracts from diaries, letters and reviews, and perform extracts of their writing in places where they lived, loved, worked and unwound.

Regardless of what you've read or not read, there will be plenty for you to discover about both popular and lesser-known writers.

Expect to be wowed and have a good laugh along the way!

Poetry Matters How London writers featured on our literary walking tours valued poetry We love to relate how, in 1944, Edith Sitwell

Introducing Our Bloomsbury Tour Two years ago – as we came out of lockdown – we launched our St James’s Jaunt. Now we’re thrilled

Bookish Bonding It’s a wonderful thing that guests can arrive on one of our tours as strangers but leave as –well, friends.

“So many books, so little time."

“the person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”, “literature sets up a vision which guides people to a better understanding of themselves and their world.”, “i have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library.”, “no entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.”, “a book should serve as an axe for the frozen sea within us.”, “many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.”, “a room without books is like a body without a soul.”, “books are the mirrors of the soul.”, “literature is mostly about having sex and not much about having children. life is the other way round.”, “a book is like a garden in the pocket.”, "being locked in a bookshop is a sort of fantasy of mine. a night of quiet surrounded by words.", "a good bookshop is just a genteel black hole that knows how to read.", "bookstores are lonely forts, spilling light onto the sidewalk.".

Literary Pub Crawl and Tavern Tour in London

• Stay off the tourist trail and follow your guide to locals-approved pubs
• Learn all about London’s literary history
• Take part in a traditional British pub quiz
• Explore Fitzrovia and Soho: two of London’s most characterful areas
• Live entertainment
• Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• The Wheatsheaf, 25 Rathbone Pl, W Central St, London W1T 1JB, UK Departure Point: The Wheatsheaf Pub, Fitzrovia, London Directions: The nearest Underground stations are Tottenham Court Road and Goodge Street. On arrival at The Wheatsheaf Pub, get a drink (own expense) then head upstairs. Return point: The tour ends at The Coach and Horses Pub, Soho, London
• The Coach & Horses, Soho, 29 Greek St, London W1D 5DH, UK Near to the Palace Theatre (Harry Potter) and Shaftesbury Avenue. There are many other bars and restaurants if you wish to carry on!
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Children (under 18 years old) must be accompanied by an adult
• Minimum drinking age is 18 years
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
• Most travelers can participate
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Similar experiences

• Jonathan D 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great experience A really interesting and informative afternoon; a mix of acting, readings of poetry and prose, as well as history of the Fitzrovia and Soho area. Some stopping off for drinks in interesting pubs where famous writers and artists frequented. The actor was excellent; highly professional and likeable. If you are looking for a different kind of present to give someone, then this has got to be worth considering. Read more Written March 19, 2016
• edwortj 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great time had by all! An entirely unexpected Christmas gift that led to an entirely unexpectedly brilliant evening. Neil, our guide, kept us entertained and informed with a brilliant mix of story, song and poetry, all delivered with great aplomb in the guise of the various characters he described along our route. Our evening ended up at the Coach and Horses just in time for their Saturday night singalong. Marvellous entertainment all round. Thank you and we'll done Neil! Read more Written January 24, 2016
• KentishDiner 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles We had a great time! My wife and I took the tour last Saturday lunchtime. There were just 4 of us plus our guide, Neil, an actor and singer with a impressive memory, a gift for accents and a good voice. In many ways it must be difficult for a guide to have an unusually small group which might be embarassed by the attention attracted (sometimes) when he recites, acts and sings (encouraging us to join in) at various points in the crawl. Happily it did not inhibit our our small group and we had a great time. Thank you Neil! Read more Written June 22, 2015
• Brian I 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Nothing special My wife and I recently went on this tour. We were both really excited after reading all the reviews from here. Well, it was nothing special. I am not really sure why our tour was so different than the ones on here. First, we had no actors on ours. The tour started at 7pm, so about 30mins in it was very dark outside and we could barely see what the guide was talking about. Second, if you under the age of 50 you might think this is gonna be a tour filled with bars, you would be very wrong. Our guide was really nice, but honestly you could get a map and see everything on your own. Like I said before, it was very dark so you can't see most of the things pointed out and the path on the tour is noisy so you can't really hear what the guide is saying. My wife and I felt it was a waste of money. My advice is ask someone at the hotel you are staying at where to go and save the money for a beer. Read more Written October 12, 2014
• Caroline P 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Lively, interesting, educational and plenty of chance for a drink Our guide Neil was great. He was a good actor and singer and played all parts with enthusiasm. There was enough time to grab drinks along the way and being allowed to carry them was especially appreciated. Our group was 15 which was an ideal number. We had a lovely dry evening. You do need to pay attention when it starts to get dark but it wasn't hard to follow "Dickens" in his top hat. I would definitely be interested in doing more tours. Read more Written October 12, 2014
• Richard S 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Entertaining and informative A fun experience covering so much in three hours. Excellent background and actors seemed to have as much pleasure as their audience. Twenty people just right size in crowded streets. I came away having learned so much and with an appetite for more. Well done! Read more Written August 3, 2014
• SnowdonRanger 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles An invisible dimension brought to life! Just a word to say how much myself and my friend enjoyed the tour. It added so much depth to my view of great part of London, historically and culturally, and because of the content it had emotional impact like any good drama! The pub stops helped make the journey all the more relaxed! Thanks to everyone involved. Read more Written August 2, 2014
• NandoGiovi 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Very interesting Lovely ex[experience in these particular London Pub with nice staff and lovely Beers, not very busy and relaxing. Read more Written July 21, 2014
• pboropixie 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Too many people, not enough literature We did this on a Saturday and there was one actor leading a group of 32 of us. It was a struggle to hear her because the group was so big. It wasn't really much of a crawl - we didn't go very far and I felt like it was just mentioning the same few literary figures over and over again. The pub stops were a bit pointless really, this would be better as just a guided walk and then perhaps it could cover more ground (literally). A bit of a disappointment really and I wouldn't recommend it. Read more Written July 20, 2014
• Nik p 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles pants This was rubbish, we went having paid half price with an amazon offer, it was one chap pretending to be all different characters with very questionable accents, couldnt hear him, the group had over 25 people in it so no chance of hearing him, he was postulating but missed the mark, I understand there should have been 2 of them which would explain why he didnt know the script and was reading from a folder for most of it, it was very very poor, badly "acted" and even at half price grossly overpriced for a very disappointing experience I was so bored as were a number of people in the group Read more Written July 13, 2014
• zigzagzoe 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles A waste of a London day My initial gripe was that I booked a private tour and paid full price for 10 friends because Nick told me that i couldn't use the 50% Amazon discount for a private tour. Then the night before he emailed and said he'd had a few cancelations on the scheduled tour so would include us in that. I hardly thought that was fair to us or to the others who we would now be crowding. When we arrived there were already about 30 people there. Then the tour started and the actors had to read all their lines. Perhaps that would have been ok if they had read through the script first. One of them couldn't even pronounce some of the simple words. And that wasn't part of the act! This probably would have been ok if the tour itself had been more informative. Overall a really disappointing experience. Read more Written May 1, 2014

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Literary Soho and Covent Garden Pub Tour

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• Palace Theatre

Description

• Walks & Tours and Drinks Tasting
• Tickets from £44.00
• Wednesday 17th April 2024 and 28 other Wednesdays
• 14:00 - 16:30

London has a fantastic pub culture and some of these establishments have been trading for over 400 years. Our pub tours take in the hidden gems, literary haunts, pubs with a nefarious story and those providing both traditional and new-age craft beer experiences. Each week I will focus on different areas of London and groups of up to 14 will be personally be guided by me around 4 classic pubs enabling the inquisitive traveller to easily engage with my city's unique pubs. Wander through the streets of London's former hunting grounds, learning about its association with the arts and enjoy the atmosphere of its many characterful pubs. We will see where Dylan Thomas almost lost his only manuscript to Under Milk Wood, which pub Charles de Gaulle formed the Free French Forces and the Dutch pub which was the former residency of the Mighty Boosh. We finish at a legendary pub which used to stage bare knuckle fights and was known as the 'Bucket of Blood' and where the poet John Dryden was attacked by paid hitmen.

Tickets/Times

Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London, WC2H0BG

Nearest Station

Leicester Square (Tube)

Getting there

AleHunters Ltd

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10 Literary Pubs To Visit In London

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February 21, 2020

With a literary history spanning well over 1000 years, the list of world-famous novelists, poets, and playwrights who have called London home is endless. In Bloomsbury, you can’t walk more than a few steps without bumping into some marker of literary history or another. Regardless of which direction you choose to point your feet in, you’re never really more than a tube stop away from a literary London pub where a famous writer once enjoyed a few. All you need, to walk in the footsteps of Dickens, Woolf, and Wilde is a London literary pubs guides. These are the ten literary London pubs you can’t miss; the ones which will have you drinking in the same pubs that your favorite authors once called their locals, and imagining said writers scribbling away at the bar or chatting with the regulars. Who can say if their discussions were the height of sophistication or it was all nonsense; either way it’s best imagined in those very pubs, with a drink in your hand. 

Marquis of Granby

Westminster’s Marquis of Granby is one of my favorite literary pubs in London and it certainly has a colorful history that’s peppered with a wild anecdote or two and a list of proprietors which includes more than a few famous names. Named for the 18th century Marquis who will be remembered for rewarding his troops with money from his own pocket, the pub went on to be a favorite of T.S Eliot and Dylan Thomas. Virginia Woolf certainly had a lot to say about Eliot in her diary, but we prefer to focus on his poetry, whilst Thomas was said to come here with the sole purpose of picking fights with guardsmen! This is definitely a historic London pub that’s not to be missed.

2 Rathbone St, Fitzrovia, W1T 1NR.

Open Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.

Duke of York

The historic Seven Dials area of Covent Garden was famously known for ‘prose, poetry, prostitutes and petty crime’, but the Duke of York pub also bore witness to notorious razor gang fights. One of these brutal ordeals was endured by Anthony Burgess, the author of A Clockwork Orange, when a local crime family destroyed the pub as he, his wife and other drinkers could only look on. This violence was said to have been the inspiration for his iconic novel, but thankfully these days the pub is a much quieter affair. It is still a pretty famous pub in London though. This one has to feature in your list of things to do in London .

47 Rathbone St, Fitzrovia, W1T 1NW

Next up on your London literary pubs guide is The Lamb . Of all of London’s neighborhoods, Bloomsbury has long been the most associated with arts and literature, and to this day continues to nurture its literary heritage. As well as paying homage to the homes of literary greats like Virginia Woolf and Dickens who once lived in the area, you can enjoy a drink in the same pub which was long frequented by the influential set of writers and artists known as the Bloomsbury Set. The interior is strikingly Victorian, with a horse-shoe shaped bar, a polyphon (the earlier version of a grammar phone) and the screens which were known as ‘snob screens’ still in place! You could be sitting in the same spot where Oscar Wilde or Virginia Woolf Charles Dickens once sat, although they might have replaced the chairs since then. This is one of the must-see literary places to visit in London .

94 Lamb's Conduit St, Bloomsbury, WC1N 3LZ

Open Monday to Wednesday from 11 am to 11 pm, Thursday to Saturday from 11 am to 12 am and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese has possibly the most impressive list of literary heavyweights on its list of patrons of any London literary pubs. Anyone and everyone has drunk within its labyrinthine interior since its beginnings in the 1530s, including Dickens, Samuel Johnson, P.G. Wodehouse, Mark Twain, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Samuel Pepys and Arthur Conan Doyle who even used the pub as the setting for one of his Sherlockian tales, The Red-Headed League. The original pub was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, but was quickly rebuilt in 1667 and today is a Grade II listed building. For the ultimate literary experience of London , cozy up in one of its nooks and crannies, get lost in its winding passages and enjoy the lack of phone reception as you raise a glass to the long line of literary greats who passed through the doors.

145 Fleet St, EC4A 2BU

Open from Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm but closed on Sundays.

Pillars of Hercules

In the heart of Soho on Greek Street, you’ll find the Pillars of Hercules , a watering hole dating back to the 1730’s (although as with many London pubs, the existing building was added later). Often frequented by Dickens, it even made it into the pages of A Tale of Two Cities under its own name! To return the favor, the road next to the pub was named Manette Street, after the novel’s fictional Dr. Manette. To this day, this famous pub in London draws the literary crowd through its doors and in recent years has seen Ian McEwan and Julian Barns pop for a drink or two.

7 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4DF

Open Sunday to Wednesday from 3 pm to 11.30 pm, Thursday and Friday from 3 pm to 12 am and Saturday from 3 pm to 11 pm.

The George Inn

As far as literary places to visit in London go, The George Inn is a must. Both Dickens and Shakespeare were known to frequent The George Inn since it opened its doors in 1540, and you can still see why its oak beams, open fireplaces, and long galleries would have been a draw. It’s a famous pub in London for a good reason. During the Victorian period, the inn was also home to a coffee house which makes it into the pages of Dickens' Little Dorrit and was immortalized in fiction in Our Mutual Friend. And as far as literary landmarks in the city go, this watering hole is particularly special as it’s the only galleried coaching inn still standing in London today. When Shakespeare was penning his masterpieces, galleried inns were used for staging Elizabethan theatre productions; the cast would stand on a platform in the center of the coaching yard, with the audience surrounding them whilst those wanting a better view and with money to spend would watch from the galleries.

The George Inn Yard, 77 Borough High St, SE1 1NH

Open Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 12 am and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.

The Fitzroy Tavern

The Fitzroy Tavern is something of a local institution and is the reason behind the name of its neighborhood, Fitzrovia. With Bloomsbury as it’s next-door district, this pub is in the heart of the city’s Artists’ Quarter, and like Bloomsbury was known to be a meeting place for writers, artists, and intellectuals throughout the 1930s and 40s. Amongst the regulars were George Orwell and Dylan Thomas - hence it making it onto my London literary pubs guide. You can grab a drink and head downstairs to the aptly named Writers and Artists Bar where their portraits hang in pride of place on the walls. It sounds like the ultimate literary experience in London.

16 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, W1T 2LY

Open Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.

The Dog and Duck

Of all of the notable patrons of the Dog and Duck , a Grade II listed watering hole in Soho, the most famous is surely George Orwell. Within its lavish Victorian interior which is still complete with original features, the novelist of Animal Farm and 1984 often stopped by for a pint. The good news is that this historic London pub's ale selection is as good today as it ever was. But it’s not only Orwell who was a regular, John Constable and Dante Gabriel Rossetti were also known to frequent this now-famous pub in London regularly, and if that wasn’t enough history, the site was originally the home of the Duke of Monmouth, although sadly the original 1734 building was replaced in 1897.

18 Bateman St, Soho, W1D 3AJ

Open Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 11 pm, Saturdays from 11 am to 11.30 pm and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.

The Lamb and Flag

A Covent Garden institution, the Lamb and Flag holds Charles Dickens (hardly a huge surprise, he seems to have got around) as one of its patrons, as well as the renowned 17th-century poet John Dryden. One of the most historic spots in the area this London literary pub is nestled away along an unassuming mews was once where notorious bare-knuckle fighting took place. It also happens that the aforementioned John Dryden was almost murdered - although he lived to tell the tale! In honor or consolation, the upstairs room of the historic London pub, which is reached by a narrow staircase, was named after him.

33 Rose St, WC2E 9EB

It seems that Dickens wasn’t keen on the idea of settling on just one local. If stopping by for a drink in The Grapes wasn’t enough, it’s even said that the opening lines of Our Mutual Friend was inspired by it: “A tavern of dropsical appearance… long settled down into a state of hale infirmity. It had outlasted many a sprucer public house, indeed the whole house impended over the water but seemed to have got into the condition of a faint-hearted diver, who has paused so long on the brink that he will never go in at all.” Whilst this description might not make you want to rush through the doors, the fact that it also features in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock very well might. There’s a lot of history surrounding this famous pub in London and if that wasn’t enough, this spot is now owned by Sir Ian McKellen, so you never know who you might run in to. Definitely, one for any London literary pubs guide!

76 Narrow St, Poplar, E14 8BP

Open Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm and Sundays from 12 pm to 10.30 pm

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Walking tour of London's literary pubs

N either was a famous drinker, but it was in the company of Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf that the capital's first literary pub crawl set out from the Writers and Artists Bar in the basement of the Fitzroy Tavern (16 Charlotte Street, W1), in central London on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The two ghosts, played by actors, kicked things off with that classic beer drinker's team-building exercise – a pub quiz. Luckily for my team-mate, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" was in my tiny repertoire of famous first lines (Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities) and we won. Then off we went, up the stairs past photos of George Orwell and Dylan Thomas, who drank here when they worked nearby at the BBC, and into the bustle of Charlotte Street, the thoroughfare of the neighbourhood known as Fitzrovia, that lies immediately to the west of Bloomsbury and north of Oxford Street.

I couldn't help thinking that it would take even a biographical scholar many months to try and work out what Dickens and Woolf might have made of each other, had they met in the afterlife or a Tom Stoppard play. Here Woolf, who had lived a stone's throw away in Gordon Square, was played with prim hauteur, while Dickens, who used to walk daily from lodgings in Gower Street to visit his parents in Marshalsea prison, was a genial, tail-coated raconteur.

Their banter will surely warm up as they get used to the roles (our outing was a trial run) but the thespian flavour was fitting since the tour is the brainchild of another actor, Nick Hennegan, the artistic director of the Maverick Theatre company . He noticed a gap in the London walks market, which is dominated by hauntings and Jack the Ripper, and has spent the last few months working on a route and script.

Back in the day, the whole area was famous for "prose, poetry, prostitutes and petty crime" – Seven Dials in Covent Garden acting as a kind of hub for villainy – but the gangsters that the writer Anthony Burgess and his wife Lynne encountered at our next stop, the Duke of York pub (47 Rathbone Street), were scarier than that. Over a pint one evening they had watched a local crime family smash up the place. Might this have inspired the violence in A Clockwork Orange?

Still on Rathbone Street, just a few doors down, the Newman Arms (23 Rathbone Street) was the only family-run freehouse on the route. This was the model for the prole, underclass pub in Orwell's dystopian classic 1984, and it looked the part. An unofficial blue plaque celebrates the memory of the former landlord: "Joe Jenkins, ex-proprietor, poet, bon viveur and Old Git, regularly swore at everybody on these premises," it reads.

There was once a brothel here. Now there is an image of an old-fashioned prostitute painted on a bricked-over upstairs window, and this is exactly the kind of detail walking tours are best at: fragments of social history in the fabric of the buildings, usually above the eye line or tucked down an alleyway, so that you would probably never notice them if somebody didn't tell you where to look.

The poet TS Eliot is associated with the Marquis of Granby , a large pub on the corner of Rathbone and Percy Street. Here, the actress playing Woolf, who had been a sort-of friend of Eliot's (this didn't stop her writing mean things about him in her diary), read aloud his famous poem "The Naming of Cats", which was fun, and reminded us of his hugely successful commercial association with the West End through Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats.

Around the bend on Rathbone Place was the Wheatsheaf (25 Rathbone Place) whose heyday was in the 40s and 50s, when everyone who was anyone drank here, and a poignant pause opposite what was, until last month, The Black Horse (6 Rathbone Place) where Karl Marx once made a speech, but which is now an upscale hamburger joint, Byron. Happily this establishment has had the sense to keep the old pub sign and styles itself Byron at The Black Horse.

After that we crossed Oxford Street and it all got a bit less literary as we entered Soho. I didn't think the famous masochist Sebastian Horsley, who lived on Meard Street and was once voluntarily crucified, belonged on the same itinerary as Orwell and Dickens.

There were anecdotes about King Charles II's collection of illegitimate children, and old-time celebrity hangout the Colony Room. The tour brought out all sorts of associations, mostly obscure, in a city that unlike Dublin has not tended to make much of the connections between its writers and its boozers.

Of course not all these associations are happy ones: Dylan Thomas and Brendan Behan, who both featured, ended their lives as alcoholics. Perhaps this helps explain why, although we looked at and learned about nearly 10 pubs (ending up at the famous Coach and Horses, 29 Greek Street), we didn't drink in any.

I had wondered if I would be up for a pint at 5pm, with children to put to bed later, but never dreamed that I could get through what was billed as a pub crawl without going inside one. Yet that's what happened. The only time we went indoors was at the Soho Theatre , where I listened rapt, over a glass of fruit juice, to the theatre-land tales of another woman on the tour, who works as an usher, and told us that she still jumped at the scary bit in The Woman in Black, at the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden.

Beer enthusiasts take note: this highly enjoyable, off-the-beaten-track pub tour is not designed for drinkers, who will need to retrace their steps afterwards to have a pint or two – perhaps of one of the fine British beers currently not on offer in London's Olympic park due to sponsorship restrictions.

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This Is The Ultimate London Literary Walking Tour For Book-Lovers

We've created a walking tour that hits the very best literary spots that London has to offer (and trust us there's a hell of a lot), so lace up those shoes and lets get walking.

London is a true dream for any bibliophile , it has been the home to some of the world’s most renowned writers and has been the subject and inspiration of endless authors, poets, and storytellers so it’s no surprise that it’s heaped in literary history. With that said, it also makes for the perfect place for a literary walking tour.

Considering that London is chock-full of places with literary leanings—whether it was where an author lived, establishments or pubs they would frequent, or places in London that have ended up immortalised in their writing—a walking tour with every single one of these spots would most probably wear the soles of your shoes clean off and take a week to get through.

So instead, we’ve come up with a walking tour that hits the best literary spots in London but is still doable within a day. It is a pretty extensive route, so feel free to tailor the tour for the time you have and the distance you’re willing or able to go, or even throw in a cheeky bus ride in between some stops to give your legs a much-needed rest.

So without further ado, it’s time to get those steps in and discover the London of some of the world’s most beloved writers.

1. Highgate Cemetery

We’re starting the walking tour off with a bang in North London’s Highgate Cemetery , the resting place of approximately 170,000 people most notably including Karl Marx and George Eliot. The tomb of the German philosopher and co-author of The Communist Manifesto stands in the Eastern Cemetery and consists of a large bust of Marx on a marble pedestal inscribed with the final words of the manifesto, ‘workers of all lands unite’.

Marx’s tomb is one of the most famous tombs in the cemetery but has also had a history of vandalism and attacks by those who don’t agree with his theories. It’s definitely a must-see in any London literary walking tour, hence why it’s the starting point of our adventure!

The grave of George Eliot, or rather Mary Ann Stevens, is also found in the Eastern Cemetery and is inscribed with lines from her poem ‘The Choir Invisible’. She is known as one of the most celebrated novelists of the Victorian period, with her work including Middlemarch , Adam Bede , and The Mill on the Floss .

Other influential literary figures can be found in Highgate Cemetery including Herbert Spencer whose political theories are the direct opposite of Karl Marx’s and whose ashes are interestingly found almost directly opposite from Marx’s grave. The tombs of the wife, parents, brother, and sister of Charles Dickens also reside in the cemetery.

📍Swain’s Lane, N6 6PJ

2. Keats House

Making our way down from Highgate to the lovely Hampstead is the house of John Keats. This was the home of John Keats from 1818 to 1820 and was where he stayed until he left for Rome in the hope that the warmer weather would ease the pain of his tuberculosis.

It was built around 1815 and was originally called Wentworth Place and was where Keats composed some of his most famous works including La Belle Dame sans Merci, The Eve of St Agnes, and Ode to a Nightmare. In the house next door lived Fanny Brawne who was the fiancee and muse to Keats, although they were never able to marry because of Keats’ untimely death.

Now the house is open as a museum and is well worth a visit inside as it has numerous well-preserved artefacts including the engagement ring given to Fanny Brawne and a copy of Keats’ death mask.

📍10 Keats Grove, NW3 2RR

3. The Sherlock Holmes Museum

A London literary walking tour simply would not be complete without a stop at our favourite detective’s house. Although the museum doesn’t technically stand on the actual 221b Baker Street address (a building society stands on it instead) we’re still happy to pretend the museum is where the fictional Sherlock Holmes once resided. The museum has been vamped up to look like a Victorian-era house, complete with gas lamps, authentic Victorian furniture and curiosities all fit for Arthur Conan-Doyles’ infamous detective.

The museum lets you step back in time to a bygone era and see where Holmes and Watson’s began. It’s probably the most immersive stop on the walking tour and although it’s a bit of a long walk from Hampstead, it’s definitely worth the trip and can easily be reached on a cheeky bus or tube detour to Baker Street.

📍22lb Baker Street although technically 237-241 Baker Street, NW1 6XE .

4. Platform 9 3/4

In King’s Cross Station you’ll find a trolly embedded in the wall on the platform ready for you to start your journey to Hogwarts, or so we can hope. This stop is a non-negotiable for any Potterheads in London and even has a handy Harry Potter gift shop nearby for you to get your wand and stock up on any essentials before you head to Hogwarts.

📍Kings Cross Station, N1 9AP

5. The British Library

The British Library is any book lover’s absolute dream. It’s a mammoth of a building with hundreds and thousands of books for you to explore.

Some highlights of the library include its first edition collections of the most well-known and oldest books, and original copies of letters and documents that you’ll have access to once you sign up for a reading pass. It’s a place on the tour that deserves a lot of time for you to explore all that it has to offer so it’s well worth a return visit for you to hunker down with the books.

📍96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB

6. Gordon Square

Now entering Bloomsbury which is definitely a literary hotspot in London, and hence why it’s got a few entries on our walking tour, this area was a favourite among many writers and was a bustling hub for intellectuals. So much so that they even produced a group called the Bloomsbury Group in the 20th century made up of writers, intellectuals, artists, and philosophers including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E. M. Forster, and Lytton Strachey.

All around Bloomsbury, you’ll find endless plaques signposting places where the Bloomsbury Group lived, worked, and met, with Gordon Square being the best place to find this as it’s where several members of the Bloomsbury Group lived, including Virginia Woold.

7. Senate House

Just a very short walk away from Gordon Square is Senate House which is the administrative centre of the University of London and a library which occupies the fourth to 18th floors of the building. It has a place on our walking tour as it was George Orwell’s inspiration for the Ministry of Truth in one of literature’s greatest dystopian novels, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

📍Malet Street, WC1E 7HU

8. The Charles Dickens Museum

Once Charles Dickens ‘ from 1837 to 1839 and now a museum which remains just as he’s left it. It was whilst Dickens lived in this home with his wife and eldest son that he wrote The Pickwick Papers , Nicholas Nickleby , and most famous of all, Oliver Twist .

The house became open to the public in 1925 and looks like a typical middle-class Victorian home decorated with items that belonged to Dickens.

📍48-49 Doughty Street, WC1N 2LX

9. Fitzroy Tavern

A popular watering hole among artists and intellectuals from the 1920’s to 1950’s was the Fitzroy Tavern, a perfect place for a mid-walking-tour drink. George Orwell and Dylan Thomas frequented the tavern, so if it’s good enough for them then it’s certainly good enough for us. The pub still has all the charms of its heyday and even has a photograph of Dylan Thomas drinking in the pub up on its walls.

📍16 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LY

10. The Old Curiosity Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop is another Charles Dickens stop on the tour and is said to have been the inspiration for Dickens’ novel of the same name. The building dates back to the sixteenth century, specifically 1567, in an area known as Clare Market and is made using timber from old ships, remaining intact even through the bombing during World War Two. The shop looks as if it’s been taken right out of a storybook and has kept its charming old-timey look, selling antiques and high-end shoes.

📍13-14 Portsmouth Street, WC2A 2ES

11. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Another historic watering hole on the list is Fleet Street’s Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese . The pub was rebuilt in 1666 after the Great Fire of London but there has been a pub at this location since 1538 so it’s been around for a long old time – the creaking of the floorboards can tell you as much.

The likes of Oliver Goldfield, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Alfred Tennyson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, G.K. Chesterton, P.G. Wodehouse, and Samuel Johnson are all said to have been regulars of this humble pub. Oh if only walls could talk. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese has also been featured in several fictional works including Agatha Christie’s The Million Dollar Bond Robbery , and although not fictional but certainly quite random, in the Betty Crocker cookbook.

📍145 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BP

12. The Cockpit

With another pub on the list, we may be in danger of turning this walking tour into a pub crawl (which wouldn’t be a bad idea) but we promise The Cockpit is here for good reason. As you can probably tell by now London is certainly not short of its historic pubs, and this quaint little boozer in Blackfriars is one of them. The Cockpit stands on the site of a house once bought by Shakespeare for the eye-watering sum of £140, *cries in 21st century London renting crisis*.

📍7 St Andrew’s Hill, EC4V 5BY

13. Shakespeare’s Globe

Although it’s not the actual thing, Shakespeare’s Globe is a pretty excellent realistic reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre best associated with The Bard. The original theatre was built in 1599 but demolished in 1644 and is pretty much true-to-history as you can get, apart from its capacity of 1,400 spectators compared to the original theatre’s 3,000 which is due to modern safety requirements.

Plays are on from May through to October with tours available all year round so we definitely recommend a visit during summer for your best chance to get a taste of Shakespeare’s plays in action in the space he intended it – sort of.

📍21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT

14. The George Inn

The final stop on this hefty walking tour is The George Inn, London’s last remaining galleried inn, for a well-deserved rest and a well-deserved drink. It’s been known to be a popular haunt of two of England’s most legendary writers; Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare. There are definite records of Charles Dickens drinking at The George and even mentions it by name in The Little Dorrit.

Shakespeare also mentioned the pub in one of his plays, living in Southwark it’s not hard to imagine that he enjoyed many a local beer in this pub . Even Geoffrey Chaucer has ties with The George Inn, as it was just outside where he began his pilgrimage to Canterbury with his journey being canonised in The Canterbury Tales which is regarded as the birth of English literature.

📍75 Borough High Street, SE1 1NH

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London Literary Travel Guide

Table of Contents

London, the bustling capital of England, is a city that has captured the hearts and imaginations of countless literary greats throughout history. From Shakespeare to Dickens, Austen to Woolf, London’s vibrant streets and iconic landmarks have served as inspiration for some of the world’s most beloved works of literature. 

I have always loved London and remember picturing it (probably incorrectly) while reading Harry Potter as a kid. But now that I’m been countless times, I enjoy each time more and more while retaining the child-like excitement I used to have.

In my London Literary Travel Guide, book lovers can go on a literary journey through the winding alleys of London, exploring the places that shaped these famous authors and their stories.

Whether you’re an avid reader seeking to walk in the footsteps of your favorite characters or simply looking to discover the city’s rich literary heritage, this guide will lead you on an unforgettable adventure into London’s captivating literary world.

Read Also: Books to Read Before Visiting the U.K.

THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ  THE DISCLAIMER  FOR MORE INFO

Famous Writers Associated With London

London has long been a hub of creativity and literary genius, attracting some of the most renowned writers in history. From William Shakespeare to Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf to J.K. Rowling, the city has played host to an impressive array of famous authors who have left an indelible mark on literature.  While there are possible hundreds (thousands?) of writers with ties to London, I’ve narrowed it down to 8 famous British writers that are most often associated with London.

1. Charles Dickens : One of the most celebrated English writers of all time, had a deep connection with the city of London. Born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England, Dickens moved to London at the age of ten and spent most of his life in this bustling metropolis. The city’s vibrant streets and diverse characters greatly influenced his literary works. Famous works by Dickens include “ Oliver Twist ,” “ Great Expectations ,” and “ A Tale of Two Cities .”

2. Jane Austen: Jane Austen, the renowned English novelist of the 19th century, had a significant connection to London throughout her life and literary career. While she primarily resided in rural England, her visits to the capital city played an influential role in shaping her writing style and providing inspiration for her novels, such as themes of class distinction, societal norms, and marriage prospects in England’s upper-middle-class society. 

The rich tapestry of characters portrayed by Austen reflects the diverse population found within London during that era. Famous works such as “ Pride and Prejudice ,” “ Sense and Sensibility, ” and “ Mansfield Park ” all illustrate Austen’s connection to the capital city.

3. Virginia Woolf: Virginia Woolf, one of the most prominent figures in modernist literature, had a deep connection to the vibrant city of London. Born on January 25, 1882, in Kensington, London, she spent the majority of her life within the bustling streets and diverse neighborhoods that make up this historic metropolis. London played a significant role in shaping Woolf’s literary career and influencing her unique writing style. 

The city served as both an inspiration for her work and a backdrop for many of her novels, essays, and short stories such as “ Mrs. Dalloway ,” “ To the Lighthouse ,” and “ Orlando .”

4. William Shakspeare: Widely regarded as the greatest playwright in English literature, Shakespeare had an indelible connection with the vibrant city of London. His life and works are deeply intertwined with the capital, where he found inspiration, success, and a lasting legacy that continues to shape its cultural landscape today. 

Most notably, Shakespeare’s lasting legacy in London is the famed Globe Theatre, but the plays Henry V, King John, and King Richard are all set, at least partially, in London.

5. Mary Shelley: Mary Shelley, the renowned English author, and first science fiction writer, had a deep connection to London throughout her life. Born on August 30, 1797, in Somers Town, London, Mary Shelley grew up in the heart of the city and it greatly influenced her work and personal life. 

One of the most significant aspects of Mary Shelley’s connection to London was her relationship with her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. Wollstonecraft was a prominent feminist writer and philosopher who lived in London and played a crucial role in shaping Mary’s worldview.  Mary Shelley’s famous works include “ Frankenstein ,” “ The Last Man ,” “ Valperga .”

6. Lord Byron: Lord Byron was a renowned poet and influential figure of the Romantic era who was born in London in 1788. He spent much of his early years living at the family estate in Nottinghamshire but returned to London as an adult to become a prominent figure within literary circles in London with the likes of Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats. 

In his epic poem “ Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage ,” which brought him widespread acclaim upon its publication in 1812, Byron extensively describes his experiences wandering through London streets and visiting landmarks like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Other famous works include: “Don Juan” and “She Walks in Beauty.”

7. E.M. Forster: Born in London in 1879, E.M. Forster spent much of his life exploring and experiencing the various facets of this vibrant metropolis. London not only served as a backdrop for many of his works but also greatly influenced his writing style and themes. Forster’s early years were shaped by the Victorian era, with its rigid social structures and class divisions prevalent in London society. 

These influences can be observed in his novels such as “ A Room with a View ” and “ Howards End ,” which explore themes of social inequality and individual freedom within the context of Edwardian England. 

Forster was also inspired by London’s bustling streets, diverse neighborhoods, iconic landmarks, and rich history. In “ A Passage to India ,” Forster describes the colonial-era architecture that characterizes parts of London while contrasting it with the exotic landscapes of India.

8. A.A. Milne: Alan Alexander Milne spent his early years in Hampstead, a charming neighborhood in northwest London. Milne attended Westminster School in central London, where he discovered a love for writing and began showcasing his talent through poetry and humorous essays. Milne is known as the creator of the beloved character Winnie-the-Pooh. One of the most significant influences on Winnie-the-Pooh was Ashdown Forest, located just outside of London in East Sussex County.

Read Also: Books to Read Before Visiting the U.K. 

Literary Places to Visit in London

London is a city that has long captivated the hearts and minds of literary enthusiasts from around the world. From the cobblestone streets of Dickensian London to the picturesque parks that inspired Virginia Woolf, this vibrant city is teeming with literary history and landmarks waiting to be explored. 

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Shakespeare or an admirer of contemporary authors like J.K. Rowling, London offers a plethora of literary places to visit that will transport you into the pages of your favorite books. So pack your bags, grab a book, and embark on a journey through time as we uncover some of London’s most iconic literary destinations .

Harry Potter London Locations

No literary tour of London would be complete without mentioning Harry Potter . From filming locations, potential book inspiration, or new things popping up thanks to the series’ popularity, there is no shortage of Harry Potter locations and activities in London. These locations are particularly fun if you’re visiting London with your family and your kids are love the series.

Read Also: Must-See Harry Potter Locations in London

Some top spots Harry Potter fans need to see are:

King’s Cross Station

King’s Cross Station is possibly the most recognizable Harry Potter location outside of Hogwarts. As Harry’s gateway to the Wizarding World, King’s Cross and Platform 9 ¾ are a must-visit while in London.

While Platform 9 ¾ doesn’t exist in real life, and, in fact, Platforms 9 and 10 don’t exist the way they were filmed for the movie (those are Platforms 4 and 5), you can still visit the iconic photo spot outside of the Harry Potter Shop with a sign of Platform 9 ¾ along with a trolley just like Harry’s about halfway through the barrier.

Even though you can’t get on the Hogwarts Express, King’s Cross is also a great place to catch a train to other magical locations around the United Kingdom. Some of my favorite places include Bath (and don’t forget about a trip to Stonehenge ), Liverpool, or up to Scotland for more Harry Potter locations .

📍 Euston Rd., London N1 9AL

Check out this Harry Potter Tour of London to help maximize your time

Millenium Bridge

Shown in the opening sequence of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Millenium Bridge has long been a symbol of London for Harry Potter movie fans. The bridge crossing the Thames can be found in the City of London, connecting the Tate Modern and St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

As seen in the film, the Millenium Bridge is a walking bridge so you can stroll across, take photos on it, or of the Shard, St. Paul’s, the Tower Bridge in the distance, or The Globe Theatre.

📍 Thames Embankment, London EC4V 3QH

Check out this Harry Potter Movie Location Tour

Reptile House-London Zoo

The Reptile House at the London Zoo is a popular spot for Harry Potter fans as it’s featured in both the movies and the books. In the first book, before Harry knows he’s a wizard, he accidentally sets a python loose in the reptile house, resulting in him being punished by his aunt and uncle. 

The London Zoo is easy to access from anywhere in London and is actually, close to Baker Street, so if you’re also a Sherlock Holmes fan, you can see the museum at 221b Baker Street

The Reptile House can be found just right of the entrance past the Reptile Kisosk shop. The scene from the movie was filmed inside the reptile house at the enclosure that actually holds a black mamba, though in the movie Harry speaks to a Burmese python. 

Standard pricing is £31 for adults and £21.70 for ages 3-15.

📍 Outer Cir, London NW1 4RY

Preorder your Zoo tickets Here

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

This Warner Brothers Studio Tour in Leavesdon is a breathtaking experience that involves sets, props, and costumes from the making of the Harry Potter movies in the location where the movies were primarily shot. If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter movies, this is a no-brainer that you need to visit the location of the movies.

Depsite finishing filming over ten years ago, this tour seems to be evolving daily. Sets, props, and costumes are being expanded, swapped with other collections around the world (like the Studio Tour in Hollywood or Tokyo), or brought out of storage. 

Before you leave, make sure you check out the largest Harry Potter Shop in London to choose your wand, school robes, or exclusive souvenirs.

Prices start at from £51.50 (adult), Kids 5-15 are £40, Kids 4 and under are free. There are also family packages available at a slight discount.

📍 Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR

See this Entry Ticket and Roundtrip Transport Tour for ease

The Cursed Child Play

Set 19 years after the final Harry Potter book/movie, the Cursed Child play is like the 8th Harry Potter story that true Harry Potter fans have been waiting for. After its initial release at the Palace Theatre in the summer of 2016, the Cursed Child has been shown around the world in places like New York, Hamburg, and Tokyo.

But true Potterheads will want to see the play at its original showing at the Palace Theatre in London. From the impressive display of the play’s title outside the entrance to knowing it’s the original location for the play, and all of the special effects that have been catered to the venue. Tickets range from £40 to £160 depending on show date and time and seat selection.

📍 113 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5AY

See this combined Walking Tour and Play Tickets for the ultimate Potter experience.

The British Library

Located in the heart of London, the British Library is a world-renowned institution that houses an impressive collection of literature and historical artifacts. As one of the largest libraries in the world, it serves as a hub for research, education, and cultural exploration. 

The British Library is a research library created in 1973. However, the library has been around since 1753 but was part of the British Museum. 

With over 170 million items within its vast holdings, The British Library covers a wide range of subjects including books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, sound recordings, and much more. Some highlights include original works by literary giants like Shakespeare and Jane Austen; historical documents such as Magna Carta and Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks; ancient religious texts like the Codex Sinaiticus; and contemporary publications across multiple languages.

It’s free to enter the library. You can also enter one of the cafes for drinks and food.

📍 E 96 Euston Rd., London NW1 2DB

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Situated on the banks of the River Thames in London, the historic Globe Theatre has been recreated to transport audiences back to the Elizabethan era and immerse them in the world of Shakespeare. 

Built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the original Globe Theatre was a magnificent open-air playhouse. It quickly became one of London’s most prominent venues for performances during Shakespeare’s time. Tragically, it was destroyed by fire in 1613, but the reconstructed Globe Theatre closely resembles its predecessor and serves as an architectural masterpiece.The Globe Theatre continues to captivate audiences with its exceptional productions featuring some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays like “Hamlet,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Macbeth.”

The Globe also offers guided tours inside the theatre for £25.

📍 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT

Also check out this Shakespeare in London Walking Tour

Sherlock Holmes Museum : 221B Baker Street

Visit the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes and immerse yourself in Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories . Situated in the heart of London, the Sherlock Holmes Museum is a must-visit for all fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective.

The museum itself is housed within an authentic Georgian townhouse at the infamous 221B Baker Street, carefully restored to recreate the atmosphere and ambiance of Holmes’ era. 

As soon as you step through the door, you’ll be transported back to Victorian London, where gas lamps flicker on cobblestone streets and mysteries wait to be solved.

Explore each meticulously recreated room as if stepping into one of Conan Doyle’s stories . The attention to detail is astounding – from Holmes’ study cluttered with books and scientific instruments to Dr. Watson’s bedroom filled with intriguing artifacts. Every corner holds something fascinating that will make your imagination run wild. 

One highlight of your visit will undoubtedly be stepping inside Holmes’ iconic study. You can see memoriabilia including his signature deerstalker hat and trusty magnifying glass. Take a moment to sit in his chair by the fireplace or examine his desk covered in cryptic notes – it truly feels like Sherlock himself may walk through the door at any moment.

For an even more immersive Holmes experience, try a Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour .

Adult tickets are £16 for adults and £11 for kids 6 to 16 years.

📍 221b Baker St, Marylebone, London, NW1 6XE

Because Conan Doyle was a native of Edinburgh, I also include him in my Edinburgh Literary Travel Guide .

Charles Dickens Museum

The Charles Dickens Museum offers a captivating glimpse into the life and times of one of England’s most celebrated literary figures. Located in Bloomsbury, this Georgian townhouse was once home to Charles Dickens and his family from 1837 to 1839. Today, it stands as a testament to his enduring legacy, providing visitors with an immersive experience that brings his works and Victorian-era London to life.

The museum takes you on a journey through time as you explore each room meticulously restored to resemble how it would have been during Dickens’ residence. From the author’s study where he penned timeless classics like “Oliver Twist” and “Nicholas Nickleby,” to the elegant dining room where he entertained guests, every corner is steeped in history.

A highlight for many visitors is seeing the actual writing desk where Dickens created some of literature’s most beloved characters. You can almost imagine him sitting there, lost in thought as he crafted tales filled with vivid imagery and unforgettable personalities.

Open 10AM to 5PM Wednesday to Sunday. The museum is free to enter but guided tours and special events are extra.

📍 48-49 Doughty St, London WC1N 2LX

The Poet’s Corner-Westminster Abbey

Pay homage to some of Britain’s greatest poets, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, William Wordsworth, and T.S. Eliot, who are buried or commemorated here. Within the hallowed walls of Westminster Abbey, The Poets’ Corner is a sacred space dedicated to celebrating the literary brilliance and artistic legacy of some of the world’s most renowned poets.

This unique corner of the abbey has become an emblematic site for lovers of poetry and literature, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe who seek solace, inspiration, and a connection to the great minds that have shaped our cultural landscape.

Located in the South Transept, The Poets’ Corner owes its name to its long-standing association with revered poets throughout history. It was not until the 18th century that this area began to take shape as a tribute to some of England’s greatest literary figures. The first poet interred here was Geoffrey Chaucer, often regarded as “the father of English literature,” whose Canterbury Tales revolutionized storytelling in verse.

As you step into this enchanting space, you are immediately transported back through time. The grandeur and solemnity exuded by Westminster Abbey contribute to an atmosphere brimming with reverence for the written word.

Ornate memorials adorn every available surface—floor stones etched with poetic epitaphs, statues capturing iconic poets mid-thought, plaques bearing verses carved into stone—creating an ambiance that resonates with creativity.

See these Westminster Abbey Tours

Entry into Westminster Abbey is £27 for adults and £12 for kids 6 to 17. Hours are typicall 9:30AM to 3:30PM but may change unexpectedly.

📍 Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PA

Read Also: Literary Tour of England

Bloomsbury District

The Bloomsbury district in London is not only known for its picturesque streets and charming squares but also holds a rich literary history that has shaped the world of literature as we know it today. From famous authors, and groundbreaking publishing houses, to influential intellectuals, Bloomsbury has been a hub of creativity and intellectual discourse for centuries. 

One of the most prominent literary figures associated with Bloomsbury, and the aptly named Bloomsbury Group , is Virginia Woolf. Along with her husband, Leonard Woolf, she formed the Hogarth Press, which became one of the most important independent publishing houses in England during the early 20th century. The press published notable works by T.S. Eliot, Katherine Mansfield, and E.M. Forster, among others. Virginia Woolf’s own novels like “Mrs Dalloway” and “To The Lighthouse” were set in and around Bloomsbury. 

Other notable members of the group include John Maynard Keynes, E.M. Forster, Lytton Strachey, Sir Desmond MacCarthy, and Duncan Grant. J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was also known to live and work in the area, though he wasn’t always involved in the group.Top places to visit in the Bloomsbury District include the Lamb Pub , The British Library , 31 Russell Square , where Oscar Wilde stayed before moving to Paris, The Dalloway Terrace , and Bloomsbury Squares , where the artists, writers, and philosophers of the time, which included Virginia Woolf of course, would meet.

📍 Bloomsbury, London

Hampstead Heath

Located in North London near Highgate, Hampstead Heath is not only a natural haven for those looking for a quick reprieve from the city, but also has a significant literary history. This picturesque landscape served as a muse, inspiring countless writers and poets. One of the most notable figures associated with the Heath is the iconic poet John Keats. Keats lived in Hampstead from 1818 to 1820. He penned some of his most beloved poems like “Ode to Nightingale” and “Ode to Grecian Urn.” Authors A.A. Milne and Evelyn Waugh were also born in the area.

When in Hampstead Heath, make sure to visit: 

The Spaniards Inn which is mentioned in both “ The Pickwick Papers ” by Charles Dickens and “ Dracula ” by Bram Stoker. 

Jack Straw’s Castle , mentioned in “ Dracula ” and Harold Pinter’s play “No Man’s Lane.”

Keats House , the former home of John Keats now houses a museum.

📍 Hampstead Heath, London

Check out this Hampstead Heath Walking Tour

Highgate Cemetery

Nearby Hampstead Heath is the famous Highgate Cemetery that covers over 37 acres and has more than 53,000 graves. You can find inspiration among the beautiful gravestones where notable authors like Karl Marx, George Eliot, and Christina Rossetti, as well as the wife and family of Charles Dickens rest eternally. 

The books Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger and The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith both feature Highgate Cemetery. The cemetery is open 10AM-5PM. Entry is £10 for adults and £6 for children 8-17. You can also book a tour to ensure you don’t miss any detail of this historic cemetery.

📍 Swain’s Ln, London N6 6PJ

Fitzroy Tavern

In the Fitzrovia area just next to Bloomsbury is the Ftizroy Tavern which holds a rich literary history that has enchanted writers and intellectuals for decades. This iconic pub has been a meeting place for some of the most influential figures in British literature.

Built in 1883, the Fitzroy Tavern was originally named The Hundred Marks when it first opened its doors. However, it was in the early 20th century that the tavern gained recognition as a hub for literary discussions and artistic gatherings. During this time, London’s bohemian community flocked to this pub to exchange ideas and engage in spirited debates. George Orwell, Nina Hamnett, Jacob Epstein, and Augustus John were among the frequent visitors.

Another notable figure associated with the tavern is Dylan Thomas, one of Wales’ greatest poets. Thomas would often frequent the Fitzroy Tavern during his visits to London and even held poetry readings at the venue.

📍 16 Charlotte St., London W1T 2LY

A short walk away from the Shard, Borough Market, and the London Bridge sits The George Inn, Southwark’s historic former coaching tavern. It was virtually demolished by the Great Fire of London in 1666 but was rebuilt in the 1670s.

The pub has some serious literary connections as it was a frequent haunt of Charles Dickens and there are stories that Shakespeare may have visited too, which is plausible due to its proximity to the Globe Theatre. 

The quaint cobbled courtyard or the cozy interior are a great place to have a pint and contemplate London’s literary history.

📍 75 Borough High St, London SE1 1NH

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Fleet Street lies a historic pub that has witnessed centuries of literary brilliance. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese claims it’s the most famous pub in the world and has become an iconic landmark for writers and poets, offering an enchanting atmosphere where literary greats once sought inspiration and camaraderie. 

Over is 355 years in business, prominent literary figures such as Dr. Samuel Johnson, Mark Twain, W.B. Yeats, and Charles Dickens have all been frequent patrons. The pub is even mentioned in Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities. 

One particular object of note to see at the pub is the long oak table in The Chop Room where Charles Dickens himself dined over the years.

📍 145 Fleet St, London EC4A 2BP

Dr. Johnson’s House

While you’re in the neighborhood, head around the corner to the 300-year-old restored townhouse that was once Samuel Johnson’s home. With period artifacts and a notable library that includes a 1st edition of the 1738 poem London, you can walk through the halls where Dr. Johnson lived and worked. 

Hours 11AM to 5PM, closed Sundays and Mondays. Cost is £9 for adults and £4 for ages 5-17.

📍 17 Gough Square, London EC4A 3DE

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Literary Activities in London

London is a city filled with literary history and activities for book lovers. From iconic libraries to famous author haunts, there is no shortage of ways to immerse yourself in the world of literature. Here are some literary activities you can enjoy in London:

Take a Literary Walking Tour

Join a guided walking tour that takes you through London’s literary landmarks. Walk along the footsteps of Charles Dickens in Clerkenwell or explore Bloomsbury, known for its association with Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group. Here are a few I recommend:

• Harry Potter Tours in London
• Harry Potter Movie Locations Tour
• Sherlock Holme’s Walking Tours
• Literary Pub Tours in London
• Shakespeare London Walking Tour
• Hampstead Heath Walking Tour

Afternoon Tea at The Library, London Marriott

Indulge in a quintessentially British tradition with an elegant twist at The Library, located within the prestigious London Marriott Hotel . This beautifully designed space seamlessly blends contemporary design elements with traditional charm, creating an atmosphere that is both refined and inviting. Adorned with bookshelves filled with literary treasures, plush seating, and soft lighting, it offers the perfect setting to unwind and savor every moment of your afternoon tea.

Choose from a wide selection of teas and enjoy a three-tiered stand adorned with delectable assortments of finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones served with clotted cream and preserves, and an array of exquisite pastries.

📍 County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB

Attend Literary Festivals

London hosts several literary festivals throughout the year

• London Book Festival
• Deptford Literature Festival
• Barnes BookFest
• Barnes Children’s Literature Festival
• Queen’s Park Book Festival
• Chiswick Book Festival
• Wimbledon Book Fest
• London Literature Festival-Southbank Centre

Read Also: Literary London Itinerary

Best Bookstores in London

​​London is a bibliophile’s paradise, home to countless extraordinary chain and independent bookshops. Whether you’re seeking rare first editions, browsing shelves filled with contemporary bestsellers, or simply yearning for the unique ambiance of a quaint bookstore, London has it all.

While you could live in London your whole life and probably not visit all of its amazing bookshops, I’ve put together a list of some of the 10 top bookstores that all bookish travelers to London should visit. For more options, check out my list of 24 must-visit bookshops in London .

London Review Bookshop

An independent bookstore in the heart of Bloomsbury, the London Review Bookshop has become an essential part of London’s cultural life. Browse a wide selection of books or sit in the cafe to have tea or coffee and delicious pastries.

📍 14-16 Bury Pl, London WC1A 2JL

Daunt Books- Marylebone

Daunt Books is an independent chain of bookstores in England that originally specialized in travel books. The Marylebone location is inside a former Edwardian bookshop that features long oak galleries, opulent skylights and is worth a visit even if you don’t intend to purchase anything.

📍 84 Marylebone High St, London W1U 4QW

New Beacon Books

New Beacon Books, located in Finsbury Park is an independent bookstore featuring works from Caribbean, Black British, African, and African American authors. For over 50 years, New Beacon Books has been sharing and publishing poetry, literature, non-fiction, history, and children’s books by authors from these communities.

📍 76 Stroud Green Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3EN

Bookmongers

This perfect secondhand bookshop in Brixton is full to the brim with virtually any book you may want. One of the main draws, besides their eclectic book collection, is their shop pets. Previously dogs Leo and Rosa were residents, while now Popeye the cat will greet you as you enter.

📍 439 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8LN

Hatchards, the UK’s oldest bookshop and one of the best bookshops in the world , is situated on Piccadilly next to the high-end grocer’s Fortnum & Mason. Hatchards covers five floors and houses over 100,000 books. Though it’s now owned by Waterstones, it definitely doesn’t feel like a chain bookstore. It often attracts high-profile authors and has three royal warrants, which, for those not from the commonwealth, is issued to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a royal court or personages.

📍 187 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9LE

Treadwell’s

📍 33 Store St, London WC1E 7BS

This eclectic bookshop around the corner from the British Museum stocks literature and gifts on magic and spiritualism. It also hosts tarot readings and events like history of magic lectures and creative writing workshops.

Set up by Edward Stanford in 1853, this iconic travel bookshop is filled with travel writing, guides, maps, and gifts for all varieties of travelers. While the shop is now located on Mercer Walk, the original location was around the corner in an opulent old building on Long Acre. This location was so well-known at the time that it’s even mentioned in the Holmes novel “Hound of the Baskervilles.”

📍 7 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA

Word on the Water

A truly unique bookshop, Word on the Water is situated on a 100-year-old barge in King’s Cross. New and secondhand books line the shelves of this narrow space and you can chat with an African grey parrot while shopping. They also hold poetry slams or live music nights on the canalside.

📍 Regent’s Canal Towpath, London N1C 4LW

Taking inspiration from the Borges story “ Library of Babel ,” Liberia is a relatively small space filled with mirrors and overflowing bookshelves that give the space an infinite yet cozy feel. There’s no coffee shop or wifi here. Instead, come inside to browse the shelves and get out of the hustle and bustle of daily life.

📍 65 Hanbury St, London E1 5JL

Gay’s The Word

Opened in 1979, Gay’s the Word became a haven for the gay community and what is now LGBTQ+ literature. Gays’ the Word supplies a huge selection literature well beyond the novels that have hit the mainstream. The vibrant decor holds graphic novels, poetry, history, and more.

📍 66 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AB

While I tried to stick to independent bookstores, there are definitely a few chain stores worth mentioning. 

Waterstones on Piccadilly is apparently the largest in Europe. The flagship Foyles on Charing Cross Road has six floors to browse and a cafe to waste time in. While on Charing Cross Road, make sure you wander around to find other amazing independent bookstores to hop into. Southbank Centre Book Market , a collection of book stalls holding a variety of genres, is one of the best things to do on Southbank London , as well as, the London Eye and the Jubilee Gardens.

Read More: Best London Bookshops

Best Bookish Cafes in London

London is a city known for its vibrant literary scene, where bookworms and coffee enthusiasts can find solace in the cozy nooks of bookish cafes. These unique establishments offer the perfect blend of literature and caffeine, creating an inviting atmosphere that caters to both avid readers and casual browsers alike. From hidden gems tucked away in charming neighborhoods to iconic literary landmarks, this article will explore some of the best bookish cafes in London, where you can immerse yourself in captivating stories while sipping on a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

BookBar may be on my list of cafes, but really, it’s more of a bar, as the name suggests. They do serve coffee during the day but is really more known for being a wine bar with evening programs like readings and workshops.

📍 166 Blackstock Rd, London N5 1HA

The Common Press

Located in Shoreditch, The Common Press is London’s newest queer, intersectional bookshop. But it’s not just a haven for diverse literature, it’s a fantastic coffee shop where you can savor a nice latte while among the shelves.

📍 118 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 6DG

Paper & Cup

Paper & Cup is a social enterprise coffee shop that trains people in recovery for addiction to become baristas. The shop also sells secondhand and vintage items including clothes, homegoods, and of course books.

📍 18 Calvert Ave, London E2 7JP

Vanilla Black Coffee and Books

Another bookstore/coffee shop combination, Vanilla Black Coffee and Books is an elegant and bright bookshop in the heart of Lambeth. Featuring more than just your standard flat white, you can find fresh smoothies, avocado toast with poached eggs, among other tasty treats.

📍 308 Kennington Rd, London SE11 4LD

This artsy bar full of rustic wooden tables, overflowing stacks of books, and a laid-back vibe is the perfect place for book lovers and creatives to grab some food and get inspired. Choose something from the Middle Eastern-inspired menu or grab a coffee to sit and chill.

📍 58 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 7PB

Tea and Tattle- Arthur Probsthain

The bookshop Arthur Probsthain didn’t make our list of bookstores but possibly should have. However, their tea room the Tea and Tattle is a traditional-style tea room in the basement that has tea, coffee, sandwiches, cakes, scones, as well as a full afternoon tea.

📍 41 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3PE

There’s no shortage of amazing coffee shops in London. Some other favorites are Campbell & Syme Coffee Roasters Café , Intermission Coffee , Batch Baby, Paradox Design + Coffee , and Origin Coffee .

Read More: Best Cafes in London

Best Bookish Hotels in London

For those seeking an immersive literary experience, there are several remarkable bookish hotels scattered throughout London. These unique accommodations not only offer comfort and luxury but also pay homage to literature in their design and ambiance.

Whether you’re a bibliophile looking to curl up with a good book or simply appreciate the charm of literary-themed spaces, these best bookish hotels in London are sure to enchant both your mind and soul.

Hazlitt’s London

Hazlitt’s is named after the writer and essayist William Hazlitt, who lived at the adjoining townhouses that were later turned into the hotel. Each room is named after one of his friends, including Gulliver’s Travels author Johnathan Swift.

The hotel has become popular with writers who often leave behind signed copies of their works. Apparently, there’s a Harry Potter novel that is too valuable to be left out for show, and Rowling seems to enjoy the Lady Frances Hewitt room when she’s in town.

Beyond the opulent historic rooms, the well-stocked library and equally well-stocked bar are perfect for relaxing with a good book.

📍 6 Frith St, London W1D 3JA

Check Prices

Brown’s Hotel

Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair has a deep connection to the literary world. With former guests like Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, William Faulkner, J.R.R Tolkien, William Golding, Ben Okri, Arthur C. Clark, and Agatha Christie, this hotel has some serious novelist inspiration within its walls.  In fact, Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book in the hotel (and has a suite named after him), and Stephen King started his novel Misery while staying here. 

This hotel doesn’t come cheap but staying among literary greatness never does.

📍 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP

The Standard

Located near Kings Cross and just around the corner from The British Library, the Standard is right in the heart of your literary adventures in London. With a variety of room types to choose from, you’ll find minimalist yet cozy spaces that are perfect for a quick getaway or a long stay.The Library Lounge at the Standard is where the bookishness comes alive.

Once home to the Camden Council Library, this space is now a cozy lounge and book-filled sanctuary. You can choose one of your favorite books off the shelves and sit with a cocktail from their impressive menu or taste some of the small bites. But if you’re coming down here to work, just know they have a no laptop policy after 6PM.

📍 10 Argyle St, London WC1H 8EG

The Georgian House Hotel

The Georgian House Hotel is a gorgeous hotel made of two adjoining houses near Victoria Station. While you’d have an amazing time staying at The Georgian House, the real reason I recommend this hotel is for the Wizard Experiences they offer. 

If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, The Georgian House Hotel offers an immersive experience that will make you feel like you’ve just stepped into Diagon Alley. The friendly staff, dressed in robes reminiscent of Hogwarts professors will guide you through the check-in process while sharing fascinating stories about the hotel’s magical history. 

Each room at The Georgian House Hotel is individually designed with different magical themes inspired by J.K. Rowling’s beloved series. From Gryffindor-inspired chambers adorned with scarlet and gold accents to Hufflepuff hideaways featuring cozy nooks and earthy tones, there’s something for every aspiring witch or wizard.

The Georgian House Hotel offers various activities and experiences that truly bring out your inner magic. Join their interactive potion-making classes where expert “professors” teach guests how to create mystical concoctions using real potions ingredients.

📍 35 – 39 St George’s Dr, Pimlico, London SW1V 4DG

The Cadogan

The Cadogan London is not just an opulent hotel but also a literary haven with a rich history. This iconic establishment has played host to many renowned writers, poets, and intellectuals throughout the years, making it a significant landmark in London’s literary scene.

One of its most famous residents was the eminent playwright Oscar Wilde. In fact, Room 118 at The Cadogan holds particular significance as it was where Wilde resided during his infamous arrest in 1895 . This historical event marked a turning point not only in Wilde’s life but also for the LGBTQ+ community.

Beyond Oscar Wilde’s association with The Cadogan, numerous other notable literary figures have sought refuge and inspiration here. Writers such as Henry James, Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, and Virginia Woolf were among those who found solace within these grand corridors. It is said that Woolf even completed her novel “Mrs Dalloway” while staying at The Cadogan.

In addition to its esteemed guests’ contributions to literature in London, The Cadogan has been featured prominently in various fictional works as well. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used this elegant hotel as the setting for one of Sherlock Holmes’ most intriguing cases – “A Scandal in Bohemia.” This detective story further immortalized The Cadogan’s connection to literature and mystery.

📍 75 Sloane St, London SW1X 9SG

The Kingsley- Thistle London Holborn

Built in the late 19th century, The Kingsley was originally designed as an elegant Victorian townhouse but was transformed into a hote. It’s named after the author Charles Kingsley who wrote Westward Ho! and The Water Babies.  

Over the years, it has hosted countless literary luminaries who sought solace and inspiration within its welcoming confines. Thanks to its proximity to their frequent stomping grounds, The Bloomsbury Group – a collective of English writers, artists, and thinkers – found sanctuary within The Kingsley’s walls. Members such as E.M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes would gather here to exchange ideas and debate philosophical concepts that shaped their works. It’s even said that Forster wrote parts of “A Room with a View” here.

📍 36-37 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SD

Other hotels in London

I realize the above hotels are not necessarily a budget option. With London being an already expensive city for visit, the prices above may not work for you. Luckily, there are tons of options in the city to choose from. Here are some less expensive option in the city for your literary trip. 

• hub by Premier Inn London Goodge Street hote l in Bloomsbury
• Premier Inn London St. Pancras hotel for King’s Cross
• Premier Inn London Southwark (Bankside) near the Millenium Bridge and Globe Theatre
• The Z Hotel Soho near the Theatre District
• Travelodge London Marylebone near Baker Street and the London Zoo

London is a literary lover’s dream, with its rich history and vibrant literary scene. From iconic landmarks that have inspired countless novels to cozy bookshops tucked away in hidden corners of the city, there is no shortage of literary treasures to explore. Whether you are a fan of classic literature or contemporary works, this literary guide to London will help you navigate through the pages of London’s literary landscape. So pack your bags, grab your favorite book, and embark on a journey that will transport you through time and imagination in the enchanting world of London’s literary heritage.

Are you ready for The U.K.?

• Book Your Flights – To find the cheapest flights, flexibility is a must. Some great options are Google Flights for the calendars to find the cheapest options, Skiplagged , and Skyscanner . For more options, see our resources page . Heathrow and Gatwick (London) are the main entry points for long-haul flights but Manchester and Birmingham are options for those coming from Europe. Belfast in Northern Ireland is also an option.
• Find Transportation- If you’re driving, look into Rentalcars.com before arriving to find the best rates. Rail and bus services are frequent and easy. A BritRail pass can help save you money. For convenience, choose a train, for low-price choose buses .
• Book Your Accommodation – Look at Booking.com , Hotels.com , or Expedia for hotels in the U.K. You can also look at AirBnB or VRBO as we’ve had great luck finding inexpensive, large, and clean homes to rent.
• Book Tours and Experiences- Check Viator or Klook for some of the best tours and attractions for a great price for experiences like the Tower of London , Stonehenge , Edinburgh Castle , or Warner Bros Studio Tour .
• Stay Connected – If your phone’s data plan is going to be expensive, order an eSIM card before you go, or just head to an airport kiosk upon arrival or a store like Tesco or Boots.
• Buy Travel Insurance- I always recommend World Nomads for insurance. It’s better to protect yourself in case of mishaps. Learn more about World Nomads in this FAQ post.
• Pack Your Bags – Check out my packing lists , or my favorite travel gear to help you remember all of the essentials.
• Learn About the U.K .- Learn about the U.K. with guidebooks like Lonely Planet , or, novels and books about the country, or, shameless plug , search around my site for more info.

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Hey, I’m Mackenzie, a writer, book lover, and traveler. I've been to 65 countries and have found the best bookstores, coffee shops, and literary activities around the world. I have 10 years of travel writing experience, writing for my own sites and for other large brands. When not writing, I'm probably running or hiking, reading, or watching British TV. Like this article? Consider buying me a coffee to help keep the posts coming.

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The Long Road Home

Travel to learn. Learn to travel.

Booklover’s London: Create your own literary pub tour

“Show mercy to this boozy man.”

The voice emerged from a dark, back corner near the brass-plate-bedecked bar. Two gentlemen watched while I tried to photograph the long quote painted along a ceiling beam in the Lamb and Flag – the London pub where we stopped for lunch during our do-it-yourself literary pub tour.

As a confirmed booklover, I’d planned our three whirlwind days in London to include various places of a writerly bent: literary pubs; the British Library where we saw the Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s First Folio, and a Gutenberg Bible; a church for journalists; home of the first English dictionary writer; and some pleasing bookstores. (Our itinerary also included multiple stops for musician Bill. More on that in a later story.)

The Lamb and Flag, a famed drinking hole for author Charles Dickens and poet John Dryden, sported a quote that was no doubt a mantra for its patrons: “To die in a Pub is my definite plan, with my mouth to the tap, just as close as I can, then the angels would say, when the singing began, ‘O Lord, please show mercy to this Boozy Man.’”

The voice asking for mercy went on to explain that the Latin inscription on a neighbouring beam was a translation.

“What’s Latin for ‘boozy’?” I asked. The man – who turned out to be called Dave the Broom – said a Jesuit priest who used to drink at the Lamb and Flag with him and his buddy Ron had explained that the Latin inscription was “just about right” although not perfect. I still wasn’t sure which Latin word meant ‘boozy.’

“Are you regulars here?” I asked. Dave pointed to the brass plaque attached to the worn dark-wood bar. “Dave the Broom,” it read. “Because he used to be a streetsweeper,” added Ron. He pointed to a bare spot near his head and said one day his plaque will say, “Electric Ron.”

They like the Lamb and Flag because it’s a friendly place that’s snug and “a real pub – no chrome and fancy drinks,” said Dave. Neither man was prone to verbosity, but we chatted for a bit. Then I thanked them for the information and said it had been a pleasure to meet them. It was!

I had looked for a literary pub tour to join but hadn’t found one that fit our schedule or budget. So, using information readily available online, I cut and pasted to create my own walking tour guidebook, starting at the Duke of York in Fitzrovia and ending at The George in Southwark. We began at 9 a.m., a few hours before the pubs began opening, so we peeked in the windows of the first few establishments. But that was okay since we’d have been as stumbling drunk as Dylan Thomas if we’d imbibed at each of the 14 writerly drinking holes.

“These literary pubs hosted a lot of violence,” I observed, reading from my guidebook about Anthony Burgess and his wife, Lynne, who had witnessed a razor gang fight in 1943 at the Duke of York . That event is said to have inspired A Clockwork Orange . John Dryden, who wrote satirical poetry that lampooned the gentry, was “nearly done to death by rogues,” according to a plaque about the Lamb and Flag, which had already earned the nickname Bucket of Blood for staging bare-knuckle fights. (Dryden also said people should not end sentences with prepositions – a rule I agree with.) 

Later in the day, the pubs began filling up with the after-work crowd. We ate dinner at the teeming Anchor , said to be a Shakespeare hangout since it’s just down the street from the (recreated) Globe Theatre where the Bard’s plays are still performed. Then we ambled through Southwark streets to The George , bulging with 20-something-year-olds rather than Dickens’ or Shakespeare’s drinking buddies. Hailing from 1540, it’s London’s only remaining galleried coaching inn (a place where carriage drivers exchanged horses for fresh teams; the equivalent of a gas station today).  

Stories about drunken writers abound. Dylan Thomas’ name crops up as a willing participant in roistering parties at literary pubs. Thomas drank at the Marquis of Granby with T.S. Eliot, met his wife at the Wheatsheaf and proposed to her that night, and lost his manuscript for Under Milk Wood at the French House . He held up the bar at the Fitzroy Tavern with Virginia Wolff, George Bernard Shaw, and George Orwell, with whom he worked at the nearby BBC. One time, Thomas “stopped dead in the middle of a live radio broadcast to announce: ‘Somebody’s boring me. I think it’s me.’”

Dickens also seemed to drink everywhere; I concluded that a literary pub can’t really call itself that if Dickens didn’t down some booze there. His haunts included the Pillars of Hercules (mentioned in A Tale of Two Cities ; Ian McEwan and Julian Barnes also imbibe there), the Lamb and Flag, the Dog and Duck , Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, The George, the Lamb …  

Orwell, who allegedly threw up over the bar in the Wheatsheaf, apparently celebrated at the Dog and Duck in 1945 when the American Book of the Month club featured Animal Farm .   

Our top 3 favourite literary pubs were:

• The Lamb and Flag for its plea for mercy on the boozy man and comfortable feel – somewhat like an old shoe. But maybe Dave the Broom influenced me.
• The Fitzroy Tavern for its décor: mosaic tiles adorning the entryway, as well as beautiful hand-etched glass in the doors and window.
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese for its history stretching back to 1538. The 1666 Great Fire of London destroyed the original, but it was rebuilt in 1667. Since then, it has operated under 15 sovereigns (now 16 with King Charles III), starting with King Charles II. No one blinked an eye when we wandered in to look around the many cozy rooms. Narrow stairs led down into a rabbit’s warren of pub rooms on several basement levels, with the vaulted ceilings getting progressively lower. I laughed at a sign: “Gentlemen only served in this bar.” The list of literary patrons is one of the longest: Dickens, Samuel Johnson, P.G. Wodehouse, Mark Twain, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Samuel Pepys, Arthur Conan Doyle, W.B. Yeats, Voltaire, and Winston Churchill. Plus Princess Margaret.

Using information readily available online, I cut and pasted to create my own literary pub guidebook. Then Google Maps helped me plot the walking route.

But we saw more than just literary pubs in London.

The British Library – the world’s largest – stirred my book-loving soul. In the Treasures gallery, I went from one glass case to another marvelling at each impressively old and important document. Shakespeare’s First Folio! The Magna Carta! A Gutenberg Bible! Beatles’ hand-written lyrics scribbled on the back of an envelope! Music by Mozart!

The library houses about 150 million items, some dating back 4,000 years. The collection includes not just books (such as original copies of Beowulf , The Canterbury Tales , Jane Eyre ), but also maps, sacred texts from all religions, historical letters, lyrics, and musical scores. Displays are rotated so you don’t know exactly what you’ll see – all the more reason to visit again.

Treasures abound at the British Library: Shakespeare’s First Folio, followed by (in order) a 1455 Gutenberg Bible (one of about 180 copies printed on the first movable-type printing press), a Hebrew Bible, and a gold-bedecked Qur’an from Egypt in 1305-06.

I kept putting my camera away, thinking “that’s enough photos,” but then the next display case would reveal another rare treasure.

• Florence Nightingale’s hand-drawn diagram about causes of mortality in the Crimean War in 1858.
• A handwritten draft of Middlemarch , by George Eliot (pen name for Mary Ann Evans).
• The 1846 sonnet “I never gave a lock of hair away” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
• Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales , from 1410.
• A letter from Ghandi to Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, in 1930.
• A letter from Queen Victoria to Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone in 1870 supporting his view against rights for women.
• Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing about the geometry of transformations, 1517-18. “His explanation breaks off with an ‘etcetera,’ followed by a rare domestic detail: ‘Because the soup is getting cold’,” read the description.

The Magna Carta (well protected inside a glass case that prevents decent photos) is affixed with the king’s seal. The 1215 document established many rights, including the rights of widows to not re-marry.

The Magna Carta (Latin for Great Charter) has its own little display room. Why is it so important? It established, for the very first time, the incredible principle that no one was above the law, not even the king. It became the cornerstone for the British constitution and others that followed, including the Canadian and American constitutions and legal systems.

“In the eight centuries since 1215, it has come to be seen as a guarantor of individual liberties and it has evolved into a global system of freedoms and rights,” said a display panel. When you think about it, that’s exciting stuff!

I hadn’t realized there were four versions. The initial version, signed in 1215, was annulled by the Pope. Subsequent versions were signed in 1216 and 1217. The fourth, signed in 1225 and issued by King Henry III, became the definitive version. The copy we saw had been kept at Lacock Abbey from 1225 to the 1940s, when it was wrapped, placed in a box, put into a metal container and buried under the abbey floor to safeguard it during the Second World War. In 1945 it was donated to the British Library.

William Marshal, First Earl of Pembroke (left and bottom right), and his eldest son (top right) helped negotiate and protect the Magna Carta. Their effigies lie in the round Temple Church.

We learned more about the Magna Carta when we visited the round Temple Church, built about 1163 by and for the Knights Templar. (They protected pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land as part of the Crusades.) Two of the knights – William Marshal, First Earl of Pembroke, and his eldest son, also William, helped negotiate and protect the Magna Carta, ensuring its survival. Think about it – these two dudes lying on the floor in front of me helped establish rights and freedoms that protect us today. We owe them.

We also followed narrow lanes to find the house of Samuel Johnson – famous for compiling A Dictionary of the English Language . Published in 1755, it was the very first English dictionary. Sadly the house, now a museum, was closed. Bill rang the doorbell, but Johnson didn’t answer. He was probably in a nearby pub, quite possibly Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, considering how to spell “lush.”

Walking along Fleet Street, the former haunt of journalists, we saw a brick building with the names of former newspapers emblazoned on the side. Down a side lane, we found St. Bride’s Church, nicknamed “The Cathedral of Fleet Street” and “The Printer’s Church” because it’s been home to newspaper reporters since 1500 when a printing press was set up on church property. This wasn’t our day: the church was also closed so I couldn’t verify that the pews have the names of journalists inscribed on them.

Fleet Street also features the Punch Tavern , named in honour of Punch magazine and its many journalist customers who held editorial meetings and penned many of their witty, satirical stories while drinking in the pub. (Not a whole lot different than the National Press Club in Ottawa, back in the 1980s when I worked as a journalist on Parliament Hill.)  

Of course, all that writerly inspiration just made me want to shop for books. We stopped in at Stanfords and Waterstones bookstores to peruse the modern wares, as well as a Greenwich Market book stall, where I bought an old copy of The Mill on the Floss , by George Eliot.

And then…mecca! At Canary Wharf, we stumbled upon a Moleskine store – an entire store selling beautiful journals with the pocket in the back, the ribbon bookmark, and the elastic to hold the cover closed. Moleskines are my favourite journals. I found a gorgeous one with Van Gogh irises on the cover. Stupidly expensive but it was a must-buy situation. It took many days for me to summon the courage to write in it.

Our literary pub crawl inspired me to buy old and new books, plus a new Moleskine journal.

We’d been to other London literary shrines before: Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, Platform 9¾ and Leadenhall Market (with our Harry-Potter-fan daughter Rachel), 221B Baker Street, and the Globe Theatre. And there’s always more to visit in the future, such as the Charles Dickens Museum.

But for me, pubs were the lifeblood of literary London. I imagined all those great writers sitting exactly where I was, perhaps on that very stool, penning wise words or discussing weighty subjects with fellow writers. I entertained these romantic thoughts, knowing full well that, in reality, there were probably some pretty gritty times spent in dark dingy pubs with a bunch of slobbering alcoholics picking fights. Ah, cognitive dissonance.

We concluded that the ideal literary pub features comfortable seats, inglenooks, scuffed uneven floors, dim lighting, decorative signs, an ‘and’ in the name, outside ledges to hold drinks for standing patrons, a location on a quiet alley, no loud music, many draught choices, and décor that includes at least three of the following: wood panelling, etched glass, stained glass, exposed stone or brick, brass footrails and/or overhead glass-racks, and historic photos.

Back at the Lamb and Flag, the bare knuckles of local businesswomen and men seemed occupied holding their draughts outside in the May sunshine. Nary a sign of bare-knuckle skirmishes. While we waited inside for a Fullers Extra Special Bitters (for Bill) and a Cornish Orchards cider (for me), I channeled the literary vibes and scribbled in my journal.

“Are you feeling very writerish?” asked Bill.

I grinned. “Definitely!”

We visited London in May 2023. Find out where we are right now by visiting our ‘ Where’s Kathryn? ’ page.

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16 Comments on “Booklover’s London: Create your own literary pub tour”

Sounds like a very busy trip! I was especially interested in the name “Dave the Broom” . Actually, this naming practice is common in Wales where there are so many people with the same last name. People get nicknames related to their job. When my girls were little, TVO used to run a Welsh cartoon called “Fireman Sam” , with the recurring character Trevor Evans aka Trevor the Bus, who was the local bus driver. Our choir director, who used a baton, was sometimes known as Roy the Stick. Here are some more examples – Wynn, the septic tank operator? Wynnie the Pooh https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/absolutely-brilliant-welsh-nicknames-people-15936837 I think that , in Canada, Dave the Broom would be a great curling moniker!

How interesting! I didn’t realize it was a Welsh tradition. I’ve always wondered about “the Pooh” part of Winnie’s name. Clearly the little bear operated a “septic sucking” business (to refer to Red Green!). Thanks, Kim!

Arlene and I did a self-guided tour similar to yours a couple of years ago. Ours was based on Dickens — we stayed in a hotel near the Dickens museum, which is located in the only house he occupied that isn’t now in private hands. We went to some of the pubs you visited, but not all, and you’ve given us ideas for future explorations. Love your posts!

Thanks Don!

Another fascinating read, Kathryn, as always… could get envious over the variety of your visits. However, one comment caught me right in my ‘wondering zone’ – you share the fact that the Magna Carta is so important because it established, for the very first time, the incredible principle that NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, NOT EVEN THE KING! Ergo, based on that declaration, based on Canada’s neighbour’s current ‘trying times’, what country is truly the greatest – England or the USA?

Yes, the current head of our neighbour’s country certainly seems to think he’s above the law. I guess he hasn’t read the Magna Carta…or anything much else…

Sounds like you had a super self-guided tour; the British Library sounds fascinating. It looks like you had lovely weather but I imagine that London is as busy as Lisbon. Keep up your posts, Karen PS I recently re-read the DaVinci Code and one very tense scene takes place (I believe) in the round Church of Templar: How cool that you were able to visit.

Surprisingly, London didn’t feel overcrowded when we were there at the end of May, but that may have been a fluke! I imagine the crowds will descend in July and August. I should re-watch the DaVinci Code movie (I like Tom Hanks). I’m not sure I could bear to re-read the book — Dan Brown’s writing makes me cringe (so many grammatical and punctuation violations), although he is indeed an excellent storyteller. It’s always fascinating to visit places you’ve read about in books!

My son, Martin, and I will be in London for two-and-a half days at the end of July after visiting Scotland and Wales. Thanks for the drinking establishment recommendations. We’ll be sure to hoist a pint of bitters to you and Bill – and to the many literary greats you covered in this terrific installment of your travel blog. (No mention of Hemingway?!?! Maybe not considered in the same league as Dickens or Shakespeare? 😉 Thanks a bunch!

No, I’m not sure Hemingway hung out in Britain. Spain and France were more to his liking. However he did write in Moleskine notebooks (my beloved brand of journal as well), so there was that connection! Cheers! Saude!

So interesting, as well as amusing. I lived and worked in London in 1976 and 1977. Today I would be much more interested in an historic pub crawl than I was back then.

LOL! I would have thought a pub crawl would have appealed to a younger person…or maybe it’s the historical aspect that is more interesting now?

Yes, I would agree that the historical aspect would be more interesting now, but also the various libations, haha. Strangely enough, I wasn’t much into libations in my younger days.

The more you know about something, the more interesting it is and the more you pay attention to it, libations included. With age comes wisdom!

Hi Kathryn and Bill: I love reading your blogs, especially enjoyed this one as I have also visited a few of your highlighted London pubs. Keep up the great work.

Wonderful! Thanks, David. Good to hear from you! Hope all is well.

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The Ultimate Literary Tour of London: A Biblophile’s Dream One-Day Itinerary

As someone who almost always is head down inside a book, London is one of my favourite cities to explore. You can stroll along the streets, which inspired so many famous novels. Many of London’s historic streets have been almost unchanged for hundreds of years. So much so that it feels like you are stepping back in time and into the pages of a book. Bibliophiles can also take a peek into the homes of iconic writers. The city has been home to many renowned writers, including William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Virginia Woolf , and Jane Austen . As a result of being a writer’s favourite city, the town is replete with incredible libraries and bookshops! It’s truly a bookworm’s dream destination.

But with so many things to see and do and doubtlessly little time to do it in, making an itinerary can be overwhelming. That’s why I’ve created this fantastic  one-day itinerary for bibliophiles  to explore the best of  Literary London . It will take you across the city to explore a mixture of locations novels inspired beautiful book shops, literary homes, writer’s haunts and more. With just one day in the city, you can still pack in plenty of literary sights and experiences. So come with me now on this extraordinary book lover’s guide to London!

British Library Collection

Map of Walking Tour

8:00 am: Discover Platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross Station

Start your tour inside King’s Cross Station. Visiting  Kings Cross  is essential for any book lover visiting London. And as an added bonus, King Cross is a central hub for the underground. Making it an easy journey wherever you are based in London. Almost everyone who has read (or even heard of the Harry Potter series) knows how important the setting of this train station is in the book.

King Cross station served as the setting for Platform 9¾, the magical platform where Hogwarts students catch the Hogwarts Express . Inside King Cross station is a replica of Platform 9¾ outside the Harry Potter Shop Gift Shop. Here you can take your photo with a disappearing trolley headed straight into the wall. Just like in the book!

Getting here extra early is key as the queue to get your photo taken can get over an hour long. But, if you prefer to avoid tourists, simply walking around the station is a dream for book lovers. Exploring the train station places you right inside this iconic setting. I love grabbing a coffee from any nearby cafe and watching commuters rushing about the busy station.

9:00 am: Breakfast at The Betjeman Arms

If you prefer to grab a full sit-down breakfast, they have over the Betjeman Arms . The Betjeman Arms is a charming and cozy pub inside the neighbouring St. Pancras International Station . The pub was named after the famous poet Sir John Betjeman . Betjeman was a passionate advocate for preserving the city’s historic Victorian architecture. And even had a hand in helping to save St Pancras railway station from demolition. The pub’s decor and atmosphere pay homage to his love of Victorian design. If you can book a reservation in advance, ask for a table on the Euston Terrace overlooking King’s Cross.

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The menu at the Betjeman Arms offers a selection of traditional British food. If you’ve never had a full English breakfast, this is where to do it! It comes with beer & treacle smoked bacon, Cumberland sausages, fried egg, roasted tomato, chestnut mushrooms, hash browns, and baked beans. At £13.50 it’s a pretty reasonable price for a huge breakie.

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10:00 am: Discover Treasure inside the British Library

After breakfast, it’s time to head to the British Library ! The British Library is located along Euston Street, just a minute down the road from the Betjeman Arms. Many people don’t know that the British Library isn’t just a place for reading and borrowing books. The building contains a little museum that exhibits “ Treasures of the British Library .” This collection features some of the most remarkable books, manuscripts, and historical documents. The main exhibit hall is free to enter, but there are new exhibitions throughout the year that you can visit by buying a ticket.

Highlights of the British Library Collection include the original manuscripts of Jane Austen ‘s novels, first editions of Shakespeare’s plays , handwritten lyrics by The Beatles and a Gutenberg Bible. One of my favourite parts of the exhibition is the gorgeous illuminated manuscripts, religious texts, and detailed medieval maps. All are gilded in 24-carat gold and brilliantly coloured hand-painted illustrations. It’s amazing to see how vibrant they still are even after hundreds of years. Original sketches by Mervyn Peake, the author of Gormenghast, sit behind glass. I adored this book as a teenager. And seeing the sketches, Peake dreamed up for his characters was wildly exciting and nostalgic.

But most impressively, it is here where you can view the original Magna Carta . The Magna Carta is an enormous document signed by King John of England in 1215. It is considered one of the most important legal documents in history. It established that everyone, including the King, is subject to the law. Seeing it in person and the King’s giant wax seal, almost the size of a dinner plate, was amazingly impressive.

11:00 am: Garden Walk through Bloomsbury

After you’ve had your fill with historical manuscripts, it’s time to walk over to the Charles Dickens Museum in Bloomsbury. It’s only a 15-minute walk from Euston Street. The path takes you through the peaceful St. George’s Gardens , Brunswick Square Gardens, and the old Foundling Hospital .

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The Foundling Museum

The Foundling Museum in London is dedicated to the history of the 18th-century Foundling Hospital. One of the first charities established in England to care for abandoned children. Writer Charles Dickens often used the institution and its children as inspiration for his fictional work. Since he lived so close by, he was also a great supporter of the Hospital. He even rented a pew in the Hospital Chapel through which he could make donations to support the hospital’s efforts. His stage play, No Thoroughfare , featured a main character called Walter Wilding, who was raised in the Hospital’s care. Dickens himself led a life that could have resulted in him being cared for by this kind of organization. And he never forgot it. And never took that for granted.

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11:30 am Uncover Secrets inside the Charles Dickens Museum

The Charles Dickens Museum is set inside the original Dickens family home at #48 Doughty Street . Dickens and his first wife lived here from 1837 to 1839. Stepping inside, you find the Dickens home almost as if they had just stepped out the front door. Visitors can explore the house’s many rooms, restored to their original 19th-century appearance. And get a sense of what life was like for Dickens and his family.

The collection includes many artifacts related to Dickens’s life and writing. Including manuscripts, letters, and personal items. You can even explore Dickens’ home office, which has been carefully preserved. His old writing desk and chair still sit as if waiting for him to return. It was here he penned some of his most famous works, including “ Oliver Twist ” and “ Nicholas Nickleby .”

12:30 pm: Luncheon at The Lamb

For lunch, head to The Lamb , a historic pub just four minutes east of the museum, on Guildford Place. The Lamb Pub was originally built in the 1720s as a coaching inn for travellers. And its location near the British Museum made it a popular spot for scholars and academics. As a local to the area, Charles Dickens was known to frequent the pub. Perhaps coming here after a long day of writing to relax and unwind.

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In the late 18th century, the pub became a hub for political radicals and intellectuals. This included members of the Bloomsbury Group. They were a circle of writers, artists, and thinkers whose members were made up of Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, and John Maynard Keynes. The group often met at the Lamb to discuss their ideas and hold literary salons.

Today, the Lamb Pub is a popular neighbourhood watering hole and a beloved piece of Bloomsbury’s rich cultural heritage. Its walls are adorned with historical artifacts and memorabilia, providing a glimpse into its storied past. And mementos of the many important figures passing through its doors. The pub serves traditional British fare and has a cozy, old-world atmosphere. You’ve got to have beer-battered fish with triple-cooked chips, pea puree and tartare sauce to complete this British experience.

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1:30 pm The London Review Bookshop

Don’t overeat because you want to save some room for dessert! Walk along Great Ormond Street and Bloomsbury Square to the London Review Bookshop . Yes, that’s right, dessert inside a bookshop! The dream of dreams. The London Review Book is also home to a Cake Shop inside their charming and cozy interior. This delightful café is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a delicious sweet treat.

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Upon entering the café, visitors are greeted with the scent of freshly baked cakes and pastries. And the warm and welcoming atmosphere invites them to stay awhile. The London Review Cake Shop menu features an array of delectable treats, ranging from classic sponge cakes to more exotic delights like cardamom and rosewater cake. Find a great book to buy and sit outside in their courtyard with a delicious slice of cake. It’s the perfect way to spend a quiet afternoon.

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2:30 pm Walk Through Seven Dials

After you’re done, take a walk 15-minutes south along Monmouth Street . I know there is a tube station nearby but you’d only be taking it one-stop. And trust me, the walk is a great opportunity to see the historic neighbourhood of Seven Dials . The Seven Dials area gets its name from the distinctive layout of seven intersecting streets, which converge around a central pillar. The area has a rich literary history, home to many famous writers and poets. Charles Dickens, in particular, had a strong connection to the Seven Dials. He used it as a setting for several of his novels, including “ Sketches by Boz ” and “ Oliver Twist. “

3:00 pm Cecil Court

Make your way onto Cecil Court . Cecil Court is a narrow, pedestrian-only street called the “Booksellers’ Row.” Here is where you’ll find a variety of independent bookshops that line the cobblestone alley. The area dates back to the 17th century, and the original shopfronts are set inside quaint Victorian-era buildings.

Cecil Court is where one can easily spend hours browsing the shelves, discovering rare and unusual titles. The bookshops in Cecil Court are staffed by knowledgeable and passionate booksellers who are always happy to recommend titles or offer insights into the area’s history. Shopping here is almost like going inside tiny museums. Their collections a treat to simply browse through.

4:00 pm Sherlock Holmes Pub

Before heading across the river, let’s quickly stop for a pint inside the Sherlock Holmes Pub . Walking along Charing Cross Road towards the Strand, where you’ll find the Sherlock Holmes Pub on Northumberland Street. The Sherlock Holmes Pub is a hot spot for fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ‘s famous detective. The pub is spread over two floors, with the ground floor serving as the main bar area, while the upper floor is a restaurant. And mini exhibition hall.

The upstairs is home to a small recreation of Holmes’ famous Baker Street flat, which includes some rare memorabilia. But throughout the pub, you’ll find Victorian decor, wood panelling, and Sherlockiana. Even if you just want to pop in for a pint, you can check out the upstairs area without booking a reservation for dinner. Tell them you just want a look, and they’ll happily let you inside.

4:30 pm Great Scotland Yard

Crossing Northumberland street, jet over to neighbouring Great Scotland Yard . The street’s name derives from the 17th century when the area was home to the royal residence of visiting Scottish kings and queens. Effectively the Scottish Embassy. But perhaps the most famous literary connection to Great Scotland Yard is the fact that it was the location of the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service. Established here in 1829. And who is the most famous British detective who would have worked out of Scotland Yard? You guessed it, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes would have called this place home were he not, in fact, a fictional character.

5:00 pm Crossing the Thames River

Our final destination is at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre which can be found across the River Thames along the Southbank. To get there, you can take the tube from Embankment underground station on the Circle or District Line , three stops to Mansion House station . Then just walk across Southwark Bridge to Shakespeare’s Globe .

But if you’re looking for a more fun and scenic way to get to the Globe, consider taking a boat! Embankment Pier is just a few minutes from Great Scotland Yard, where you can hop on the Thames Clipper . This isn’t a “River Cruise” or “Boat Cruise” but a public transport service along the water.

You can use contactless payment with your Oyster card to buy a single ticket. Using your Oyster card, a single ticket to Bankside station will cost £5.20. If you have the Uber app installed on your phone, you can buy tickets directly through their app. If you don’t have either not to worry, you can buy tickets at the ticket office or ticket machines inside the station. These tickets cost £5.70, so you do save some money if you have the app or use an Oyster card. While £5 is more expensive than riding the tube, the 10-minute ride along the Thames river is an amazing way to see the city skyline and riverside buildings.

6:00 pm: Admire the Theatrics at Shakespeare’s Globe

The most famous of all British writers is doubtlessly William Shakespeare ! And ending your day here at Shakespeare’s Globe in Southwark feels like a perfect epilogue to your storied visit to London. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is a reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre, built in 1599. The original Globe was the primary performance venue for William Shakespeare’s plays. The modern reconstruction was opened in 1997 after more than two decades of planning and construction. The construction of the new Globe took so long because they wanted to use historic equipment and techniques in remaking the historic landmark. The few modern additions were a state-of-the-art sprinkler system to ensure the thatch roof didn’t burn down, destroying the building again.

The result is an incredibly faithful reconstruction of the original theatre. Giving visitors a glimpse into the theatrical world of Shakespeare’s time. The theatre is an open-air venue with a circular stage surrounded by seating for the audience. The stage is uncovered, and performances occur in natural light during the day, just as they would have done in the 16th and 17th centuries.

But there are also night performances under modern flood lighting. While I loved the experience of seeing a play in the day without the use of modern technology, it didn’t feel atmospheric. There is something more immersive about the evening performance, where the rest of the theatre seems to disappear, and you can focus on the actors in front of you.

Tickets to the Globe Theatre

You can even purchase a standing-room ticket in the “Yard’, just like the poorest London citizens would have bought in the 16th century to ensure they got to see the latest Shakespearean production. There are also seated tickets in the lower, middle or upper galleries. Tickets in the Yard start at only £5.00, and seated tickets start at £25. I would advise you to go for the seated tickets after a long day of pounding the pavement around London. Relax and enjoy a production of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays in this historic landmark.

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9:00 pm Drinks at The George Inn

If you have any energy left, you can head to the George Inn for a late-night pint of beer! This historic pub is just 10 minutes from the Globe and dates back to the 17th century! It is the only surviving galleried coaching inn in London. It was named ‘Shakespeare’s Local,’ as the George Inn was a popular gathering place for actors and playwrights from the Globe during the Elizabethan era. Including Shakespeare himself!

In the 19th century, Charles Dickens referred to the George Inn in his novel “ Little Dorrit ,” describing it as a place where characters would gather for a drink and discuss their trials and tribulations. Today, the pub has indoor and outdoor seating area, making it one of my favourite spots to come in the summertime to enjoy a beer under the warm night sky. It really is the perfect spot to finish a gorgeous day exploring London literary history.

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And that’s a wrap, book lovers! We hope this one-day literary tour of London has inspired you to explore more of the city’s rich literary history and immerse yourself in its vibrant book culture. There are dozen of other amazing bookshops and libraries to discover if you have more time in this incredible city! So go out, and explore, but don’t forget to bring a good book!

Happy Travels, Adventurers.

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Posted on Published: 23rd April 2023  - Last updated: 9th October 2023 Categories Arts + Culture

By: Author Alastair Reid Schanche

The Ultimate Self-Guided Literary Walking Tour of London

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Ready to take on a self-guided walking tour of London’s literary hotspots? These are the places you need to visit.

Welcome, bookworms, to London – a city that has been called home by some of the finest literary talents in the English language. 

Over London’s many years of history, the city has been home to greats like Dickens, Shakespeare and Orwell. It’s also been the home of fictional characters that have come to be household names. 

We spend a lot of time nerding out about London’s literary past and so we thought it would be a good idea to put together a tour of a few of our favourite spots. 

From walking in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes to tracking down the watering holes of the likes of Tennyson and Twain, here’s a literary London walking tour that you need to embark on. 

Practical Information about the Literary London Walking Tour 

Baker Street Station/The Sherlock Holmes Museum 

Shakespeare’s Globe

Distance 

10km + short underground trip between Baker Street and Great Portland Street

Walking Time: 2 hours

Suggested time to allow for the tour: 4 – 5 hours. 

Difficulty of Tour

Medium: Flat terrain but it covers a reasonable distance. 

Admission Fees

TfL fees for underground between Baker Street and Great Portland Street, plus any museums you want to go into on route and maybe a few quid for a pint in a writerly tavern.  

Places Visited on the Tour

• Sherlock Holmes Museum 
• Fitzroy Tavern 
• Senate House 
• Bloomsbury 
• King’s X 
• Dickens Museum 
• The Old Curiosity Shop
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese 
• Dr. Johnson’s House 
• The Globe 

Stop One – The Sherlock Holmes Museum and Baker Street 

Address: 221b Baker St, London NW1 6XE

The first stop on our London literary tour is the Sherlock Holmes Museum . Although the detective was totally fictional, some clever bookworm has turned a house on Baker Street into a museum in his honour. 

They’ve revamped the house to look like it would in the Victorian era that Holmes would have been working in, complete with gas lamps, authentic Victorian furniture and curiosities, and a fake address. 

Yep, the museum is listed as 221b Baker Street as that’s where Sherlock lives in the stories. In real life, the building actually sits between 237 and 241 Baker Street. 

The museum has actually received criticism from the Conan-Doyle estate for behaving too much as if Holmes was a real person. This isn’t helped by the fake blue plaque above the door listing the “consulting detective” as having lived there. 

Controversy aside, Baker Street is heavily featured in the detective’s adventures and enjoys its literary cult status. They’ve even put a statue of Holmes outside the tube station. 

→→ →→ 18 minutes to our next stop, the Fitzroy Tavern. Jump on the circle line at Baker Street to Great Portland Street and walk south down Cleveland Street for 600m until you hit Tottenham Street. Make a left there and walk 100m then a right onto Charlotte Street. Keep walking till you see the Fitzroy Tavern on your left after about 250m. 

Alternatively, you can walk the whole thing from Baker Street which should take about 25 mins. 

Stop Two – The Fitzroy Tavern 

Address: 16A Charlotte St., London W1T 2LY

Our second stop is the legendary writer’s hangout, the Fitzroy Tavern. The place became famous between the 20s and 50s as a watering hole for many of London’s top writers. Nina Hamnett, Dylan Thomas and George Orwell, to name a few. 

Here the writers hobnobbed with artists and other bohemians. You can see a few portraits of The Fitzroy’s old patrons hanging on the walls. 

We wouldn’t blame you for wanting to slip in and have a pint in one of the tavern’s gloomy corners, discuss your favourite books. You should if you’ve got the time. 

If you want to hold your horses though, know that there will be another literary boozer later on in our tour. 

→→ →→ 13 minutes to Senate House. Head down Windmill Street for 150m until you reach Tottenham Court Road where you throw a left. Walk 100m to Bayley Street and take Bayley all the way to Montague Place which you follow along to Russell Square. Senate House is on your left. 

Stop Three – Senate House 

Address: Senate House University of London, Malet St, London WC1E 7HU

You should now be standing outside Senate House. It’ll be hard to miss. The impressive Art-Deco building looms over its courtyard and the other buildings to its wings. It’s the type of place that changes with the weather. On a good day, it can look somewhat pretty, but catch it in the rain and it looks ominously oppressive. 

That must have been the type of weather Orwell saw it in as he says it was the inspiration for the Ministry of Truth – the manipulative, authoritarian government whose control of public narrative is anything but truthful –  in 1984 . 

Orwell however was notoriously pessimistic about London. He despised the poverty and decay he saw in the city here. Perhaps he would have done well to see this building in a new light, though then we may not have the masterpiece that is 1984 . 

→→ →→ 7 minutes to Gordon Square. Take Thornhaugh Street on the northwest corner of Russell Square and follow it all the way to Woburn Square. Keep Straight all the way until you reach Gordon Square. 

Stop Four – Bloomsbury 

Address: 46 Gordon Sq, London WC1H 0PD

Our next stop is Bloomsbury, once a bustling hub of London’s literary past. Our directions will take you to the charming Gordon Square, once the home of the world’s most legendary writers: Virginia Woolf. 

Woolf was part of a group of intellectuals who took their very group’s name from this London neighbourhood. The Bloomsbury Group produced some top literary and intellectual talents like E. M. Forster and Lytton Strachey, and economist J.M. Keynes. 

Virginia Woolf lived elsewhere in Bloomsbury too – you can see blue plaques with her name on them at the Tavistock Hotel – but her time at 46 Gordon Square was one of her most transformative. 

Her father – a radical free thinker – encouraged Woolf to read, something not common for women at that time. Woolf herself describes this period in her life as one of departure from the ‘gloom’ and into the ‘bloom’ of her becoming the woman we know her to be. 

→→ →→ 14 minutes to King’s Cross Station. Walk along Gordon Square to Endsleigh Place and turn right. Follow it about 150m to Upper Woburn Place and take a left. Follow this road to Euston Road and take a right. Walk along Euston Road 700m until you hit King’s Cross on your left. 

You’ll be walking past the British Library – a book lover’s mecca. Nip in if you’re in no rush and take in the giant central piece of aged tomes and even the Magna Carta. 

Stop Five – King’s Cross Station 

Address: King’s Cross Station, Euston Rd., London N1 9AL

We bet you can already guess why you’re here. Yep, this is the very station where Harry Potter sets off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

He does so at platform 9 ¾ which is now a major tourist attraction in the station. They’ve even put half a luggage trolley into the brickwork that you can hold onto and snap pictures as if you’re pushing your things through the magic portal to the Hogwarts Express. 

You will of course have to queue for the privilege. 

→→ →→ 15 minutes to our next stop. Follow Gray’s Inn Road south for 1.1km until you turn left on Guilford Street. Take the next left onto Doughty Street and follow it about 75m until you reach the Dickens Museum. 

Read More: The Ultimate Self-Guided Harry Potter Walking Tour of London

Stop Six – The Dickens Museum 

Address: 48-49 Doughty St, London WC1N 2LX

Doughty Street is home to another of this neighbourhood’s literary legends: Charles Dickens. He is one of England’s greatest writers and shaped the imagination of generations, even long after his death. 

His stories of Victorian London are still haunting and visceral today. Walking down this street in the present day it’s really not hard to picture the place as he would have seen it in the Victorian times. 

This location is one of Dickens’ London houses and has now been turned into a museum that’s well worth popping into. 

You can see many rooms kept as they would have been when he lived there, the desk where he wrote and the stand where he did his famous reading. You can even see his commode and a sick note from his doctor. 

You’ll also be standing in the very study where he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. 

→→ →→ 16 minutes to our next stop. Follow Doughty Street and Roger Street to Theobalds Road (80m), take a left and walk 130m along until you turn left onto Bedford Row. Follow Bedford Row making a couple small right-lefts through the alleys until you reach High Holborn. Then cut across Lincoln’s Inn Fields to the southwest corner and onto Portsmouth Street. 

Stop Seven – The Old Curiosity Shop

Address: 2es, 13-14 Portsmouth St, London WC2A 2ES

Dickens gets a second hit on our walking tour at the Old Curiosity Shop – a bizarre squat-looking building that is almost out of place next to all the modern stuff around it. 

The high-end shoe shop is said to have inspired Charles Dickens’ novel of the same name about teenage orphan Neil Trent and his grandfather and their life in “one of those receptacles for old and curious things which seem to crouch in odd corners of this town and to hide their musty treasures from the public eye in jealousy and distrust.”

The building actually dates back to the 16th century making it pretty old even by Dickens’ standards. Though it’s impossible to confirm, it’s likely that the big guy actually went here at some point. He only lived a short walk away after all.. 

→→ →→ 10 minutes to our next stop on Fleet Street. Follow Portsmouth Street for 40m onto Portugal Street and follow that about 50m to Carey Street. Take Carey Street 800m and throw a right onto Bell Yard. Walk 500m to Fleet Street and turn left. Walk along Fleet Street about the same distance to the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub. 

Stop Eight – The Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Address: 145 Fleet St, London EC4A 2BP

Time for a pint. You’ve earned it. Sit down among the gloomy corners of this very old pub and soak in the mood. You’re sitting in a boozer that has served many famous authors in its time. 

Mark Twain is known to have frequented the place, as did G.K. Chesterton, Christopher Hitchens, Yeats, Tennyson, Conan-Doyle and, yes, him again: Dickens.

The literary list goes on. The Cheshire Cheese even features in Agatha Christie’s work when Poirot dines with a prospective client in The Million Dollar Bond Robbery. Samuel Pepys also mentions the pub in his writing, and judging by the proximity of our next spot it’s likely that Dr. Johnson also sank a few pints here in his day. 

Once you’re watered, and possibly fed – they do some pretty good food here – it’s time to step back out onto Fleet Street, a road synonymous with the printing and publishing industry in London. 

Most of the papers have since moved away but you can bet the Cheshire Cheese has been frequented by many of the writers that worked here too. 

→→ →→ 2 mins to our next stop. Come out of the pub and turn right onto Hind Court. Follow the alley all the way along, past the dogleg and swing a right onto Gough Square. 

Stop Nine – Dr. Johnson’s House

Address: 17 Gough Square, London EC4A 3DE

After that short walk, you should be standing outside the house of the legendary Dr. Johnson. As writers go he had a lot of accolades. Dr. Samuel Johnson saw success as a poet, a playwright, moralist and essayist. 

He’s most known, though, for writing a very influential dictionary. A Dictionary of the English Language was completed in 1755 and until the release of the Oxford English Dictionary 173 years later was the most influential dictionary in the English language. 

The house you’re standing in front of is the very place he wrote this dictionary and is now a museum. The style of the place has been maintained and very well kept and home to manuscripts in Johnson’s hand, oil paintings and prints of his contemporaries as well as some very fine furniture. 

→→ →→ 19 minutes to the Globe. Head back to the pub and turn left on Fleet Street. Follow it all the way along to the bottom of Ludgate Hill, turn right at the crossroads and head for Blackfriars. Take the bridge to the other side of the river and turn left. Take the riverside walking path along the Thames until you reach the Globe. 

Stop Ten – The Globe Theatre 

Address: 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT

If you’ve made it this far, well done. You’re at the final spot on our literary London walking tour. This is, of course, the Globe Theatre – home to the plays of probably the greatest writer to employ the English language, and one who shaped it into the form we use today. 

The Globe you’re looking at isn’t actually the same place that Shakespeare put on his many plays, it’s a very faithful reconstruction that was actually completed in the 90s, and only 230m from the site of the original playhouse. 

You can even watch Shakespeare’s plays performed here and the present-day production team does a great job with them. 

A lot’s changed over the years. Females are allowed to act, you can’t throw rotten fruit at the performers. You can still get tickets for the standing section like the common folk did back in Bard’s day – a great cheap option for some very historic theatre. 

Read More: 14 Interesting Facts About the Globe Theatre We’ll Bet You Never Knew

Literary London Walking Tour Practical Tips and Map

• Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes, you’re going to be putting in the distance tracing London’s literary talent across most of central London. 
• Check the weather. We’re sure you know as well as anyone that the weather in England can be as fickle as any. It might be smart to pack a raincoat. 
• You may not want to hit all the museum spots on your tour. It might be smart to pick one or two you want to see and come back for the rest another day. 
• You’re in central London, so you’re not going to be short of places to grab refreshments. No need to worry there. 

Literary London Walking Tour: Map

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