Discover the Square Mile’s literary legends, from Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde and beyond.
Step into the heart of London’s literary past with this guided walking tour for book lovers. Led by an expert City of London Green Badge guide, this two-hour tour takes you through the streets of the Square Mile where some of history’s greatest writers lived, worked and found inspiration.
Discover where England’s publishing industry began, see where William Shakespeare wrote King Lear over lockdown and hear the gripping story of Oscar Wilde’s downfall following a scandalous court case.
You’ll also uncover the behind-the-scenes tales of the people who ensured Shakespeare’s plays survived for future generations and the romantic, bittersweet story of a priest poet who nearly lost everything for love.
Whether you're passionate about literature or curious about the City’s hidden history, this walking tour will open your eyes to the fascinating world of writers who left their indelible mark on London.
Following the success of the first Pepys Day in 2024, we're doing it again! This year there will be four guided tours, each on a different route but all focusing on the life and times of man about town Samuel Pepys, as revealed through his famous diary. Last year sold out very fast, so put Friday 5 September in your diary now and watch out for more details.
Our daily walks run from the City Information Centre, just south of St Paul's. You need to book via Eventbrite to secure you place. Note: the cut-off time for booking our daily walks is 21:00hrs the night before. If we don't have any bookings then the walk will not take place. Read our policy on Refunds. Our weekly walks have individual booking pages and earlier cut-off times, please see the individual listing or download our Daily walks in the City of London leaflet.
If you'd like to organise your own walk, lecture or a virtual tour, then please use our Find a Guide section. If you're a member of an Arts Society or a U3A, a school or another group we'd love to take you on a tour of the City. Or if you're a company based in the City who'd like to organise a social event for your work colleagues, then contact one of our qualified guides, who can put together an evening walk for you.
120mins
£15.00
£12.00
11:00
