Best of London in 7 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I'm really glad my husband and I took this tour as our guide provided much insight into the history of London and guided us with ease.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's a toss up between Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle--both were awesome."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Seven days in London was quite powerful, filled with world history and a great deal of walking. Most every day was structured to allow independent time to do whatever one desired, a nice balance to the day. I traveled as a single but found our group of 25 was very cohesive, we all looked out for one another including our Rick Steve's guide. London is one of those "must experience" in the realm of world travel

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I found myself quite overwhelmed in Westminster Abbey. To be amongst so many founding, world influencers, brought me to a commanding mental and emotional standstill. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guide was informative, kind and flexible to the needs of the group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I felt like the guide gave me great inside information that I would not have learned if I was on my own."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves' tour and it was AMAZING! We got to see everything we wanted (and more). We felf very safe in our group and it was nice to have others looking out for you in a new country. It was also fun to have familiar faces around the city. It was the perfect blend of guided activities and time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's hard to pick just one, but we enjoyed Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle the most."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent hotel location. You weren’t kidding about the walking. We set new records on our daily count.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rosetta Stone "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a well organized, busy, interesting tour with a wonderful guide and a friendly group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our wow moments came at unexpected times, like when we saw the changing of the Irish guard at Buckingham Palace, we caught a glimpse of a fox during the key ceremony, hunting the ravens they raise at the Tower of London, and the East End food tour in the rain. Also, just being in Westminster Abby is awe inspiring."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing time. It was educational as well as fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Big Ben. It was so beautiful in the sun."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Nice tour of London. Tour guide was entertaining, funny, and had a lot of stories, some of them sort of conspiracy stories. I had to google them to separate accepted facts from debatable conspiracies. Hotel location was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There actually was NOT one this time, and this was our 9th tour. There wasn't any special activity that I wouldn't have been able to do on my own. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was incredible! It was comprehensive, fun, and absolutely wonderful. Everything was timed very well and we got to see so much without being rushed. There was a perfect balance of scheduled items and free time. The accommodations were great. Access to commuting options was streamlined and easy to understand. Food was diverse and delicious. My mother and I could not have asked for a better tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Westminster. Listening to the history and walking through the gorgeous cathedral. My mother returned for Evensong and I want to return for a longer tour to really taken in the art in every corner. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! Always felt safe, expectations were clear, the tour packed a great deal into a short time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul's or Westminster"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed the London tour - we were always on the go, but there was still sufficient independent time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Beautiful interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was the most fantastic tour guide we could have ever had, given it was our first time on a tour! Outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was pretty much ALL “ WOW” given the history of London. But, I think most most wow moments were St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London with the Crown Jewels. And, of course, Tom’s excellent history recap on each! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had such a wonderful time on our seven day London trip, and it was made all the better by our outstanding tour guide Tom. What a treasure he is, I recommend any tour that he might lead! At times charming, funny, empathetic, and outgoing, Tom was the perfect guide for our tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing to the very top of St Pauls Cathedral (and being a few minutes late returning to the group!)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Tom was wonderful. It was great hearing all the history and information about the places he took us to. I really love his sense of humor. I needed help with some arrangements to get to somewhere else when the tour was finished and he helped me get my train tickets.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the Spittlefields market food tour, I had not thought that I liked curry, but our tour guy took us to what he said was the best Indian restaurant and we got to try three dishes which were delicious. I also loved seeing Westminster Abbey and had to go back and rewatch the beginning of William and Catherine‘s wedding because I had wondered about the things I saw as she walked inside the cathedral and down the aisle. It made it even more magical now that I know what it really looks like. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very very very amazingly excellent. Our guide Tom was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing up to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything I hoped for. This trip and group was amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going inside St. Paul’s and hearing about the soldiers who saved it by putting fires on the dome. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour with friendly kind travellers, led by a knowledgeable guide who gave us helpful tips for navigating around London. The balance was just right for time with the group and time to explore places of interest on your own. London is such a fantastic interesting city, we want to return.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Upon reflection I think the wow comes when one realizes that the places visited have so much so history ...famous people and historical events. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour of all of the important sights in London. Our tour director Jeanie was exceptional. She guided us through the London Underground and made us confident experts at navigating on our own. She kept us laughing with her charm and whit. Great group of fellow travelers. It was wonderful to beat the crowds at the Tower of London and not have to wait in a 5-hour line to see the Crown Jewels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey took my breath away, as did the crown jewels. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A very well organized and comprehensive introduction to the many sites/sounds/tastes/culture of London. A wonderful experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Experienced so many 'Wow" moments it's difficult to pick out one. Being able to tour the lesser known St. Bartholomew The Great church was a highlight that differentiates the uniqueness of Rick Steves tours."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide and accommodations were great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The stories our guide shared about Jung Henry VIIIi"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour is amazing! Our guides were outstanding, the meals were wonderful, the hotel was fabulous. There was a great balance between tour activities (so many great sites to see and experiences to have in London!) and time to explore on your own. Know that this tour is a tremendous amount of walking and standing. Be prepared to get 18-20K steps a day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Tower of London and seeing the Crown Jewels. So much history in one place. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

See my husband’s responses.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Churchill war rooms."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeanie our guide was fantastic!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food tour in the East End."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I travelled with my mother who turned 85 on the trip. This was the ideal trip. She'd never been to London I had. The hotel was central to tube stop, buses and all the sights. The hotel was comfortable with a great breakfast. She walked 5 to 7 miles each day with a top day of 10 miles. We were out most days 8:30 am to 3 PM, back for a nap then out to west end evening shows. Our guide, Jeanie Carmichal and fellow group travelers were great, the weather wonderful. It went so well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"East end food tour. Globe Theater tour. Our guides were great. Wednesday - 12:30 am Thursday - hitting the rack after Westminster, St. James Walk, Westminster Abbey tour, lunch/brief viewing at National Gallery, Churchill War rooms, evening Irish pub crawl and later dinner finishing with birthday comp cake/ice cream and a shot of limoncello. WOW - Mom did it all (we have photos!) and we was on deck 8:30 am the next morning ready to tour. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was very interesting fun and educational.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many but I would say Windsor Castle was my favorite. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Never had done an organized tour before. Researched & choose this one. For tour stayed at Washington Mayfair hotel which had great accommodations & good location for our ventures. Great breakfast & final drink at night. Walked (& used tube/train) central London & Windsor visiting the historic sites mentioned in the tour information. Enjoyed pubs & talking to locals. A lot of walking and standing, so be in descent shape. Shepards Market is a close by for meals/drinks. Added days before/after.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My moment was meeting & being with the 24 people of our group & our guide Jamie. Our ages ranged from teens to +74 (at least me). We were from all over the US. Met some very good friends. We toured as a happy family. Jamie was an excellent guide with his years of doing this, knowledge, stories, & ability to adapt our group to schedule changes."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was my third Rick Steves tour. Our schedule was modified from what the itinerary said and that may have added to the uneven distribution of activities and events.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved seeing the rebuilt GlobeTheatre. The guide was passionate and knowledgeable about its history and Shakespeare."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour brought back fond memories of my military tour in England in 1979--1983. My office conducted official business to London twice a week and with my personal visits to see London historical sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The most "wow" moment had to be the museums that we were able to visit. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Totally lived up to, and stayed true to the agenda as described. We were a bit amazed at what a huge and interesting city London is, geographically-speaking and in diverse population. Thankfully our guide totally knows the agenda; in fact we were always a few minutes early for any appointment. We had a well-rounded experience seeing the "top ten" sights plus a mix of local charm with some food markets and a few times when we had an open agenda to explore places of our own choosing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey seemed hard to top, but then we saw Saint Paul's Cathedral and then the Tower of London and the crown jewels, and then Windsor Castle. All world-class but collectively a powerful living history lesson about the UK. We also loved being along the substantial River Thames and seeing it rising and ebbing with the ocean tides and knowing of its central theme to London and its history and commerce. The public park system throughout London was a bit of a surprise & a nice treat too."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

So much fun and enjoyable! Ou tour guide Tom was fantastic!!!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Changing of the guard for Buckingham Palace."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Tom was great. So knowledgeable, learned a lot. Liked the location of the hotel, having restaurants, stores close by was helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food tour we had was something that we wouldn’t have looked into on our own. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour really exceeded my expectations. I appreciated having each day carefully planned out so we could visit major points of interest in London. I also appreciated our tour guide making arrangements ahead of time, such as ticket purchases and restaurant reservations; so we could make the most of our time there. I also think there was a good balance between group activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed seeing inside Windsor Castle. Such beautiful rooms!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and included many of the top sights in London. Our guide, Tom, was extremely knowledgeable, entertaining, and made the tour very enjoyable. The hotel was centrally located, easy walking distance to many top sights, and excellent restaurants. There was an ample amount of free time to visit sights that were not included on the tour. Overall, great week in London!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moments from the tour are the Tower of London and the visit to Windsor. The history of the monarchy and the castles are incredible. Also, loved all of the pubs, especially Two Brewers in Windsor."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guide and the logistics were outstanding. Good accomodations in a posh area with very vice breakfast options. Site seeing well organized, and Tom made it so much fun. He really was the best. Loved it

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tom - the tour guide who made the tour so pleasant."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

First time doing a "city" tour so this was different for us

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not sure are there were quite a few"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed seeing all the highlights of London.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle was fantastic!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul’s or Tower of London."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The hotel (Washington Mayfair) was nice and well located. The tour leader (Gillian) was fun, attentive and knowledgeable. It was our first trip to London so it was a great intro to all the sights with free time in the evenings to explore on our own and take in some theater. The tour met our goals. It may come up later in the survey, but there is LOTS of walking. My wife and I were fine with it and I had read your disclaimers before the trip but the walking and standing needs to be emphasized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moment was when Gillian took us across the street from the hotel and we discovered Shepard’s Market which was a fun, cool area with pubs and restaurants. May not have found that area without Gillian!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed the number of sites we visited and the free time to explore other things we wanted to see. I did feel rushed as the pace of walking was so fast that it was difficult to enjoy the sites. I would appreciate more places to sit during the discussion periods.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed Windsor Castle because it gave you a glimpse of the modern monarchy."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw the most important cultural places in London, without waiting in lines. Our guide prepared us well for each.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had taken a one day tour once to various places, but saw virtually none of Windsor. Our RS guide truly gave us insights but the experience of touring Windsor was like 800 years of history in three hours. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom Hooper was a wonderful guide, we visited many places, he provided so much information in an entertaining way

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Buckingham Palace and seeing the bands/color guards marching and playing and then King Charles drove by in the limo and waved"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed all of it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We got to see King Charles driving to work!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom, our leader, was absolutely wonderful. He made everything so personal. By the time the tour was over, Tom felt like family. The tour gave a great overall view of London: historical, cultural, modern. We toured the great sites of London as well as hidden gems. It was a perfect combination of group time and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul's especially the American chapel and seeing King Charles III."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First tour with Rick Steves... it was amazing! Our guide Tom was the BEST! Extremely knowledgeable and just a lot of fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Don't have one moment... the whole trip was a wow!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

I enjoyed being on the tour! It was great to be in London for 7 days. With our hotel located so centrally, we could get to so many great sights and attractions without too much trouble. As someone who is only 22 years old, I did feel like I didn't have much in common with the other tour group members, and I could have used less explanations and delays from the tour guide on using the Tube (it's pretty intuitive). I thought the activities were generally good but I might have skipped some.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved seeing the Assyrian art in the British Museum. It would have been better if we had more time to see the museum; we did go back at one point but since the museum closes at 5pm there were fewer opportunities to go back than you might think. Plus, the line for security took about 20-30 minutes each time. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour provided a thoroughly enjoyable week in a magnificent city. Our guide Tom was informative, entertaining and kind. Our hotel, the Radisson Mercer, was centrally located in Covent Garden and the hotel staff were friendly and helpful. London is dynamic and bustling, with great historical sights, museums, restaurants, food markets, pubs, musicals and plays. Our tour covered many of the most important sights and museums, and we had ample time to visit other sights on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey, so rich in history with (among many other things) its Coronation Chair, Grave of the Unknown Warrior, Royal Air Force Chapel, and the tombs of & memorials to scientists in Scientists' Corner, and to writers in Poets’ Corner. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great group of 23 people who really became friends over eight days in this lovely, detailed exploration of London and surroundings.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The "science" corner of the Westminster Abbey was amazing for me. As a scientist I have great respect for Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Herschel and the other great scientists who are buried there."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was so well planned and executed, and our guide Tom was beyond outstanding

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ww2 memorial chapel at St Paul's moved me almost to tears"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Busy but so outstanding “first time” to London experience. Our guide Stephen was awesome!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many, Crown Jewels , Westminster Abbey, High tea, trip to Windsor(cold, rainy weather) and Churchill War rooms "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As in past experiences on a RS tour, our group had an excellent guide.Steven was extremely knowledgeable, cordial and responsive. He was patient and thorough in answering all my questions. The tour was a good balance of structured tour events and free time. The group was made of many RS "veterans" who were interested in learning and responsible in adapting to the schedule. This was the first time I traveled solo. I felt comfortable with the group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably seeing Windsor Castle. Also food tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent mix of history, architecture, food and culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul's tour"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Steven, was fabulous. He was incredibly knowledgeable and quite fun. There was an excellent balance between tour activities and free time with one exception. There were only 2 group dinners. I would add at least another group dinner. It gives the people in the group more time to get to know each other. The hotel was located well. Being able to walk to many places or take the nearby public transportation made navigating around London quite easy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had 2 WOW moments. The Churchill War Rooms were amazing. I spent more time there than I thought I would. Such a powerful and meaningful place. The other moment was the East End food tour. That was so delicious and informative! Our guest guide was excellent! It was a great way to give a tour and history of that area of London."

It was good. I nice mixed of structured, guided experiences plus free time to pursue our own interests.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"After reading so much English history, it was fascinating to visit the Tower of London"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guides were exceptional! The small group size and tour guides are what brings us back to Rick Steves tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite part was visiting a small pub in Windsor and connecting with local owners. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed an informative and busy tour of London. The sights, the history, and the food were incredible, and our hotel was in a perfect location. We were able to get in 3 theater performances on our own, and that was truly special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We enjoyed the Spitalsfield Market food tour. Our local guide, Dave, was informative and the food was delicious and plentiful. The Globe theater tour was another special moment. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Exhausting. I discovered city tours are actually more tiring than moving from hotel to hotel. There is little to no down time on a city tour because there is no bus ride. Had educated guide and good group of fellow travelers visiting all the must see spots.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St Paul's Cathedral. But I wish we would have had the time to climb up to at least the whispering level. Having time to shop for fabric at Liberty of London was great fun for me, as was the Victoria and Albert museum. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every detail was provided.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved everything about the London Trip! The hotel was great and in a great location. The breakfast was great. Our tour guide Jeanne was fantastic. She had a great sense of humor, was knowledgeable, organized, always watching for us, informing us, teaching us how to use the Tube. London is a fantastic city, better than we imagined!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"London in General has remarkable sites. Windsor Castle was impressive. I did not realize it was so much more than one castle! My husband loved the pubs and the tower of London. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed the itinerary, the group and our guide Jeanie! The weather was mostly good and the location of our hotel was convenient and easy to get to by on busses or tube!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is difficult to pick one wow moment but the good tour was delicious, informative and our guide was delightful! The trip to Windsor was also amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our tour manager Jeanne was very professional, knowledgeable and helpful. Jeanne was very energetic and demonstrated it with all the information provided on daily basis. I enjoyed the London tour but, was a little disappointed with overtourism in London.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was very impressed with the organization and the efficiency of the Rick Steves tour entrerprise. The perfect amount of freedom versus structured activity, with time allocated for breaks (restroom and food/beverage). As a first time Rick Steves tour participant, I loved it! This will be the first of many tours for me!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments .... I think entering Westminister Abbey for the first time tops the list, but seeing the Crown Jewels and Windsor Castle were also "wow" moments. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very happy with the tour and the activities we did.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful tour. The balance of guided tours and free time was just right. We learned so much and had time to explore on our own. Jeannie is an exceptional tour guide. She led us through the many sights and neighborhoods of London. She regaled us with stories and insights that made London come alive. Our band of travelers were delightful people and we became a traveling family right from the first hour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There's lots of wow moments. There were two that stood out to us - the Chruchill War Rooms and Windsor Castle. The food tour was lots of fun too!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fantastic tour! Jeanie was great - knowledgeable, candid, and a little cheeky. She gave great recommendations of things to do and places to eat (and drink) on our own. She gave us tools to navigate London, which made us confident and comfortable, turning us from tourists to travelers :D

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many great sights and places, but the best "wow" was free time to explore individual interests - there's so much to do! Public transportation made it a breeze to get around, the Oyster card and Jeanie's orientation gave us freedom and confidence. Even going to the theater in the evening was easy and hassle free! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The London 7-Day tour was perfect for a first time Rick Steves tour. I didn't feel rushed and I felt like I was able to explore London like a true Londoner. Jeanie was great to be with. She's shared a whole lot of information during the tour- it was like listening to a podcast but you can ask questions! I also really appreciated the little snacks she gave to help energize us throughout the day. So thoughtful!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My jaw dropped at St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. I like how the tour takes you on paths less taken then reveals the marvels that London has to offer at the climax! I really felt like I was being read through a story of London with all the amazing things I was shown. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful trip! There is so much to see in London, and I felt our tour gave us the best itinerary to see the top attractions to appeal to a wide variety of interests. Our tour guide Jeanie was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. She had a wonderful personality and shared many background stories that made each day memorable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two WOW moments for me :) 1st -- running into Rick Steves in front of Westminster Abbey! That was unbelievable! Thank you Rick for taking a photo with our tour group! :) 2nd -- Windsor Castle was amazing! The art, the architecture, the history, and don't forget to look up and see the amazing ceilings in each room."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steeves tour and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment from start to finish! Jeanie, our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and answered our questions with great insight. The history and architecture was fascinating and every day was a wonderful adventure!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many “wow” moments for me and it’s hard to choose just one. I particularly enjoyed seeing Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A knowledgeable, helpful, humorous tour guide - Jeannie.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor and the Windsor Castle."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A great tour starts with a great guide and Jeanie was just that She has a wealth of knowledge with a great sense of humor.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was Windsor castle and the town of Windsor "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exciting times touring around London with fun tour group and wonderful guide, Jeanie! Very full days tired us out, but we were always ready for next day's adventure!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The opening ceremony of the Tower of London...wow, impressive experience! We were just there last week (having just come off The Best of England tour), but being there early hours to witness their opening ritual with no crowds was an awesome opportunity! Another Wow...bumping in to Rick Steves...twice!!! Fun!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We wanted to experience London and we did that in an amazing fashion! Right from Day 1, it was nothing short of wonderful. Every day was memorable and thoroughly enjoyable! We loved having our evening’s free to rest and we were surprised by how easy it was to navigate the underground, after being shown.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s so hard to narrow it down! But perhaps it was Windsor Castle which was like a dream. Having said that, it could have been St. Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London or the Churchill War Rooms."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As all of our previous Rick Steves tours, this tour was filled with adventurous as we saw all of the sites London is famous for. Our guide, Jeannie, really made the tour, as she regaled us with fascinating history that brought the city to life.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lots of wows. Churchill War rooms, Windsor, and a surprisingly chance encounter with the man himself…Rick Steves!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful immersion into London and Jeannie was a fantastic guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor was amazing.."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeanie was an exceptional tour guide. Her knowledge of London was uniformly outstanding. Our fellow travelers were also a great group that enhanced the tour. Could not ask for a better experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Met Rick Steves by chance while touring in London."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was fabulous. We had a great tour guide and our tour members were fun. We became a part of London. We saw so many famous sites and wonderful neighborhoods. I really enjoyed everything.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle! The town and castle grounds were beautiful. I was so touched so see Queen Elizabeth’s memorial."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first time overseas, and all the guidance, information, and advice was MUCH appreciated. I felt like I was in safe hands. I loved my guide and all the stories she shared with us. Everyone in my group was kind and friendly. The pace was tiring, but I was warned about that, and I didn't want to miss anything. It was great to be lead straight to the best experiences. I never could have found so many great things on my own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Just one?! Everything in the British Museum wowed me. The Long Walk at Windsor Castle took my breath away. The Globe was a huge thrill. I could have spent a week at the Tower of London, and maybe the most memorable moment was when one of the ravens, standing on a fence inches away from me, positioned himself directly in front of me while looking at me over his shoulder... and pooped! I definitely felt like he was speaking to me. LOL!"

The tour was very comprehensive and informative and covered all the major sites in London and then some. The tour guide, Jeannie was exceptional in every regard from her extensive knowledge of London and its history to her relative ease with choralling 25 adults thru the Tube and all our venues. We were fortunate to be with a group of like minded, caring individuals as well. The only downside of the itinerary was the food tour which I would definitely skip next time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Saint Paul’s Cathedral. This masterpiece by Christopher Wren and the fact that it survived the bombing demonstrated its structural integrity and beauty and the passion of the London people who kept it in tact during the War."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Experienced guide, well organized, positive group cohesion & support.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Arriving in London & seeing the magnificent city & architecture."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour of London had everything one would expect from a RS tour; a fantastic guide, great group of fellow travelers, and a wonderful introduction to all London has to offer!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many Wow moments on this tour! One was St. George's chapel at Windsor Castle; the history in the chapel spans centuries (Henry VIII and Elizabeth II to name just two burials) and it's a beautiful space. Another was enjoying the Philharmonic at the Royal Albert Hall; beautiful music in a gorgeous historic building...totally WOW!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful. Jeannie, our tour guide was knowledgeable, professional, interesting, and fun. I saw all the amazing London sights & learned a lot.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire experience. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great time; saw lots of things and Jeannie is a terrific tour guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St Pauls Cathedral "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour hit all the London highlights we were interested in not missing, and the hotel was in a fabulous location. We took advantage of the suggestion to take in a show at the West End one evening. The day trip out to Windsor was a relaxing closure and very interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Tour Guide Jeanie's narration. She is a British national treasure!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall experience was wonderful. We got to see the main sights of the city, get a feel for different areas, learn some history, use public transportation, and eat adventurously! Nice balance of scheduled activities and time to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose. Choir at Westminster Abbey, coming around the corner and seeing St Paul’s Cathedral, ravens at Tower of London, Queen Elizabeth II at St George’s Chapel and Nelson atop Trafalgar Square! Oh! And we also got to see the Royal Guard (I think?) rehearsing for anniversary of King Charles’s coronation, just happened upon it, what a treat."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience! Most of London’s highlights covered with plenty of time to adventure on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are two WOWs: Seeing the Crown Jewels and hearing The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play at Royal Albert Hall."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Hotel was perfectly situated to go anywhere in London. Once we learned how to use the tube/buses, we could go anywhere we wanted on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor was an unexpected "wow" for us. The castle (apartments), St. George's Chapel, and the town of Windsor itself were all charming and alive with activity. We could have stayed longer (overnight, even)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything worked together perfectly. The hotel and it's location were great, our guide, Tom, was fabulous and the sites we saw were iconic in the scope of Western history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have known about the Rosetta Stone since grade school. Getting to actually see it was a WOW for me. Knowing how key it was to deciphering ancient Egypt's culture I loved seeing it in person."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful itinerary, great tour group and outstanding guide (Tom). I have always wanted a more up-close and personal view of historic sites in London and this tour delivered

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having a pint in one of the oldest pubs in London!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First trip to UK, and London was amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"First glimpse of Buckingham palace as we strolled through Green Park. I knew I was really in London. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was an excellent tour guide!! Organized, funny and knowledgeable. The sites we visit were excellent and we got to learn how easy the tube system is in London. The other travelers were kind, supportive and fun. First time on a Rick Steve's tour and we would highly recommend.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor castle, especially because the flag was flying indicating that King Charles was in residence that day. I wish we had more time at Windsor. I could have stayed there the entire day and more if permitted. Being on the tour allowed us easy and quick entrance to the property. Didn't have to fight the crowds figuring out when and how to get in. Tom took care of it all! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved it

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Crown Jewels "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This is a wonderful introduction to London. We were able to see many of the main sites. Tom, our guide, helped us to avoid crowds and navigate the city. We wish we had more time to explore the city. We should have stayed an extra week to do so.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring Windsor Castle was my favorite wow moment. We have toured palaces in Italy, Germany, and Austria. This was by far the best."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First time in London. Tour highlighted key historic locations Loved that I never felt rushed. Great group of fellow travelers. Tom, our guide, was so knowledgeable, organized and efficient. Very personable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey. I had no idea of the amount of history in this building. Local tour guide provided so much detail in a story like flow. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First organized tour taken. Our tour guide Tom was excellent, location of hotel could not have been better, and quality of accommodations was very good. Nearby restaurants, M&S, Tesco, Prete a Manger, and wrap shop made grabbing quick bites and salads very convenient, as wife and I rarely sat down for meal other than breakfast buffet at hotel and the meals, tea, and food tour provided with the tour. The included preloaded Oyster card had 1.3 pounds left at Heathrow. First, but not last RS Tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to say. The warmth of the guide and camaraderie of the group stand out first and foremost in my impression of the tour. The planning that went into making the tour enjoyable, pre-acquired tickets, timing of when to view certain sites to avoid crowds, the above mentioned Oyster card, use of the “whisper” devices, and the spots, information and history pointed out far exceeded any solo effort.Tower and Windsor were favs, Non-tour highlight was London theater, notably SIX and Caberet."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was a great guide. He was well informed and personable and he was my buddy! So I guess I’m a bit biased!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to say, I enjoyed it all. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was all good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hole trip was a wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was outstanding. Still trying to figure out what a Tom desert is.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to single out."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My first tour ever and it far exceeded my expectations!!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour of St Paul’s Cathedral! It has endured so much and still remains a respected and revered landmark for all of us!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a fabulous tour and an unforgettable experience. I loved all the sites we visited and activities and the tour guide was the best!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The sight of the tower bridge and visit to the tower of London with the crown jewels."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My overall tour experience was exceptional. The itinerary was very well conceived and it was expertly brought to life by our tour guide Tom who was, I must emphasize, fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I cannot think of a particular moment that was a “wow” moment. However, our guide was a “wow” for sure. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The London tour definitely met my expectations and more. It was a memorable travel experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Enjoyed everything on our tour. Some highlights were the Churchill War Rooms, the Poet corner in Westminster Abbey, and St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I thoroughly enjoyed this Best of London tour. Our fabulous guide Tom was knowledgeable and entertaining. The hotel was in a great location. It was close to the Tube which is an amazing and easy to use transportation system.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit to Westminster Abbey was my favorite followed closely by St. Paul’s Cathedral."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour offered a great overview of London and the major sites. Our guide Tom was very personable. I enjoyed listening to him.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This may sound strange as London was full of so many amazing and historical sites but our group had a lot of fun traveling about town on the Tube. We successfully navigated our way everywhere."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed the tour. Our guide, Tom, was entertaining and informative. Hotel was in an excellent location with easy access to the Tube. Easy to add on a few days on your own to this tour with side trips to Stonehenge, Cotwolds and other nearby sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The trip to Windsor Castle was my favorite. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was great of course. Location of the hotel was terrific. The itinerary was well planned

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The City of London Walk with all the history in every nook and cranny "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was impressed by many things on this tour from the great location of the hotel to the knowledgeable, funny tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring impressive Westminster abbey with an engaging local tour guide was terrific. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Perfect trip in every way; expectations exceeded.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was our first Rick Steves' tour. It was fabulous.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Churchill War Rooms."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic from beginning to end. We had so much fun exploring London. The history, architecture, and people were all so much fun and interesting. We liked how the tour was designed to see the major points of interest and also free time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Palace was definitely a wonderful experience. The opulence and history were just unbelievable to see and hear about. There we so many rooms that just kept going and going. Each one with a story and Irish history. It was fun just imagining all the interactions that have taken place in this place. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Wasn't sure what to expect, since this was my 1st trip without my late husband, and 1st tour experience. I was made to feel so well taken care of, welcomed, and a part of a group of buddies exploring together. In my case, it turned out to be, a pleasantly heart-healing experience. I can't thank you all enough for making me feel "safe" enough, to experience this "new" life of mine, with a smile and feeling of adventure!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the grandeur of Westminster Abby ! "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our guide, Roy, was fantastic and helpful. The hotel was lackluster and really should be looked at. The rooms need updating. The breakfast is poor. Its nice not to have to go to multiple hotels to stay at. I wish we had time in the morning and not just in the evening.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"War Rooms and Food Tour and markets. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour. Excellent tour guide Roy

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We are RSE alumni! We appreciate all the detailed information for before, during, and after our tour. Our guide, Jeanne was warm, welcoming, helpful, extremely knowledgeable (from riding The Tube to history to places to shop), engaging, and fun! The Washington Mayfair was centrally located - easy to get from Heathrow & to access London on Tube or buses. We loved that it was so close to attractions we wanted to see.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Houses of Parliament, Churchill War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, Crown Jewels, and Windsor Castle. LOTS OF WOWS FOR US!!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great group and a good variety of sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Westminster and going through the buildings and grounds"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very enjoyable. Jeannie was a great guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Had a great time! Learned so much about England and it’s culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tower of London and the Crown Jewels were amazing. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything was great"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My first time in London, it could have been so overwhelming, but Jeanie was ready to answer any and all questions plus make suggestions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is always so hard to answer because I think I said 'wow' a hundred times a day... Perhaps learning about the history of Windsor Castle and seeing all the opulence inside."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour! Jeannie is a great guide!! The itinerary was excellent. I enjoyed being with the other travelers. This was consistent with my previous Ricke Steves tours. I have already signed up for another tour. Thanks!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many WOW moments. I liked going to Windsor, where I had never been. I also liked the food tour of East London, another area where I had never been."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeannie is an amazing guide. The tours were nice and informative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking in the Royal family's dining room where they walk and have meals."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeanie was awesome. Moved quickly. Walking was strenuous but not overly so.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St Pauls"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeanie was a fantastic guide, I thoroughly enjoyed listening while she shared her knowledge of London and its history with an edge of wit, warmth and humor. Our fellow travelers were all wonderfully easy companions and it was simply great fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lots! Seeing the crown jewels was pretty spectacular and all things food related were my favorites! Especially the Market Tavern! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting to see the crown jewels up close."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was truly a wonderful experience. I have to admit that I had some hestitation booking a tour versus planning out a trip on my own and I am so glad I picked a tour, especially a Rick Steves tour. All the planning was done for me and I saw many sights while having plenty of "on my own" time to do other things. I also met some great people in my tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was at Windsor Castle. particularly when I visited the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A fantastic tour guide and great group of people. The only thing I’d warn people about for the London tour is be prepared to walk and walk some more. One day we did 20,000 steps and 49 stories of stairs, some of those stairs were optional climbing to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral. We experienced the key stops with lots of additional suggestions and bonus we just had to show up.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Honestly realizing we never left a 5 mile radius and saw so many things! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The 7-day London tour delivered on expectations - thanks to our stellar tour guide Tom, who was very British, very witty and kind and patient. I saw, learned and experienced so much of London and the different boroughs, plus the train trip to Windsor. We always had sufficient free time. During the week we were treated to group dinners, pubs and food tours/markets. The only drawback was our tour hotel, Washington Mayfair, which is rundown, service issues, problems in the rooms, etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose but the Tower of London visit was spectacular. And I thoroughly enjoyed the Spitalfields tour and Borough Market days. Just wonderful - excellent guides throughout the week. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic-the tour was well organized with a great balance of group activities and free time, and visiting during the holidays made it even more special. Our guide (Tom Hooper) was knowledgeable, organized, and really enjoyed his British humor!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to report, but loved the museums and the food tour in Spitalfields and Borough Market were fantastic, so much good food!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The hotel chosen was very comfortable and perfectly located in a safe and central neighborhood. My fellow tour mates were kind, excited, and made the tour even more fun. Tom was an outstanding host and I feel lucky to have seen the best of London under his clever and insightful guidance.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in the presence of history I had only known from textbooks and movies was mind blowing and awe-inspiring. It brought to life the humans I had only known as characters before. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a great experience top to bottom. The guide was engaging and entertaining, gave a great feel for the city peppered with great historical information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each day had an outstanding highlight from the ravens at the tower, to the salt beef with no wait. A great way to get a feel for the city and it's history."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was a terrific guide and host. The historical context he provided to the sites we visited really brought the history to life. I enjoyed the free time provided to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey was very impressive. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Visiting London during the holidays was amazing. The decorations, people and sights provided a wonderful atmosphere for the tour. Our guide, Tom Cooper was the best, with information and humor that made the experience even better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food! From the afternoon tea at the Montague, to the food tour of east end London and Old Spitalfields market to Borough Market…what a gastronomical adventure! A wonderful tour of the neighborhoods of London and great food!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First RS tour and it exceeded our expectations. Small group size and a super excellent guide, Tom.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Pauls' Cathedral was incredibly impressive, in size and in content. You could never appreciate this from looking at a picture or reading an article. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom, our guide, was very knowledgeable and friendly. He took into consideration that my husband had a sore leg and often asked about his condition. The group was friendly and fun to tour with each day. The activities showed us many places in London. It was well organized and helped us learn the underground rail System.The hotel was comfortable and in a great location. We enjoyed exploring the area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Thames and Big Ben was a wow! Being a retired Literature Teacher, seeing the Globe warmed my heart."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Friendly people, knowledgeable tour guide, great city.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first time seeing the Holiday lights above the streets in London's west-end. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Awesome guide, saw everything on my list, plus had time to explore on my own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"British museum "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Amazing experience!

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything went smoothly and was well planned out. Good collegial group and excellent guides. I was left wanting to return to London someday for more on my own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably going to the "tower". I had always thought of it as just being a dungeon/prison, but it's so much more."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour is a wonderful introduction to London. We saw so many amazing sights, buildings and attractions. Our tour guide Jeanie was amazing. Jeanie's in-depth knowledge and her love for the city made me appreciate and enjoy the tour even more.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved visiting St. Paul's Cathedral. But there were so many "wow" moments like The British Museum and Westminster Abbey."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We learned about London is all its gore and glory - both the present and the past. We saw all the top spots in an organized, efficient manner. What a joy to visit!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many - probably seeing the Crown Jewels followed closely by the British Museum highlights."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a great way to be introduced to London or to see it again. Jeanie, the tour guide, was a wealth of knowledge and added a depth to the tour I wasn't expecting. She really made the tour! Everyday was full of adventures with a good mix of group activities and free time. I highly recommend this trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many...Evensong at St. Paul's...Westminster Abbey...the town of Windsor."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our third Rick Steves tour and they all have been great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I just love the fact that the tours are the perfect blend of guided tours and free time. Plus all the tickets and entrances to venues are taken care of."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was amazing! A lifelong dream come true! I saw all the sites I wanted to see in a well planned, even paced tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey-just the history there was overwhelming!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was incredible. She was very knowledgeable, well prepared, approachable, and funny. The group was able to see so much in a short term and we learned a great deal about London, England, and the UK. I highly recommend this tour and hopefully you will have Jeanie as your guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Elizabeth I’s tomb in Westminster Abbey and there were many other candidates. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

London is a beautiful city! So much to see and do. Jeanie, our tour guide, was simply the BEST! She was so engaging! Her knowledge of London and UK history was astounding! We were able to visit many sites and because of being with a knowledgeable guide, were at the right place at the right time to get the most of the experience. Our hotel was very nice, centrally located, a brief walk to beautiful parks, Buckingham Palace and the Tube. I would recommend this tour to anyone!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into Westminster Abbey, any words you use to describe it would not do it justice."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour guide was amazing very nice group

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tower of London "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As a tour guide Jeannie was fantastic. Our hotel was great, great food and informative tours

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle, Big Ben"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Saw all the sites in London that we wanted to see. Had enough free time to add a few more that were close to our hearts.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our "wow" moment was the tour of St Paul' Cathedral with its rich history and magical resistance to the WWII bombings. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a busy week of memorable sights, good food, great people. The hotel and location were very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of the sights were amazing, but our guide Tom provided the history and context to bring it all to life. The first evening ride on the old double decker red bus was a great introduction to the city. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great balance of perfectly planned events with free time for exciting and adventurous activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The hotel. The cost was phenomenal especially based on location. I read reviews online and was pretty nervous. The hotel was perfect for our adventure. So easy to get to so many cool areas and the Tube."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time. Just the right amount of group activities with plenty of of time on our own to explore or attend a theatre show.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wow! London was fantastic! If there was a thing to do or see in London, we did it. We had a fabulous time. Our guide, Tom, was wonderful. He planned so many adventures and sites for us, we were worn out! My husband and I have done another city tour (Rome) and remember how exhausting it was. The London City Tour wasn’t quite as exhausting but almost. But, we lived Tom and everything on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think the WOW moment was the Windsor Castle. Seeing where Queen Elizabeth was placed in her final gravesite took my breath away. It was real. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fast paced and incredibly informative tour. I feel like it covered all of the major highlights of London and taught us how to maneuver the city on our own if we ever came back. Our guide, Tom, was fantastic! He was a wealth of knowledge and had a great sense of humor.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Charles Darwin's grave at Westminster Abbey and riding the vintage double decker bus to see the major London monuments for the first time. I also really enjoyed the National History Museum and the food tour of Spitalfields Market."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tom our tour guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and funny "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom Hooper is a perfect guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ginger Pig sausage roll - best! Thank you Tom for recommending. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, a good trip. Great excursions, good leader, ok hotel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Windsor Castle"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I had taken the Best of London tour in 2022. I was a fairly new widow wanting to travel. It was good. I was a different person on this Best of London 2023 tour (yes, went again!) and it was wonderful. Great group, great leader, great weather.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The train ride to Windsor, the town of Windsor, the tour of Windsor castle. Seeing the resting place of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip; simple and touching. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is my second Rick Steves tour. London was great and we loved Tom as our guide . He brought wit and charm to all of us . The sights were phenomenal ! Highly recommend this tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably Windsor castle and also the tower with the Crown Jewels."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceptional local guide! Tom was knowledgeable, well organized, and entertaining. The tour provided a great first-time introduction to London.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Catching a parade of the palace guards with the band and horses."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This my third Best of London tour and it was excellent. Great hotel location, outstanding activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminister Abbey tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, a good/very good experience. There were a few disappointments, but more positives than negatives.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Churchill War Rooms"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall tour experience was quite nice. A good balance of group and independent time. Our guide and the other tour members were fun, friendly, and interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Tower of London and the Food Tour in the East End"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very organized. Guide was with us every step of the way. Location of the hotel was great, and a four-minute walk to the nearest "tube" station.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul's Cathedral was fantastic, and our blue badge guide was excellent. The guide at Westminster Abby (Tom) was also very well-versed on everything at Westminster-Abby and answered every question we had to our satisfaction. Tour guide "Matt" on the food tour of the Spidalfields area was so awesome and made us feel like locals as we tried various foods along the route. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I am thankful that the tour wasn’t cancelled and that Sharon could capably step in on short notice.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the long walk from a window in Windsor Castle. The spitalsfield food tour and Humble crumble. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A well chosen number of sites to visits. Greatly appreciated the "Blue Badge" guides chosen for specific sites

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Food Tour, particularly the Humble Crumble's apple crumble."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed all the places selected on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Westminster Abbey"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jennifer is a wonderful guide. She definitely made the trip what it was between her knowledge of the locations to her personality. It was nice to have a list and times of the next day’s itinerary available the day prior so we knew what the plans were. I enjoyed the mix of scheduled items and free time so that you could see some of the other stuff not included on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me it was having an image of London with the castles and historical buildings. But once we started exploring and seeing the old and new right next to each other. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first professional tour. After years of trying to do everything myself, I wanted someone to do it for me. This tour was everything I pictured. Small friendly group, knowledgeable friendly guide and every site I wanted to see, along with substantial free time to see more or to rest. Highly recommend.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Churchill War Rooms. It really put you into the time period. What an amazing thing to run a war from underground with bombs landing everywhere in the city. But I loved every bit of the tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a wonderful tour guide. Jennifer was fantastic. She was charming, energetic and very knowledgeable. She really shared her love of London and made our tour memorable and very enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The East End food tour was wonderful. Sampled some really excellent foods and toured a very interesting area I had not been to before."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

The actual tour was organized well, we saw tons of great stuff in London. Our tour guide was a jewel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food tour was a big surprise . .great stuff!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jennifer was very knowledgeable. The tour gives a wonderful overview of English history and present. We hit some touristy highlights (changing of the guard) and had a wonderful, informative tour of the East End. Thank you to Jennifer for checking in with each one of us on our last night, making sure we had arrangements to the airport and offering suggestions for which tube line would be quietest and most relaxing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Shakespeare's Globe. So good we went back and saw a show."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very organized, inclusive, and on time. The group got along well and best of all the guide was wonderful.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our second RS tour and we enjoyed tour guide Gillian's knowledge and the pace of this tour. The hotel location was very convenient and appreciated the Oyster card that was provided at beginning of tour. Made it easy to get around in our free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything is a wow moment when you let yourself fully relax and take it all in. Going inside of all the Cathederals where royal weddings, burials, events and recent corination took place. The private double decker bus ride through all the London neighborhoods was a great way to start our tour & welcome dinner."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was beyond my expectations.We experienced so much history and had such wonderful guides at the sites as well as Michael, our tour guide. The group as a whole got on very well and everyone had great attitudes. Our orientation to the Tube system was spot on and enabled us to maneuver around the city independently.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St Paul's Cathedral was a wow moment and the Evensong was so beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our first trip to Europe and I couldn’t imagine doing all this planning on our own. Rick Steves tours are the only way to go!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Big Ben for the very first time as well as the entire Tower of London"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Hotel location was amazing. Very organized and a fun group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well planned and well executed. Michael did a fantastic job!

Favorite "WOW" moment

" Visiting the British Museum. Rosetta Stone. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an amazing time on our first Rick Steves tour. We had so much fun seeing all the sights of London as well as meeting so many wonderful fellow travelmates on our tour. The weather was unseasonably hot for our tour - but we all still made the best of it and enjoyed our time together. Our guide MIchael was a great resource and we had fun listening to his stories of his time living in London. We were lucky to also have Alex along as assistant and she had lots of good tips.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment was probably seeing Windsor Castle and just imagining actually living there! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Your choice of hotels was perfect! Not only was the staff the most professional I have seen in a long time (I was in hospitality for 20+ years) but the location of the hotel in the small square of Mayfair was like being in your own small hometown. The quaint restaurants, the charming little pharmacies, the locals all so friendly, and the fact that you can buy alcohol in the neighborhood post office! Really!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many! I was there 24 years ago and climbed to the very top of St. Paul's Cathedral. Here I was, 24 years later, huffing and puffing, a senior citizen, and dripping with sweat, I made it! I had every intention. It was by far a "personal best"! Another favorite for me was being in Shakespeare's Globe Theater. I know it is a replica, but an EXACT replica. I was actor for 15 years. I was brought to silent tears being there. I so wanted to join the actors rehearsing on the stage that day."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great experience !

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Windsor Castle "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Found it to be a great experience. Michael did a great job - especially with being brought in at a moments notice.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had a random encounter with one of the British guards . Michael managed to chat the guy up and got us a group photo."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

London is amazing and the tour organized wonderful activities and locations to visit that we wouldn't have thought of or sought out on our own. It was great sharing these experiences with our fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved riding in the old double decker bus for great pictures and better vantage points of the city. Our tour guide was very informative and the driver did an amazing job of navigating narrow streets to get us to the correct locations despite road closures."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, participants, experiences. The trip prep materials were thorough, and we especially liked that they told us what we would see on the tour, and what we might see but was not. That helped us decide what to do with our free time, including three additional days we stayed in the city.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved how close our hotel was to everything: the underground, Buckingham Palace, Green Park, and on and on. It made the huge city within our grasp."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Lisa was a great tour leader! Very knowledgeable and informative. The people in the group were fun to be with and very welcoming to me as a solo traveler. I made new friends, which was wonderful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Lots of "wow" moments! One was the tour of St. Paul's Cathedral and hearing how many times it had been rebuilt after fires and bombings, and how local people worked to save it during WWII."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

terrific leader, group members and experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying in hotel so close to the tube and walkable to scores of key London sites"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I have visited London in the past, usually for just a few days. Decided a guided tour would be more informative, and it was. And we went to a few places I had not been before. Our RS guide, Roy was excellent, and very patient with those taking the Tube for the first time. Giving everyone their own Oyster Card was brilliant. As we could use it during our free time. All of our guides at the different sites were fantastic too. You couldn't have asked for better weather, sunny and no rain!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster is always a WOW! That ceiling!! And having a guide really helped me appreciate what I was seeing. I could spend hours there. St Paul's and going back for evensong was a great suggestion. And the "Beefeater" tour was fun."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I liked the tour a lot. There was a manageable schedule with free time penciled in. There is a lot of walking which we liked but may be tough for those not used to it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A single “wow” moment? No. If I had to pick one it would be Westminster Abbey. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful. The tour was informative, organized and delightful. I just couldn't "see" enough. Everywhere there was history and our guide was able to tell us all about it. I could have stayed another week.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was so many. I felt like my expression the entire trip was "wow." I think the views at the tower of London, the bus trip around the city on the first day and the food tour through the east end and Windsor... Just so many moments..."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The daily structure/schedule, knowledgeable guide, early access & overall experience were just amazing. Can’t recommend this tour enough!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing to the top of St. Paul’s was my favorite part. The 500 stairs were well worth it once you reach the top & get the amazing London views!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely loved it. The guide, the hotel and its' location, could not have been better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our hotel was a five-minute walk to Buckingham Palace!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was our first time exploring with a formal tour group so we didn't know what to expect - overall, very well organized with a good mix of sightseeing and downtime

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to pick just one - enjoyed all the group meals and socializing. The open-top double-decker bus ride on the first night was a blast and afternoon tea at The Montague was great fun. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

we saw a good number of sites, we did a fair number of activities. there was a good balance between planned activities and free time to do what we wanted

Favorite "WOW" moment

"not one particular one - there were many outstanding historical-based experiences"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The trip was fast paced but with plenty of time to do your own thing. Learning very quickly about how to use public transportation made it much easier to plan additional visits. Our tour guide Roy was helpful, informative and funny.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each event has its own Wow quality, but the Churchill War Rooms were remarkable for their frozen in time quality. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent! Our guide, Roy, was so friendly and knowledgeable. The group size was just right. We enjoyed all the scheduled stops but really appreciated how much “free time” was available to pursue our own interests each day as well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I had a great time in London with the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment from the tour was seeing Windsor Castle and just exploring London in our free time."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The entire tour was an incredible journey, filled with captivating sights and wonderful memories. From the historical landmarks to the charming neighborhoods, every moment was a delight.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One of the highlights of the tour was undoubtedly the opportunity to meet and connect with so many incredible people."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The extra knowledge and wonderful personality of our guide. Jeanie was simply brilliant"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed the tour. Our guide, Tom, was excellent and made an effort to connect with all the participants. I enjoyed both learning the history of London as well as learning how to navigate the area on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed seeing Westminster Abbey. I also really liked the bus tour on the first day."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beyond my expectations!!! I brought my daughter and 2 granddaughters (15 and 13) on this tour. The girls said that the tour was fantaastic and think it would be fun to live in London!! Though I have done multiple visits myself, I had a number of experiences on the tour I have not had. This was my 4th RS tour and thus far my favorite!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My daughter loved the traditional tea we attended. the oldest granddaughter was in awe of Windsor Castle; she said she could live there. The youngest granddaughter enjoyed the maneuverings of the bus, the tube, and the train to Windsor; she thought it would be an adventure to ride those daily. Myself, there was not one thing - there was a WOW around every corner seeing London through the eyes of my family; truly a memory to cherish."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide Tom Hopper was fantastic! All of the activities were fun and engaging. The food was delicious and hotel was clean and well located.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every. Single. Day! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My family consisted of all females from high school to their seventies. We all had different wants and needs from this tour. Our guide Tom was amazing at ensuring we saw all the hot spots as well as some new fresh spots. The tour was a good mix of guided and self-paced activities. Our guide Tom made daily transportation easy and painless. We all left leaving feeling like each had accomplished what they wanted and wonderful family memories.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My whole family loved the food tour. Our guide gave us great history and background at each spot. My favorite was the corned beef bagel."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was well planned out by our guide, Tom, who made sure we were seeing the sights but also giving us behind the scenes/ uncommon information about what we were doing and seeing. While it ended up being a lot of walking, it didn't really seem like it at the time. Tom was very personable and entertaining throughout the tour.

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed the tour and the flexibility. We had several afternoons and most evenings to go off on our own. Jeannie was great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Churchill War Rooms and Westminster Abbey!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

While I’ve been to London several times, this was the first time I really got to know London. It was by far my best visit of the city and I’m so glad I had this experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Watching the key ceremony at The Tower was extra special. Being in such a small group and seeing the ceremony up close was quite a treat."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour guide (Jeanie Carmichael) was excellent. Itinerary was well thought out. Considering the limited time and number of things to see, we were very pleased. This was our grandson's first overseas trip and it went very well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This was my fourth Rick Steves experience and my biggest "wow" is that I have never been disappointed yet. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jeanie Carmichael is the best tour guide ever! She gave us enough history, personal history, but not too much that our heads hurt. She gave us insight and funny reasons why things are as they are, but not too much. It was perfect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My Wow moment was Westminster Abbey and seeing the burial sites of both Alfred Lord Tennyson and Handel. Walking where Queens and Kings have walked was divine!"

Fabulous tour. I felt privileged to have Jeanie as our Blue Badge guide. She is very knowledgeable, personable, and has a great sense of humor. It was a busy tour and I feel like we saw a lot in one week.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the changing of the guards at Windsor Castle and Windsor Castle itself."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall a really great experience! We arrived a few days earlier and had time to adjust to the time change and environment. Great location with the hotel and easy access to underground tube stations

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Big Ben in all its glory recently renovated "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Plenty of free time is built into this busy week to see things on your own. Rick Steve tours are known for great guides and fun smaller groups. This was no exception!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tom Hooper led my London tour in 2016 and I was delighted to have him be our guide at Westminster. He is a gentleman and a character... just a bonus to see him again in his element."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

GREAT!...From the start our Guide did his best to provide whatever information might be needed for our group to get the most out of our tour. Jamie filled in for our scheduled guide, but he made good efforts to take us all over some of the best sites in London. He guided us with plenty of specific historical knowledge giving everyone a chance to experience the city from the past to present. The group moved smoothly thru all manner of traffic. Group safety was important as we moved about.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our time visiting Windsor Castle because of its historic military weapon collections; swords, pole arms, axes etc. Actually, every museum visit were big WOWS to me. Historical sites are a must-see."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved having a local guide that knew so much about London’s history.

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour guide was amazing and we had a great group of people on our tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abby "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was so well structured that I didn't miss a thing. The guide (Jamie Gould) was impressively knowledgeable. It was really remarkable. He was fun as well. Giving us a special look into the history, architecture, story behind the stories. He made the tour exciting and fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey. I was brought to tears by the magnificence. I was in awe of the history and touched by the reverence."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best of London tour is a very good introduction to the Rick Steves tour experience. The itinerary was as advertised. The pace was really good. The main tour guide Jamie was great to spend a week with. We loved that our group included only 26 people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was seeing with my own eyes, in person, Windsor Castle. I can read about it in books or see photos or even watch Rick's tv program. But, I wanted to see this in person. It was really overwhelming. A close second was visiting the British Museum and seeing the Elgin Marbles. It is simply awesome that this history has been preserved."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time on this tour. The activities were diverse and interesting, and there was enough free time to see other sights and walk around the city. Our guide Jamie was very knowledgeable and personable as well. We combined this tour with the 7 day best of Paris tour, it was very easy to do both.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! Seeing the Houses of Parliament from across the Thames. We also went to the Battersea Power Station on our own, very impressive and unexpected. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour met every expectation. Thanks to our guide, we saw more of London and learned more of its history and culture than we could have on our own. The hotel was great, the food was wonderful, and we made lifelong friends with the other people on our tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our "food" walking tour. Our guide was so entertaining, and the food was wonderful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic

Favorite "WOW" moment

"London- house of the parliament Paris- Eiffel Tower "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized tour and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing all the major historic sites "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed that the tour took us everyday to a new area of London, which included the main attractions in that particular area. The dining choices were excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Windsor Castle and The Tower of London "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my second time on the 'Best of London' tour and it was just as fantastic as the first. Our guide Tom Hooper was informative, funny and showed so much care and consideration with the tour members. While I knew there were going to be some similar things from the first tour (Tower, Windsor, Churchill War Rooms) in 2016, there was plenty of new things that they incorporated (double decker bus ride, afternoon tea, food tour, Globe Theater, Borough Market, new walks).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The day at Windsor was a 'wow' moment. We were fortunate enough that Tom had timed our arrival perfectly so we were lucky enough to watch a group of troop of bagpipers and drummers accompanied by military guards march along the main road in Windsor (The policeman riding on horses waving to the crowds was quite charming). Walking around the grounds at Windsor Castle this time had a whole new significance and visiting St. George's Chapel to pay our respects to Queen Elizabeth II was very special."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I feel it was a highly well-planned and considered experience that transcended the physical. It brought to life London in a way that I had only read about in books. The tour made London a place that felt like home. And I originate from the bush of northern Saskatchewan. My earliest memory with my dad and brother is them showing me how to make my way out of the bush/woods by bending tree branches so that I can follow that path back to my place of origin. Rick Steves’ tour guide did this.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Connecting with a stressed child in the tube, and helping her dad by distracting her. It felt like a soul to soul connection. Other than that, the overall tour was wow. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was well organized. We were able to see many of the top sites in London in a very short period of time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many: Westminster Abby(surprised how many non-royals are buried there, Tower of London( I could have looked at the Crown Jewels for hours), and my favorite, Windsor Castle and the town of Windsor. It was special to see the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth. The town of Windsor was great to explore after seeing the castle."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall the trip was very good in that it was not bad physically. I could easily walk and orientation to the tube was easy . Our guide did his best to help us whenever possible

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Difficult to say I enjoyed everything, the most moving was seeing QE II crypt, and St. Paul's cathedral"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was really interesting to understand the history of London and the background of everything. Tom did a amazing job on explaining things well, but he did go a bit too fast on things. Other than that, I really loved the entire tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was when we saw the Westminster Abbey because all the architecture was flawless and so gorgeous. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my second Rick Steves 7 day tour. I like the emphasis on the history of the area. What we are seeing would mean nothing if we didn't know the history.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey. I watched some of the coronation on TV, so it was fun to see exactly where it all happened"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was exceptional. We saw famous must-see landmarks, but also experienced things the average traveler's itinerary would not include. Our guide was phenomenal, expertly steering our group thru the tube system and through very crowded areas at times, with no one ever getting lost. The tour schedule had some ebb and flow, enough to feel you had experienced everything but without feeling exhausted, so we could actually ENJOY every experience. I felt it was such great value for the price.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The very first thing we did was take an overview tour atop our own private red double-decker bus. It was so awesome that our senses were over-stimulated. That was pure WOW for me!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Gillian was an excellent guide. She was very attentive to both the group's needs and individual member's needs. She always made sure we knew what we were doing each day and where we were going. I really enjoyed her sense of humor. Our hotel was fabulous: it was centrally located, which made it very easy to get around. We were Tube veterans by the second day of the tour. Like all the RS tours we've been on, there was a good mix of daily activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"London itself: its vibrancy, energy, pace, diversity, and mix of old and new. A very close second was Westminster Abbey. And, of course, who could forget the cheese toastie at Kappacasein Dairy in the Borough Market? Gillian did not undersell it!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well designed tour of London. My wife and I enjoyed the sites we visited with our tour guides and were grateful for the free time scheduled so we could pursue our own interests. We took advantage of the free evenings to see a couple of shows in the theater district and spent an afternoon at the Globe Theater to see Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Tower of London. To be able to actually view the crown jewels was phenomenal."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Washington Hotel treated us very well. Gillian, our tour guide, was wonderful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had six whole days of wow moments and fantastic weather. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful tour with Gillian. She was a great guide. This tour was fast-paced but expected in a city tour if you want to get the most out of it. We saw a LOT of London under the guidance of Gillian and also on our own. We became very good at maneuvering the tube.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food walk in Spitalfields was excellent!we got to sample a variety of ethnic food from the neighborhood. It was a lot of fun to try the different foods and to experience the diversity of the area."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed the London tour very much. Gillian was a fantastic guide and her knowledge of London was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Paul's Cathedral was beautiful. The view of the city from the tower was awesome."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour is very fast paced, so you see a lot of London in just a few days. Really appreciated the Oystercard that was provided which made riding the Tube very convenient and easy to use. Loved the Washington Mayfair hotel, great location and very charming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The afternoon tea was very fun and had lots of great food! Also enjoyed the opening ceremony for the Tower of London with the Beefeaters and seeing the Crown Jewels."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The Tour itself was excellent. It was extremely helpful to be on the RS Tour to get into sites as London is very crowded. The hotel and Mayfair neighborhood was nice and easy to get to the Tube from and navigate wherever we wanted to go

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was an excellent overview of what I concluded is a challenging city to explore. Why challenging? Because accommodation is expensive, the number of sites to see is large, and in June the crowds are huge!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I thoroughly enjoyed the vintage double decker tour that began the tour. It happened to ba lovely, dry day and it was so fun to see iconic sights for the first time from the upper level of our bus."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom was the absolute best tour guide of any trip I’ve taken. So knowledgeable, funny and helpful! Never a dull moment!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day of this tour was a wow moment! At the end of every day I would laugh to myself about how many times I said wow that day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I very much enjoyed revisiting London after so many years. The tour guide we had was great. A wry sense of humour and he knew his stuff. The tour was well organized and the directions for where we were going and how to get there were very clear. I liked the way the group was kept together. I appreciated visiting what I call the big four, Westminster Abbey, St, Pauls, The Tower of London and Windsor. There was enough free time that we could also do our own thing, see a show etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My Wow moment was being able to see the Crown Jewels without a crush of people, as we had got there early and were in before the general public."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tom Hooper made this tour my BEST vacation. All was well planned and great! Tom also provided advice on things to see in London after hours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Tower of London tour. There is a great amount of history concentrated in a small area."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We saw the sites like museums, Windsor CastleI had on my list. Our wonderful guide Tom shared information along the way, and we learned to navigate our way around London. Our tour family was great as we have always found in our Rick Steves tours. Our dinners with our group were delicious and fun. We had an English tea which was really a treat and breakfast at our hotel was great. There was time to explore on our own so I was able to visit Liberty of London and buy some fabulous material!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had extra guides at the globe theater and a food tour where we went from restaurant to restaurant. We sampled a variety of food in a different part of town. We found the British people friendly and helpful. Picking a restaurant and eating on our own was very nice too. Our hotel was in a great location so we were able to walk everywhere. Theaters were close by and there was a large selection of plays to see in the evening. We didn’t see many but heard glowing reviews from our tour family"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

With a professional and honored tour guide (Tom Hooper), we experienced London on foot, by bus and tube, and leaned many details of life and culture in this major world city. The free time and provided Oyster Card were great for pursuing our individual interests. Tom's sense of humour and his up-to-date knowledge (and awareness of current transportation issues) helped make a very enjoyable tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"To pick just one: standing amid the the mix of traditional and contemporary architecture in The City, in front of the Lloyd's building. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic super organized tour! We experienced the historical to the present of what London has to offer, led by our fantastic, knowledgeable, funny, and patient tour guide Tom. (A special shout out to the guide at the Globe theatre who impressed us with is knowledge and passion for the Globe and its history.) We will definitely consider another Rick Steve’s tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wow moments we had were not from visiting all the historical sites, but the group experience we had during and after those visits. We met and made new friends with our twenty plus fellow tourists, all of whom were eager to have a good time. Also, and most important, the tour gave us a chance to interact with the people of London, all of whom helped answer our touristy questions and point us in the right direction. They have obviously dealt with clueless Americans before!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful time in London! Lots of walking to keep off the calories from the great food. History galore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Changing of the guard at Windsor Castle….such pomp!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My daughter and I did the Best of London tour, and it is the most amazing thing I have ever been part of. Firstly, our tour guide Steven Back absolutely is the reason this tour is such a success. Then there’s all the places we visited—London Tower, Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, Windsor Castle, etc. My daughter and I are vegetarian and there was always a vegetarian selection available at each of our group meals—that meant so much to me. The Washington-Mayfair is in a great location.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We visited so many amazing places and saw so many treasures that I thought I would never get to see, but the most wow moment was having Mr. Back as our tour guide. From his showing us our tube rides for the day and making sure we knew what our stops were, his making sure everyone had his/her orders at group meals, his patience, his kindness, to his extensive knowledge of London history-this is what made the trip for us so amazing"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour. It exceeded our expectations! We enjoyed every minute.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into Westminster Abby just a few weeks after seeing the Coronation was very special. We were able to see the Coronation chair along with the many historical monuments and the stunning detail in the building itself. It was truly a "wow" moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My wife and I spent our 38th wedding anniversary in London, and shared the experience with new friends! The weather was outstanding, and better was the incredible attention to detail and planning that went into our tour. As all the venues we visited were expecting the group, so we never waited in a line! Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s, the British Museum, the Tower of London, Churchill’s War Rooms, the list goes on. Thank you for helping make this wonderful memory!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s. So much rich history in these places. The scale and scope of these churches are hard to describe. Pictures cannot do them justice. As standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon can take your breath away, so can the first step into one of these grand buildings!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Churchill War Rooms"