My wife and I enjoyed an early evening tour around Bloomsbury. We met our guide outside the British Museum and he immediately put us at ease with his relaxed and friendly manner. It was just the three of us and we felt very lucky to have his undivided attention for approx 2 hours! It was a lovely walk with interesting sights and fascinating snippets of information at every turn. It was really thoughtful of our guide to bring along a folder of diagrams and pictures to illustrate some amazing ‘then and now’ comparisons. Highly recommended.
We leave the crowds behind to stroll through the tranquil garden squares and atmospheric streets of Bloomsbury, exploring the inspiring history of this central London neighbourhood.
Using pictures and an old map as aides, you will learn how an area built by an aristocratic family as an exclusive upper-class residential neighbourhood soon became the intellectual hub of London, based around the British Museum, British Library and London’s first university. In contrast to the commercial areas of the nearby West End, Bloomsbury became strongly associated with learning, medicine and charitable institutions and a magnet for pioneers, radicals and reformers as well as poets and artists, including names such as Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Emmeline Pankhurst, Maynard Keynes, Lenin, The Beatles and Virginia Woolf. The area, though slightly off the beaten track, has a unique appeal – and you only need to check the many glowing reviews of Trip Advisor to see how much people enjoy it.
Walks start on the pavement in front of the British Museum.
Walks take place on SATURDAYS and SUNDAYS at 11:00am and 3:00pm.