Unexpected London - a guided walk around the capital's quirky side

Join London author and historian Patrick Gubbins for a stroll around the side of central London that most people never see.

We all know the iconic sights like Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, but if you only visit those, you’ll miss the lesser-known and much more interesting off-the-beaten-track sights that even most Londoners don’t know about. Our tour includes:

• The ‘music street’ where Elton John wrote Your Song and where David Bowie lived in a caravan.
• The church with the brass rubbing centre in the basement.
• The Metropolitan Police horse stables
• The ‘collectors street’ with shops dealing in coins, maps and witchcraft
• The building where King Charles I was executed
• Behind the scenes in Chinatown

…and much more.

Patrick Gubbins is a 20-year resident of London, a qualified historian from the University of Oxford, and the author of two guide books about London. He brings to his guided tours a knowledge of London’s history, architecture, theatre, literature, culture, food, and of course the quirky stories and anecdotes that make the city endlessly fascinating.

The walk begins at Bedford Square and officially finishes at Trafalgar Square, but if time allows it may continue towards the Houses of Parliament.

Walks take place rain or shine!

There are toilets on the walk roughly every half-hour, at Seven Dials, the National Portrait Gallery, and St Martin’s Church.

Sorry, there are no refunds for lateness or no-shows.