Spitalfields Walking Tour: Discover 2000 Years of Culture in the Heart of London

Embark on a captivating walking tour of Spitalfields in London, exploring its 2000 years of culture and the fascinating stories of its diverse community. Join us now!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Christ Church Spitalfields - Nicholas Hawksmoor’s masterpiece of English Baroque
  • Soup Kitchen for the Jewish Poor - We meet people whose lives were bound up with with this institution to minster to the needs of Jewish immigrants who came from East Europe, the area now known as the Ukraine
  • Old Spitalfields Market - We learn the story of…
What's Included
  • Tea and coffee provided
Additional Information

Embark on a walkabout of narrated exploration, crafted by the top blogger of London and directed by a local community representative in Spitalfields.
Wander amidst two millennia of culture in central London and meet some individuals and venues that render this old neighbourhood unique.
Unearth Spitalfields’ abundant and varied past of ingenuity fuelled…

Location
Christ Church Spitalfields
Commercial Street
Our tours begin and conclude outside the entrance to Christ Church, Spitalfields in Commercial Street. The meeting point is a 10 minute walk from Liverpool St Station. Please be early or on time as we cannot wait for latecomers.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(117 Ratings)
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Eyesol8
Jul 20, 2025
Wonderful way to spend 2 hours in a fascinating part of London - I had been meaning to book this tour for a long while and I'm now looking forward to booking onto the other tour by The Gentle Author as this was a very very enjoyable way to spend 2 hours. The Gentle Author manages to share his treasure trove of historical knowledge in such an engaging way using a variety of sources and resources - his passion is infectious and my friend and I were very impressed. It feels silly to admit that one of the attractions for me over other tours was the idea of ending with tea and cake in a very special location! Loved this touch, as well as the beautiful map we received a copy of. It has a lovely feel - printed on heavy paper, folded into the perfect size for your pocket... a fantastic reminder of some of the many stories shared along the way that I'm grateful to now have after the event. Thank you Gentle Author.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carolinesc8198tb
Jul 20, 2025
Fascinating tour - Really glad that I booked this and would recommend. TGA is a wonderful storyteller and brings the social history of the area alive. Moving and thought provoking to hear about the lived experiences of women, migrants and families in poverty in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Phiipm2025
Jul 8, 2025
The best tour of Spitalfields - Thank you Gentle Author for so thoughtfully crafting this tour, not only illuminating Spitalfields and its long history so well, but also introducing us to some of those fascinating local characters who walked these same streets. It was a joy to share the afternoon with you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julieaknight
Jun 8, 2025
A wonderful tour, highly recommend. - What a brilliant, informative tour! The Gentle Author has such a way of bringing the past to life with his story telling. If you want to do a tour around parts of East London I couldn’t recommend this one highly enough. Just do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olgaw827
Jun 1, 2025
Fantastic experience! - The tour was incredibly interesting and educational! It really helped me understand the area and walking around Spitalfields aware of all this incredible history will be an absolute delight! Already recommended it to friends and family!
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Janeevans24
May 10, 2025
Spitalfields brought to life - The gentle author is a gentle man and he brought the history of Spitalfields to life with stories of the buildings and their inhabitants. The hustle and bustle of modern life disappeared as we were immersed into the lives of yesteryear true characters.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarahlm7919ql
May 5, 2025
I recommend you take this tour - I have been on 3 of the Gentle Author's walking tours (the others were The City and most recently Petticoat Lane) and I can highly recommend them all. The GA is extremely knowledgeable about this historic area of London and he peppers his tours with portrayals and photos of the people who have lived and worked here. This is not some run-of-the-mill tour or guide - it and he thoroughly deserve a score of excellent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gillianbwilson
May 3, 2025
Amazing walking tour of Spitalfields - The best afternoon ever! What a wonderful day to remember. The historical walking tour was wonderfully interactive with old photos of streets to compare with how they look now. Our fantastic guide was so knowledgeable and passionate about Spitalfields - he spoke so highly of all the old Spitalfields characters. I learnt so much and now have a solid understanding of the history of this wonderful part of London. We were given a beautiful map to keep. The afternoon ended with a lovely cup of tea and a Queen cake in a beautiful old silk weaver’s house. I will definitely return and book on again. Can highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
806nwk
Apr 26, 2025
Brilliant afternoon - This was an exceptionally good tour. I’ve spent most of my life in and around the east end, and found myself engrossed in the Gentle Author’s detailed and fascinating perspective on Spitalfields. The guide clearly has such a profound respect and adoration for the area; its architecture, history and local community. Not just as a historical relic, but as a living, continually evolving eco system. The love and enthusiasm for local people and their stories made the tour feel very meaningful, far more than others might. I came away with a deep sense that we must protect and remember the value of the places in our city which hold historical and cultural resonance, and never take for granted how they can be gradually eroded by careless, short sighted land grabs and corporate greed… I cannot recommend this tour highly enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N1962kwpaulc
Apr 13, 2025
Fascinating and absorbing....... - What a truly fascinating gentleman the Gentle Author is. He not only knows and understands the East End but he relates his fund of stories and local history in a most interesting way. Even if you think you know the East End and Spitalfields, you will learn much more of the history and local personalities by taking one of the Gentle Author's walks. Enjoy....I know you will.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $88
up to 5 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).