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
(125 Ratings)
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Vendredimanche
Oct 4, 2025
Delightful Tour of Spitalfields - This two-hour walking tour, led by the Gentle Author, begins in front of Christ Church and unfolds into a rich journey through the Jewish and Huguenot silk-weaving past of Spitalfields. Along the way, the Indian and Bangladeshi heritage of the area is also beautifully acknowledged, adding another layer to the story of this diverse neighbourhood. Architectural wonders and social history are brought vividly to life with anecdotes and photographs of former residents. It ends with the remarkable building that began as a Huguenot church, later became a synagogue, and today stands as a mosque – a powerful symbol of the many communities who have called Spitalfields home. The pace is gentle, with plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere, and the narrative is full of charm, detail, and humanity. The tour ends with tea and cakes in a nearby gallery – a perfect conclusion to an afternoon of discovery. Very highly recommended for anyone with an interest in London’s history, architecture, or simply the joy of uncovering hidden stories in familiar streets.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
76marionb
Sep 23, 2025
A Unique and Very Personal Insight into the History and Cultural Diversity of Spitalfields - I enjoyed the tour enormously. Our guide was very engaging, happy to share his lived experienced of the area and also his research. It was very obvious that The Gentle Author had been involved in lots of different research projects in and around Spitalfields and, as a consequence, had a great deal of material to share with the tour; including first hand accounts of past residents, their stories, businesses, places of worship..... From these experiences I gained a truly unique perspective of the many layered history of Spitalfields. I would highly recommend this tour.
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Judithsh7755da
Sep 23, 2025
A fascinating tour - looking behind the scenes. - This is a fascinating tour which goes 'behind the scenes' in a way that most tours don't. The Gentle Author is local and well-known in the area. Spitalifields is the place where people who for various reasons were sent outside the city walls, and came through tough times to be skilled artisans and artists.
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Belmontb171
Sep 21, 2025
Brilliant way to spend an afternoon - Been wanting to go on this tour for a while now, and so pleased I did. Was a birthday treat and enjoyed it tremendously. We heard about people who lived in the area from all walks of live, with various backgrounds which brought the area to life. History is far more interesting when we get to know about the individuals. Finished off with tea & cake.
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O848kbrobc
Sep 7, 2025
A brilliant afternoon walk - We have visited Spitalfields before but this is the first time for many years. The walking tour was truly excellent. We saw many interesting sights some of which as visitors we had no idea about. We heard many interesting and fascinating stories which although incredible were all factual. We found the Gentle Author to be an excellent presenter , clear and knowledgeable. To finish with we all enjoyed a traditional recipe cake (17th or 18th century?) which was delicious along with a lovely cup of tea. Thank you Gentle Author we shall certainly return for another walk sometime in the next few months.
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Dpl1412
Sep 3, 2025
Each step you learnt something knew through the eyes of the residents of the area in the past. - What the Gentle Author doesn't know is clearly not worth knowing. I have participated in 100s of London walks over the past five years and know the Spitalfields area well, but I learnt heaps and all in a friendly, humours and informative style. The story telling at each site gave a unique angle to the narrative which made it all come to life. Gentle Author - more tours and longer tours please.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y5267kyelizabethb
Aug 18, 2025
Getting to know Spitalfields - This tour felt genuine and honest unlike so many walking tours I have done. The information was given in short stories about the area, it was imaginative and bought Spitalfields alive. I learnt a lot and I am now motivated to find out more. The Gentle Author has a clever way of engaging people and I can't recommend the tours enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vendredimanche
Aug 4, 2025
A tour beyond the tourist trail, for those who want to discover the real East End - I gave this tour to my mother as a gift, so I am writing this review based on her enthusiastic feedback — and I am now very much looking forward to doing it myself in a couple of months. She absolutely loved it. There were around 25 people on the tour, but it never felt crowded, and The Gentle Author was attentive to everyone. He is hugely knowledgeable, considerate, and polite — a real hit with my mother. The tour winds through the atmospheric small streets of Spitalfields and the East End, exploring the history of the Huguenots, the Jewish community, and, more recently, the East Asian community — all of whom have contributed so much to the richness of the area. Jack the Ripper is mentioned, of course, but this is not your typical tourist trail. It is a tour for those who want to understand the real history and culture of the area. The experience ends with tea and delicious cakes in a charming gallery — a perfect conclusion. A big success with my mother, and I truly cannot wait to experience it myself.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Delta-on-tour
Aug 3, 2025
Insightful experience, bringing the East End to life through the faces if the past - A wonderful, insightful tour of a familiar area of London, brought to life with respectful stories of local historical residents
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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
From $86
up to 5 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).