Guided tour

London: Jack The Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Bus Tour

3.9 / 5

138 reviews

Activity provider: Premium Tours
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    Guided tour

    London: Jack The Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Bus Tour

    Activity provider: Premium Tours
    Likely to sell out
    Likely to sell out

    From US$ 45.38 per person

    Climb aboard an open top bus for a 3-hour tour of haunted London, and travel back in time to the days of Jack the Ripper. Walk through an empty Smithfield Market, former site of public executions. Then head to the safety of the Sherlock Holmes pub!

    About this activity

    Free cancellation
    Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
    Covid-19 precautions
    Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
    Reserve now & pay later
    Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today. Learn more
    Duration 3 hours
    Check availability to see starting times.
    Live tour guide
    English

    Experience

    Highlights
    • Climb aboard a vintage open top bus for a tour of haunted London
    • Follow in the murderous footsteps of Jack the Ripper
    • See a collection of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia in the Sherlock Holmes Pub
    • Discover where the Elephant Man lived
    • Hear about the great men and women buried at Westminster Abbey
    • Walk through a deserted Smithfield Market to see where Braveheart was tortured
    • Listen out for the restless Cock Lane ghost
    Full description

    Step aboard a vintage open-top bus, and journey through the haunted streets of London after dark. Along the way, hear stories about the legends buried at Westminster Abbey, and see the banqueting house where Charles I was beheaded.

    A guide will explain how the public executioner would often raise a severed head to the crowd to show it still twitching for several seconds after the brutal blows. Continue to the Old Bailey, where numerous public hangings once took place. Pass the Royal London Hospital where the “Elephant Man” once lived. Be spooked by tales of Mrs. Lovett’s pie fillings, which she sold from her shop next to a butcherous barber. Then, walk through a deserted Smithfield Market, looking for the William Wallace plaque where Braveheart was tortured. Learn about the 19th-century body snatchers that dug up local cemeteries “in the interests of science.”

    Listen out for the scratching of the Cock Lane ghost, Fanny Lynes, and hear her story of sex, loan sharks, arsenic poisoning, and séances. As the shadows lengthen, drive into London's East End, a hotbed of crime and vice in the 19th century. Relive the days of Jack the Ripper, when he came out of the fog and dimly lit alleys to stalk and butcher 5 victims.

    Stroll the path of his death trail to the murder sites, deciphering the evidence of the still-unsolved crimes. End in the warmth of the Sherlock Holmes Pub, where a wide collection of Holmes memorabilia is on display. The pub also serves an extensive menu of food, including a traditional fish and chip supper, which you can order from the bar.

    Includes
    • Transportation by open top bus
    • Guide
    • Walking tour of Smithfield Market
    • Food and drinks
    Not suitable for
    • Wheelchair users
    Covid-19 precautions

    You must book this activity online because the ticket office is closed

    Safety measures in place
    • All required protective equipment is provided
    • All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
    • You must keep social distance while in vehicles
    • The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
    Traveler requirements
    • You will receive a mandatory temperature check

    Select participants and date

    Participants

    Date

    Meeting point

    Buses depart from Gate 0 at Victoria Coach Station, 164 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TP

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    Important information

    What to bring

    • Comfortable shoes

    Not allowed

    • Pets

    Know before you go

    • Please note that seating is allocated on a first come first serve basis and seating on the upper deck cannot be guaranteed
    • Please note that this is an open top bus tour - please be prepared for the possibility of rain.
    • On rare occasions the open top bus may be changed to a closed top bus
    Customer reviews

    Overall rating

    3.9 /5

    based on 138 reviews

    Review summary

    • Guide
      4/5
    • Transportation
      4.5/5
    • Value for money
      3.8/5
    • Safety
      4.6/5

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    The tour is interesting. It starts with a bus ride through town to see some of the top tourist spots (Big Ben, Westminster) which was an added bonus. Then you get off & Magnus takes you through the streets where Jack the Ripper’s victims were found & their back stories. However, there was not much Sherlock Holmes covered in the tour which was a bit of a disappointment.

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    May 28, 2022

    L
    Lauren – United States Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Fun Time learning about a Gruesome set of Murders

    How do you make the topic of Murder fun? Trust me our guide did just that. I will be honest, this is not a tour for the small kiddos. She was graphic about what took place in her telling of the events. But my 15 year old daughter enjoyed it. This was a great way tour for those that are hard core fans or just have the pop culture knowledge of Jack the Ripper. The open bus was a great way to get a look at some of London's top sites. There is a good part of walking. The bus does not have bathrooms, so plan ahead. One of the best things we did in London by far. Tour ends near the Sherlock Holmes Pub. Good for a quick drink after. Other nearby restaurants are open for a late night dinner. Our tour guide did point us in the right direction. The meeting spot of the tour is in an inner court of the bus station. It took me a bit to noodle that one. Read the confirmation info. It is clear.

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    July 15, 2019

    K
    Krista – United States Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Great tour

    The tour was great. Unfortunately the group was so big that if you stood a little further back you couldn't understand what the guide was saying. Since I'm not that tall either, it was a bit of a shame at times. The tour itself is great and our guide Allan was also very funny and entertaining. Since it was a combination tour with Sherlock Holmes, there were also interesting places to see from the great master detective, which was very nice. Since the whole thing took place in an open double-decker bus, the top was pretty cold, but that's what you know beforehand and what doesn't affect the tour. The fact that the bus is painted in the "Jack the Ripper" style is also a very nice gadget. All in all highly recommended.

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    November 16, 2018

    K
    Kristina – Germany Verified booking

    Helpful?

    Product ID: 46901