St James’ & Mayfair – Private Tour of London’s Royal & Aristocratic Villages

This fascinating tour of two of the most loved areas of London, St James’ and Mayfair, lasts for 3.5-4 hours. St James’ developed around the Royals whereas Mayfair was built for the aristocrats so you follow in the footsteps of both! The centrepiece of St James’ is the majestic palace built by Henry VIII and as you wander the streets in the shadow of its great gatehouse, you will pass the gentlemen’s clubs, elegant outfitters which have been a mecca to royals and gentlemen alike for centuries and beautiful parks. With Buckingham Palace a stone’s throw away around the corner, it is truly Royal London!
Walk a little further north and the tour takes you past the luxurious houses, beautiful gardens and exclusive shops of aristocratic Mayfair. We pass retailers with exquisite displays ranging of china, glass and silverware and arrive in Shepherd Market, home to Mayfair’s thriving sex industry for centuries.

One of London’s most sophisticated department stores, it’s hard to believe it started life as a market stall! We will wander around the ground floor so I can point out what the store invented 300 years ago which is still in demand today and explain what intriguing structures are on its roof. I guarantee you will want to return at a later date for a more leisurely browse of the entire store to do some serious shopping!

Built by the Earl of Burlington in the mid-1660s, I doubt he would recognise it today as at least 9 architects have worked on the building since then! Currently occupied by the Royal Academy, its summer exhibition is a firm fixture in London’s ‘Social’ calendar.

The Burlington arcade has just celebrated its 200th anniversary and was built by one of the Earls of Burlington, George Cavendish. As we wander through and enjoy window shopping some of the 45 retailers who occupy the arcade today, we will see the Beadles who have guarded the arcade since day 1!

Most famous for its nightingales which are, in all probability completely fictional, this is one of London’s most historically interesting squares. With a forgotten river flowing beneath it, the square is home to many plane trees and a collection of grade 1 listed buildings around its edges one of which is home to the world famous Annabel’s night club.

An oasis of peace and tranquility, it is hard to imagine you are only 5 minutes walk away from one of the busiest shopping streets in London. But life has not always been so calm here – in the 10 minutes we’ll take to wander through these gardens, I’ll tell you what lies beneath our feet and what gruesome secret one of the buildings at the side of the gardens holds.

A leafy retreat nowadays, it used to be the centre of Mayfair’s red light district where the aristocrats of old, with too much time and money on their hands, went for their entertainment. It was also the downfall of one MP – but which one?! I’ll fill you in on the tour!

As we cross Piccadilly and move from Mayfair in the north to St James’ in the south, we leave the aristocrats behind and concentrate on the royals. Hear the legend of how Green Park gets it name and learn about the Royal dynasties who will feature during this part of our tour.

Built by Henry VIII on the site of what used to be a woman’s leper hospital, this was intended to be the palace for Henry’s son promised to him by Anne Boleyn. But as the son turned out to be a daughter, Henry used the palace as a hunting lodge instead. The palace has been at the centre of many a Royal event so I will tell you many interesting stories from its past. If it’s a day the ancient ceremony of the Changing of the Guard is scheduled to take place, we’ll be able to enjoy pageantry at its best.

One of London’s most iconic and recognisable buildings, Buckingham Palace is the office of the monarchy. The late Queen Elizabeth II used it on weekdays and Charles III has yet to decide where he will make his London home. This is a chance to see the world famous palace balcony which has been the focal point of many Royal celebrations including the late Queen’s 50th, 60th and 70th jubilees and William and Kate’s wedding celebrations. This stop is all about the Royals!

One of eight Royal parks in the capital, St James’ is one of my favourites with its ornamental lake and wildlife frolicking in its waters. With luck we’ll catch a glimpse of the resident pelicans, a pair of which were gifted to Charles II in 1664 by a Russian ambassador – there have been pelicans on the water ever since!”

Originally Henry VIII’s tiltyard for jousting, it is best known today for its ancient ceremonies of the Changing of the Guard and the Trooping of the Colour. Horse Guards was home to a gigantic sandpit during the 2012 London Olympics – the question is, though, which sport was it for?! .

Built by Henry Jermyn as a reward for his loyalty to Charles II during the English Civil War, this was the place to live in the 17 and early 1800s. A pretty square, there are still remnants of the days of old with Nancy Astor’s former home and one of Sir Christopher Wren’s churches gracing its edge.

How better to end the tour than a wander along one of the most historic and sophisticated shopping streets in London. With a cheese shop which used to be a market stall and a perfumery dating back to the 1700s, this street has many stories to tell.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy) your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to tell me what they are! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me.
• The tour will last between 3.5-4 hours depending on what walking pace you set and the number of questions you ask.
• The tour will cover roughly 2 – 3 miles in total.
• The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don’t be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
• Due to the distances involved, and the speed with which we need to travel between events, this tour is not recommended for those with serious medical conditions including walking difficulties and back problems.
• Tours start at 9.45 under the Colonnade of the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly.
• If you need directions from your hotel to the Ritz Hotel, do contact me on sandyrhodes@live.co.uk.
• Unlike some other guides, I specialise in just five areas of London, St James’ and Mayfair being two of them. This means I have detailed knowledge of the areas which I pass on to my clients in a fun and interesting way.
• 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded ‘excellent’ and as I now have over 100 reviews in total, I must be doing something right!
• I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying above the usual street noises of a busy city. Also, everyone can ask as many questions as they like.
• I ALWAYS contact my clients before a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before the tour is due to go ahead, please make contact with me.
• I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.

• St James’ & Mayfair – Private Tour of London’s Royal & Aristocratic Villages
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• A fun & experienced professional, local guide, accredited by ITG & the University of Westminster.

• Food and drinks
• Food sampling
• Gratuities – optional
• Transportation to/from the start and end points of the walk

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• This Tour is Provided by Hobnob Tours.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/London.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 4 valid reviews on VIATOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 5 Travelers is accepted for booking.