London in the Blitz WWII Tour with St Paul's Cathedral

Dive into the heart of wartime London with a historian
From US$569 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
2.5 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • St. Paul's Cathedral
  • Guildhall
  • Museum of London
Photos & Highlights
  • Perfect companion tour to the Churchill War Rooms
  • Includes a visit to American Memorial Chapel
Select a date
Tour Description
While London was never under Nazi occupation, the fear of an enemy invasion loomed over the British Isles for a good part of World War 2. The response of the British people to this fear was a memorable one, especially in London, where people lived with daily bomb raids and surrounded by destruction. 

London WW2 Blitz Tour

This two and half hour tour focuses on East London and the Square Mile, around St. Paul's cathedral, one of the most heavily bombed during the war. It's the perfect counterpart to our Churchill War Rooms tour. We start round the corner from the Museum of London at the Fore Street site where the first Nazi bombs fell, from there, we'll work our way south via St Mary Aldermanbury and the Guildhall exploring more of Churchill’s links with the area.

We'll discuss how empty tunnels and underground stations along the Central Line were used extensively as air-raid shelters. Our conversation will include the fundamental role of the Ministry of Information, boosting the morale of people near and far, but also contributing to the effort to involve the US in the conflict. We'll discuss propaganda and daily life, destruction and rebuilt, as well as the iconic role that St. Paul's Cathedral came to represent. We may stop for a coffee break at St Mary-le-Bow, destroyed and then restored after the war before heading to the Blitz memorial north of St Pauls Cathedral, focusing more on specific vignettes that occurred on the streets around us.

Our tour will finish at St. Paul's Cathedral, with a visit to the American Memorial Chapel, a space rebuilt after being destroyed in the Blitz and dedicated in its entirety to the American dead of WW2.

FAQ

Where do we meet? Where does it end?
Generally speaking, the walk begins near the Museum of London. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map. The walk ends at St. Paul's Cathedral.


What if it’s raining?
Tours operate rain or shine, but in the case of inclement weather, your guide will modify the tour so more time is spent indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.


Will this walk visit St. Paul's Cathedral
Yes, we generally go inside and finish the tour at the American Chapel, however, if you prefer to skip this, we can adjust the tour accordingly.


Is this walk recommended for children?
We have created a Blitz walk for families that's specifically tailored for children.


Does this tour include the Churchill War Rooms?
No. This tour focuses on the area around St. Paul's Cathedral. However, we offer a Churchill War Rooms tour that can be booked separately or paired with this one for true WW2 fans.
Experts
Rob Rob
Historian
Aaron Aaron
Archaeologist
Jonathan Jonathan
TOUR GUIDE
Fiona Fiona
Tour Guide
Laurence Laurence
Local Guide
Imogen Imogen
Historian
Peter Peter
Political Scientist
Karen Karen
Local Guide
Jane Jane
Local Guide
Julia Julia
Historian
Emanuela Emanuela
Local Guide
Ruth Ruth
Art Historian
Paul Paul
Local Guide
David David
Local Guide
Harry Harry
Historian
Ruth Ruth
Historian
Don Don
Local Guide
Melissa Melissa
Local Guide
Jenny Jenny
Local Guide
Tim Tim
Local Guide
Caroline Caroline
Architectural Historian
Mike Mike
Local Guide
Where You'll Start
(4.94) 32 Reviews

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Harry was fabulous and the tour was fascinating. As is so routinely the case, we could not have reproduced 10% of the tour experience on our own if we had worked on it extensively. Having knowledgeable, engaging, and fun guides is a wonderful gift and Harry was exactly that. Thanks context and thanks Harry!
Melissa was brilliant, weaving the story of the terror & human impact of the Blitz with discovery amidst the rubble of massive Roman antiquities once lost to history.
great job with the tour and vast share of information. thoroughly enjoyable!