In 1666, the medieval city all but disappeared in the Great Fire of London. The city was rebuilt on the footprint of its predecessor, but once again fell in danger of destruction during the Blitz of 1940-1941. One of the worst nights was the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's Day, December 29, 1940, when German planes devastated the area around St Paul’s while most Londoners were enjoying their Christmas break. Those working on the ground dubbed it 'The Second Great Fire of London. On this London WWII Tour, led by a local historian, we'll explore this dark chapter of the city's history, and discover how England's resilience allowed them to overcome the fierce bombings.

 Our walk will start at the Museum of London with its post-1666 galleries, a recent addition, where we will discuss the life of Londoners before and during the war. We will continue with a walk into the Barbican and then to Guildhall, telling the story of that fateful night in 1940 and the people who fought to save what they could of the city and its people. Thanks to the vigilance of the firewatchers on the roof of St Paul's, the cathedral, a symbol of strength for Londoners, was saved.

Much of the City of London was rebuilt, and the most important buildings were restored while others were removed altogether. We will see sites that fit into both categories: churches carefully put back together and others that were left as ruins—a memorial to that awful night. We will pass by the original location of St. Mary Aldermanbury, dismantled and shipped to Fulton, Missouri after the war. 

 Our walk will end at St. Paul's, where we will learn more about the church that helped sustain the spirit of the city's residents. If time and stamina allow, we will climb to the very top, above the dome, and marvel at the roofs of the cathedral, so carefully protected every night by its teams of volunteers. From there, we have a bird's eye view of the city through which we have been walking.

Finishing our tour, we'll come away with an understanding of how fragile the fabric of cities really are. We will also develop a deeper knowledge at the havoc caused by both the two 'Great Fires' of London and how the local community came together on both occasions, to restore the city to its former glory.

The walk begins near the Museum of London and ends at St. Paul's. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map, and emergency phone number.

We will go inside the Museum of London and St. Paul's.

Tours operate rain or shine, but most of this tour takes place indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.

This walk covers about 1 mile overall. There are occasional opportunities to sit, use the bathroom, and get something to drink if needed.

No, this tour does not include the Churchill War Rooms, but we do offer a longer, more in-depth tour of WW2 that includes the Churchill War Rooms. You can book it here.