Your London Theatre Tour concentrates on all things theatre of course.
However, if you wish it’s only right that your group has the opportunity to explore some of the other sites and activities that London has to offer.
This page gives examples of some highlights that LTT recommends and is more than happy to include in your itinerary if you wish.
London Eye
The London Eye, built originally as part of the Millenium celebrations in 2000, was originally intended to stand for only five years. It soon became obvious, however, that it was extremely popular and so it became a permanent part of the London skyline.
A group visit to the Eye begins with a short 4D Cinema film about its construction. There are 30 ‘capsules’ and a ‘flight’ takes thirty minutes with – on a clear day – magnificent views across London and beyond.
There are excellent downloadable education packs that can be found at:
River Thames Cruise
Taking this River Cruise is an excellent way of viewing some of London’s most famous sights including St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the Globe Theatre as well as London Eye, Tate Modern and the National Theatre.
Boats leave from Westminster Pier or London Eye Pier and travel to Tower Pier (Tower of London).
The journey time is about 25 minutes each way.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a world-famous symbol of London and the walkways linking the top of the two towers are now open to visitors. Groups enter via one of the towers and from the walkways have excellent views of the river. A recent addition is a glass walkway that you can choose to walk along or around.
The bridge below is opened 800-1000 times per year to let ships pass safely through and there is information on the website indicating at what time this will happen each day.
Borough Market
There’s been a market on this site for almost a thousand years and an article about the history makes great, fascinating and shocking reading on the website.
It is situated just five minutes from the site of the Globe theatre and the market traders proudly boast that, ‘Shakespeare was a Borough Market shopper’.
The market in recent years has put the emphasis very much on ‘sustainable food production’. It’s only fully open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Tate Modern
The spectacular Tate Modern gallery on the Southbank is the home of the national collection of British Art from 1900 as well as International and Contemporary Art. The building used to be a power station and there are often spectacular displays of huge creative works in what is still known as the Turbine Hall. Entrance is free to the permanent displays but tickets are needed for the temporary exhibitions.
The Shard
A visit to The Shard provides a unique and exciting opportunity to experience London sight-seeing like never before.
First take the express lifts to the fully enclosed viewing deck on the 69th Floor and then up to the partially enclosed open-air viewing gallery on the 72nd Floor.
To get an impression of what it will be like there’s an excellent on-line booklet at:
The London Dungeon
The London Dungeon, situated next to The London Eye, has been an attraction to London tourists for over 40 years. It brings together a cast of professional actors plus special effects plus scenes and rides in an exciting, walk through experience.
Its educational aim is to introduce students to society and life in key moments form London’s often perilous past. There are tales of The Gunpowder Plot, a visit from the Plague Doctor and a telling off from Henry VIII.
https://www.thedungeons.com/london/
The British Museum
The museum is dedicated to ‘human history, art and culture’. The various exhibitions span two million years and some of the most famous are the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.
The Great Court is a spectacular addition to the building added as part of the millennium celebrations. Unlike other major museums it is situated in the West End.
Other Museums
The other three major London Museums are all on Exhibition Road 3.5 miles away in Knightsbridge. They are about a 5 minute walk from South Kensington Underground Station which is on the Piccadilly line and Circle & District line.
Science Museum
Exhibitions, iconic objects and stories of incredible scientific achievement.
Natural History Museum
History of life on earth from the smallest insects to the largest mammals.
Victoria & Albert Museum
The world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.
GUIDED TOURS OF THEATRES
National Theatre
The National Theatre, on London’s Southbank, creates over twenty productions each year and is the most technically advanced in the country.
The building has three separate theatres and a tour includes visits to the backstage workshops including set-building and props making.
Unless a rehearsal is taking place the tour includes visits to the three separate theatres to see and hear about their three different styles. The tour lasts about sixty minutes.
Globe Theatre
Situated on the Southbank just five minutes from the site of the original Globe this is a faithful reconstruction of the original using some of the same building techniques.
It’s a fascinating sixty minute tour of the auditorium with colourful stories of the original and, on most occasions, the opportunity for groups to go up onto the stage.
Royal Opera House
A tour of the magnificent Royal Opera House in Covent Garden includes visits to both Front of House and backstage areas.
This is the third opera-house on this site the previous two being destroyed by fire in 1808 and 1856. The tour lasts about 75 minutes and includes news of the current productions and, whenever possible, the opportunity of actually seeing members of the Royal Ballet in a rehearsal studio.
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
This is the fourth theatre to stand on this site since 1660, the previous three having burnt down and the theatre now standing there has become a Grade 1 listed building.
It has only recently re-opened after being closed for two years for a £60 million refurbishment prompted by its current owner Andrew Lloyd- Webber. The result is a much more comfortable auditorium and an increased number of bars, restaurants and coffee-counters meaning the theatre is now open all day and not just for performances.