Private Tour Of London's Historic Pubs

Jane was absolutely incredible! I’ve done 2 historic pub tours before, and Jane’s was by far the best! She’s personable, charming, so so intelligent about the beer and the pubs, and was the best afternoon we spent in London last week! I can not recommend her enough!!

This was one of the best food and drink tours we’ve ever experienced. Strolling through old London to historic pubs while diving into beer culture and English history made for a perfect afternoon. Jane was not only fun and engaging but also exceptionally knowledgeable, and she tailored the tour beautifully to our interests.

The perfect present – and an unexpected one – for my husband, who adores old pubs, beer and history: a beer, wine and cider sommelier-curated pub crawl of London’s historic boozers for him and three friends. What’s not to like? I chose this private tour not just for the enticing itinerary and clear expertise in the subject, but also for the genuinely friendly emails leading up to it. I knew we were in for a good day. From the moment we began, Jane’s warmth and knowledge of London’s boozy past gave the whole experience a personal, welcoming feel. We wandered through the historic lanes of Fleet Street, Holborn, Blackfriars and connecting ginnels, immersed in fascinating stories and lore. We visited pubs that felt like secret time capsules – one of them could easily have been a stopping-off point for Harry Potter and his Diagon Alley pals. I doubt we’d ever have found them without Jane. What elevated the tour was her drink knowledge: thoughtfully chosen brews that matched our palates perfectly, and tales that made each glass taste even better. Conversation was as varied as the selection itself – who knew the apple of original sin was most likely a pomegranate or a fig? It felt more like spending a relaxed afternoon with a knowledgeable friend than just a tour. The right balance of historical insight, tasting experience, and personable storytelling made it an unforgettable gift that all of us thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.

This pub tour is the BEST way to truly see and experience London! Jane did a fantastic job of sharing fun stories that bring the history of London alive and shows how the pubs are a cornerstone to British culture.

Without a doubt, the ultimate highlight of our London escapades (and trust me, we toured like pros)! Jane was a superstar (we instantly adored her), with incredible knowledge of beer, pubs, and history, turning our experience into something unforgettable. Jane’s tour far exceeded our expectations. She took us to charming, tucked-away pubs we’d never have stumbled upon on our own. Engaging, delightful, and downright hilarious, Jane had our college-aged kids absolutely smitten. Huge cheers to Jane for crafting an extraordinary family memory. Whether it’s your London debut or you’re hunting for a unique experience, this tour is a guaranteed winner!

We had a wonderful Pub Tour with Jane!! She is delightful and knowledgeable about everything to do with beer, London pubs, and the London history. It was a highlight of our week in London!

My adult son and I enjoyed the pub tour. Jane is absolutely delightful and very knowledgable. It was a great way to learn about some historic pubs.

We started this tour within 3 hours of landing in London, after an overnight flight, and it was the best welcome into London that we could have gotten! We spent hours walking around with Jane and ducking into little pubs. We let her choose our beers at each stop since she’s the beer expert and we loved them all. We chatted and laughed and covered so many off script topics. The conversation was educational from the standpoint of the culture of beer and history, but the conversation flowed very freely. I’m sure Jane would be amazing for groups, but having her as a private guide made it easier to duck in and out of pubs and led to deeper conversations and engagement, rather than feeling like a history class. As a bonus, she gave us a signed copy of one of her books! We are nearing the end of our 9 day stay in London. We’ve had at least a dozen different tours and guides this week. We’ve had many great experiences with lots of guides, but without a doubt, our tour with Jane stands out as our favorite! Book the tour. Ask first Jane. You won’t regret it.

Such an excellent time, a perfect welcome to London! We had this tour booked for a few hours after we landed in London. The conversation and beer flowed freely and we were fully immersed in the history of London pubs, feeling like we’d met up with an old friend. 10/10 recommended! Thanks so much Jane!

Jane was just fantastic. Her knowledge of London, alcoholic beverages, and pubs almost goes without saying. But I’m not sure a tour like this would be half as fun without a guide who is just a pleasure o spend four hours with. Trading stories and laughs all afternoon was the highlight of our vacation.

Jane is a fantastic tour guide! She is knowledgeable about the history of London, the pubs, and the beer and introduces you to pubs and facts that you most likely would never have discovered on your own. She is also incredibly easy to work with and responds quickly to all inquiries. I highly recommend this private tour experience-it will be a highlight of your trip!

We had a group of 7 for my 50th birthday we asked Jane to create a pub crawl for us. Jane did an awesome job of finding unique pubs and a gin house that we were able to walk to. Each stop was totally different and Jane did a wonderful job of giving us really cool pub information and history of each place. We can't thank you enough Jane for making my birthday an awesome day! Cheers! Justin and Melanie

Our group of Americans took this tour while visiting London for the Bills/Jaguars NFL game, and for everyone this was one of the top experiences on the trip. First, Jane is an excellent tour guide, with a deep knowledge of the history of the area, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of local brewing. The small group size of the tour is a great benefit, as it allows for a great deal of back and forth discussion regarding the history of the old city. Even if you are not as nerdy for history as our group, you'll get a great deal of enjoyment from the atmosphere of the pubs, and Jane's suggestions regarding which beers to drink. In addition, Jane gave us some great recommendations regarding other areas of London to hit during our trip. 10/10, highly recommend, would definitely do again.

Jane was an absolute joy. She took us to some truly “locals only” type pubs and told us the history behind each building and streets. She was also able to choose a fitting beer or cider for me as I generally drink wine. I honestly felt like she was a good friend or family member I hadn’t seen in years. She definitely made us feel welcomed and the conversations just came very naturally. I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to feel like a local or just enjoy drinks with a new friend.

What great fun we had touring pubs with Jane! She is full of knowledge and has a nice way of imparting it in conversation rather than speaking from a set outline. She is so likeable that one feels completely at home with her in just a few minutes. We were a group of older adults with our son in his early twenties and we all enjoyed the experience immensely. We would highly recommend this tour/pub crawl to anyone looking for something a little different from the usual London tourist menu.

This was by far, one of the best decisions we made during our first visit to London! Not knowing much about British culture, aside from shows like Ted Lasso and Downton Abbey, we didn’t know where to start. So, coming across this little gem of a private tour was most fortuitous. If, you’re into history and would love to accompany this knowledge with great beer and company… you’re gonna want to book this tour! Jane is a wonderful tour guide who makes you feel like you’re old friends right from the start. Her knowledge of the area and pubs she takes you to is insightful and fun! Do yourself a favor and book this tour! You won’t regret it!

This tour was absolutely wonderful. My husband and I were only in London for a couple days and booking Jane for this tour was perfect for our short time here. She took us to some little historic pubs and a wine bar that we probably would not have stumbled on ourselves. And if we had found these pubs, we would never have gotten the history and information that came with it. We had loads of fun and delicious beers. It was such an enjoyable time and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys laughing, drinking beer, and history.

Jane was amazing! So much fun and knowledgeable. She was not hurried, took her time, and truly gave us an authentic experience. Highly recommend. Thank you Jane!!

I highly recommend a pub tour with Jane! She is super knowledgeable and informative not only "everything beer" but also historical facts that makes the tour very enjoyable. Looking for the perfect pub tour...you have found it!

Our guide was so knowledgeable of the history and of her craft. She was very welcoming and enjoyable to be on the tour with. The choices on the stop are not the typical main stays which I loved.

If you're reading this review it's because you want to book a pub tour. You could book a cheap group one, pay for all of your own beers, and have an impersonal experience with a lot of people. Or you could book Jane, learn a lot about beer/architecture/pubs, enjoy her engaging wit and personality, have a small group, and get free half-pints at every stop on the tour. I've been on both types of tours and I would book Jane again without debating. Yes, it's more money, but you will walk away thinking it was money well spent. The same can't be said for the countless other generic tours.

Our family of 4 had a fantastic afternoon with Jane! From our initial meeting, it was clear that she has a passion for historic pubs, and we learned so much from her during our tour. We loved experiencing the different neighborhood pubs, learning their history, and tasting different beers (all were delicious!). She even helped us plan the rest of our trip - making recommendations of where to stay, restaurants and other sights to see. I would highly recommend including this tour in your visit to London, we can't wait to visit again!

Jane did a fabulous job on our tour. From our initial meeting (with the help of her emailed photo) to her extensive knowledge of London's pub history and beer in general. I highly recommend Jane for an informative and highly energetic taste of London. SM.

We TRULY enjoyed our afternoon with Jane. She is warm, gracious, funny, knowledgeable, and well able to manage far reaching conversations about beer, Brexit, history, and politics. The pubs were intimate, gorgeous, and the beer outstanding. (JAIPUR IPA - YUM) We learned about beer, had a refreshing glimpse into London’s pub culture, and Jane also make recommendations for the rest of our trip which were spot on. At the end of the day I felt I had made a friend. Highly recommend. FAVORITE Pub “Ye Old Mitre”

About 3 years ago, I did this pub tour with my boyfriend. Fast forward to June 18, 2019 and I was back in London with my sister and parents and did this tour again. I loved it again and they loved it as first timers...and yes I'd absolutely do this a third time! Everyone in our group likes different beer profiles: super hoppy for my sis, zero hop for my parents and somewhere in the middle for me. Jane knew exactly which brews would work for each of us and didn't disappoint. As I stated in my review 3 years ago, this tour is for small groups only. You will get very descriptive historical insight to the buildings and statues you're seeing as Jane guides you from pub to pub. Once in the pub, Jane will go to the bar and order beers for your group given individual preferences. Then the history of the establishment of the pub begins as you're sipping on your brew. I also mentioned in my original review of this tour to eat a meal prior to your meeting time with Jane. This time we did order some snacks in one of our pubs because we had a little extra time. But expecting to sit down and eat a full meal during this tour is not realistic...unless you're willing to shorten your tour, skip one of the pubs and miss out on the beers therein (no way!).

Jane did a great job -- took us to such unique pubs and gave us the history of each. Also knowledgeable about London's history. She was fun to be with!

My wife booked this as a surprise gift for my 40th. We had a great time with Jane who is extremely knowledgeable about the London historic pub scene and the new craft beer offering (which I am really into!). She was a wonderful host, wiling to answer all of our questions and take the time to explain things. We visited 4 pubs in total over a 3 hour period and had a half in each with a bit of walking in between each pub looking at some of the history of London (including where Braveheart was executed. I’ve walked past a hundred times, but never took the time to actually stop and take in the history of the place!). I’d highly recommend the tour, both as a private one to a couple or even as part of a larger group. I can’t wait to do the next one and explore a few more pubs in London.

I have now done this tour with Jane three times, with a fourth already booked. I assure you that you will not be disappointed--Jane is a hoot and you will have a marvelous time on your tour. I have booked this tour for a variety of groups: for a friend visiting from the States, my university aged cousin, my son's 18th birthday, and the upcoming tour I have booked is for a mixed age ladies group, and another one is in the works for a group of lawyers. Everyone I have taken on this tour had a fantastic time and said that this was a highlight of their visit to London. Not only will Jane make sure that you taste some amazing brews, but she is an extensive vat of London history knowledge. Jane will take you to pubs that will become part of your regular pub regime if you are local, and most likely they will be pubs that you've never visited before (even if you are a long time Londoner). Jane also possesses a smart wit, which adds to the fun. I highly recommend that you think about purchasing one of her books during the tour--they make wonderful keepsakes for visitors, or great stocking stuffers.

Wow - Brigette our tour guide on Saturday 25th August for the 2pm walk was full of knowledge, a story to be told @ each pub, great personality and she made it lively.

My husband loves craft beer, so for his birthday I booked a private pub tour. Jane was great about tailoring our tour to meet our needs. ( wanted to go to places with unique beers). She also booked us s place to watch the England/Sweden World Cup match after the tour. She is very personable and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

With all the entertainment options and historical sites in this amazing city, why not combine them into this not-to-be-missed activity? With SAM as your guide, your entire life’s quota of laughter will be met in just one afternoon. What a hoot ! My passport has so many London stamps in it and yet, I just discovered the real crown jewel of London - this pub crawl. SAM was a total blast. Don’t delay another minute and secure your reservation ASAP- you won’t be sorry! Be warned ...Your abs may take days to recover from the laughter! Cheers !!!

Jane is a SUPERB tour guide for the pubs of London. She CANNOT be matched for her knowledge of Beer and Cider, and has great insight into what each of her clients is looking for. Her personality is fun, yet the knowledge is SECOND TO NONE. She chose such historical, cool pubs, and she made sure we ALL enjoyed! DO THIS!!!

<p>Jane has SUPERB knowledge, is fun to be with, highly intelligient and intuitive about what individuals are looking for. This was a most enjoyable tour.</p>

We had a great time on our pub tour with Jane! She took us to four very different historical pubs- a few were off the beaten path. We had a great time learning about the history of the pubs and of course - tasting some great beer! Jane is very knowledgeable about the pubs and the beer. It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

There are not enough adjectives to describe how much fun we had on our pub tour with Jane. Not only do you get a historical perspective of the pubs and some London history, but Jane truly is knowledgeable about beers and spirits. She will take you to pubs that only locals know about (and some that even locals might miss), direct you to the tastiest beers, and you will have the time of your life--we laughed until we cried. I actually live in London with my husband and had booked this tour for for a friend who was visiting from the States. We had such a blast that I am planning on booking another because my husband missed out. I just might have to start booking this tour every time we have a visitor. Thanks, Jane, for an amazing, unforgettable time!! I can't wait to do it again!

My sister booked this tour for 4 of us. We met Jane at our designated spot, which happened to be the first pub! We all got acquainted and had our first 1/2 pint. Jane told us about herself and we immediately saw why she is the perfect guide for a pub crawl. She was not only fun, but knew her London pub history. We went to a total of 4 pubs, so you could say we drank our way through London. Jane is a ton of fun, full of great stories, and lots of London pub history. Would definitely recommend this tour if you want to have a tour guide that seems like an old friend!

<p>Wonderful tour. Jane was so knowledgeable and friendly. She took her time with us and was able to answer all of our questions. She knew the history of each pub and shared the history of the parts of London we walked through to each pub.Book this tour. You will not be disappointed.</p>

we enjoyed learning about a variety of neighborhoods and beers on the tour. Jane is extremely witty and informative - we enjoyed every minute, and every ounce!

<p>Our guide Jane was wonderful, informative and gave us the local feel in the tour. We went to popular spots and the less known. Jane had a great knowledge of the area, the history and most important the beer and the pubs! Loved it!!</p>

<p>Jane was an insightful and delightful host/guide. I learned a great deal about pubs, beer and old London and had a lot of fun doing it.</p>

<p>Jane was great and very knowledgeable. It was a great way to see some history as well as drinking in some great pubs. I would highly recommend a tour if you have the time.</p>

Our private tour of the London pubs made us feel like real insiders. Jane our guide had very interesting stories to tell in each location – about architecture, history, scandals and of course the beer. We visited places we never would have found on our own and discovered a new favorite ale in London. We feel like true Londoners.

<p>We had a lovely time with Jane. It is not a tour about the beer, but a tour about the pubs. The pubs all had interesting histories and Jane is very knowledgeable. It was like spending the afternoon drinking with an old friend. Also, it's a great walk through neighborhoods you might not otherwise experience.</p>

<p>GREAT way to spend the afternoon! We had a wonderful time on this tour and Jane was fantastic and really knows her stuff! I would highly recommend this tour- great fun with a great guide.</p>

<p>Very pleasant and knowledgeable guide. We went to 5 pubs ( 4 for drinks) and all were unique and would have been hard to find in the 3-4 hours of this tour.</p>

<p>One of our best tours, especially with our guide Jane Preyton. She brought us to all historic bars we wwould never find by ourselves. We enjoyed hearing the story of bars, tasting different beers in every bar, and taking photos everywhere. Thank you Viator for this tour, and thank you Jane for your frienship in this 3h30 tour.</p>

<p>Jane was informative and fun, giving an historical perspective not only to pubs but to the areas we walked through. Highly enjoyable and great fun!</p>

<p>We had a marvelous time touring the old pubs, learning something of the history and enjoying the ale. We would recommend this tour if you want to encounter some of the character of London's past as well as its present.</p> <p>Jim and Corina Orange, CA USA</p>

<p>We had a wonderful time on the pub tour! Jane is very knowlegable and fun! I would recommend it especially if you like beer!</p>