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Home > London > Movie & Film Industry Tours > Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Tour of Haunted London
Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Tour of Haunted London
USD $37.00

Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes Tour of Haunted London

London, United Kingdom

Experience the spook-laden sights and streets of London’s past on this 2.5-hour bus and walking tour. Ride a vintage double-decker bus, stop for two walking tours along the way, and listen to stories at every eerie stop from an expert local guide. Explore the atmospheric hunting grounds of the Ripper, see the former execution site of Smithfield Market and learn about bloodthirsty Sweeney Todd and the Cock Lane ghost. Finish at a cozy London pub to soothe your jangled nerves.

Board your vintage double-decker bus at London’s Victoria Coach Station to start your journey. Settle into your seat, pop on your comfortable headphones to clearly hear your onboard guide’s commentary, and brace yourself for the creepy sights ahead.

Hear about the intriguing legends buried at Westminster Abbey and see Banqueting House, where Charles I was beheaded on the orders of Oliver Cromwell in 1649. Listen spellbound as your guide explains the ‘etiquette’ of the executions of the time, including how the highly trained axe men would often dispatch their victims in front of baying crowds at Tower Hill — another spooky sight on your tour. In a barbarous act of showmanship, many would lift the severed (and occasionally twitching) head of the deceased for the gawping crowd to see. Some historical accounts suggest this was also done to show the still-conscious head to the watching crowd — a spine-chilling thought.

Next, pass the Old Bailey, the site of many public hangings, and the Royal London Hospital, once home to the famous Elephant Man. See Fleet Street, where the infamous barber Sweeney Todd and his accomplice, Mrs Lovett, allegedly made pies packed with the flesh of their victims before selling them to peckish passersby.

At London’s Smithfield Market, walk through the deserted building and surrounding cobbled lanes. See the memorial to William Wallace (depicted in the film Braveheart) who was executed here in 1305, and hear about the 19th century body snatchers who exhumed local graves in the ‘interests of science.’ As you walk, strain to hear the scratching and knocking sounds of Fanny Lines, the Cock Lane ghost, said to have haunted the street during the 18th century.

As darkness descends, visit London’s East End, a hotbed of crime and vice during the 19th century. Here, in 1888, Jack the Ripper preyed on his victims, stalking the shadowy alleyways and butchering five local women in the flickering gaslight. Leave the safety of your bus to trace the serial killer’s gory trail with your guide, and inspect the murder sites while untangling fact from fiction in what is still one of London’s greatest crime mysteries.

Afterward, retreat to the reassuring warmth of the Sherlock Holmes Pub near Trafalgar Square, a temple of memorabilia to the master detective. Your tour ends here, so stay to enjoy a drink and perhaps a traditional English fish and chip supper (own expense); it’s a fitting finale to your exploits.

USD $37.00
Traveler Reviews
Review by:   William C,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Excellent. Our guide, Alan, was informative and funny. Highly recommend this experience.
 

Review by:   Amy W,    April 2018 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
Guide was very factual but unable to convey topic in an entertaining way. No talk of Sherlock Holmes just got left at the pub. Very disappointing.
 

Review by:   Lynnette K L,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
A fun night tour....great guide!
 

Review by:   Darynda J,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
FANTASTIC!!! So many questions answered.
 

Review by:   Ashlea D,    February 2018 Review: 2 star rating: It was OK, but could have been better
Although it was interesting to walk the streets where Jack the Ripper stalked and killed his victims this tour was too large a group for it to be enjoyable. You end up traipsing about in the cold November tour unable to hear your tour guide. The Tour Guide however was very knowledgable and quite entertaining when you could hear him.
 

Review by:   Marion G,    January 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
The guide we had was so knowledgeable he made it so so exciting and interesting and he was funny he was called Stephen. He even should us were part of the new Sherlock was filmed and the tunnel that was used for M in one of the Bond films. _br/_ Really enjoyed the tour
 

Review by:   LaMonte W,    January 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Lots of fun! Our guide, Alan Doyle was not only knowledgeable, but funny as hell. The British Ninja! Highly recommend this tour
 

Review by:   Indira A,    January 2018 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
This tour gave me lots of info but the tour guild was very mono toned and completely_br/_ bored me.
 

Review by:   Michelle M,    December 2017 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
This was our worst experience in London. First, the tour was described as being a bus tour. We took a short coach ride to near one of the murder sites, then we were on foot for the rest of the night. My party was not dressed warmly enough for an outside 2 hour walk but could have been, if the description were appropriate. The walk would have been a minor issue if our tour guide had been a good one, he was not. Our guide spent most of the time giving scholarly, BORING, explanations to discredit known theories. He had no personality, no drama, no excitement in any of his recitations. It appeared he had forgotten he was discussing crimes which occurred well over 100 years ago, the actual sites long since gone in most cases. A bit of theater would have been most welcome. This tour was such a disappointment my daughter and I took a second Ripper tour a few nights later. It couldn't have been a different experience even though visiting the same sites and facts! Its a shame there is no way to choose your guide when booking a tour. With something like a Ripper tour who
 

Review by:   Greg B,    December 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Alan was a good host, knowledgeable about the ongoing conspiracies of Jack the Ripper. Traffic and weather was a little challenging however we made the most of it. Unfortunately the kitchen was shut by the time we got to the Sherlock Holmes, wet and cold, hungry to boot was not the best way to finish. No photo opportunities really, highlights included pointing out xmas lights, trees and cool Harry Potter places.
 

Review by:   ghuber,    December 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
I thought it was a great tour. A lot of the neighborhood has changed since the murders, so you have to use your imagination,_br/_ which was fine, because as everyone knows your mind is usually worse than reality. I would recommend this tour to any adult.
 

Review by:   leon,    November 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This tour was amazing!
 

Review by:   Katie R,    November 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Good guide. More of a history of the murders and city, not so much “ghost stories” or haunted locations.
 

Review by:   jmpretzel,    November 2017 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
Very poor tour. Tour was not organized well. Long bus ride for no reason, could not hear or understand tour guide. Tour guide did not explain many of the stops during the walking tour in relation to Jack the Ripper. We left in the middle of the tour.
 

Review by:   ays.chin,    October 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
The guide was really into the facts and a great story teller._br/_ The Sherlock Holmes bar at the end is an unnecessary ad on as we did not get any facts about Sherlock Holmes and the bar stopped serving food by the time we got there!
 

Review by:   Daniel B,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
You can't beat the value. We had a one day layover in London arriving in the afternoon and departing the next morning. This was one of the few tours that started in the evening that fit our schedule. So glad we did it. Not only was it informative, but very entertaining. Our tour guide was obviously a Jack the Ripper expert and the way he told the story had us all hanging on every word. We visited some very hip neighborhoods, the tour guide pointed out all the major sights big plus Big Ben, the Abbey, Traflagar Sq, London Bridge, Parliament, etc. and ended the tour at the Sherlock Holmes pub. Sit at the top of the bus for the best views. Do try a pint of the Sherlock draft.
 

Review by:   Anonymous,    October 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
This is not a Sherlock Holmes tour. It only has Sherlock Holmes in the name because it ends at the Sherlock Holmes pub. This is mainly a Jack the Ripper tour. You go around to sites related to the Ripper, you pass by other tour companies also doing Ripper tours, and you learn that the sites no longer exist and why you see buildings and streets that were not there during the time period. You do go down one street that is still related to that era and it gives you a perspective on how narrow and dirty the streets would have been in that time period. Before the tour ends you do stop at the execution site of William Wallace. If you like everything Jack the Ripper this is the tour for you. If you are hoping for any fictional references to Sherlock Holmes or swinging by 221B Baker Street then this is not your tour.
 

Review by:   Ali W,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
really enjoyable trip the tour guide was fantastic - would definitely recommend this.
 

Review by:   Cynthia K,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Our guide was very knowledgeable and you could tell he thoroughly enjoyed what he was doing. We rode some and walked some. We would walk to a certain spot and he would give us details about where we were and why we stopped there. Answered lots of questions. Would definitely recommend to friends.
 

Review by:   Donna R,    October 2017 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
We did this tour last year while in London. The tour was extremely overbooked 30 to 35 people and the person narrating the history/story of Jack the Ripper spoke so low that you could not even hear him unless you were standing right next to him. The fact that there were 35 people on the tour made it impossible to get close. We followed him to a couple of locations and finally gave up and just went back to our hotel. We requested our money back, which Viator did refund.
 

Review by:   Marilyn C,    October 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
excellent tour
 

Review by:   Sandi C,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was a great way to start our visit to London. Our guide was super fun and very informative! Loved it!
 

Review by:   Robin,    October 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Great tour, thoroughly enjoyed, good way to learn about the East End - despite the constant rain.
 

Review by:   Doug,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Probably the best tour I took in London. Very cool atmosphere that night. Our guide, Derrick, was fantastic. Did a fantastic job of setting the scene of what happened so many years ago. I highly recommend!
 

Review by:   Leslie A,    October 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Very Fun! Our guide was very dramatic and he reminded us of Peter Pettigrew in Harry Potter! You can see more of our trip on our YouTube: Sunny Junket .
 

Review by:   lasvegasluna,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Loved being able to walk through some of the dark history in London. Our tour guide on the Tuesday the 19th was hilarious. He made the tour so enjoyable.
 

Review by:   lar0818,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great tour. Our guide was fun and full of stories and tidbits galore. Really gave a new side to the city of London.
 

Review by:   leslee s,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We loved this tour our only disappointment was the fact that we were hungry and hoping to enjoy a pub meal , but by the time we got to the pub at the end , there meals were no longer being served.
 

Review by:   Dave C,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Seeing the sites associated with The Ripper and his unfortunate victims, has always interested me. Sadly, many of them have been destroyed in favor of urban progress, which is to be expected. Still, the walking tour was enjoyable and informative, the guide very open and the pace was just right!
 

Review by:   leslee s,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great afternoon. We enjoyed the red bus ride and informative afternoon. Our only disappointment was we were hungry and counting on a meal in the pub at the end. By the time we arrived they were no longer serving meals
 

Review by:   Experience,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Very interesting and informative.
 

Review by:   Denice M,    September 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
We really enjoyed the tour around the town and hearing the stories from long ago.
 

Review by:   Jorge M,    September 2017 Review: 1 star rating: I do not recommend this
This tour is not what we expected. Even though the guide dressed the part, he read from the paper. It was all about Jack the Ripper and nothing do with Sherlock Holmes except the pub at the end of the tour. There was more walking than we expected. It should state that on the details prior to someone booking. We were not impressed with this tour.
 

Review by:   jody2,    September 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Very interesting guide, and we really had a great time. By the end, I opted to remain on the bus, as the evening was quite cold and rainy, and I had seen enough.
 

Review by:   srcrosson,    September 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
This tour was not what at all what was described in the ad. There was no tour of anything haunted and any ghostly stories. It was a fact related description of the Jack the Ripper murders as would be told in a court house, boring! Nothing on Sweeny Todd, nothing on the Cock lane ghost. The locations of the murders are all but wiped from history as there now stands modern high rises and buildings. Nothing spooky about this at all. And to top it off, the Sherlock pub was full, so no drink or food at the end of the tour, had to walk a block back to the subway and find our own place to eat.
 

Review by:   Tricia U,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great tour very interesting some details rather gory but necessary. The whole experience made all the more interesting by our very knowledgeable tour guide Sinaid.She was amazing. Apologies if i have spelt her name wrong
 

Review by:   Allana J,    August 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
This is a walking tour. A few people were not expecting to walk around the town and ended up leaving early. Was a good lesson on history. We're a lot of other tours doing the same thing at the same time, so a bit hard to stand around sites and listen to tour guide with other tours there.
 

Review by:   James R,    April 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Really enjoyed the commentary behind the tour. We learned a lot about Jack the Ripper that we did not know before. If you want a night time tour of the old streets of London then book this tour with confidence. The only challenge was that the tour ended at the Sherlock Holmes pub and they had stopped serving food by the time we arrived. That was frustrating but we found other accommodations and ended the night on a good note. Highly recommend!
 

Review by:   Kath H,    April 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Overall an interesting tour but do not expect to get spooked by this tour. You do get to walk down the streets that Jack the Ripper once stalked his victims in however with the additions of electric street lighting and changes in the streets and buildings it doesn't quite have that 'scary' atmosphere one might expect. Our guide was very knowledgeable and very willing to discuss the 'Ripper' case and theories around who he might have been as well as explaining his own theories and research. The tour ends at quaint little pub near Trafalgar square but unfortunately on the night of our tour it was so crowded we could not stop there for a meal or a drink and ended up going elsewhere.
 

Review by:   Roger C,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We loved it, from the cool night riding in the open double Decker bus, it was fantastic. The guide was really good. He knew his stuff, gave a great insight on the crimes, and along with his opinion on who it may have been, we were spellbound as were others on board. He had my partner and myself on edge with who, where and when. There were other tour groups in the same area, but we had the best time ever. We would definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in old London times.
 

Review by:   Joy S,    April 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
It was OK...got kind of boring toward the end.
 

Review by:   peaguirre_busch,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Touring London at night on a double-decker bus is absolutely amazing. The walking trail of Jack the Ripper through the desolate streets was creepy and morbidly entertaining. A stop at St. Bart's Hospital where William Wallace was put to death, along with so-called heretics during the reign of Queen Mary I, was an unexpected and highly appreciated surprise. St. Bart's is also a filming site for the 'Sherlock' series. I would recommend travelers brush up on history of King Edward I, Henry VIII, his daughter Mary I and of course Jack the Ripper prior to the tour.
 

Review by:   Jimmy,    March 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Very interesting tour and tour guide. Safe for ages 12
 

Review by:   Mary Jo H,    March 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
We were glad we did this tour but would not really recommend it. The group traveled around by bus and on foot to various sites of Jack the Ripper events. The commentary was interesting, but there is so much that remains unknown, what we were told was simply a variety of opinions, all of which differed from a book that I had read about the Jack the Ripper theory prior to the tour. The tour ended at the Sherlock Holmes Pub off of Trafalgar Square. Our arrival coincided with the closure of the kitchen, so anyone seeking a late bite to eat, was out of luck. Since the tour literature stated that a late snack would be available there, several folks were disappointed and left in search of another food option. We did the tour on a Sunday evening it also is offered on Tuesdays when the pub stays open later, so if one is set on a dining experience at the Sherlock Holmes, we would recommend booking this tour on a Tuesday evening. It also should be noted that the tour description includes a reference to Sherlock Holmes. Nothing was mentioned about Sherlock Holmes the only connection was the pub stop. So if you are looking for a Sherlock-focused tour rather than a Jack the Ripper tour, this is not the one for you.
 

Review by:   SharonKelly,    January 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Loved this tour, it was insightful and respectful. A lot of London has changed since then and still is, but you can get a real feel for how it once was by walking around the areas and there is still some of old London tucked away - but you need your guide to find it. Our guide was great, we loved it, it was a really cold London evening, but the bus and the stories kept us warm. Thank you.
 

Review by:   Marian D,    January 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We were really looking forward to this tour, and it did not disappoint. Sinead was our tour guide and she was terrific. She really knew her stuff and told it in a very entertaining and engaging way. This tour was very educational. I very much enjoyed Sinead's depth of knowledge about the Ripper murders. The information she shared about the societal conditions of the day, which contributed to the victims being so very vulnerable, was both fascinating and horrifying. I highly recommend this tour.
 

Review by:   wickedsista,    December 2016 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
We extremely enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide gave great detail to Jack the Ripper. The group wasn't too big and the tour guide fun and knowledgeable. I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to know the deep darks and stories of one Jack the Ripper and his victims.
 

Review by:   Ann D,    December 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
The Jack the Ripper tour was a highlight of our vacation. Our tour guide, Sinead, was outstanding. It was interesting to hear a little history of Mr. Ripper but she also included extra details about the places we were visiting. It was great!
 

Review by:   Maggie M,    November 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
We loved this tour! It brought us to parts of the city we would not have visited otherwise and we learned so much! Our guide was fantastic and this inspired us to look in to tours where we live Chicago because we realized there is probably so much we don't know. Highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the history of London and leaving the typically touristy areas. We weren't super interested in Jack the Ripper before the tour, but certainly are now.
 

Review by:   b5hall,    November 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Fascinating and intriguing. Great guide.
 

All Traveler Reviews...

USD $37.00
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