Small Group River Thames Bike Tour
London
4 hours
Easy
Overview
Explore ‘liquid history’ and breath-taking urban landscapes by cycling both banks of London’s famous river.
With smaller groups, a different route and a focus on the people’s history, this tour is the perfect complement to our Royal London Bike Tour. Our tour guides offer legend and fact about a city that has united against great plagues, fire and war while developing into the cradle of modern civilization and commerce.
Along the way we’ll cover theatre, architecture, government, invasion, myths, truths and everything in between. Find out how one of our most iconic landmarks ended up in Arizona, how a Native American Chief came to be buried by the banks of the Thames and why a Celtic Queen took on the Roman Empire, all from the comfort of one of our signature fleet of easy to use California Cruiser bikes. Your guide will be on hand to answer those burning questions and point out all that fascinating stuff you could easily miss if you weren’t looking out for it. Where else on earth can a few minutes cycling bridge world class galleries and replica pirate ships, taking in Shakespeare, Henry VIII and the turbulence of World War II in between?
For lunch, we invite you to wander through the aromas of London’s oldest and largest food market (cost not included). Award winning food and drink from around the world is at your fingertips in the bustle of Borough Market, where a lunch break can feel like a tour in itself. After a bite, we’ll get to cycle across the breath-taking Tower Bridge, a uniquely London experience.
This tour does include a larger proportion of road cycling than some of our other tours and is recommended for those who have some cycling experience under their belts. Although we are unable to take small children on the route, anyone over the age of 12 who has comfortably completed our Royal London tour should have no problems at all. If you’re nervous about your child’s riding ability, our Private River Thames tour is a good option that will ensure a personalized guide just for your group. This also means that your guide can give you and your family/friends their full attention throughout the ride.
As always, our expert local guides will make sure you get the best pictures, hear the most interesting stories, and stay safe and entertained over this 4 hour tour that will turn into memories that will last a lifetime.
- Tower bridge. tower bridge is a grade i listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in london, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by horace jones and engineered by john wolfe barry with the help of henry marc brunel.
- The london eye. the london eye, or the millennium wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the south bank of the river thames in london.
- Big ben. big ben is the nickname for the great bell in the elizabeth tower at the north end of the palace of westminster in london, however the name is often given to the tower itself, which had no name until 2012.
- St paul's cathedral. st paul's cathedral is an anglican cathedral in london and is the seat of the bishop of london. the cathedral serves as the mother church of the diocese of london.
- Tower of london. the tower of london is a historic castle on the north bank of the river thames in central london built for william the conqueror in 1078.
- Globe theatre. a reconstruction of the origin globe theatre, an elizabethan playhouse for which william shakespeare wrote his plays, on the south bank of the river thames.
- London bridge. the latest of many london bridges, which was the first human-made crossing over the river thames, famed for falling down, heads on stakes and the origin of driving on the left.
- Borough market. borough market is a wholesale and retail market hall in southwark andcis one of the largest and oldest food markets in london, with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century.
- The monument. the monument to the great fire of london, more commonly known simply as the monument, is a fluted doric column situated near the northern end of london bridge.
- Leadenhall market. leadenhall market is a covered market in london, and one of the oldest in the city, dating from the 14th century. it is famous among harry potter fans as the filming location from the first movie.
- St dunstan-in-the-east. st dunstan-in-the-east was a church of england parish church in the city of london, which has since been turned into a pocket park after being destroyed during wwii.
- Tate modern. tate modern is an art gallery located in london which was originally a power station on the southbank of the river thames.
- Winchester palace. winchester palace was a 12th-century palace which served as the london townhouse of the bishops of winchester.
- Live guide
- Bike
- Helmet (provided but optional)
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
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- What are your Covid policies?In an effort to continue offering excellent and safe tours, we have increased our cleaning standards. We sanitize all high-touch surfaces regularly, maintain social distancing throughout the tour, and ask that guests wear masks when walking through spaces like Borough Market. We want you to have fun and enjoy your time in London, and we're happy to make this tour as safe as possible.
- What's the cancellation policy?If you're joining us for our Small Group River Thames Bike Tour or our evening tour, we're happy to offer free changes and 100% refund up to 24 hours before tour. Failure to cancel a reservation at least 24 hours prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds. Fare difference may apply. If you're joining us for a private tour, please note that it must be cancelled or rebooked at least 7 days in advance of the activity start time. Failure to cancel a reservation at least 7 days prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds. Reschedulings are subject to availability.
- Is this a good tour for kids?Biking in London is an excellent family activity, however our River Thames and River Thames Evening Bike Tours are best for those ages 12+. In order to keep everyone safe, children under 12 will not be permitted on tour. Those between 12-16 years old must be accompanied by an adult 18+ while on tour. Unfortunately, our River Thames location does not have adult tricycles, tandems, or bikes with training wheels for adults or children that may not be as comfortable on a bike. Our bike tours maintain a leisurely pace, with only slight elevation changes on varying surfaces including smooth gravel and pavement. We do ask, however, that everyone participating in our bike tours be comfortable riding a bike and riding in a group. If you have younger children or aren't sure your kids will fare well on this tour, we invite you to check out our Royal London Bike Tour.
- Are reservations required?Yes; due to a limited number of bikes at our River Thames location, we ask that all guests reserve in advance.
- Is this tour difficult?This isn't the Tour de France, but there is significantly more road-riding on this tour than on our Royal London Bike Tour, and we ask that all guests be comfortable changing between single-file and riding in a group. This tour is also slightly longer than our Royal London Bike Tour in terms of distance, although it is not a strenuous ride.
- What is your weather policy?We have plenty of rain ponchos to help navigate inclement weather, but we do operate our tours in rain or shine. London can be a rainy place, so we recommend that guests dress for the weather. Our guides are great at finding overhangs and sheltered places to stop and point out the sites, but if the weather is just not your cup of tea, feel free to contact us in advance to see about rescheduling. We will do our best to accommodate you!
- Do we stop for lunch?Absolutely! On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Borough market is the place to be at lunchtime. This is London's oldest and most vibrant food market, which we'll explore together. If you're joining us on a different day of the week, there are plenty of cafés & pubs that offer traditional British bites. We recommend that guests bring some £ and/or a card as the cost of lunch is not included int he price of the tour. You are also welcome to bring a snack along with you!
- Do we go inside the museums and monuments?Unfortunately, we won't have the time on this tour to venture into all of the wonderful sites that we'll see. This tour is more about getting a feel for the city and taking advantage of great biking areas. If you wish to include access into a palace or museum, we recommend booking a Private Tour and contacting us to organize a special entry.
- Is there a place to store bags or luggage?Yes. You are welcome to leave bags, luggage or unwanted family members in our garages. Someone is usually present and it will be locked if they need to leave. While we have never had any thefts or lost items, please note that items are left at your own risk.
- What's included?Included with your reservation is a guided bike tour with a local, knowledgable guide and a helmet (should you opt to wear one). The cost of lunch or a snack at Borough Market is not included,
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