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Written by taxi tour guide Steve Indulge me for a minute. Imagine that London has three physiological elements: the River Thames is the spine, the Royal Parks are the lungs, and in my humble opinion, theatre is the heart. So it all began for me aged five when my parents took me to see the…

Written by taxi tour guide Frank What is known as The War of 1812 started off the back of the ongoing battles between Britain and France. Both sides imposed restrictions on the ‘neutral’ shipping of goods to and from the ports of the opposing country, as well as to the colonies of that country, which…

Written by taxi tour guide Rachel My story begins quite simply with my love of music. I’ve been going to gigs and buying records for too many years to mention – music has brought so much joy and introduced me to so many fabulous people, it’s no wonder it’s the theme of some of my…

On a cold dry sunny morning in January, the founding members of Black Taxi Tour London (BTTL) sat around a huge oak boardroom table in the private dining area of The Admiralty Pub. The Admiralty is a charming pub that sits right in the heart of London’s Trafalgar Square. As the name suggests, it pays…

Written by taxi tour guide Paula Erm, hidden gardens?… Don’t you mean secret gardens? Well actually, no! Some of these gardens aren’t really a secret anymore, however they are well hidden and off the beaten track. As the saying goes, ‘blink and you’ll miss them!’ Here are my top five intriguing hidden gardens in London…

Written by taxi tour guide David Could it possibly be true that the birthplace of British rock ‘n’ roll is a fish and chip shop? (Albeit an incredibly good fish and chip shop, in fact one of the best in London: I can vouch for that.) The plaque outside this famous Soho eatery states that…

For a woman whose life was never mapped to be where she ended up, Queen Elizabeth II has stood the test of time and has been a stoic role model for seven decades. Within that time, she has met numerous world leaders, seen huge changes across the globe; politically, economically, and environmentally, and has had…

London and horses, they just go together, don’t they? It’s not actually that long ago, 100 years or so, that London was a horse drawn society, as was the rest of the country. London has a massive history as far as horses are concerned; they helped us build it by pulling carts laden with stone,…

Welcome to 1813 Regency London – this is the year Netflix has set its juicy period drama “Bridgerton”. The phenomenally successful eight-part series is narrated by none other than Julie ‘Mary Poppins’ Andrews, who stars as an undercover scandal and romance gossip columnist, Lady Whistledown. The first series has proved so successful that Netflix is…

London’s lockdown is starting to ease slowly and positively. There is an increasing level of visitors on the streets and pavements, and a substantial movement of traffic on the roads. London’s commerce is working hard to ensure that safety is paramount in providing an exciting and enjoyable experience for all our visitors.  Recently, London has…

The uncertain future of the theatrical industry has sadly dimmed the shining lights that usually illuminate London’s West End.  As you can see from the recent picture of our Tour Guide David taken outside Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on Bankside, those magnificent black iron gates are firmly shut for now. Our Tour Guides here at Black…

As Tour Guides, we love to hear client’s feedback and views on what they are seeing on tour, be it a Beatles Tour, Harry Potter Tour or The Classic London Tour; reviews are so important to us, they ensure that we deliver a premium service to all of our clients. One observation that always gets mentioned,…

London’s Must-See Historic Royal Palaces As the saying goes, an Englishman’s home is his castle, but is it fit for a king or queen?  Our popular Classic London Sightseeing Tour features five Royal Palaces in its itinerary of London’s must-see sights.  Each palace can claim its right as being a castle, because of the security, strength…

What better way than to spend your daily walk with the children than on one of our Child Centric Tours.  This one is ideal for anyone who lives within walking distance of Greenwich Park. May I suggest you take paper and pencil/pens for the trip. Remember, it is very important not to participate in this…

London’s Police – An Overview  Law enforcement in the UK is a complex topic, one that cannot be summarised easily on one page.  So, one of our Driver Guides, has used their knowledge to uncover the ‘need to know’ facts about our amazing police force.  By the end of this blog, readers will be armed…

If you are planning a trip to London in June, you will not want to miss one of the most esteemed military parades in the world.  The Trooping of the Colour is a tradition that has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for over 260 years.  Many visitors to London are unaware of…

The City of London’s boundaries were defined by the Roman’s when they put a defensive wall around Londinium in the second century, it was to bolster their defence against marauding tribes and infiltrators. For all intents and purposes the basic shape and boundaries of The London Wall hasn’t changed that much since Roman times.  Today,…

If like us, you are gripped by the BBC One drama “The Trial of Christine Keeler” currently airing on Sunday nights, you might want to add a touch of scandal to your weekends and visit some of the famous associated London haunts in your very own private taxi, and indulge in the secrets of the…

Ever wondered where Cabbie’s chill out, exchange anecdotes, share stories they’ve overheard in the back of their cab, warm up and have a cuppa?  Well, the answer is within their Cabmen’s shelters.  For those of you that know London well you may well have seen the Cabbie’s shelters dotted around the city and wondered what…

As American professional football continues to grow in popularity outside the United States, we are delighted that the National Football League (NFL) London Games (sub-series of the NFL International series) returns to UK shores once again with four fixtures planned.  Two games are taking place at Wembley Stadium and the other two games are at…

Has the release of the new Downton Abbey film left you wanting to experience the quintessentially British aristocratic lifestyle?  Well, we asked some of our expert Driver Guides here at Black Taxi Tour London for their tips on some of the city’s top class Downtonesque locations and places of interest… Dress the part Pick out your favourite…

When I drive my London Black Taxi across Westminster Bridge, the wonderful view of Old Father Thames against the back drop of the Palace of Westminster reminds me of what a great city we live and work in.  I often reflect upon its foundation and development over the last two millennia. Being an ex-soldier I…

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Great War also known as World War 1 finished in 1918. Being the first real mechanical war and with trench warfare being so brutal and unforgiving there was many casualties, with 900,000 souls lost. With this came certain problems with regards to…

While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their tour of Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga and New Zealand attending the Invictus games as its Patron, we are lucky enough to have placed on display to the public at Windsor Castle (until the 6th January 2019) the dress worn by Megan Markle, the…

St James’s Gardens on Cardington Street has not been used as a cemetery for a long time and was turned into public gardens in 1887.  It has become a victim of the HS2 train line, a controversial subject and one that stirs emotion in many residents in the Camden area as well as villages along…

Brick Lane is a truly hidden London historical gem. It nestles alongside the City of London in Spitalfields/Whitechapel and has probably been made home to more nationalities and refugees than anywhere else in London. Nothing typifies this more than the food that has been served along this street. Huguenots from the 1700s hung their garlic…

Excitement is mounting as the UK prepares to celebrate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the 19th May. People up and down the country are planning their parties, getting ready to welcome the American actress into the Royal Family. To help get everyone in the mood, we are exploring the stories of…