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London Guided Walks » Roman London Walk

Roman London Walk

Step into Londinium see hugely impressive remains and hear stories of the first Londoners.

Discover Roman London in the City of London
Learn how Londinium was created and deserted
Qualified City of London guide

Book with confidence:

Explore London’s origins on this ninety-minute walk through the heart of the Roman city. We will look at both hugely impressive remains, and intriguing smaller parts of Londinium that most people just don’t know about.

We will look at why the city grew where it did, meet some of its inhabitants, and find out how it later became almost empty.

The sheer size of Roman London was truly impressive. Come along and discover the monumental history hidden beneath our feet.

Start: Tower Hill
End: Guildhall
Suitable for 14yrs+

Your Guide: Ian McDiarmid

Your Guide: Jenny Funnell

Roman London Walk Reviews

Carol L

See original review

When I got to the exit of Tower Hill Station, there were a couple of groups in the plaza outside. I couldn’t see any obvious signs of where I was to go – I checked, and yes, I was in the right place. I was looking for a guide wearing an orange lanyard, and a sign – nope, couldn’t see them. I did see a large orange umbrella – turned out to belong to a Spanish tour group. Finally narrowing it down to that group and another, I peered at the various members of the group, and finally spotted the most discreet guide I’ve ever seen, lanyard mostly hidden by his jacket, sign securely tucked under his elbow. I joined the circle, and when a couple of Americans asked me whether this was the group, I said, “I think so!” whereupon we all queued to check in. He had a mic – just as well, given our proximity to the others, at least at this point. And over the next 90 minutes+, he was like a walking history textbook. We knew we were in the presence of someone with an in-depth knowledge of the subject, and there were some serious history buffs in the group who were delighted. We started, of course, with that large section of Roman wall just near the station. Round by other Roman sites, such as the bathhouse, and the Temple of Mithras. Everywhere we went, fascinating details – and as I remarked to someone at the end, isn’t it amazing how much exists all around us, but that we have no idea of. And so, eventually, with the poor guide losing his voice (apparently he’s allergic to plane trees), to the Guildhall, where the tour finished, looking at the outline of the Roman amphitheatre. And a round of applause was well-earned. Definitely the tour to go on if you really want to learn about Roman London.”

Jane

“This was an excellent walk, and Ian was an engaging and incredibly knowledgeable guide. He made everyone feel instantly welcome, and managed to impart a huge amount of information during the course of the walk, in a lively and interesting way so it never felt too much. I learned a lot, especially at Leadenhall Market about the area of the ancient forum and basilica, but I also had a great time. The route and the pace were perfect for me, and everyone else in the group seemed to be fine with it too. I will certainly be listening to your podcast on Roman London, and intend to book another walk with Ian at some point. ”

Irini

“Really enjoyed this guided walk; very informative and interesting and well presented. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to gain richer perspectives on London’s early history.”

Pauline

“Excellent guided tour of Roman London. The guide was very knowledgeable and spoke with clarity, making it a very interesting and worthwhile few hours. Would definitely recommend it.”

Gill

“Another excellent walk with London Guided Walks. As always very well led by knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader. Superior to some other organisations. Will definitely continue to do more walks with them.”

Jennifer

“Informative and varied”

Veronique

“Very much enjoyed this very informative tour on London at the times of the Romans. Ian was a great guide. I highly recommend and look forward to attending other tours.”

Marilyn

“Roman London. A hugely enjoyable walk, thanks to Ian’s depth of knowledge and passion for his subject. He made a very real connection with the period and its people.”

Elizabeth

“Really fascinating walk telling me quite a bit I didn’t know about Roman London. Ian, the guide, was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and patient with questions. Recommended!”

Sheila

“The walk was informative and enjoyable. Due to the information given I now know several Roman sites to visit in future. Thank you Ian.”

Machiko

“Ian McDonald is a knowledgeable historian. He guided us through London’s Roman historical places, which had full of surprises, in very engaging way and easing comprehending way.”

Charmain

“Excellent insight into the Roman past. Easy to miss things without a guide and explanation. Ian was superb and easy to listen to and happy to answer questions. Highly recommend this walk and then maybe a visit to the London museum. As the saying goes, “what did the Romans ever do for us?” Plenty it seems and the genesis of London. Wear comfy walking shoes, there is no sitting down on this 90 minute brisk walk.”

Peter

“This was excellent and a great way to start getting out and about again. It was quite a revelation about the beginning of my home city. Our guide Ian was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, friendly and approachable. I’m fired up to find out more about Londinium and am intending to visit the Museum of London soon.”

Claudine

“Despite the continuous rain, I enjoyed this walk as I learnt a lot, again, and discovered a London I did not know.”

Tricia

“I enjoyed this guided walk very much. Ian gave us a lot of fascinating information. He also kept up the momentum despite the cold and incessant rain, with frequent short stops and shelter where possible.”

Helen

“An interesting walk with a knowledgeable guide. He gave us lots of pointers to places to visit after the walk. Thank you Ian.”

Silvana

“Fab tour of Roman London, Ian was a great guide, very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. I definitely recommend it.”

Maria

“5 stars This was my perfect walking tour. The group was the right size, I could hear everything the guide had to say. There was some walking (much preferable to ambling very short distances). The content was excellent: a mix of history, art, civilisation. I learned a lot of new things and made note of places along the tour I would like to visit in more depth on my own. This is everything I could ask of a London walking tour.”

Jan

“A very insightful walk with Ian, whose great interest in, and passion for, his subject shine through all he says. This was a journey with longish walks between stops so a bit more challenging on one’s fitness than most, but nevertheless a fascinating insight into Romano Britain. Thank you Ian.”

Volkar

“Great insights, even for locals!!”

Paula

“It’s amazing what is underneath our feet and we found out a lot more about that yesterday. Our guide was Ian and he took us on a really interesting walk between Tower Hill and Guildhall pointing at evidence of Romano Britain. He was very knowledgeable and informative. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.”

David

“Ian the guide was extremely knowledgeable on his subject. An enjoyable morning.”

Peter

“This was a fascinating and enjoyable walk, led by a knowledgeable and friendly guide, which made aspects of Roman London come alive while pointing the way to further exploration of the area and the topic.”

Anne

“This was a most enjoyable and educational walk. The guide was outstanding in terms of his knowledge and ability to convey it In an accessible – and humorous way at times. He came over as more of a historian who did not dumb down but instead respected the intelligence of the group. Having spoken to a good number of the large group of participants, all remarked on how good and pleasant the guide was. What I valued also was his suggestions for further explorations of the Roman theme whether on future walks or privately. We were blessed by excellent weather for the time of year. The only suggestion I would make would be to give a more prominent indication of the amount of walking involved and extent of ground covered as people with even slight mobility problems might have found it hard to keep up with the pace required at times between stops. That said, for those fit enough, the exercise involved was actually a nice bonus.”

Sunil

“Very enjoyable walk & talk. The guide showed us the main sites in the City and gave us a geographical and historical perspective.”

Suzie

Ian was very knowledgeable and showed us how Roman London is still there dotted around the City if we know where – and how – to look for it. A very interesting tour, and I’ll certainly go on their walks again!”

Maya

“The guide (Ian) was efficient & knowledgeable. I was a little sad that there wasn’t more actual Roman Britain to be seen but of course that wasn’t the fault of the guide. For me the highlights were the section of Roman wall, the outline of the amphitheatre at Guildhall, & most of all the log from a Roman wharf. Note that the talk was a little longer than stated, so you may need extra time.”

Alison & Mike

“We had previously visited several, though not all, of the sites on the route, but Ian’s authoritative and detailed commentary added a lot to our understanding of Roman London as well as provoking interesting thoughts about the relationship between archaeological and written evidence. It was a great idea to finish up at the Guildhall where the remains of the amphitheatre can be visited for free. I would recommend this walk to anyone with the slightest interest in the history of London. (The really keen might also want to arrange to visit Billingsgate Roman House and Baths and the Mithraeum inside Bloomberg’s building, since these are mentioned but not visible on the tour.)”

Melanie

“Very interesting and informative walk by Ian. Delivered well and with passion. Distances between sites were a little long but he did make that clear at the beginning of tour.”

John

“Excellent. Informative, interesting and presented in a clear way.”

Sue and Brian

“Really enjoyed this very informative walk led by Ian. He made Roman London come alive, thoroughly recommend.”