London gets a different kind of makeover. This adult-leaning walking tour threads together London addresses tied to sex and love, with a professional guide who keeps the stories moving street by street. I like the exact place-based storytelling, especially when the route hits Soho and the Strand. I also like that it’s not trying to be the usual London Greatest Hits route. One drawback: if you want straightforward sightseeing (and no strong adult themes), this one may feel awkward or simply not your style.

It starts at the National Portrait Gallery and returns there after about 2 hours 30 minutes. It’s private for your group, uses a mobile ticket, and runs in English. Most of the stops are free to enter, but two stops note admissions that are not included, so you may want a little extra money or patience for ticketing once you’re out walking.

Key things I think are worth knowing first

• Soho-heavy route: You spend real time in the streets tied to scandal, desire, and coded history.
• Specific character stops: Edward VII, Casanova, George IV, and Nell Gwyn are built into the walking clues.
• Free admission for most stops: Several stops list free entry, which helps the tour feel like value.
• One included ticket can feel polarizing: The final Soho stop includes an admission and may include an adult-themed shop/exhibit vibe for some people.
• Two paid-not-included stops: Soho Square and Theatre Royal Drury Lane note tickets not included, so factor that in.

A London walking tour that trades landmarks for love stories

This tour is built around a simple idea: London’s most interesting people and scandals left footprints, and you can still read them in the streets. Instead of focusing on big monuments, you’re working with smaller, moodier locations. You’ll hear how places connected to mistresses, brothels, masquerades, and punishment show up again and again in the city’s layout.

It’s also a walking tour with a point of view. Your guide isn’t just ticking off sights. They’re using those sights as clues to explain how power, romance, money, and secrecy played out in London. That’s the part I enjoyed most: it turns a commute into a story.

Price and whether $249.81 feels fair for 2.5 hours

At $249.81 per person for about 2 hours 30 minutes, you’re paying for something more than geography. You’re paying for guided interpretation and a route that’s built to be different. This isn’t a free-for-all city stroll; it’s private, focused, and theme-driven.

Here’s why the price can make sense:

• Many stops are free: Several locations list admission ticket free, which offsets tour cost.
• It’s private: Only your group participates, which usually makes a guide’s attention feel more personal than in a crowd tour.
• The story uses real locations: You’re not just hearing general facts. You’re walking to the kind of addresses that make the stories feel grounded.

Here’s the one thing to consider: it’s adult-themed and very specific. If that subject matter isn’t your thing, you’ll feel the same time passing as you would on any walking tour, but you may not buy the premise.

Stop 1: National Portrait Gallery—starting with faces and fame

You meet at the National Portrait Gallery (St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE). The tour begins here, and that start location tells you what kind of tour this is. You’re not beginning with a landmark pub sign or a busy square. You’re beginning with people—portraits, identity, reputation.

Even before you get to Soho, this is a useful way to set the tone. It primes you to think about who got remembered, who got hidden, and how status shaped public stories. The gallery itself is listed as free for this stop, so there’s no surprise cost right away.

Practical note: since you’re starting at a major site, you can usually get there easily with public transport, and the location is easy to find.

Stop 2: Soho streets—reusable condoms and 19th-century cheek

Next you head into Soho for about 30 minutes. The tour leans into the strange and the historical in a very specific way, including the idea that 19th-century condoms were reusable.

Soho works for this theme. It’s one of those areas where the city feels like it has layers: entertainment, commerce, secrecy, and street-level history all stacked together. And because the stop is focused, you’re not stuck wandering. The guide steers your attention toward small signals: a street, a corner, a relationship between places.

One consideration: Soho can be busy depending on the time of day. The route is short, so if you’re sensitive to crowds, pick a time when you’re comfortable walking through a popular neighborhood.

Stop 3: The Strand—Edward VII’s mistresses and Casanova’s London visit

You continue along the Strand for about 20 minutes. This stretch matters because it links movement with meaning. You’re not only passing famous roads—you’re using the road as a timeline.

This stop points you to:

• the oldest restaurant in London, where Edward VII dined his mistresses
• the place where Casanova stayed on his London visit
• and a guided clue to which mistress was most important to him

This is one of the reasons I think the tour appeals to curious travelers. You’re learning story mechanics: how royal appetite and celebrity storytelling overlap with specific addresses. That turns the Strand from “just a road” into something you can read.

What can be tricky: because you’re moving along a busy corridor, you’ll want to stay close to your guide. This is one of those routes where you don’t want to lag behind, or the story cues lose their punch.

Stop 4: Soho Square—the School of Sodom and public punishment

Then it’s Soho Square for around 30 minutes. Here the tour goes into darker territory. The guide plans to show you George IV’s favorite spot and the School of Sodom, described as a place where men were severely flogged.

This is where the tour’s tone shifts. Up to this point, it can feel like gossip with historical footing. At Soho Square, it becomes about control and consequence—how the city dealt with sex, reputation, and punishment.

A key practical point: admission here is not included. So even though you’re walking through a named square, you may need to pay for entry or accept that entry depends on what’s available during your visit.

If you’re the kind of person who hates stories that are too grim, this is the stop you should evaluate most seriously. It’s not a sweet romantic angle.

Stop 5: Theatre Royal Drury Lane—Nell Gwyn and masquerade echoes

Your next stop is Theatre Royal Drury Lane for about 20 minutes. The focus is Nell Gwyn, described as the most influential Royal mistress, before you arrive at the place of former 18th-century masquerades.

This is a smart pairing. Drury Lane is theatrical by nature, and masquerades fit that world: identity swapping, anonymity, and performance. The guide uses that context to connect sexual politics with public entertainment.

Like the Soho Square stop, admission here is not included. If your schedule makes ticketing complicated, that can add friction. Still, this is a reasonable time investment: 20 minutes is short enough that you’re not stuck for long if entry is limited.

What I like about this stop conceptually: it treats mistresses and scandal as part of how the city entertained itself and how society managed visibility.

Stop 6: Chinatown—1920s brothels and cocaine for guilty pleasures

After Drury Lane, you move to Chinatown for about 30 minutes. This part of the route includes sights tied to 1920s brothels and where Londoners got cocaine for guilty pleasures.

This stop can feel the most startling, not because it’s shocking in a modern sense, but because the tour frames these substances and the nightlife around specific geographic locations. It’s one thing to read about it; it’s another to walk through the city and hear it tied to street corners.

Practical angle: Chinatown is also popular and can be crowded. The good news is your stop is scheduled and time-limited. You’re not spending an hour lost in the area.

Another consideration: the theme is adult and illicit. If you’re hoping for light, funny history, this part may hit a different mood than you expected.

Stop 7: Back into Soho for the included ticket and hidden secrets

The final listed stop returns to Soho for about 10 minutes and includes an admission ticket. The tour description calls it exploring the area of hidden secrets.

This is also where I’d be most cautious about expectations. One of the key pieces of feedback about this tour is that it can feel like a walking tour with one stop at a sex toy store. Since the itinerary says an admission ticket is included at this point, that critique makes sense: this included stop may be the “practical show-and-tell” moment rather than purely exterior sightseeing.

Here’s how to handle that if it’s your concern:

• If you like adult-themed artifacts and don’t mind it being literal, this final stop can add flavor.
• If you want stories only on streets and buildings, you may find this type of stop less satisfying.

Either way, because it’s only 10 minutes, you’re not trapped for long if it’s not your preferred style.

The walking reality: pace, private groups, and who this tour fits

The tour lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes and runs in English. It’s a private tour/activity, meaning only your group participates. That matters more than people think. With a theme this specific, you want a guide who can shape explanations to your questions and comfort level.

Minimum age is 16, and service animals are allowed. The tour is also near public transportation, which helps if you want to plan dinner or additional wandering right after.

I think this tour suits you best if:

• you enjoy London’s history with an edge
• you like stories tied to named people (Edward VII, Casanova, George IV, Nell Gwyn)
• you want a walking tour that doesn’t rely on the usual museum-and-monument script

I think you should skip it (or at least reconsider) if:

• you want family-friendly content
• you dislike adult-themed stops that may include a shop/exhibit element
• you prefer a calm, non-graphic historical tone

Should you book British Royal Mistresses and a Pub?

If your idea of a great London tour is stepping off the normal route and hearing stories tied to real addresses, this is a strong contender. The price can feel reasonable because you’re getting a guided, private route with many free-admission stops, plus time in Soho and the Strand where the city’s hidden side is easiest to find on foot.

My deciding advice comes down to one question: do you like the idea of adult-themed, sex-and-love history being the main course, not an optional garnish? If yes, book it and go in with curiosity. If you’d rather keep it light or stay purely in mainstream sightseeing territory, you may end up wishing the guide had gone bigger on atmosphere and smaller on the more literal included stop.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

It lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Where does the tour start?

You start at the National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE, UK.

Is admission included?

Many stops list admission ticket free, but Soho Square and Theatre Royal Drury Lane note admission ticket not included. The final Soho stop includes an admission ticket.

How much does it cost?

The price is $249.81 per person.

What language is the tour in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is there a minimum age?

Yes. The minimum age is 16 years.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, you can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Free cancellation is available. Confirmation is received at booking.