Sherlock Holmes Old London – Very Small Group Walking Tour

The most memorable stop comes early: St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson first meet in A Study in Scarlet. From there, Richard’s route links the fictional world of Holmes with the real London of Arthur Conan Doyle, including the doctor’s former practice and places tied to the author’s career.

I like the small group limit of 12, since it gives you a better chance to ask questions and hear the stories clearly. I also like that Richard worked at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and that his tour reaches beyond Holmes to Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, James Bond, Harry Potter, and London history.

The main consideration is the $108.32 price, which is a serious sum for a walking tour, especially since Underground travel and the Sherlock Holmes Museum are extra. The advertised duration is 3 to 4 hours, but the pace and route can change. One booking finished in about two hours after the guide customized the walk for a fast-moving private group.

Key points before you book

• Begin at the Sherlock Holmes Pub: Hear how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Holmes, while standing outside the former Northumberland Hotel.
• Meet Holmes and Watson at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital: This is the tour’s strongest literary stop and one of its best links between fiction and real London.
• Follow Conan Doyle’s working life: See the exterior of his 1891 medical practice, where he wrote The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes between patients.
• Travel in a group capped at 12: A small party suits a story-led tour, though you need an Oyster Card or other London travel card for the Underground.
• Finish at 221B Baker Street: The guide ends outside the museum, where you can shop or pay separately to enter.
• Expect more than Sherlock: Richard adds stories about Dickens, American history, films, and other London figures along the way.

Start at the Sherlock Holmes Pub on Northumberland Avenue

The tour begins at Embankment station and quickly sets the mood outside the Sherlock Holmes Pub on Northumberland Avenue. The pub occupies the former Northumberland Hotel, linked to Sir Henry Baskerville in The Hound of the Baskervilles. That makes it a useful opening scene, not just a convenient meeting place.

Richard uses the stop to explain Conan Doyle’s life and the making of Sherlock Holmes. You get the author behind the character, along with the London setting that helped shape the stories. If you know the Holmes canon well, this gives you details to test and connect. If you are new to Holmes, it provides enough background to follow the rest of the walk.

Across the road is the former Turkish bath associated with Holmes and Watson. The stop is brief, around 10 minutes, but it gives the tour a playful start. You are not simply looking at famous buildings. You are being shown how ordinary London streets became part of the detective’s imaginary map.

The Sherlock Holmes Pub itself is also a possible pre-tour or post-tour stop, but you may want to save it for the walk. Richard can explain its literary connection in context rather than leaving you to inspect it on your own.

Scotland Yard and the old detective machinery

The next Holmes-related stop is the historic Metropolitan Police headquarters associated with Scotland Yard. Detectives Lestrade and Hopkins worked from here in the stories, though Holmes did not hold them in especially high regard.

The building has been restored, with large gas lamps that help you picture the Victorian setting. Modern London remains all around you, of course, but the contrast is part of the fun. Look past the black cabs and traffic, and you can imagine a Hansom cab carrying Holmes to the Yard.

This stop lasts about 10 minutes. It is better understood as a visual and storytelling pause than a full museum visit. You will not be going inside to inspect police offices. The value comes from learning how Conan Doyle used the police force, its detectives, and its public reputation in the Holmes stories.

Richard’s wider London knowledge is useful here. The tour is not limited to a list of fictional addresses. You can expect side stories about the city and the people who shaped it, with the main thread still returning to Holmes.

Simpson’s in the Strand and the taste of Victorian London

Simpson’s in the Strand is one of the route’s most atmospheric stops. Holmes often suggested the restaurant to Watson, and the building also connects to Charles Dickens, Conan Doyle, and Winston Churchill.

The restaurant began as a chess club and coffee house before becoming a traditional English dining room. If the tour arrives before lunch service, Richard may be able to give you a look inside at the meat-carving trolleys, which have been in use since 1840. That detail gives the stop a physical link to the past rather than leaving it as a name in a book.

You should treat access inside as a possibility, not a guarantee. The stated stop is around 10 minutes, and the timing of the restaurant matters. Even from outside, the address helps explain the social world Holmes occupied. His cases involved laboratories, police stations, and dark alleys, but also meals in respectable restaurants.

This is also a good place to ask Richard about the difference between Conan Doyle’s London and the London shown in television and films. His work at the Sherlock Holmes Museum gives him a useful base for discussing the character across different versions.

Somerset House provides a short historical change of pace

Somerset House is not a direct Holmes stop, and that is worth knowing before you book. It serves as a short cut toward Temple station, with a brief walk through one of London’s notable civic buildings.

The site began with a Tudor palace belonging to the Duke of Somerset and was rebuilt as a major public building in 1775. It has also appeared in Love Actually. The route includes a 300-year-old staircase before you continue toward the station.

This five-minute passage gives the walk some variety. A tour made only of Holmes references could become narrow, especially for companions who are not devoted fans. Somerset House helps Richard bring in wider London stories and familiar film locations.

The tradeoff is that time spent here is not time spent on a Sherlock address. Fans who want every minute packed with canon may see it as a detour. I think it works best if you want a London tour with Holmes as the main thread rather than a strict literary pilgrimage.

St. Bartholomew’s Hospital is the literary heart of the walk

At St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, the fictional partnership begins. London’s oldest hospital is where Holmes and Watson first meet after Watson encounters Young Stamford, an old colleague, in the Criterion Bar.

Watson needs a place to live, and Stamford knows of an eccentric man seeking someone to share the rent on rooms in Baker Street. Holmes then demonstrates his powers of observation and deduction in a laboratory at St. Barts. The next day, at 221B Baker Street, the partnership is underway.

You spend about 20 minutes here, longer than at most earlier stops. That makes sense. This is the place where the central relationship of the stories takes shape, and the hospital area offers additional London history for Richard to explain.

I would give this stop your full attention even if you have read the books many times. It connects several scenes at once: Watson’s return to London, Stamford’s introduction, Holmes’s laboratory work, and the move to Baker Street. It is also one of the best stops for photographs.

The setting has practical value, too. You see how Conan Doyle placed Holmes in a real working part of London. The stories feel less like isolated plots and more like adventures moving through hospitals, restaurants, police offices, hotels, and railway stations.

The Langham links Holmes to Conan Doyle’s literary career

The Langham Hotel is a short stop, about five minutes, but its connection reaches beyond Sherlock Holmes. Soon after the luxurious hotel opened, Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle were invited to dine there with an American publisher in August 1889.

That dinner helped launch both authors’ international careers. For a Holmes fan, it adds useful context. Conan Doyle was not only a doctor who wrote detective stories. He was part of a larger literary world, with professional connections that helped carry his work far beyond London.

The Langham also gives Richard room to explain Conan Doyle’s career in relation to other writers. This is one reason the tour can work for someone who likes history and literature but is not the Holmes expert in the family.

Do not expect a long hotel visit. The tour focuses on the outside and the story attached to it. Its importance is biographical, not architectural sightseeing.

Queen Anne Street shows Watson after Baker Street

The route then follows Dr. Watson beyond his bachelor life. After marrying Mary Morstan, Watson leaves 221B Baker Street and establishes a medical practice at 8 Queen Anne Street.

The stop lasts about five minutes. You can picture Holmes arriving with his cane, calling Watson away from domestic life for another case. It is a small detail, but it shows how the stories changed as Watson’s personal life developed.

This address helps you see Watson as more than Holmes’s narrator and assistant. He is a doctor with his own practice, marriage, and responsibilities. The Holmes stories depend on that tension between ordinary domestic life and the pull of an unexplained case.

The building is viewed from outside, so this is another stop where the storytelling matters more than entry. Richard’s style, according to the supplied information, includes short scenes and character details that make these places easier to remember.

Conan Doyle’s old medical practice reveals the real author

Crosbie Care is a pilgrimage stop for serious Sherlockians because Arthur Conan Doyle once ran his medical practice inside the building. The exterior is said to be unchanged since he worked there in 1891.

Conan Doyle walked about 20 minutes to reach the practice each morning. He later joked that not a single patient darkened his door. With little medical work to occupy him, he wrote the stories that became The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

You spend about 10 minutes here. The location is valuable because it brings the author into the same physical world as his creation. You are no longer only tracing Holmes’s fictional movements. You are looking at the place where Conan Doyle built the series while trying to earn a living as a doctor.

This is one of the tour’s strongest features for readers who want more than screen locations. Several people who enjoyed the walk especially valued the author’s connection to the real buildings and streets. If your interest is mainly in the BBC series or film adaptations, this stop may be quieter, but it gives the character a firmer literary foundation.

Baker Street Station and the Sherlock statue

At Baker Street station, Richard points out one of London’s oldest and best-preserved Underground stations. The stories mention Holmes and Watson using the Underground a few times, so even the transport system becomes part of the trail.

Outside the station is a Sherlock Holmes statue commissioned by the Abbey National Building Society, which occupied 221 Baker Street for many years. Richard shares the story of the statue before leading you toward Baker Street itself.

The stop lasts about five minutes. It is an easy photo point and a clear signal that the tour is reaching its finale. The station also offers a practical advantage: it is close to the endpoint and useful for onward travel after the museum.

You need an Oyster Card or another London travel card for the Underground portions of the tour. That extra cost is not included in the booking price. Make sure you have a valid way to pay before meeting at Embankment station.

End at 221B Baker Street

The tour finishes at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, located at 221B Baker Street. Richard can help with onward travel, and the museum is close to Baker Street Underground station.

Museum admission is not included. You can enter separately or browse the gift shop for Sherlock souvenirs. The museum presents the rooms as Holmes and Watson’s shared home with Mrs. Hudson, so it is a natural follow-up if you want the interior experience after spending the day outside.

One useful tip is to avoid visiting the pub or museum before the walk if you want Richard’s explanations to shape your first impression. Seeing the places independently is fine, but the tour works best when the stories arrive at the same time as the locations.

The museum can also change how you judge the tour’s price. If you buy a ticket and spend time inside, your total day costs more than the advertised $108.32. Budget for the Underground and museum before deciding that this is a good fit.

What the small group format really adds

The maximum group size is 12, though some departures have been much smaller. A cancellation once left only two people with Richard, turning the planned walk into a private experience.

A tiny group can make the tour feel personal. Richard can adjust the pace, answer detailed questions, and sometimes alter a stop based on your interests. In one case, a group chose to see Speedy’s Cafe from the BBC series Sherlock instead of Conan Doyle’s medical surgery.

That flexibility is a benefit, but it also explains why the experience may not always last the full advertised 3 to 4 hours. A fast private group may move quickly, skip a rest stop, or choose a shorter alternative. If you want the full route, tell Richard at the start and ask how the day will be paced.

For most people, the small group is a stronger selling point than a large guided walk. You can hear the details, take photographs without holding up a crowd, and ask about obscure references from the books or screen versions.

The guide’s style and the wider London stories

Richard is the named guide associated with this experience, and his background at the Sherlock Holmes Museum matters. He brings detailed knowledge of the books, Conan Doyle’s life, and different versions of Holmes in television and film.

The supplied comments also point to a broader strength: Richard adds London and American history without losing the Holmes thread. Depending on the route and conversation, you may hear about Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Aaron Burr, the founding fathers, the Great Fire of London, World War I, James Bond, or Harry Potter.

That extra material is useful if your group includes mixed interests. A teenager who knows the BBC series may enjoy the modern film links, while a reader of the original stories may prefer the Conan Doyle locations. Someone who is only mildly interested in Holmes can still get a substantial London history walk.

The only caution is that a wide range of side stories can make the experience feel less focused for purists. If you want a strict scene-by-scene examination of every story, say so. If you enjoy following one theme into the city’s wider past, Richard’s approach should suit you.

Walking, timing, and practical planning

The tour lasts approximately 3 to 4 hours and includes walking as well as Underground travel. Stop times range from about five to 20 minutes, but the actual pace depends on group size, walking speed, chosen stops, and breaks.

Wear comfortable shoes. The route crosses central London and includes a 300-year-old staircase at Somerset House. Most travelers can take part, and service animals are allowed. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The start point is Embankment station on Embankment Place. The end is 221B Baker Street, near Baker Street station. That point-to-point design is useful because you finish in a different part of London rather than returning to the beginning.

The price is high for a walking tour, but the guide’s specialist background and small group size give it more value than a basic themed stroll. I would judge it as a good buy for a committed Holmes fan, especially if you ask questions and stay for the full route. For a casual fan, the cost becomes harder to justify once you add transport and museum admission.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this Sherlock Holmes walk?

I would choose this tour if you have read the Holmes stories, watched the BBC series or other adaptations, or want to understand how Conan Doyle’s real life fed the fiction. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and the old medical practice make it especially worthwhile for readers who care about the original books.

It also suits families with an older child or teenager, provided the child is accompanied by an adult. The mix of detective fiction, film locations, Underground history, and London anecdotes can keep a mixed group involved.

I would hesitate if you dislike walking, want substantial indoor sightseeing, or expect museum admission to be part of the price. Most stops are outside, and the museum comes at the end as an optional extra.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a personal Sherlock Holmes trail led by someone who worked at the museum. The strongest parts are the meeting place at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Conan Doyle’s old practice, the Scotland Yard connection, and the final arrival at 221B Baker Street.

Before paying, plan for the Underground card, possible museum admission, and a 3 to 4 hour walking block. At the start, confirm that you want the full route rather than a faster customized version.

For dedicated Sherlockians, the price can be justified by Richard’s specialist knowledge and the small group setting. For everyone else, it is best seen as a London history walk with Holmes at its center, not simply a visit to a few fictional addresses.

FAQ

Where does the Sherlock Holmes walking tour start?

The tour starts at Embankment station, Embankment Place, London WC2N 6NS.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street, London NW1 6XE.

How long does the tour last?

The stated duration is approximately 3 to 4 hours, though the pace and selected stops can affect the actual length.

What is the price?

The listed price is $108.32 per person.

Is the Sherlock Holmes Museum admission included?

No. The tour ends at the museum, but admission is not included. You can enter separately or visit the gift shop.

Is Underground travel included?

No. You need an Oyster Card or another London travel card for the Underground portions of the route.

What is the maximum group size?

The tour has a maximum of 12 participants.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket.

Who guides the tour?

The guide is Richard from Richards Tours. He has worked at the Sherlock Holmes Museum and leads the walk as a Sherlock Holmes and London history specialist.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.