From Westminster with Love: Where Now’s Guide to London’s Spies
About the Tour
Your mission, if you choose to accept it... is to snoop around the city centre on this London walking tour, and learn all about the dangerous and debonair world of espionage.
Starting outside Waterloo Station, the original home of M16, this 90-minute London tour will take you around the city, through Covent Garden to Westminster. Along the way, you’ll hear all about the writer John Le Carré’s ‘George Smiley’, Robert Ludlum’s ‘Jason Bourne’ and, of course, the most famous fictional super-spy ever, James Bond.
You’ll also hear about the real people who inspired the characters. Every corner has a story to tell, from covert operations to moments of espionage, and you’ll hear them all – going as far back as the 1500s with Queen Elizabeth I’s original spy-master.
As you venture around the city, you’ll see:
- Somerset House, which doubled as an eastern European location for James Bond
- Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where a certain nursery rhyme about a Muffin Man originated
- Piccadilly Circus, where a sexy secret agent danced into stardom
- Malaysia House, where Timothy Dalton’s Bond picked up cool gadgets from Q
- Whitehall, where the Prime Minister lives on Downing Street, and the Old War Office Building where, in the Bond franchise, British intelligence plot out their missions
- Westminster Bridge, where some explosive James Bond action scenes were shot in the shadows of Big Ben, and our tour ends
- Rules Restaurant, London’s oldest, where you can dine in style with a glass of Martini... shaken not stirred
There’s an exciting story of daring exploits by secret agents on every corner. So grab your fedora and radio transmitter but watch your back for double agents.
Tour Producer
Where Now Audio
Where Now Tours was founded in 2023 by Jamie, Ryan, and Mark – three friends each with over a decade’s tour guiding experience and a robust background in professional theatre, film, and stand-up comedy.
They started Where Now Tours with the core belief that walking tours should be informative, story-driven, and above all, entertaining. With a combination of historical facts, dramatic re-enactments, and tantalising trivia to impress your friends, they’ll immerse you in fantastical worlds, true crime cases, and behind-the-scenes stories to ensure your trip is one you’ll remember forever.
Where Now? Your next destination.
Preview Location
Location 18
Rules Restaurant
What do we think of when we think of the world’s most famous fictional spy? The cars? The gadgets perhaps? The amazing theme songs? Well yes, all of those things but also…fine dining and booze! Ah ... Read More
How VoiceMap Works
Major Landmarks
-
Somerset House
-
Westminster Bridge
-
Big Ben
-
Palace of Westminster
-
Sir Winston Churchill statue
-
Downing Street
-
Old War Office Building
-
The Women of World War II
-
Whitehall
-
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board
-
Piccadilly Circus
-
Rules
-
Freemasons Hall
-
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
-
Waterloo Bridge
-
Waterloo Station
Getting There
Route Overview
-
Start locationLondon SE1, UK -
Total distance5km -
Final locationWestminster Bridge Rd, London SW1A 2JH, UK -
Distance back to start location645.03m
Directions to Starting Point
The tour starts at the main entrance to Waterloo station just by Station Approach road.
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Half way round you'll stop by Rules Restaurant which is not only where Ian Fleming and several other celebrities have dined but also used for filming in some of the James Bond Films. We recommend booking https://rules.co.uk/contact/
Best time of day
You can take this tour anytime of day.
Precautions
You'll be walking around central London which can be very busy. Be aware of busy roads and use proper crossings wherever you can. London is a safe city but make sure to protect your valuables.
Get The App