Day Tour: Thames, from Tower to Tate, London

Our tour begins in the old historical centre of the City of London, just yards from where the Great Fire of 1666 began, where the scene will be set for us to learn about the history of the city and the river, as we travel across London Bridge to the south bank of the river. Historically an impoverished area of marshes and depravation it has recently been regenerated into London’s most interesting and atmospheric districts. We'll stroll through the historic backstreets of Bermondsey, and enter King’s College before heading to the oldest operating theatre in the world, where we'll see the gruesome amputation tools and much more.

We'll visit the only remaining galleried pub in London, hidden amongst the winding lanes of Borough. It was here that such luminary figures as Chaucer & Dickens would drink and write about. Nearby, we'll sample the delights of the many gourmet food suppliers at Borough Market, where you can taste everything from oysters to wine, cheese, coffee and far more besides. Next door, and standing at an old entrance to the City of London, Southwark Cathedral has played host to many figures throughout its history, from Princes to paupers. Wandering along the backstreets and riverside paths we'll find the original site of the famous Globe Theatre, and the even older Rose Theatre. There are wonderful views of St Paul's Cathedral across the water, and we'll hear about the “wobbly bridge” (Millennium Bridge) and discover why it was closed within a week of its original opening!

The tour finishes inside an old power station that has now been refurbished to house the Tate Modern art gallery. Be awestruck by the scale of the huge Turbine Hall and see how famous artists have created some of their largest works of art here, as well as having the chance to explore the gallery's collection and exhibitions.

NB:

• The tour starts at 10am, so if you feel like climbing the 311 steps to the top of the Monument you can do this when it opens at 9:30am! 
• Borough Market is only fully open on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. On other days the main stores are open, but there are less stallholders.