17th-Century London Walk with London Guided Walks

Samuel Pepys, a man renowned as one of Britain's most skilled diarists, was more than just a scribe of daily life. This tour takes you through the rich tapestry of Pepys' life, visiting the places where he lived and worked during one of the most vibrant eras in London's history.

Known for his vivid chronicling of 17th century London, Pepys bore witness to some of the city's most dramatic events – the restoration of the monarchy, the Great Plague, the Great Fire of London, and the Dutch Wars. As we explore the locations where Pepys composed his diaries, we'll also visit his resting place (subject to availability). A unique garden will also provide an intriguing perspective of Pepys' life and times.

Our route will not only cover places that Pepys documented in his diaries, but will also highlight some of the more vibrant episodes from his life - tales of an attempted mugging, his period of imprisonment, a harrowing operation, encounters with a lion and monkey, public executions, and his often contentious interactions with women.

Despite his love for the finer things in life - scrumptious food, fine wines, and melodious music, Samuel Pepys was much more than a high-spirited city gentleman. This tour will reveal his lesser-known roles as a distinguished civil servant who spearheaded reforms in the Royal Navy, a savvy politician, a dedicated school governor, and a leading figure in several city and national institutions. Pepys' life was nothing short of remarkable, and it's incredible to think of all that he accomplished.

Join us as we follow in Pepys' footsteps, immersing ourselves in the hustle and bustle of 17th century London, narrated through the eyes of one of its most colourful characters.

Samuel Pepys's London Walk Reviews:

Elaine (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Another wonderful entertaining and educated walk. So enjoyable finding out new things about the history and architecture of London. Plus the exercise of walking for an hour and a half. So happy found this wonderful organisation to keep me fit and given facts I would never had known."

Marianne (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Very interesting tour .I realise I knew very little about Pepys life other than as a diarist. The geographical area covered is not large but there was a lot of information covered. Included a visit to St Olave's Church and a little Oasis of calm in the city I had never come across before - the remains of St Dunstan's Church Susan the guide chose to illustrate the talk with nuggets of 'on this day' , from his diary which was a nice touch."

Susan (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A well paced walk with our very well informed ,enthusiastic guide Susan who expertly revealed to us the haracter and spirit of Samuel Pepys as well as the importance of his diaries. Highly recommend.. an entertaining walk !"

Helen (4/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Very interesting walk around the Tower Hill area focusing on Samuel Pepys. Our guide Susan furnished us with interesting facts that we definitely didn't learn at school!! The great thing about London Guided Walks is that you can be in a familiar area, but there are new things pointed out that you haven't noticed before."

Saskia (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Lovely walk on a sunny day. Away from the hurly-burly of the Tower the streets were peaceful and there were a surprising number of places associated with Samuel Pepys to see. Susan filled us in with just the right amount of historical background."

Jason (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Very enjoyable afternoon spent following around and listening to our guide Susan on the subject of 17th century polymath and famous, sometimes infamous, diarist Samuel Pepys. Lots of interesting details and I learned a lot."

Stephen (4/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Very enjoyable and interesting walk covering Samuel Pepys places of interest near Tower Hill. Viewing of St Olaves church particularly revealing. Guide Susan was an effective leader and had plenty of new information to tell us."

John (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Highly informative and enjoyable trip. Surprisingly little walking. Enjoyable group to spend time with. A very pleasant atmosphere. Strongly recommended."

William J (4/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Despite it being a grey and cold December day - thoroughly enjoyed the interesting tour. Will go back to some of the places in nicer weather and it has inspired me to do more reading into Pepys. Thank you."

Robert (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Very informative and interesting walk. Susan, our guide, was very knowledgeable and interesting and the whole experience was very enjoyable."

Suzie (5/5) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This was a very interesting walk around Pepys' London. Susan, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable, and we learned about Pepys' life and how he was not just a diarist, but an extraordinary innovator. Indeed, many of the changes he put in train during his lifetime still influence our lives today. Just one of these is that he instigated navigation and safety training with examinations for sea captains - until then, it had been possible to take control of a ship and set sail across the world simply by purchasing a commission and never having sailed before. But there were so many more - he was a busy man!"