British Royal Mistresses and a Pub

London gets flirty on this guided walk.

This 2.5-hour outing strings together landmark places tied to sex and love in old London, led by a professional guide. You start at the National Portrait Gallery and work your way through Soho, the Strand, Soho Square, Drury Lane, and Chinatown, keeping the pace brisk enough to feel like you are seeing a lot in one go.

I especially like how the tour ties big-name people to specific street corners. You hear about Edward VII dining his mistresses, and you also get the Casanova connection as you walk along the Strand area. I also like that it is designed as an adult-focused alternative to the usual London checklist, with stops that feel local rather than postcard-perfect.

One thing to consider is that this is a story-driven, adult-themed walking tour, and it may not match your style if you want a more lighthearted, wide-scope overview. One negative review complained it felt boring and mentioned a stop that came off like a sex toy shop, so your enjoyment will depend on how much you like the subject and your guide’s storytelling.

Key things I found especially interesting

• A grown-up London route through Soho, the Strand, Soho Square, Drury Lane, and Chinatown
• Big names tied to real places, including Edward VII, Casanova, George IV, and Nell Gwyn
• Mostly free-entry stops, so you are not constantly paying for tickets
• One included admission moment in Soho, plus a couple stops where admission is not included
• Private tour format, meaning your group is the only group on the walk
• Adult themes with historical references, including brothels and mentions like cocaine

Price and what $249.81 gets you

At $249.81 per person for about 2 hours 30 minutes, this is not a cheap “everyone in the city” sightseeing deal. The upside is that you are paying for a professional guide and a private tour format, so you are not sharing the narrative with a huge crowd. If you like walking tours that feel like a curated story instead of a general route, that guide time is where the value comes from.

The good news for your wallet is that many stops have free admission listed, including the National Portrait Gallery meeting stop, the Soho segment, the Strand segment, and the Chinatown segment. A couple of stops note that admission is not included (Soho Square and Theatre Royal Drury Lane), and one short Soho stop says admission is included. Translation: you should expect your total spend to stay fairly predictable if you go with the flow and plan for a couple ticket add-ons.

The other “value” question is comfort. Central London walks can add up fast, even when each stop is only 10 to 30 minutes. Wear good shoes and plan to be outside the whole time.

Where you start, and the best mindset for this walk

You begin at the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE. You should think of this not as a museum tour, but as a jumping-off point for the guide’s story. The first stop is listed as about 5 minutes and free admission, which makes it more of a briefing than a deep visit.

This kind of tour works best when you go in with curiosity and a sense of humor. London has always had contradictions, and this walk plays with them: famous people, secret alleys, and adult-era history that sits in plain sight. If you want a gentle family-friendly route, you might find the subject matter too pointed.

Also, the minimum age is 16, which is your hint that this is meant for adults or at least teens comfortable with the topic.

National Portrait Gallery stop: faces first, gossip second

Even though the itinerary only budgets about 5 minutes here, choosing the National Portrait Gallery as the launch point is smart. It sets the theme: you are not just looking at buildings, you are following people, images, and reputations.

You get a quick start before the walk pushes into Soho. For me, that matters because once you hit Soho and the Strand, the guide is going to be linking names to places. A short early orientation helps you keep the threads straight when the stories start piling up.

Practical tip: arrive a few minutes early and be ready to move. This is the kind of tour where the guide’s pacing matters.

Soho’s edge: reused condoms and 19th century weirdness

Your next stop is Soho, about 30 minutes. This is where the tour turns from “famous names” to “odd historical details.” One of the itinerary notes is a question about whether 19th century condoms were reusable, which tells you the tone right away: expect provocative, curiosity-boosting facts rather than a neat textbook approach.

Soho is also a great choice because it is built for this kind of walking tour. You can feel the layers as you move: older streets and building fronts sit near modern nightlife. Even if you do not memorize every date, you end up with a sense that London’s adult life has been part of the city’s story for centuries.

Potential drawback: if you feel uncomfortable with sexual topics, or if you are expecting a purely historical lecture with no cheeky angles, this stop may test your tolerance.

The Strand approach: Edward VII, Casanova, and the right kind of scandal

From Soho you continue along the Strand for about 20 minutes. The Strand is wide and dramatic, which makes it easy to link the stories to the city itself. The tour focuses on two major connections.

First, you visit the spot connected with the oldest restaurant in London, where Edward VII reportedly dined his mistresses. Second, you walk toward the place where Casanova stayed during his London visit, then you explore which mistress was the most important to him.

That combination is exactly why this tour can feel different from typical London walks. It is not only about sex in the abstract. It is about how power, fame, and romance played out in specific locations. You leave with names you recognize and new context for where they fit into London life.

One note: this is story-forward. You are walking and hearing connections, not hopping into multiple paid attractions. If you like your travel days to feel like a guided narrative through streets, this part usually hits.

Soho Square: George IV’s favorite spot and the School of Sodom

Soho Square is next, about 30 minutes. Here the itinerary mentions George IV’s favourite spot and the School of Sodom, where men were severely flogged. This is where you should mentally switch gears from “scandal and romance” to “harsh consequences and historical punishment.”

It can be uncomfortable history. But it also adds depth. London’s adult stories were not always just about pleasure, they were also about control, punishment, and social rules that came down hard on people.

Admission here is listed as not included. So if you end up entering any site related to this stop, be ready that you might pay an extra fee.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane: Nell Gwyn and masquerade echoes

Your Theatre Royal Drury Lane stop is about 20 minutes, and again admission is listed as not included. The focus is on Nell Gwyn, described here as the most influential royal mistress, before you move on to the place of former 18th century masquerades.

This is one of those stops where London’s theatre tradition shows up in the story. The masquerade theme matters because it connects romance, anonymity, and performance to the city’s social life. Even if you do not go inside anything, the idea is that London’s adult history also lived in costumes, characters, and nightlife.

If you enjoy cultural history tied to real landmarks, this is a strong segment. If you want only modern-style explanations with light touch, the tone may feel darker than expected.

Chinatown in the mix: 1920s brothels and mentions of cocaine

Chinatown is the next stop, about 30 minutes. The itinerary mentions 1920s brothels and also where Londoners got cocaine for guilty pleasures. That is adult-themed material, and it is presented as part of the city’s historical underbelly.

Chinatown is an interesting setting for this story because it shows how the city repurposes space over time. You can walk through one neighborhood vibe and still hear about a very different past, which is exactly what makes this tour’s approach work if you like layered urban storytelling.

Admission is listed as free here. So you are not stuck wondering if the next segment costs extra. You are mainly paying for your guide’s framing and the route itself.

Final Soho secret stop: one included admission moment

You end with another Soho segment of about 10 minutes, and this time admission is listed as included. The itinerary calls it hidden secrets, but it does not spell out the exact venue in the information you provided.

Still, the fact that admission is included here is useful. It suggests your guide leads you to at least one concrete experience at the end, not just more standing on the pavement. This can be a nice payoff when the tour has been walking heavy.

If you are sensitive to adult content, this is the moment where you decide whether the subject matter is still your thing. In my view, it helps to go into the tour knowing it is not a “clean” walking tour, because the final stop is part of the adult-story design.

Group size, pace, and how long 2 hours 30 minutes really feels

This is a private tour/activity, so only your group participates. That matters more than people think. You get a more flexible, less chaotic conversation with the guide, and it is easier to ask questions when you are not being swallowed by a large group.

The itinerary timing is broken into short stops: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. That structure helps you avoid the “stand still for ages” problem common to some walking tours. You still should expect steady walking between spots in central London.

Offbeat tours can also mean the route is not optimized for maximum sight photography. If your goal is taking lots of wide views and landmark pictures, you might find the focus is more on story than scenery. If your goal is understanding how London’s reputation was shaped by real people and real places, you are in the right lane.

About the guide, and why style affects your enjoyment

You get a professional guide, and that is the whole point of why this tour can be worth it. But good storytelling is not automatic. One negative review specifically called the walk boring and said one stop felt like a sex toy store, also suggesting the guide could have used more imagination to make it work.

That does not mean the tour is always dull. It does mean you should treat this like a narrative comedy of sorts, not a quiet history stroll. If your guide leans into the material, it is likely to feel entertaining and fast. If your guide stays dry, the same adult topics can land flat.

My practical advice: arrive open-minded, and if you feel the pacing is dragging, ask a direct question early. A good guide can change the energy quickly once they know you want a different angle.

Should you book British Royal Mistresses and a Pub?

Book it if:

• You want a London walking tour with adult, scandal-adjacent stories and you like the idea of learning through named places.
• You enjoy connecting famous figures to specific streets, not just facts read from a brochure.
• You like Soho, the Strand, Chinatown, and the idea of walking through parts of London you already know, but with a new lens.

Skip it if:

• You want a family-friendly route or a gentle overview of London sights.
• You get turned off by sexual history topics, including brothels and references like cocaine.
• You prefer museums and monuments over story-driven street stops.

One extra check: the tour name includes Pub, but the detailed stops you provided are all landmark segments plus one included admission at the end. If you care specifically about a pub moment, confirm what that looks like in your booking details so you know what to expect.

FAQ

How long is British Royal Mistresses and a Pub?

The duration is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

Where does the tour start?

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

Is this tour private?

Yes. It is listed as private, meaning only your group will participate.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 16 years.

Are admission tickets included?

Admission is listed as free for some stops, not included for Soho Square and Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and included for the final Soho stop. The rest follow the stop notes provided.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, free cancellation is available. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.