Self-Guided London Walking Tours: London Tower to St. Paul (with map)

London provides so many attractions for the tourist that anyone can be easily overwhelmed. However, the Tower Bridge area is beautifully connected to other famous landmarks via a walking path near the Thames River. Iconic places like the Tate Museum, London City Hall and St Paul Cathedral can be visited together by following an easily followed walking tour. Come along with me on a beautiful walking tour of London’s Tower Bridge area.

Suggesting self-guided London walking tours especially for a first timer, is a difficult task as the city itself has many areas filled with tourist attractions. This particular tour however, is my favorite walking tour of London’s Tower Bridge area and can be done in one single day, provided that you do not visit all the museums on the path. So, put your walking shoes on and come walk with me on a self-guided London walking tour from London Tower Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral along the banks of River Thames.

What to Expect on Your Self-Guided London Walking Tours?

When in London, I try avoiding taking the tube as much as I can. The hassle of going down into a tube station and coming back out takes a long time. I reserve tube trips for longer distances. Walking from London Tower to St. Paul’s Cathedral along the banks of the Thames River is just a gorgeous way to experience this historical part of London.

1. Tower of London. This is the impressive medieval castle inside London which is a must for any visit here.
2. Tower Bridge is the iconic symbol of London that appears on any postcard.
3. London City Hall modern building and walking area.
4. HMS Belfast is a beautiful reminder of World War 2 which was not too long ago.
5. Borough Market is a busy and colorful market that will give you a great feel about London
6. Golden Hinde is an old pirate ship.
7. Shakespeare Globe takes you back in time especially if you take time to see a show.
8. Tate Museum is London’s Museum of Modern Art.  If you like this kind of art you will love this museum.
9. Millennium Bridge is a newer symbol of London and worth your time
10. St Paul Cathedral is another iconic symbol of London.

Self-guided London walking tours map of the Tower Bridge area
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1. Tower of London

London, England – White Tower within the Tower of London fortress.
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We start our self-guided London walking tour on the bank of River Thames at the oldest place in London. Also known as London’s Castle, the Tower of London is a medieval fortress, royal palace and infamous prison. This is a large museum with long lines especially in the summer. However, it is well worth your time to visit the Tower of London museum (click to get skip-the-line tickets). Walk outside the Tower of London, on the banks of River Thames for beautiful views of Tower Bridge. Visit the official Tower of London website.

2. Tower Bridge

London, England – London Tower Bridge seen from the Tower of London walls.
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From the Tower of London, we continue our self-guided London walking tour and we easily come to the most iconic bridge in London. Tower Bridge is the most iconic image of London. If you have about 2 extra hours available in your schedule, you can plan to visit the Experience exhibit (click to get skip-the-line tickets) for beautiful views. If you are patient you get to see this beautiful bridge being opened when taller ships need to pass through. It is a beautiful site. Visit the official Tower Bridge website.

3. City Hall area

London’s modern City Hall and the famous Gerkin building.
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Let’s continue walking across Tower Bridge. Located across River Thames from the Tower of London, London’s futuristic City Hall has become part of the city’s skyline. When standing right in front of London City Hall building, overlooking the Thames River, you get to enjoy iconic views of the Tower Bridge.

4. HMS Belfast

London, England – HMS Belfast docked on River Thames in London.
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Just a short walk further up the Thames, we come to an awesome sight. An imposing World War 2 destroyer complete with deck canons and control tower. Nicely renovated and decorated with genuine furniture HMS Belfast takes you back to the tumultuous WW2 times when England was on the brink of destruction.

You can get skip-the-line tickets to HMS Belfast and some time and money. Walking on the deck of HMS Belfast will give you beautiful views of the Tower Bridge and surrounding area. Simply beautiful!
Best WW2 Museums of London

5. Borough Market

A cake stall in the busy Borough Market on a Saturday afternoon in London UK
(Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0)

Continuing our self-guided London walking tour, we come to one of my favorite spots in London. It is definitely my favorite market in London. Borough Market has awesome food choices and it provides great places to simply hang out and watch all the people and sights.

6. Golden Hinde

Replica of the Elizabethan galleon, The Golden Hind, captained by Francis Drake in 16th Century, Southwark, London, UK
(photo by Jose Marin CC 3.0)

Step back in time and get ready to set sail, as you and your group become the crew of The Golden Hinde and experience life as a 16th Century Sailor through fully immersive role-play.

Dressed in Elizabethan costumes, three colorful characters from the ship’s history will guide you about the ship and teach you the skills required to sail on a galleon. With lurid tales of leeches and limb removal from the grisly Barber Surgeon, lightning-quick gun drills with the excitable Gunner and mastery of the navigational arts with the ship’s Master, Day Living Histories are full of excitement and rich with learning opportunities.

7. Shakespeare Globe

London, England – Shakespeare’s Globe.
(photo by Steve Collis. License: CC BY-SA 2.0)

The walking pathway continues by the iconic Shakespeare Globe known for bringing entertainment to Londoners from many times past. If you have time, buy a ticket and watch a play.

8. Tate Museum

London, England – The Tate Museum building is a former power plant.
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Continuing our walking tour of London we come to the Tate Museum of modern art. Being housed in a converted power plant, the Tate Museum is a large and impressive boasting many works of art by famous modern painters like Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. Visiting the Tate can take an entire day depending how interested you are in modern art.

London, England – Beautiful view of Millennium Bridge and St Paul Cathedral from the balcony of the Tate Museum.
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If you decide to visit the Tate, make sure you walk upstairs and come out at the balcony facing the Millennium Bridge and St Paul Cathedral. This is a beautiful view!

9. Millennium Bridge

Beautiful view of Millennium Bridge and St Paul Cathedral dome seen from across the Thames River.
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The Tate is connected with the other side of the Thames River by the modern Millennium Bridge. An impressive structure, the Millennium Bridge provides great views of London skyline and represents an awesome place for taking pictures.

10. St. Paul Cathedral

London, England – Saint Paul cathedral in London.
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Across the Millennium Bridge you can see the large dome of St Paul Cathedral coming closer as you walk towards it. Recently renovated, the area across the Thames provides beautiful access to St Paul Cathedral as well as many shops and restaurants.

As you come face to face with the impressive St Paul Cathedral make sure you allocate some time to walk inside and visit the interior of this famous London landmark. If you have more time allocated to visiting London, you can also attend one of the many beautiful musical events scheduled at St Paul Cathedral.

Plan Your Self-Guided London Walking Tours

Find a budget hotel in the London area. Looking for a budget hotel in the Tower Bridge area of London gives you a central location and a great spot for exploring all of London’s tourist attractions.
Read my Walking Tour from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham and Trafalgar. This is another beautiful area of London full of really cool tourist attractions.