April 6, 2026
Seen all the main sights in London? Now looking for something different.
Want to dig deeper and uncover the hidden gems, but are short on time as they’re all spread out over the city?
Perhaps you’re a Londoner and like many people haven’t explored enough of your own backyard.
Private Black cab tours
Disclosure: The Staycation Tour was complimentary, however, all views, opinions and photos are my own unless otherwise stated.
Well, exploring London is even easier now with Discover Real London with their intimate private excursions. In the comfort of an iconic London black taxi, unique with the transparent partition screen between the driver and passenger compartments it’s the safest way to see the sights of London.
Owner Ollie, a taxi driver for over a decade and a qualified guide has a whole host of black taxi tours available. They’re all designed to showcase the capital’s popular attractions but also the hidden side of the metropolis. From lockdown tours and city highlights to shopping heaven and discovering England in a day, there’s a black taxi tour for every type of interest.
On a grey London morning, I was whisked away in a black taxi on a Staycation Tour, to explore some real secret corners of London. The added bonus is being collected from home as pickup and drop off is from a convenient location in Zone 1.
Coolest Street art Spot in London
The first stop on my first black taxi tour was Leake Street tunnel, one of London’s coolest street art spots. Tucked away underneath Waterloo station, the 300-metre tunnel is one of the largest areas that legally allows street art in the city. Made famous in 2008 after Banksy hosted the Cans Festival with 30 artists, the tunnel turned into an ever-changing art gallery.
READ MORE: Best London Instagram Spots
Now I’ve walked this tunnel many times, but this time was different. It’s a popular place for people to leave their mark and on this tour, you won’t be an exception. Ollie comes prepared with a spray can and ensures his guests are fully immersed in the street art scene.
Bankside architecture
Mark left, we headed out towards Bankside. Walking past Shakespeare’s Globe, it’s hard not to notice the 18th-century terraced houses juxtaposed with 20th-century architecture. Cardinal’s Wharf is supposedly the former house of Sir Christopher Wren renowned architect for St Paul’s Cathedral.
A cream ceramic plaque states he lived there – apparently to oversee the construction of the magnificent Cathedral. Clearly, it’s vintage fake news as the house itself was built in 1711 a year after the completion of St Paul’s Cathedral.
The smallest works of art in london
Close by is the Millennium Bridge which I’ve crossed a million times. Each time mesmerised by the magnificent architecture and the River Thames stretching out beneath. So much so, I’ve never looked down and noticed the smallest works of art in London!
Artist Ben Wilson, nicknamed Chewing Gum Man, over a decade has transformed discarded trodden gum into miniature canvases. The colourful creations extend across the Millennium Bridge and into the Tate Modern. They’re usually no larger than a coin and lie right beneath your feet. Next time you cross the bridge make sure you look down.
London graveyard not to miss
Driving to Southwark we stopped at a quiet side street running parallel to Borough High Street. Home to Cross Bones Graveyard, the site is a disused post-medieval burial ground with an extraordinary history. For centuries it was a paupers grave and the final resting place for the city’s prostitutes. Up to 15,000 people were believed to be buried here by the time it closed in 1853.
Over the last decade, it’s transformed into a garden of remembrance. The iron gates with a bronze plaque bearing the epitaph: R.I.P. The Outcast Dead has turned into a living communal art-work. People of all faiths and none have left messages and mementos, testifying to its power as a truly inclusive sacred place. It attracts over 50,000 visitors, as a place to reflect and remember the outcast.
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Have you heard of stompie?
Calling all #SundayCarPic fans or perhaps I should say tank fans.
Ever heard of Stompie? Well, on a quiet residential street in South London sits an abandoned Soviet T-34 Tank as a symbolic middle finger to local city planners. Southwark council refused planning permission for the land it sits on. This spurred a frustrated property developer to submit a planning application to install a tank which the council approved thinking it would be a water- or septic- tank. With no restrictions on having a vehicle on the land, he immediately moved the tank there with the cannon facing the council offices.
More recently the land around it has been reclaimed and is used as a community space called Stompie’s Garden. Over the 25 years, the tank has been painted in various colours by local street artists. Until recently it was full blue and full of rainbows to Thank you NHS.
A london beach with history
An unexpected twist to the day was a jaunt along the beach, perfectly timed for low tide. Now, remove all images of white sands and blue waters from your mind. This my friends is Wapping beach…
It may not be as pretty as the beaches abroad, but it does have a great view of Canary Wharf across the waters and is a brilliant place for a scavenger hunt. Once the place where you’d find smugglers and along with Wapping’s industrial past, you never what you may find washed up on the banks of the Thames.
READ MORE: 10 Beaches Near London via Train
iconic London photo spot
Making our way West, we made a quick stop at Abbey Road to recreate the iconic Beatles photo on the Zebra crossing outside the studios.
For almost 50 years, the wall outside Abbey Road Studios has been the place for music fans to write messages. Lucky for us that the walls had been freshly painted just before our black taxi tour. so we had a clean canvas to leave our stamp!
Look out for it next time you’re in the area!
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Pretty london canal walk
The affluent neighbourhood of Maida Vale was the final pitstop to see the beautiful canals and waterways of Little Venice. This charming oasis of tranquillity is home to quirky waterside cafes, cosy pubs, and charming restaurants. From canal boat rides to puppet shows on barges there is plenty of things to do in this picturesque part of London.
Private black taxi Tour Details
The tour lasts around 4 hours and may slightly vary depending on weather, seasons, and time of day. Regardless, you will be guided around the hidden gems of London and regaled with some of the most fascinating stories about the city.
The price for the Staycation Tour is £239. Currently, on a lockdown promotion, it’s reduced to £169. Not a bad price for a private and safe group tour when you consider London bus tour tickets are around £30 each. A black taxi can hold up to 5 people and is also wheelchair accessible, so great for families or for a group of friends (once restrictions have lifted).
Final Thoughts
The Discover Real London Staycation Tour will get you away from the crowds and provide you with an authentic tour experience. I loved exploring the hidden gems and uncovering the amazing stories behind the landmarks and places we visited. These tours are perfect if you’re short on time too as driving around all the areas is quicker and safer than hopping on and off public transport
If you’re bored of sitting at home and want to treat yourself, your family or friends book a tour at Discover Real London.
Would you consider a private black taxi tour of London? Have you ever experienced one? Let me know in the comments below.
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Gabija says:
This looks like an amazing outing! It’s very interesting to see how certain industries have had to adapt in these uncertain times. I have admittedly not heard of such tours before, but it’s definitely something I will be looking into when I’m back in London.
Gabija | EveryLittleThing Blog
Sima Sthanakiya says:
I know, it’s wonderful to see businesses getting through this crisis with new ideas. These tours are such a great way to get around the city and the drivers and probably the best guides you’ll get, knowing the roads the way they do. Hope you are able to return to London again soon.
Flora says:
I love this tour, and I hope I can try it as soon as I can. thanks, Sima for sharing, I appreciate your work.
Sima Sthanakiya says:
Thank you Flora. Let’s hope you can book it soon.