Enjoy a 2.5 hour walking tour of the Westminster’s most iconic cultural venues. The socially distanced tour, organised by Open House as part of Westminster City Council’s Inside Out festival, focuses on the capital’s cultural heartland in and around Covent Garden.
The entertaining and insightful route, led by former Royal National Theatre head of tours Alison Rae, charts the unique history behind Westminster’s great theatres, galleries and cultural complexes.
The route charts the development of the area from a ‘convent’ garden of Westminster Abbey into residences for the gentry, and then from supplier of the nation’s fruit and veg to a key London destination. It also follows the evolution of west Strand from Royal Mews into the focal point of national celebration, and the re-purposing of Somerset House from 18th century home of Learned Societies to Arts hub housing over 100 creative and cultural enterprises.
As well as introducing the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in its refreshed livery, there are newer attractions and hidden gems to be discovered along the way. This walking tour focuses on how the area has responded to change over the years, adapted and developed to create the vibrant mix of activity we see today.
Meet: 10am on the River Terrace (facing the river Waterloo Bridge end) at Somerset House WC2R 0RN. Ends at Dury Lane. Duration: 2.5 hrs approx.