Secret alleyways and the hidden City

Hello, it's great to meet you! I'm Peter, a qualified City of London and City of Westminster green badge walking guide.

On this walk, it feels like we’re walking in the footsteps of centuries of Londoners who lived here before us. This is the hidden City, often overlooked by passers-by who miss the pathways into the narrow, shaded alleyways.

Frequented and written about by Charles Dickens, this is where he came to dine at the George and Vulture.

The London stock exchange originated in this area, springing out of the coffee shops of the 17th century, where candle auctions were held. Fortunes were made and lost here as Londoners struggled through times of the plague, the destruction of the City by fire and then the gradual rise of the City as today’s economic and financial powerhouse.

This walk starts at the Monument with the story of the great fire, the plague of 1665 and St Dunstan’s in the East, a hidden church that surprises many Londoners and visitors alike. We continue through beautiful Leadenhall market before entering the network of alleyways where shady business deals took place, scientific discoveries were made and where coffee was first sipped in the city, that old, bitter, thick, pungent drink… nothing like todays espresso lattes!

The walk finishes at Bank Junction, the centre of today’s financial district which carries echoes of the past in the Mansion House, the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England.

The video above is a very quick, sneak preview of some of the alleyways within the City of London.

St. Dunstan's in the East. An oasis of calm, originally built by Sir Christopher Wren after the great fire of London of 1666 and now one of the City's many public gardens, often used for photo shoots.

The George & Vulture. A favourite spot of Charles Dickens.

The layout of these paths has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. We walk in the footsteps of Londoners who have lived, worked, suffered and prospered here before us.

The magnificent Monument to the great fire of London but did you know that it was also designed as a Zenith telescope? The 17th and 18th centuries were an incredible time for scientific, architectural and biological experimentation and discovery.

Have you ever wondered what your guide looks like before you go on a guided walk?

I'm a member of the City of London and City of Westminster Guide Lecturers Associations and a Green Badge holder.

Welcome to the city that is my home. I was born here, went to university here, work here and above all, have fun here! I've always enjoyed strolling around its hidden streets and alleyways, often discovering something new around each corner!

I've been very fortunate to have had a varied career that allowed me to travel and work around the world for humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross but the excitement, history and fascination of London has always drawn me back home.

I still get excited every time I learn or see something new, so why not come and join me on a guided walk and hear about some of the stories that make this city so fascinating.

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