Wartime London Tour: Westminster and the West End

Traveling in a period vehicle from the 1930s or 40s, go back in time to London’s days of war on this two-hour professionally guided World War II tour. Visit London sites related to World War II and hear about the invasion of France, the Resistance, life in Paris during the occupation, the D-Day invasion and more. You can see the seat of power in the Cabinet War Rooms and see where Winston Churchill bought his cigars.

With your guide, start your Wartime London tour in Victoria and learn about the devastating effects of World War II on the city. See some of the monuments that were damaged during the WWII bombings.

Pass through Parliament Square to Whitehall, where you’ll see the statue of Sir Winston Churchill and the Cenotaph, the site of the annual remembrance service. Then see the monument to the women of WWII and learn how Downing Street was protected, and continue to General De Gaulle’s headquarters, where Eisenhower planned the invasions of Normandy and North Africa, and where Churchill bought his famous cigars!

Head deeper into Mayfair and enter Grosvenor Square, an area known as ‘Little America,’ where many of the US forces and HQs were based during the war. Here, you can see the statues of US presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower.

Continue to Marylebone and pass by the bar where Glenn Miller waited for the fateful telephone call that a flight was ready to take him to France. Then move into the area of town known for espionage, where Special Operations carried out much of its top-secret work. Here you'll see the famous Rainbow Corner (the American Red Cross Club), whose regular visitors included Irving Berlin, George Raft and James Stewart. It was the center of London’s victory celebrations!

Head back to the center of Westminster, where you can choose to visit the Cabinet War Rooms (own expense) or join your guide for a walk to learn how Buckingham Palace and the Royal Family coped during the war.

An exclusive Wartime London pictorial guide is included, showing many of the WWII sites as they were then, compared with how they look today.

Do you want to enjoy a whole day of Wartime London history?
Upgrade to the full-day tour, which covers the above, as well as London Bridge and the City of London.

Please note that there will be no hotel pickup or drop-off over the period of the London 2012 Olympics from 26 July to 12 August 2012. This tour will depart from Victoria Coach Station at 8:45am, and conclude at Victoria Coach Station.

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