Free Tours of London

So on a whim, my mother and I decided to go on a Jack The Ripper tour that this group had advertised outside of the Tube stop by the Tower of London. And what a great tour! Our guide, Hilary, was a fantastic tour guide, and she took us on an incredibly informative tour. Not only was it informative, it was powerful — Ripper is definitely not a topic for those with a sensitive stomach, especially since the tour guides bring photos of the victims. (You may want to plan on eating well before you take a Ripper tour, if you plan on seeing any images the guides share.)
I addition to finding the tour full of interesting facts of trivia, another thing I really liked was that the Ripper tour takes you through sections of London you may never walk through otherwise — because while these spots of town aren’t particularly dangerous, Jack the Ripper didn’t exactly terrorize central London. He terrorized an area that was once a very poor neighborhood. In fact Whitechapel was once home to most of London’s immigrant population. And as you may recall from a history class or two, 1800s immigrant neighborhoods weren’t exactly the kindest area to live in. Again: Whitechapel today is very different, but that history does mean that many tourist attractions developed in other areas of London entirely. Ripper tours ultimately take you out of this area, and add yet another layer to London’s incredible history.
At the end of a tour with Free Tours of London you have the option of leaving a tip of some sort. It basically means that while the tour itself is technically free, you should be prepared to leave at least some money — specifically, you should leave the amount of money that you feel the tour guide has earned. This «pay what you wish» system is what allows Free Tours of London to operate. I know that my mother and I left a decent amount each after our own tour — Hilary and the group definitely earned it. And I would absolutely venture out for another tour with this group.
P. S. Thank you very much again if you’re reading this, Hilary!

I signed up for Jack the Ripper tour and was very delighted for what the tour guide has to offer. Nate was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the tales of the gruesome murders. Their reservation process was official and organized. You will be put on standby list for future tours if you don’t show up. Their donation-​suggested policy is very kind and thoughtful. My experience was thoroughly enjoyable.