Easy Self-Guided Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour of London
Are you a Sherlockian looking for an easy way to see London for free? Well then, let me be your tour guide to this Sherlock Holmes London tour I built just for you! Taking a London Sherlock Holmes tour is an excellent way to see several important locations of the world-renowned detective, such as BBC Sherlock’s filming locations, his home on 221b Baker Street, and the Sherlock Pub. Any fan of the books, movies, or TV shows will enjoy this tour immensely! Those who only have a cursory knowledge of the famous consulting detective will still get something out of this free walking tour.
Does 221b Baker Street actually exist?
Yes, it does indeed exist! And it’s the first stop on my Sherlock Holmes London tour! The official Sherlock Holmes Museum is located at 221b Baker St, which is no surprise to any fan as it’s his famous address. Here, you can spend an hour checking out his famous apartment, which is decorated as if he still lives there! It does focus much more on the books than the film and television incarnations, as it should! But it’s good to note that in case you were expecting any Cluedo!
Address: 221b Baker St, Marylebone, London NW1 6XE
Duration: 1 hour
Stroll Through Regents Park
From the private detective Sherlock Holmes’ address, it’s just a short walk to many of the locations that inspired the original novels, movies, and TV shows. Next on the list is a walk through Regent’s Park; it is only a block away. You can actually see the edge of it from Sherlock’s window. Take your time here, as it is a lovely park.
They host plays here as well. Robert Sean Leonard was performing in “To Kill a Mockingbird” when I was there. Leonard is well known for his role in House as Dr. Wilson. Which if you didn’t know, House was based on Sherlock Holmes!
If you’re looking to cut down on walking during this London Sherlock Holmes tour, you can just go by the edge of Regent’s Park on the way to our next destination.
Duration: 30 minutes
Where is BBC Sherlock Filmed?
Coming through to the other side of Regent’s Park, you’ll find yourself near Speedy’s. Speedy’s, you’ll recall, is a filming location for BBC Sherlock. It’s quite small and just a few blocks away from the park’s edge. If you find yourself there at lunchtime, be aware that this place is popular! I had to stand outside the door for about 5-10 minutes to get inside and order, but it was well worth the wait!
They have plenty of items on the menu, so you won’t be short on things to try. Of these delicious menu items, there’s a Sherlock and a Watson wrap, though I couldn’t bring myself to order those. I did get an excellent chicken wrap, however. If you poke around inside, they have some photos and fan art from BBC Sherlock on the walls. You can tell they do love the show and their fans. The people who work here are super nice and friendly, plus, you can’t turn down well-priced tasty food!
Just next door to Speedy’s is where 221b Baker St is located on the BBC Sherlock series. They swap out the door so it has the correct address when filming. But it’s a significant BBC Sherlock filming location nonetheless. You could easily recreate this photo shown above Sherlock cosplayers! Please comment below if you do! I’d love to see the picture!
Address: 187 N Gower St, Euston Rd., London NW1 2NJ, United Kingdom
Duration: 30-45 minutes (less if you don’t snack at Speedy’s 😉)
BBC Sherlock Filming Location in Chinatown
Onto the next part of the Sherlock Holmes London tour! On my first day out in London, I came across Chinatown while on my way to Piccadilly Circus. It’s a lovely area, and if you’re a Chinese food nut like me, you’ll enjoy the fare as well. But more importantly, it’s another BBC Sherlock filming location! Part of “The Blind Banker” was shot here, as you’ll likely recall.
Address: Gerrard St, London
Duration: 15 minutes
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is not far off from Chinatown. I did all of this by walking, remember! Piccadilly Circus is shown in the show’s opening credits, as well as other scenes. Take in all Piccadilly has to offer, including Criterion Bar, a haunt of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes. Note that this place is pricey, so I didn’t go in. But this is, of course, up to you. At the least, walk by it and take a snap if you like.
Update 2024: It appears that the owners who took over Criterion Bar have since closed their establishment. However, the building is still there, so you’re welcome to take a gander at it!
Address: Piccadilly Circus, London, W1D 7ET
Duration: 15 minutes
Trafalgar Square
Next, head down to Trafalgar Square, another filming location for BBC Sherlock’s “Blind Banker.” Trafalgar Square is a great spot, with a big open area, and the National Gallery is right there as well. If you’re a total nerd like me, you’re listening to the BBC Sherlock soundtrack by now during this Sherlock Holmes London tour.
Address: Trafalgar Sq, London WC2N 5DS
Duration: 15 minutes
Go For a Bite at The Sherlock Pub
The perfect place to end your self-guided Sherlock Holmes tour is the Sherlock Pub! This place is a bit of a hidden gem, and I really mean hidden. My Aunt had trouble finding it, so make sure you have the address. Once there, take the time to look at everything. There is an upstairs and downstairs. The upstairs contains a recreation of Sherlock’s study/living room.
There is also plenty of memorabilia from past film and television portrayals of our favorite consulting detective. The food here is pretty good, and it’s also reasonably priced. Back in the States, any of these ‘themed’ restaurants charge you an arm and a leg for the ‘ambiance.’ The Sherlock Pub even decorated the bathroom with memorabilia. Though I must say, the men’s bathroom had better photos of Robert Downey Jr. Don’t ask how I know!
Address: 10 Northumberland St, London WC2N 5DB, United Kingdom
Duration: 1 hour (if eating)
Sherlock Holmes London Tour Details
How long is the Sherlock Holmes tour?: The walking part takes about 1-1.5 hours, depending on how fast you walk. As far as total time, with walking and stopping at each location, I’d estimate around 4-5 hours. Note that this is an estimation, as I can’t calculate things like service time at the Sherlock Pub or whether there’ll be a wait at the Sherlock Holmes Museum to get in.
Is it a difficult walking tour?: The route is 3.1 miles long and on mostly flat ground. There aren’t any big hills or steep inclines other than the short slope to the Sherlock Pub that I can recall. London is pretty flat, and you can do this tour at your leisure, so it should be fine. As you pass through Regent’s Park from 221b Baker St to Speedy’s, I recommend taking a tube ride or taxi from Speedy’s to Chinatown if you want to cut down on walking.
How far is it?:
Sherlock Holmes Museum to Regent’s Park: 0.1 miles
Regent’s Park to Speedy’s: 1 mile
Speedy’s to Chinatown: 1.2 miles
Chinatown to Piccadilly: .3 miles
Piccadilly to Trafalgar Square: .3 miles
Trafalgar to the Sherlock Pub: .2 miles
Total Distance: 3.1 miles
I hope if you do find yourself looking for Sherlock Holmes tours in London, that you consider this free walking guide! Please comment below if you have any questions.
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Awww wow! I love this post! I love in the uk but not in London so it’s great to see your experience on here! I can’t wait to visit all the places!
Awe thanks! I hope to go back to the UK soon! I’m sure you’ll have fun!