Somerset House Audio Guide: Georgian Powerhouse to Arts Hub
At a glance
Somerset House Audio Guide: Georgian Powerhouse to Arts Hub is a 1h – 1h 30m private experience in London, United Kingdom, operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours. Prices start from $9.99 per person, and free cancellation is available. Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you're in the right place, the tour will start, Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata.
Highlights
- Private experience — just you and your group
- Free cancellation for flexible planning
- 6 stops in one well-planned itinerary
Quick facts
- Duration
- 1h – 1h 30m
- Group
- Private tour — only your group
- Languages
- English
- Pickup
- Meet at the start point
- Confirmation
- Instant confirmation
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Travellers
- 1–30 per booking
- Ages
- Adult 6–99
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation (see policy)
Options & availability
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Somerset House Audio Guide: Georgian Powerhouse to Arts Hub
from $9.99
- Days:
- Every day
Times and prices come from the operator’s live schedule and are confirmed when you book.
Overview
Somerset House has anchored London life for centuries — a Tudor palace, then a government complex, and now a cultural hub. This self-guided walking tour follows that journey from naval administration and tax collection to art and gastronomy, alongside Aldwych's ties to broadcasting, diplomacy, and education.
On Strand Street, you'll admire early 20th-century buildings before entering Sir William Chambers' 1776 neoclassical quadrangle, where doorways recall past occupants like the Stamp Office and Navy Board. The route continues through the Embankment Galleries and Victorian New Wing, once home to the Inland Revenue, ending back on the Strand.
Highlights include the Courtauld Gallery's Manet and Van Gogh; St Mary Le Strand, where Dickens' parents married in 1809; the Nelson Stair; India House, India's diplomatic mission since 1947; and Bush House, former home of the BBC World Service.
Take time to browse the Courtauld shop or linger over the river view.
What's included
What's included
- Directions to the starting point so that when you're in the right place, the tour will start
- Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- The VoiceMap App for Android and iOS
Not included
- Smartphone and headphones
Itinerary
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Stop 1 · 1h
You'll walk through the courtyard of Somerset House, a Georgian quadrangle designed by Sir William Chambers and begun in 1776 on the site of a former Tudor palace. Any costs related to visiting the courtyard or attending events there are not covered in this tour.
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Stop 2
You'll pass St Mary le Strand, a Baroque church designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1717, marooned on a traffic island in the middle of the Strand. Any costs related to visiting the church are not covered in this tour.
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Stop 3
The route takes you past the entrance to the Courtauld Gallery, in Somerset House's North Wing, home to Manet's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère and other Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Please note that admission to the gallery is not included in this tour.
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Stop 4
You may spot Waterloo Bridge, completed in 1945 and still known as the Ladies' Bridge after the women who helped build it during the war. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.
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Stop 5
The route takes you past King's College London, its Strand frontage designed by Robert Smirke soon after the college was founded in 1829. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.
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Stop 6
You'll pass Bush House, its stone portico still bearing the inscription "to the friendship of English speaking peoples," added when the building was completed in 1935. Any costs related to visiting the area are not covered in this tour.
Meeting point
This tour starts outside the Gibraltar Government Office. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Somerset House Audio Guide: Georgian Powerhouse to Arts Hub take?
The experience lasts about 1h – 1h 30m.
How much does it cost?
Prices start from $9.99 per person. The final price depends on the date, time and number of travellers, and is confirmed on Viator before you pay.
What's included?
Directions to the starting point so that when you're in the right place, the tour will start; Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it; Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata; Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour; The VoiceMap App for Android and iOS.
Where does it start?
This tour starts outside the Gibraltar Government Office. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Can I cancel?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is guided in English.
