The 15 Best Pub Tours in England

1.London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10,422 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40Our pick

Spend about three and a half hours walking from the City of London toward Covent Garden, stopping at four historic pubs. Guides such as Tim, Chris, Freddie, Mark, and Dave combine pub customs with stories of Dickens, Fleet Street, churches, lawyers, and London life. The group is limited to 14, and all drinks are extra.

“Our Irish tour guide Dave was terrific, being both knowledgeable and entertaining. We happened to run across the local artist Ben Wilson (chewing gum paintings) at work and got to meet him and learn about his work, which can be found all over the city. Also we witnessed some activity apparently related to the Irish rap group Kneecap and a small crowd of their vocal supporters outside of a courthouse on the way to our final pub. Both random events, but the way Dave incorporated these serendipitous encounters into our tour so seamlessly, it felt as though we were just exploring the city with a local friend. After the tour,…”

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2.Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath with Pub Lunch in Lacock

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,402 reviews · 12 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $123

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Victoria to Windsor, Stonehenge, Lacock, and Bath. Expect lively guiding, countryside views, a one-course pub lunch, and short visits at major sights. Castle and Stonehenge entry depend on the option you book, while the Roman Baths cost extra. The day ends near Gloucester Road at about 8:30 PM.

“This tour was awesome and our guide (can’t recall his name, but he was very knowledgeable and quippy) was great too! We loved all of the stops & activities—it was a really well thought out schedule.”

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3.Soho Music & Historic Pubs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,993 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $44

Walk from Piccadilly Circus through Soho’s music and pub history, visiting four distinctive venues linked to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mozart. Guides such as Ben, Gherto, Tom, Harvey, Danny, and Callum mix stories with practical drink tips. Your ticket covers the guide and pub entry, but not drinks or food.

“Tom was a fantastic tour guide. If you like music you’ll love the tour. Really fun stories and great bars we returned to later in our trip. This was a trip highlight for us!”

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4.Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Experience in Manchester

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,216 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $70

At Alcotraz Manchester, you enter Cell Block Three-Four in an orange prison jumpsuit, hand over your own gin, rum, or whisky, and help create four cocktails with the prison’s ingredients. Actors guide the story, from guards to inmates, and you choose how much to join in. Expect about 1 hour 45 minutes in a group of up to 15.

“The experience was amazing and worth to try in boring manchester hahah ( jk ) Amazing actors all of them and professional”

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5.Pub Crawl of Central London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,022 reviews · 2 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $35

Start at Zoo Bar & Club in Leicester Square, then follow hosts such as Liz, Liam, Ali, or Stacie to up to four more nightlife venues. You get free entry, small shots, drink discounts, and photos. Arrive at 7:45pm for the full five-stop route, or later for fewer venues.

“More of a bar crawl than pubs. We went at 7:45 and did the 4-5 stops. Very fun and you end up at a bar with dance floor attached. The first pub on the tour should be taken out as it was very dingy and dirty. Glodi did an excellent job as host. Everyone on the tour was friendly and welcoming.”

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6.London Bike Tour: Landmarks, Secret Gems, Pub Stop & Street Art

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 943 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $104

Ride a classic British bicycle through Westminster, St James’s Park, Covent Garden, and along the Thames with guides such as James, Edward, Jack, and Katie. You’ll stop at the Lamb & Flag pub, cross Westminster Bridge, and spray-paint your own art at the Waterloo Graffiti Tunnel. The route is gentle but still takes place on city streets.

“Loved the amazing experience! So Knowledgeable and enjoy seeing and hearing about details of history!”

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7.Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Experience in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 834 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $81

At Alcotraz London, you enter in an orange jumpsuit, smuggle in a bottle of gin, rum, or whisky, and hand it over for custom cocktails made with syrups, bitters, liqueurs, and purees. Actors play inmates, guards, and the Warden during a 1-hour-45-minute theatrical session in a metal-cell setting.

“We had a great time, experience was brilliant, so much fun, cocktails were lovely too, would highly recommend to anyone”

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8.Royal Historic Pubs Walking Guided Tour in London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 803 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $44

Walk from Piccadilly Circus through St. James’s, stopping at historic pubs while guides such as Ben, Luke, Henry, Tom, and Carlos share royal tales, local lore, and drink tips. The 2 to 3-hour tour costs $44.38, includes a veteran local guide, and limits groups to 12 people.

“The history is great and the beer is even better. The tour guide showed us some stuff I would have never expected.”

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9.Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery Tour and Cocktail

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 725 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $30

Visit Bombay Sapphire’s distillery at historic Laverstoke Mill, 24 km from Winchester. You’ll make a G&T, watch a short film, explore the botanical glasshouses, sample ten botanicals, and learn about vapour infusion. Guides including Luke, Naomi, Nick, and Helen have led highly praised tours. Allow 90 minutes and wear sensible shoes.

“Value for money, and interesting experience. Option of non alcoholic drink was nice. Could've shown Around more stuff.”

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10.Private Group: Historical Pub Walking Tour of London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 660 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $173

Walk from Cheapside toward Holborn with a private guide such as Lyndon, Lachlan, Adam, or Ricky. Visit characterful pubs including Black Friar, the Old Bank of England, and Princess Louise, while learning about London history. Drinks cost extra, and your guide can shape the route around your group’s interests.

“Lachlan Andrews was a fantastic London pub tour guide!! He knew so much about each pub we visited and the beers/ales/casks they served. He also was very knowledgeable about London history. Our group of 5 really enjoyed our tour and would highly recommend Lachlan.”

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11.Shakespeare Distillery Tour – 1pm Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 598 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $27

At Shakespeare Distillery in Stratford-upon-Avon, you’ll see how small-batch gin and rum are made, hear the curious stories behind gin’s past, and sample at least three spirits with guidance on serving them. The 90-minute, 1pm tour suits a post-Shakespeare’s Birthplace afternoon, though you’ll need a taxi, Uber, or designated driver to enjoy the tasting fully.

“We booked this tour for something to do whilst visiting the Christmas Market and really enjoyed learning about gin and rum production, the final part of the tour was the highlight take a small taxi journey or have a designated driver”

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12.FunnyBoyz Liverpool – Drag Shows, Tributes, Brunches & Bar Crawls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 540 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $13Best value

Spend about four hours at FunnyBoyz Liverpool for drag cabaret, comedy bingo, silly games, cheesy music and chances to join the show. Crystal and Sunny are named as memorable hosts, while Benidorm Bingo adds a cheeky game-show twist. The event starts and ends at 63 Blundell Street, with mobile tickets accepted.

“Hilarious Benidorm Bingo! Booked this at the last minute and so pleased we did. Definitely be back for more!”

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13.Historic Pub Walking Tour of London

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 484 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $19

Start at Embankment Station at 1:30 pm and walk through central London to four historic pubs, ending in Covent Garden. Guides such as Rachel, Mike, Carolina, and Connor share pub folklore, London stories, and drink suggestions. You pay for drinks and food separately, and all participants must be at least 18.

“Meet on the river side of embankment tube station. I looked at instructions and this was not prominent enough.”

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14.Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Experience in Liverpool

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 379 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $70

Enter Alcotraz Liverpool in an orange jumpsuit, smuggle in liquor, and let inmates create four personal cocktails with liqueurs, bitters, syrups, and purees. Actors including Cassidy, Willy, Gill, and Warden Richard keep the prison story moving through cells, missions, and guard-led antics. The 1-hour-45-minute experience suits adult groups and celebrations.

“Great fun filled experience - our whole party really enjoyed it and we would recommend it for anyone looking for something different”

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15.Brighton Bar Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 377 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $20

Meet guides including Ola and Matthew at The Fitz Regent at 7:30 pm for a five-hour Brighton night out. Visit four more bars and clubs, walk through the Lanes and along the beach, use fast-track entry, collect five free shots, and save on drinks. Bring valid photo ID and expect an 18-plus evening.

“Such a great way to experience Brighton if you are new to the area. Friendly crowd and great atmosphere.”

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