cultural tours london

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Luxury Cultural Tour of London

At a glance.

• 4 days, 3 nights
• Pickup: Heathrow or Gatwick
• Carbon: 86kg CO2e
• Difficulty: Moderate

Join us for a fully guided cultural tour of England’s incredible capital city.

With one of our hand-picked local guides leading the way, let us take you off the beaten track, ensuring you see all the sights while immersing you in a London enjoyed only by those who know it best.

Enjoy a luxury boat ride on the River Thames, passing landmarks such as the Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe and the London Eye. Marvel at some of the world’s finest treasures in the Tate Modern, National Gallery and British Museum. Catch one of the glittering West End’s very best shows and musicals or explore internationally-renowned shopping destinations such as Oxford Street to Seven Dials.

While you’re in the city, don’t miss the chance to visit London’s beautiful green spaces. Stroll through Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory, or Kensington Gardens to Kensington Palace. Paddle on the Hyde Park boating lake, see Buckingham Palace from St James’s Park, meet the animals at London Zoo or spot deer at Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

Whether this is your first visit to London or your fifth, an Active England tour is certain to show you a side of London that you’ll never forget.

Your Itinerary

Upon arriving in London, a chauffeur will meet and drive to your hotel. With the rest of the day to find your feet, our local Active England guide will be on-hand to stroll with you down to bustling Soho and the world-class shopping facilities on Oxford Street. Or if you’d prefer, we can take you for a leisurely afternoon in one of London’s picturesque parks. On each evening of your trip, our guide will make dinner reservations, helping you make the absolute most of the city’s thriving culinary scene.

Today we enjoy a private boat ride along the iconic River Thames. Travelling from Embankment down to leafy Greenwich, pass some of London’s most recognisable landmarks, learning along the way about the city’s rich history, heritage and architecture. Leaving the river behind, we drop in at the breath-taking Royal Observatory and introduce you to one of London’s best pop-up eateries, before exploring Greenwich’s famous arts and crafts markets. On our way back, we visit the south side of the Thames, pausing to admire the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe. In the afternoon, we have the opportunity to visit the Notting Hill, famous for its antiques shops, or pop into the picturesque boroughs of Chelsea and Kensington. If you’d like to end your day with an evening at the theatre, our Active England guide can arrange tickets on your behalf. Wherever your London adventure calls you, we’ll be more than happy to lead the way.

We set out on a morning visit to Westminster, home to some of England’s most famous landmarks. Step inside Westminster Abbey, the 1,000-year-old Gothic church used for coronations and royal weddings, and admire the Palace of Westminster, where the Houses of Parliament meet. Delve deep underground to explore the Churchill War Rooms, a secret subterranean base used by the Prime Minister during the Second World War, before coming face-to-face with Buckingham Palace, the London residence and administrative headquarters of the monarchy. During the afternoon, there’ll be opportunity to do some further exploring on your own. As the evening approaches, top off your final day with a classic cocktail, glass of wine or pint of locally-brewed beer in one London’s favourite pubs and bars.

After checking out from your hotel, your guide will be more than happy to take you to the airport or train station for your onward travel. To complement your time in the city with a taste of the English countryside, be sure to check out our luxury walking and biking trips. With the Cotswolds, the South West or even the Lake District just a few short hours away, don’t miss out on your chance to explore some of England’s most treasured regions.

Handpicked Accommodation

3* Option - London

County Hall A Grade II Listed building located on London's South Bank. Next to the London Eye, opposite the Houses of Parliament and walking distance from West End and Theatreland.

4* Option - London

Kimpton Fitzroy A 19th-century beauty meets the London of today. From the outside, the landmark building, which occupies a full block along the eastern side of Russell Square in Bloomsbury, looks every bit the part of grande dame. Inside, though, contemporary interiors beckon the discerning traveler to settle in and stay a while.

5* Option - London

The London EDITION, Fitzrovia The London EDITION offers both a reinvention of its landmark building and the luxury hotel experience. Located in Fitzrovia on the edge of Soho, the boutique hotel blends thoughtful design and intuitive service with excellent dining and nightlife in a space that boldly brings together the past with the present.

What our guides say...

London is full of history, culture and art so let us take you along the backroads to soak it all up.

What’s Included

• All accommodation as indicated on the itinerary
• All breakfasts and 2 x dinners (excluding dinner drinks)
• Walking poles
• GPS routes, provided via RideWithGPS (app available for Apple or Android)
• All special events, iconic points of interests and entrance fees
• All transportation from rendezvous to farewell locations
• All baggage transportation
• All gratuities for baggage, porters and hotel service
• Services of professional local guides

Accommodation Types

We have handpicked the best family run, independent and country hotels, pubs and guest houses. Cosy and with informal dining, these country hotels are friendly and relaxed, with great menus with locally sourced food and ales. Our handpicked accommodation is 3* with the option to upgrade to 4* for an additional cost.

Difficulty Level

This tour is rated moderate , meaning it’s appropriate for guests who enjoy a good walk or cycle ride and can handle an incline. Our time spent exploring the city is an excellent way to prepare for some of our more vigorous countryside itineraries. Alternatively, the gentle activity on this tour is an ideal way to slow down before your journey home.

Equipment Provided

We’ll provide all equipment needed such as walking poles.

Pre & Post Tour Travel

Our holidays are designed to be completely relaxing, with the start of our tours sitting within easy reach of major transport hubs. As the rail networks are the quickest, most convenient way of travelling from the airport into central London, we will advise you on which train to catch ahead of your arrival. Alternatively, we can arrange a private transfer directly from the airport to your hotel.

End-of-tour location: Heathrow or Gatwick Airport

Why go on a guided holiday? Our guides are the beating heart of our tours and can make all the difference to the enjoyment of your walking holiday – so we make sure to choose them VERY carefully! They are driven, knowledgeable, know how to have A LOT of fun and importantly will take you on the ‘road less travelled’ and know the best spots for making your tour truly different and truly magical!

What’s the weather like? 

We’d always recommend preparing for sunshine and showers so remember to bring your waterproofs as well as your suncream!

Make this trip private

Our private tours offer complete freedom to customize your trip. Base your tour on one of our scheduled departures, or tailor a bespoke experience to match your every expectation. We love combining our knowledge of England with our expertise in planning and delivering the best adventure trips.

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Carbon footprint.

What’s the Number? Nearly everything has a carbon footprint. Together with ecollective, we’ve measured the carbon impact of not only every tour we operate but our entire business. We’ve taken into account greenhouse gas emissions across the business including office, travel, website, vehicles, accommodation, activities, food, suppliers…

What does the number mean? We’re going to improve this by measuring and reducing our footprint each year. That means working with our suppliers to make changes that have a more positive impact on us and the planet. What does this look like in reality?

• Redesign trips to reduce our carbon impact
• Working closely with all our suppliers across England to join us on our decarbonisation journey
• Switching up our vehicle fleet to electric
• Investing in projects that permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere for any emissions that remain.

We’ve got a long way to go but we’re on our way to net-zero We’re committed to reducing our impact on the planet and working towards a sustainable future. We’ve taken ownership of our carbon footprint and are on a mission to reduce our emissions year on year.

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Proud to be partenered with

In choosing Active England you are travelling with a company that takes its commitment to sustainable tourism very seriously. We have partnered with ecollective to help us measure and reduce our carbon footprint, and we work closely with our suppliers to make small changes that have a positive impact on our planet. 

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Specialtours is an established leader in the field of escorted tours for museums, cultural and garden associations.

Our reputation rests to a great extent on tours to Europe with exclusive private visits to houses, art collections and gardens, thanks to a network of contacts established over many years. Special visits include privileged out-of-hours access to museums, hosted lunches or dinners at private homes and the opportunity to watch expert restorers at work. We can arrange some exclusive visits for your group, such as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to admire the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – or the mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice – without the crowds.

We aim to offer the perfect balance between a study tour and a holiday or vacation. In addition to imaginative and carefully-planned itineraries focusing on art, archaeology, architecture, history and gardens, we can offer walking or painting trips, wine and gastronomy tours and wildlife safaris.

Specialtours is part of The Ultimate Travel Company. Our expertise in art-orientated tours in Europe, the Middle East and the United States is complemented by Ultimate’s experience in destinations such as Africa, India, South America and South-East Asia.

Our clients range from American museums, alumni/ae associations, clubs and garden societies, to a European cultural heritage foundation. We always tailor-make the itinerary to our client’s specific interests in order to offer a unique experience.

Our forthcoming tours include a study of the decorative arts of Portugal, a tour of the great country houses of Ireland, a week in Madrid focusing on the rich royal heritage and an exploration of the inspirational art, architecture and design of Sweden. We will be admiring gardens from the Mediterranean to Normandy and the Loire Valley, from the south of England to the Scottish Highlands. Also forthcoming are tours of the landscape and gardens of exotic Morocco and the private gardens of The Cape, one of the six ‘floral kingdoms’ of the world.

As ever, we are planning a number of tours to Italy – from the gardens of the Italian Lakes and Sicily to the Grand Tour in Florence, plus a return to ‘La Serenissima’ focusing on music. Looking ahead, we are planning cultural tours of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley, Greece, The Netherlands and the Thames Valley. Further afield, we will be exploring the enchanting kingdom of Bhutan and Japan, both for the art, architecture and design and for the unique and influential garden scene.

We return to ‘La Serenissima’, city of Monteverdi, for a joyous week of Baroque music and art, with special performances and private visits.

Appreciate the evolution of Scandinavian art and design and the inspirational light and landscape, visiting historic royal palaces, elegant private homes, museums and contemporary sculpture parks.

Isolated from the outside world for centuries, Bhutan exudes enchantment for the modern traveller, with its majestic scenery and ancient ancestral traditions.

One of our most rewarding horticultural destinations, Normandy offers a range of styles from the classic French formal garden to some original and inspiring modern gardens.

The tour of Greece was beyond our expectations. Your choice of gardens was wonderful and a real eye-opener for us. Thank you for all the hard work and effort that went in this delightful adventure. We and the AHS are in your debt.

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Hues Of Delahaye

13 Best Historical Tours of London to Book in 2024

Looking for the best Historical Tours of London?

From Westminster to the Churchill War Rooms, Jack the Ripper, Changing of the Guards, and East London Street Art , these intriguing history tours in London allow you to dive deeper into the city’s fascinating past and appreciate your trip even more!

Don’t have time to read the whole article? The best London historical tour is this awesome 2-hour hour Hidden London Walking Tour that takes you off the beaten path to London’s most unusual sights with a near-perfect ⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating.

London is an ancient city with a beautiful historic character. Tangible elements of the city’s past can be found around almost every corner and alleyway. 

I’m a local in London, and I still feel like I have so much more to learn about the city!

The best way to learn about the charming, historical side of the city is by taking one of the top historical walking tours London has to offer! You’ll get an up-close perspective and discover the city in a fun and interactive way with an expert.

Top 3 Picks: London Historical Walking Tours

#1 TOP PICK

Hidden London Walking Tours

✔️ Full of weird and wonderful stops ✔️ Entertaining stories of history and mystery the entire way

East London Walking Tours ✔️Lear the history of London’s East End with your guide ✔️ See urban art and graffiti by more than 40 acclaimed street artists

City of London – Historic Pubs Walking Tours

✔️ learn about London’s proud beer culture ✔️ Tour is kept small to provide a more personal experience

Best Historical Tours In London

Each tour travels through some of the interesting London walking routes and teaches you essential historical facts that even Londoners struggle to remember from their high school history class.

Most of these experiences are historic London walking tours, so be ready for a day on your feet! These historical tours of London are also led by London historians who are passionate about teaching and take pride in sharing their city with travelers!

1. Hidden London Walking Tours

⭐️  RATING:  4.9 out of 5 Stars (68 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On this tour, you’ll follow your guide along the quiet side streets of the city. Journey off the beaten path to London’s most unusual sights. 

On the historical and unusual walking tour of London’s hidden attractions, you’ll get to;

• Visit an old Cabman’s shelter. This was an area where cab drivers would go to seek shelter, food, or drinks during the second half of the 19th century. 
• Discover the Temple Church, built by the mysterious Knights Templar (Assassin’s Creed fans will love this).
• See London’s ‘Roman Bath’ and the abandoned Aldwych tube station. Explore the location of the legendary barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd. 

This walking tour is full of weird and wonderful stops. You’ll be entertained by stories of history and mystery the entire way. 

Book a Historical Walking Tour of London’s Hidden Sites

2. East London Walking Tours

⭐️  RATING:  4.8 out of 5 Stars (768 eviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

Discover the alternative sights of East London on this art-focused walking tour. This tour explores the diverse creativity of London’s most trendy neighborhood, admiring urban art and graffiti from around 40 artists along the way.

If you are artsy and interested in graffiti/street art, this tour is for you! You’ll even get to see first-hand the unconventional art of Banksy, ROA, Invader, and Shepherd Fairy in East London!

Meet your guide near the Old Spitalfields Marke and learn the history of the East End as you walk through streets covered in art. Your guide will give you a unique insight into the urban art culture of London. 

On the tour, you’ll walk through Brick Lane and the stylish Shoreditch area. Learn about the unconventional art of Banksy, ROA, Invader, and Shepherd Fairy. 

East London is one of the city’s most vibrant areas. If you’re looking for a walking tour London offers that explores the city’s edgy side, this tour is perfect for you. 

Book an East London Walking Tour

3. City of London – Historic Pubs Walking Tours

⭐️  RATING:  4.9 out of 5 Stars (695 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH: 3.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

This Historical Pub Walking Tour of London takes you to four of the city’s most historic pubs, taverns, and alehouses.

Quench your thirst and mingle with your fellow beer and history enthusiasts as you learn about London’s proud beer culture – which goes back hundreds of years. You’ll even get to walk the ancient streets of London to a tavern that was established back in 1549.

Of course, you’ll be able to enjoy a drink or two along the way, too!

On this historical tour of London, you’ll walk from historic Southwark to the bright lights of the West End – London’s theatre district.

Another perk is that the tour is kept small to provide a more personal experience.

Book a Historical Pub Tour London

4. British Museum & London Historical Guided Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  5.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

This walking tour is for the culture vultures and history buffs visiting London. It combines a trip to the British Museum with exploring the most famous historical places in London. 

The tour begins at the British Museum where you’ll explore 6000 years of human history through artifacts. A tour guide will lead you through this large museum and give you a more detailed understanding of the collections. 

A few of the highlights include seeing Samurai Armour, the Rosetta Stone, and the Mummy of Katebet.

After the museum, you’ll head to the streets of London to visit more of the UK’s most iconic sites.

These stops include Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, and more. Of course, your tour guide will be filling you in on interesting history surrounding each attraction and other fun facts!

This tour lasts for approximately 5 hours, so wear comfortable walking shoes!

If you’re a history buff looking for the best walking tours of London, you’ll gain a comprehensive historical overview of the city. 

Book a British Museum and Iconic Sites Historical Tour

5. Historic Spaces – City of London Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2-3 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

Travel to eight of London’s green, open spaces and receive a unique perspective of the city’s history. You’ll see churches that lay in ruins, crumbling graveyards, and tranquil parks with many tales to tell. 

The tour starts at the rose gardens of St. Paul’s Cathedral. This church once held medieval royal burials.

Next, visit a brutalist development built to reinvigorate the city following WWII and a fascinating area used as a mass gravesite during the 14th century, which is actually a new discovery in London. It was used to bury those killed in public executions.

Finish up the tour by visiting a 17th-century theatre and a cemetery where dissenters and radicals were buried. 

This tour is an excellent guide to the non-touristy areas of London . It’s also a great option for people wishing to see a unique side of the city. 

Book a Walking tour of London’s Historic Spaces

6. Historic Shakespeare Pub and Theatre Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3.25 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

Explore William Shakespeare’s life in London with a tour guide who is also a published author.

You’ll travel to iconic sites associated with the great playwright, including five pubs connected with Shakespeare. 

Visit the London theatres, where Shakespeare’s works have been performed, see the church where a member of his family is buried, and explore the sites of two of the most famous Elizabethan theatres. 

Of all the history tours in London, this one is perfect for those who want to learn what the impact of Shakespeare’s success in London had on his family back in Stratford-upon-Avon.

You’ll hear about his incredible life and career from your knowledgeable guide and even have a drink at the only property in London that can be identified as being owned by Shakespeare.

Also, this tour visits the grounds of a medieval monastery where you’ll see the site of an indoor theatre that stood in Shakespeare’s time before finishing up with one last drink in a unique Art Deco pub nearby. 

7. Downton Abbey Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.8 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH: 2.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On the tour, you’ll explore the quaint historical sites in London where the TV series “Downton Abbey” was filmed and get a glimpse into how the high-end citizens of London lived.

Visit charming and tranquil settings within London that have stood in for other UK cities like Liverpool and Manchester.

Learn how they were used as film locations. Hear fun facts and behind-the-scenes information about how this award-winning TV show was made.

You’ll be able to relive all your favourite moments from the show and even stand where Branson first confesses his love to Lady Sybil. The tour also visits the exterior of Grantham House where the character of Uncle Harold was introduced and looks into the restaurant where Edith dined with Gregson.

This is hands down the best London tour for fans of the hit TV show “Downton Abbey”.

Book A Downton Abbey Walking Tour

8. Jack the Ripper Tour in London’s East End

⭐️  RATING:  4.5 out of 5 Stars (1,602 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  105 minutes | 🎟️  BOOK NOW

Jack the Ripper is among England’s most notorious serial killers. He terrorised the citizens (mainly women) of London during the late 19th century and sent shock waves through the city. 

On this walking tour of London, you’ll step back in time to 1888 and discover the world that the Ripper and his victims lived in.

Learn about the gruesome crimes that the Ripper committed, to social/historical context of the era, and visit the very sites where the murders took place. 

Your guide will fill you in on the facts and rumours that surround these disturbing unsolved cases. This is hands-down one of the best tours of London for fans of true crime. 

Book a Jack the Ripper Walking Tour

9. Westminster and the Churchill War Rooms

⭐️  RATING:  4.7 out of 5 Stars (226 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH: 5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On this walking tour, you’ll explore the Westminster area and visit 20 of Britain’s most iconic and historical London landmarks, including Winston Churchill’s Bunker . 

First, you’ll meet your group and start your tour in one of the Royal Parks of London –  the beautiful Green Park.

Then, before heading to Westminster, you’ll stop to witness the famous Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. This is a traditional London experience you don’t want to miss. 

Continue on to the stunning Westminster Abbey, getting a glimpse of nearby sites, including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Queen Victoria Fountain, and Trafalgar Square. 

Next, visit the Churchill War Rooms. This was an underground nerve centre used by the British Prime Minister during WWII.

Discover the rich history of this fascinating place from which Churchill directed the Second World War.  

Book this walking tour of Westminster and the Churchill War Rooms 

10. Changing of the Guard Guided Walking Tours

⭐️  RATING:  4.2 out of 5 Stars (1,022 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  1.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

The Changing of the Guard ceremony is a quintessential London experience. With a guided walking tour, you’ll get an in-depth look at this British tradition. 

Follow your guide through the busy crowds as you’re led to the best vantage point to watch the ceremony take place.

See the iconic red tunics and bearskin hats as the Queen’s Foot Guard march to the palace. 

You’ll be equipped with your own personal headset so your guide can entertain you with commentary about the ceremony.

Learn about the royal family and how this fascinating practice is carried out – from beginning to end. 

Book a Changing of the Guard Historical Tour

11. London Old City Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2.5 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On this walking tour, you’ll travel back to the very beginning of London. Discover the original square mile – nestled beside the River Thames.

This area has seen some of the most significant events in British history and it also contains some of London’s oldest buildings.

Learn about these important events as you travel to different sites. Some highlights include visiting the iconic St. Paul’s Cathedral, the site of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London.

Hear stories of the great fire of London, the plague, and the Blitz during WWII. 

You’ll also visit some of the city’s modern sites, like the Millennium Bridge, the Tate Modern Art Gallery, and the Tower Bridge. 

This tour covers a lot of history and provides an excellent overview of the city. 

Book an Old City Historical Tour of London

12. London Ghastly Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour

⭐️  RATING:  4.8 out of 5 Stars (653 reviews) | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  2 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On this walking tour, you’ll discover London’s intriguing haunted history. This tour only takes place after dusk, setting the mood for a spine-chilling experience. 

You’ll start the tour at one of the oldest churches in London, All Hallows by the Tower. Your journey will take you from the Tower of London to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories of suffering, crime, and murder. That sounds like a really good night in my books – I’m a horror fan, so love all the gruesome details of ghost stories, murders, and everything in between.

London’s past is full of terrible tales and mysterious hauntings. Enjoy a spooky walk through this ancient city.

Wind through the dark streets and past desolate alleyways. Learn about the city’s ghosts, ghouls, and demons.

If you’re into murder-mystery and haunted history, this tour will captivate you. 

Book a Ghastly Haunted History Tour of London

13. London World War II Blitz Walk and Imperial War Museum

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours |  🎟️  BOOK NOW

On this historic walking tour, you’ll learn about the impact of World War II on England. 

In 1940, London was bombed by the Germans continuously for 57 days. Follow your guide through the city streets and learn about the events that left part of London in rubble during WWII. 

See buildings where the scars of the attacks are still visible. Hear tales of heroism, including how ordinary men and women helped to save London’s beloved St Paul’s Cathedral from destruction.

This tour also includes a trip to the Imperial War Museum. Discover a vast collection of WWII-related documents, photographs and videos, military vehicles, aircraft, and military weapons. 

Book a London WWII Blitz Walk Tour

Conclusion: Best Historial Tours of London

That’s all for this round-up of the best historical tours of London.

There are quite a few London history walking tours that teach you about London’s fascinating past, and you don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate learning new facts about this ancient city. 

Whether you’re looking for a haunted history tour or a political walking tour , London has many exciting options to choose from. You can read more on London and London travel tips .

The best way to discover a city is with a local guide, and each one of the best history tours in London allows you to do just that! 

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Welcome to Martin Randall Travel, the leading specialist in cultural holidays

We operate in around forty countries including the UK, continental Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Japan, Vietnam and the Americas.

We offer an unequalled range of tours and events focusing on art, architecture, music, archaeology, history, gardens or gastronomy.

Tours for small groups are our ‘bread and butter’, but we also offer Martin Randall Festivals, short Music & History events and Culture Days.

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In-depth Cultural Family Sightseeing Christmas & New Year +2

Real Britain (9 Days)

"What a wonderful tour! We can't wait to go back." meg, traveled in August 2022

In-depth Cultural Explorer Coach / Bus +1

European Adventurer (Start London, End London, 37 Days)

"I would be stoked to see him named as my Contiki manager every single trip." Ryley, traveled in April 2023

In-depth Cultural Family Coach / Bus Historical +2

Grand Tour of Britain & Ireland

"First tour. I thought it was great." Melany, traveled in September 2023

Essential Britain & Ireland

"More time in Belfast would have allowed for a more in-depth exploration of the city's fascinating history and culture." Barbara, traveled in April 2024

In-depth Cultural Family Explorer Christmas & New Year +2

Aonghus Youth

"The itinerary was good for fitting in the amount of things in the amount of time that we had." Stephanie, traveled in May 2024

What people love about In-depth Cultural Tours from London

Trip was very good and gave an overall view of the countries. Tour guide was excellent! She gave us background of cities we visited and history of the area. Only criticism I have is that the bus seats were narrow and cramped for leg room. Since we spent so much time riding, improvement in this area would make the trip more enjoyable.

Leading up to our holiday we had been reading reviews and people were talking in their reviews about a guide called Luke, explaining how wonderful he was, saying that he had made their holiday complete. We hoped for Luke to be our guide and beyond lucky we were. It might sound ridiculous but Luke and the group of fellow travellers made our tour a fantastic experience. Luke’s unscripted knowledge and his stories of the history of the places we were visiting and about to visit took us on a journey we never expected. I can truly say that Luke made our holiday complete, I would recommend this Luke to anyone, he is a true people’s person, extremely giving, kind and funny guy. We wish him well!

Very professional company. This tour is more suited for older individuals who don’t like walking around much. I took my 21-year-old and 13-year-old. The long hours spent on the bus was too much for them. They said the tour was “cool@, but not what they considered “fun”.

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Exploring London's Neighbourhoods: The Multicultural

The multicultural  ultimate guide.

London may be the capital city of England, but it is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world. As a matter of fact, one-third of all Londoners are foreign-born, and over 200 languages are spoken throughout its many streets and neighbourhoods.

If you’re hoping to experience London’s many multicultural vibes, there are many areas you can explore on your own or with a free walking tour. Here are some areas of London that are so multicultural, you’ll find it hard to believe that you’re walking around London:

Photo credit: Chris Sampson

Chinese immigrants have been settling in this area of Westminster since as far back as the 18th century (although it was once home to many Huguenot and Maltese immigrants). Today Chinatown is packed full of Chinese supermarkets, bakeries, and over 80 different Chinese restaurants, but Gerrard Street is the epicentre of London’s Chinatown. In fact, this is a great area to take a free food tour. If you happen to be in London at the end of January or early February, be sure to head to Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year!

Places to visit in London’s Chinatown:  Gerrard Street, the Chinese Gates, The Lion Statue, Golden Gate Cake Shop

Photo credit: Martin Pettitt

Camden may be known for its alternative and artsy vibes, but believe it or not, this popular London neighbourhood has a ton of Latin culture that deserves to be explored. Here you will find a ton of different Cuban restaurants and bars blasting salsa music (not to mention tons of Spanish tourists), and there’s even Spanish translation services available throughout the neighbourhood as well.

Multicultural things to do in Camden:  Dine on some Argentinian food at La Patagonia, sip on a traditional Brazilian cocktail (Caipirinha) at Made In Brazil, buy some Peruvian street food at West Yard

Photo credit: duncan c

Brixton has been declared as the unofficial capital of the British African-Caribbean community thanks to over 24 percent of its population being of African or Caribbean descent. Although over 130 languages are spoken in Brixton, one of the most common dialects you’ll hear is Patois (a Jamaican dialect). Brixton is also crammed full of Caribbean restaurants and reggae music shops, and it also hosts an annual celebration for Jamaican Independence Day.

Multicultural things to do in Brixton:  Visit a reggae music store, shop at Electric Avenue, eat at a Caribbean restaurant

Waltham Forest

Photo credit: habeebee

Waltham Forest has one of the highest ethnic populations in Europe (mostly consisting of Eastern Europeans and British Pakistanis), but some parts of Waltham Forest seem so European, you’ll find it hard to believe that they’re not in Eastern Europe. Not only was the Waltham Forest Town Hall influenced by Swedish architecture, you can also find a ton of different restaurants and shops influenced by Scandinavian, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish cuisine.

Multicultural things to do in Waltham Forest:  Visit the Waltham Forest Town Hall ,  dine on Italian cuisine at Trattoria La Ruga or tapas at the Orford Saloon Tapas Bar, and sample some treats at a Polish cafe

Golders Green

Photo credit: David Howard

The Jewish community is especially prevalent in this northern London neighbourhood, but the area also features a cosmopolitan of various cultures like Japanese, Turkish, Korean and Italian. The Jewish community first started settling here around Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, but by the 1950s the Jewish population in Golders Green tripled. Today the neighbourhood is home to countless Kosher cafes and Judaism bookstores, and the former house of ballerina Anna Pavlova has been turned into a Jewish Cultural Centre as well.

What to do in Golders Green:  See some zoo animals at the Golders Hills Park, visit the Shree Swaminarayan Temple, admire the annual Diwali Festival of Lights celebrations

Photo credit: Herry Lawford

With a thriving Indian and Asian culture, it’s easy to see why nicknames like “Little India” and “Curry Corridor” were given to this neighbourhood in southern London. With shops packed to the brim with Asian food spices, not to mention a ton of different international restaurants to choose from (Australian cafes, Spanish tapas and fancy French and Italian restaurants – need I say more?), here you can find dishes from nearly every country in South Asia as well.

Multicultural things to do in Tooting : Try some squid curry at the Apollo Banana Leaf, or a kebab and falafel at Meza

Photo credit: Mark Hillary

Ealing has an extremely diverse multicultural population (with Irish, Indian, Japanese and South Asian communities), but lately, it has become known as having one of the largest Polish populations in London. Here you will find all sorts of Polish delis and restaurants, and the Katyn Memorial which was erected in honour of the 14,500 Polish Prisoners of War who disappeared from camps in Kozielsk, Starobielsk and Ostaszkow in 1940.

Multicultural things to do in Ealing:  Visit the Katyn Memorial and the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Temple, munch on international cuisine at Station Parade Uxbridge Road, try smoked Sopocka ham at a Polish deli

Known as “Little Korea,” New Malden is said to have one of the most densely populated areas of Koreans outside of South Korea. The area boasts over 20 different Korean restaurants and cafes (many with shop signs featuring the Korean language), and even Korean-language churches and nursery schools. New Malden also hosts a Korean Food Festival every year, and you certainly won’t have to look very far to find a Korean-style karaoke bar either!

Multicultural things to do in New Malden : Visit the Buddhapadipa Temple, belt out some karaoke at Han Bar, try some kimchi pickles at Korea Garden.

If you want to know more about the flavour and history of London's neighbourhoods, feel free to check out the free tours in London available on offer.

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Our tours aim to uncover cultural intricacies and connections across a wide range of subject areas and themes including art, architecture, archaeology, history, music, regional culture and natural history.

Our itineraries are designed to take in the bigger picture and provide context within a wider cultural landscape. Our Tour Directors illustrate and illuminate their themes with formal lectures and on-site talks. Many itineraries include privileged access, exclusive visits and private concerts to further enhance your enjoyment. No prior knowledge is needed, just an interest in the subjects concerned.

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London Pride 2024: the biggest and best events in the capital this weekend

As another Pride month draws to a close, London is gearing up for its biggest party yet – the Pride London parade. Taking place on June 29, thousands are expected to join the loud, proud march through central London. But fortunately for the late-night party lovers (or indeed those looking to combine their festivities with a little culture along the way) that’s only the start of the fun on offer.

From sleepovers at London Zoo and fascinating exhibitions and gallery tours focused on LGBTQ+ culture to some of the biggest afterparties imaginable, here are our top picks for where to celebrate this weekend. 

London Zoo Sleepover

What better way to kick off your Pride than… er, sleeping over in London Zoo? The wild animal emporium is hosting a weekender of rainbow crafts with plenty of chance to learn about the ways that queerness pops up in the natural world.

London Zoo, 28 June

Pride in London Parade

The biggest Pride bonanza of the bunch, around 35,000 people are expected to march in London’s biggest LGBTQ+ parade. Expect ludicrously decorated floats galore, all packed with drag acts, speakers blasting pop bangers, and glitter stuck in all of your clothes for at least two weeks afterwards. 

Starts Hyde Park Corner, 12pm, 29 June

LGBTQIA+ Tours at the Tate

Drawing on their massive collection of classic pieces, Tate Modern and Tate Britain both run dedicated LGBTQ+ tours throughout the whole summer, helping visitors to learn more about art “through the lens of gender identity and sexuality”.

Tate Modern or Tate Britain, Throughout summer

Faggamuffin Bloc Party Presents: Carnival Pride

After closing out Pride London’s Golden Square party earlier in the day, Faggamuffin head over to Shoreditch’s Village Underground for a huge after party. A celebration of the QTBIPOC community and carnival and soundsystem culture, it goes right through until 5am.

Village Underground, 29 June

Desire, Love, Identity: Exploring LGBTQ Histories

Anyone for a treasure hunt? Making use of their vast existing collections, the British Museum has put together two different trails spotlighting various artefacts and objects that share an interesting link to different aspects of LGBTQ+ history.

British Museum, June 9 to 29

Soufiane Ababri at the Barbican

This weekend is your last chance to catch Soufiane Ababri’s Barbican exhibition Their Mouths were Full of Bumblebees but it was Me who was Pollinated – a fascinating, tender and witty look at queer pride and shame.

Barbican, Until June 30

Trans Daddy

This playful celebration of non-toxic masculinity and the 2020’s trans trailblazers describes itself as being “like Anthony Gormley’s sculptures set free at Ciao Baby” – the highlight is sure to be the open-to-all Daddy Pageant, in which audience members can strut their stuff for a panel of judges, including the hilarious Charlie Craggs.

St Paul's Church, June 29

Pecs Pride Party

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London drag king collective Pecs Boys, who celebrated their 10th birthday last year, are throwing a suitably majestic pride party in Hackney filled with all manner of raunchy performances from their talented troupe. “Bin off pink-washed corporate pride and come celebrate radical queerness in all its messy glory with the Pecs boys,” they say. Sounds good! 

The Yard Theatre, 29 June

As part of Southbank Centre’s You Belong Here, NAFS Space’s Drew Demetry and Hungama founder Ryan Lanji are taking over the Riverside Terrace for an open-air celebration of the South Asian and SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) communities.

Riverside Terrace, Southbank Centre, 29 June

Mimi’s – Pride at Troxy

Is this… 2003? Noughties pop auteurs The Cheeky Girls – best known for revolutionary anthem Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) – headline Mimi’s Pride party at Troxy this Pride weekend. Expect “club classics, slaggy edits, vocal house anthems and queer bangers”.

Troxy, 29 June

Gal Pals: London Pride

Gal Pals founders Xzan and Scarlet throw consistently great parties in both Brighton and London, playing a pop-leaning blend of bangers exclusively by women, non-binary and trans musicians. Don’t miss their London Pride special. 

EartH, 29 June

Not to be confused with the sticky floors of Clapham’s Infernos, Lewis G Burton’s collectively-run club night is throwing its first ever Pride party at the ever-excellent Venue MOT 

Venue MOT, 29 June

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Taylor Swift brings Travis Kelce onstage in London for the first time at an Eras Tour show

If anyone thought singing " Karma is the guy on the Chiefs " was as public as Taylor Swift was going to go with her all-star boyfriend, Travis Kelce, think again.

On Sunday night, at the third of her London Eras Tour shows this weekend, Kelce graced the famed diamond walkway at Wembley Stadium in his first-ever onstage appearance. He performed alongside Swift during the intro for "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" in the newly added "Tortured Poets" era of the show .

As Swift transitions into the last song of the era, she typically acts out a short skit with two of her dancers, after she appears to "drop dead" during the penultimate song in the set, "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived."

One of the dancers carries her to a heart-shaped couch, and they then appear to revive a lifeless Swift, changing her costume from a white gown to a two-piece sequin set and applying her makeup to get her ready for the rest of the show so she can, well, do it with a broken heart.

Kelce proved to be a fearless lover Sunday, joining the trio onstage in full costume, showing off his acting chops as if he were auditioning to be a mainstay for the rest of the tour.

Videos posted to social media showed Kelce first carrying Swift to the couch, then brushing her face with a makeup brush once she was up again. He showed off some dance moves, too, all with a big, goofy smile plastered to his face.

The track, an upbeat pop banger on Swift's latest album, appears to be about the Eras Tour itself and how Swift has been able to put on one of the biggest and most successful concert runs of all time amid a breakup with longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn last year, shortly after the tour began.

Swift herself gave high praise to her beau's performance, saying in a Monday post to Instagram that she was "still cracking up/swooning over" Kelce's stage debut on the Eras Tour.

It had already been a big Eras weekend for Kelce, who was at all three London shows. Swift posted a selfie on Instagram featuring Kelce alongside Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who attended the Friday night show .

Kelce and Swift have been linked for nearly a year now, as rumors swirled last summer about a potential relationship after Kelce boldly declared on his podcast, "New Heights," that he tried (and failed) to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it at one of her Kansas City shows.

They went public with their relationship in September when Swift attended a Kansas City Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears, and they have been caught supporting each other and their very public careers ever since.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

This £25 London tour is officially better than ‘life-changing’ bucket list attraction

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Visitors to London are spoilt for choice when finding fun stuff to see and do, whether it’s a walk through Hyde Park or a visit to one of our incredible museums .

But one activity has beaten some extremely stiff competition to be named one of the best tourist attractions – not just in the capital or the UK, but across the globe.

Review site Tripadvisor recently released the winners its 2024 Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best awards experiences, and Britain’s reputation as an in-demand destination is firmly intact with 11 UK entries featured in various lists. 

Our reputation as a nation who loves a trip to the boozer is also going nowhere, as Blighty was represented in the category of ‘top experiences’ by a good old-fashioned pub tour.

With a seriously impressive 5/5 score, the Small-Group Historical Pub Walking Tour of London came in 19th in the ranking, which takes into account the the quality and quantity of reviews posted on Tripadvisor over a one-year period.

To put this into perspective, the activity finished above Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching in Alaska – something described by user Chuckr684 as ‘life-changing’ – as well as the gorgeous Cappadocia Balloon Rides in Goreme, Turkey. 

The UK is known for its pub culture, but this historical tour of the capital leaves guests feeling especially satisfied according to the ratings; it’s recommended by 99% of travellers who gave it a score of four or higher. 

According to its official description, the tour gives visitors ‘a local’s perspective of London’ in small groups for half a day. There’s also an opportunity to try a range of local brews, see hotspots like St Paul’s Cathedral, Fleet Street, Prince Henry’s Room and Covent Garden, and hear stories over a pint for £25 per adult (although drinks must be purchased at your own expense). 

One US-based reviewer, Ctcurry23, gushed, ‘Only take this tour if you want a perfect afternoon in London,’ while MelissapX1299RI shared: ‘We had the most amazing day with our guide, and I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for some history and fun!’

Experiences weren’t the only category where the UK shone either.

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Alton Towers in Staffordshire finished 8th and The Milky Way Adventure Park in Clovelly, Devon, was 12th in the ‘amusement and water parks’ worldwide list, followed by Drayton Manor in Tamworth, Staffordshire, in 20th place. 

Although we don’t have the best reputation when it comes to cuisine, Scotland ensured we still garnered props in the ‘food and drink’ field. Edinburgh’s The Chocolatarium Chocolate Tour Experience finished in 4th position, above a local tapas and wine rooftop experience in Madrid and a Florence pasta class at a Tuscan Farm . 

Another in which we performed well was ‘water sports’, which included London’s High-Speed River Speedboat (10th) and the Whitewater Rafting Adventure in Llangollen (20th). 

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With all these options right on our doorstep, you might want to book your summer staycation now.

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Taylor Swift’s Eras tour conquers London

At Wembley Stadium, the pop star presented a kaleidoscopic, whiplash-inducing spectacle that passed by in a blur.

By Anna Leszkiewicz

Taylor Swift had performed 103 shows in 36 cities before her Eras tour came to Wembley Stadium in London on 21 June. Already on the round for a year, three months and four days, Swift’s three-and-a-half hour set list includes more than 40 songs from her 11 albums, or “eras” (and since the tour started, she has played almost 200 “surprise” songs not on the official list). The tour has sold more than 4.3 million tickets worldwide, generating over $1bn in sales. It’s also been made into a concert film that took $267m at the US box office.

The sheer scale of the event is difficult to comprehend, not just in the abstract but in person. The tour’s first UK dates in Edinburgh saw the city overrun by hundreds of thousands fans. Every bar blared her music and offered free cocktails, every shop contained a sad sign in the window: “Sorry, we are sold out of Taylor Swift merch :( ”. On every corner, you’d see them: girls in sparkly dresses and tour sweatshirts. Even women in ordinary-seeming outfits carried coded messages. The lumpy cable-knit cardigan bought from her official store, the sweater embroidered with her birth year (and album title) 1989, the shirts emblazoned with fragments of lyrics (“crying at the gym” or “pathological people pleaser”). On the way to the venue, closed down streets were trodden by a parade of white cowboy boots. Even a city as big as London can feel overwhelmed by the fandom. At Wembley, the 90,000 fans danced to obscure hits on Olympic Way on the way to the stadium.

But none of this compares to the immensity of the event on stage: a kaleidoscopic, whiplash-inducing spectacle that passes by in a blur, and isn’t anywhere near as exhausting as it should be. Swift rises through the stage surrounded by dancers to a fragment from her euphoric, love-struck album Lover , and after the roar of the crowd has subsided ever so slightly, she introduces herself with a knowingly understated, “Oh, hi!” before launching into one of her most popular pop hits, “Cruel Summer”, a rush of blood to the head with a scream-along bridge. (“Does anyone here happen to know the words?” she asks. “Prove it!”) It’s the kind of indestructible, irresistible song that most artists would save for the encore, but Swift tosses it out early, with a wink.

It sets the bar high for the remaining hours, which careen wildly between genres and tones from her earliest sweet country ballads of first heartbreak to the snarling hip-hop-inspired revenge bangers of Reputation ; and from the bulletproof Max Martin-produced pop that topped charts in the early 2010s to the intricate, defiantly mellow indie of her pandemic albums Folklore and Evermore . (This makes for some startling transitions: the sparkling final notes of the twee and tweenage love song “Enchanted” segues into the growling bass of one of her most confrontational, rap-adjacent songs, “Ready for It…?”.) There are pyrotechnics, light displays, confetti explosions; Swift disappears and reappears on stage in clouds of silks or explosions of colour, seamlessly changing between glittering bodysuits, floaty dresses and a now famous one-legged black catsuit adorned with a shining red snake.

The clever conceit of the Eras tour is that it appeals to all of Swift’s wide fanbase, who advocate for their favourite albums fiercely. Still, there are collective highlights: “Cruel Summer” has caused responses from crowds that register on the Richter scale (really). Heard live, the furious energy of Reputation ’s “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Ready for It” are impossible to deny. Her most perfect pop songs, 1989 ’s “Style” and “Wildest Dreams”, sound even sleeker and more timeless than they did a decade ago. Her oldest songs, such as “Fearless” and “You Belong with Me”, generate intense bursts of emotion because of just how long the crowd have been singing them: the countless 30-something women who sang the lyrics “Been here all along/So why can’t you see/You belong with me?” alone in their teenage bedrooms. The extended, ten-minute-long version of the song that is often considered her masterpiece, “All Too Well”, retains all its emotional complexity, autumn leaves fluttering down from the sky on cue. The exhilarating glitter explosion of “Karma” is a suitably climactic final song. And the introduction of her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department , adds a tricksy, meta element, as she performs songs written during the first leg of the tour itself, including “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”, in which she brags about “hitting my marks” despite being “miserable… and no one even knows!” (She performs this after being forced, sulkily, into a glittery tuxedo by her dancers.)

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Swift proves herself not just an inexhaustible performer but a talented actress, as she moves from yearning to rageful to exultant and back, and feigns surprise and awe, night after night, at the intensity of the crowd’s reactions. She seeks out the cameras that rotate around her stages with practised ease. She is most comfortable in a posture of high camp, whether flashing faux-coy smiles, luxuriating in overdramatic eyerolls, or throwing herself into theatrical Wicked Witch of the West arm movements.

The risk of a concert this slick, this precisely choreographed, this watched and rewatched, with its concrete setlist of songs that are so deeply familiar to its audience, is a loss of spontaneity and intimacy. Swift is something of a type-A performer, and perhaps inevitably for a tour of this scope, this show is more about perfection than messy human interaction. The polished, synthetic production style of her most familiar songs makes them ideal stadium-fillers, and they are reproduced strikingly faithfully here: efficient cuts aside, Swift rarely reworks her material into anything novel.

Instead, she finds one concentrated space for surprise and connection: the “acoustic set”, or two surprise songs she sings on acoustic guitar and piano each night, often mixing different songs together. At Wembley, she played on piano “The Black Dog” – from her most recent album, and set in a pub in Vauxhall – for the first time, blending it with Red ’s “Come Back… Be Here” (“I guess you’re in London today, and I don’t wanna need you this way”) and Midnights ’ “Maroon”. On guitar, she mixed “Hits Different” with fan favourite, the rarely performed live “Death by a Thousand Cuts”, known for its much-loved bridge (“I chose these songs because they are two of my favourite bridges I’ve ever written,” she told the crowd. “I’m going to try to put together my two favourite bridges and create a megabridge”). It’s a special moment for thousands in the stadium: when the concert ended, it was this that countless voices could be heard reliving.

After a production so successful and so expansive, its hard to imagine where Taylor Swift can go next. The Eras tour has the feeling of a greatest hits tour, usually reserved for artists at the end of long careers. You get the sense that her audience would bankrupt themselves to watch her sing anything she liked. But having found a way to celebrate each phase of her back catalogue with the fans who each hold a different one dear, how could she ever put on a standard album tour again? It’s possible that in decades to come, music writers will look back at the Eras tour as the peak of Swift mania, the moment the pop star reached the height of her powers. But hers is a crown she won’t give up easily. As she sang at the end of the night on “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”, with the stadium echoing her words back to her: “Try and come for my job.”

Taylor Swift plays Wembley Stadium in London on 22 and 23 June and 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20 August.

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This article appears in the 26 Jun 2024 issue of the New Statesman, The Lammy Doctrine

Taylor Swift Eras tour: Dublin setlist and everything you need to know

How long is the concert? What are the surprise songs? Is that Paul McCartney and Travis Kelce in VIP? All your Eras tour questions, answered

Forget the Euros, Glastonbury or Wimbledon. The hottest tickets in the UK and Ireland this summer are for one show only: Taylor Swift’s Eras tour , which has now finished its run in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff and London – until August, that is, when the singer will return to cover Wembley Stadium in another five nights’ worth of sequins, friendship bracelets and VIP guests. The tour has now arrived in Dublin for three nights.

What time do gates open? 

• Secret songs

How long is the concert?

Of course, actually getting tickets for the biggest tour in a generation – my colleague, Neil McCormick , wrote in his recent definitive review that the Eras tour is “worthy of six stars” and more akin to a religious ritual than a pop concert – is only half of the battle. You might have beaten the Ticketmaster queue and planned an outfit, but are you ready for a three-hour extravaganza packed with secret clues and rituals?

Eras tour UK dates

Swift is playing eight more dates in the UK and Ireland: 

• June 28-30: Dublin, Aviva Stadium
• August 15-20: London, Wembley Stadium

Here’s your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the UK leg of the Eras tour – past, present and future – from timings, support acts and the 46-strong setlist to potential secret songs and special guests.

Fans with early entry should be able to enter Wembley from 4pm, with general ticket holders permitted from 4.30pm. 

Swift’s main performance will begin between 7pm and 7.20pm (with the primary support act, Paramore, taking to the stage around 6pm, and the earlier opener expected around 4.30-5pm).

Which songs are on the setlist?

In order, the full setlist is as follows: 

From Lover:

• Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince
• Cruel Summer
• You Need to Calm Down

From Fearless:

• You Belong With Me
• We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
• I Knew You Were Trouble
• All Too Well (10 minute version)

From Speak Now:

From Reputation:

• …Ready For It?
• Don’t Blame Me
• Look What You Made Me Do

From Folklore/Evermore:

• Champagne Problems
• Illicit Affairs
• My Tears Ricochet
• Blank Space
• Shake It Off
• Wildest Dreams

From The Tortured Poets Department:

• But Daddy I Love Him
• So High School
• Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
• The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart

Surprise song section (see below)

From Midnights:

• Lavender Haze
• Midnight Rain
• Vigilante Shit

The majority of the Eras setlist hasn’t changed since Swift kicked off the tour in Arizona last March – it still opens with Lover and ends with Midnights, spanning 46 songs and 10 albums (her poor Debut still doesn’t get a look in). But the arrival of The Tortured Poets Department back in April resulted in a predictable switch-up, with certain songs taken off the setlist (The Archer, Long Live, The 1, The Last Great American Dynasty, ’Tis the Damn Season and Tolerate It) to make room for seven from the new album. 

Fans disappointed at the changes can always hold out hope that one will appear as a secret song during the acoustic set – which immediately follows The Tortured Poets Department’s section.

The secret songs played so far – and what could be next

The secret song (or acoustic) section of the show is easily the most anticipated by fans. Every night is different – although Swift has abandoned her rule from the US leg that secret songs can only be played once, unless a mistake was made – with Swift having 11 albums of material to choose from. 

Swift has swapped performing two full secret songs for ‘mashups’ including, usually, two or three tracks. Here is the full list of secret songs from each UK show so far, and which could be next.

Edinburgh night one:

• Would’ve Could’ve, Should’ve/I Know Places
• ‘Tis the Damn Season/Daylight

Edinburgh night two:

• The Bolter/Getaway Car
• All of the Girls You’ve Loved Before/Crazier

Edinburgh night three:

• It’s Nice to Have a Friend/Dorothea
• Haunted/Exile

Liverpool night one:

• I Can See You/Mine
• Cornelia Street/Maroon

Liverpool night two: 

• This Is What You Came For/Gold Rush
• The Great War/You’re Losing Me

Liverpool night three:

• Carolina/No Body, No Crime
• The Manuscript/Red
• I Forgot That You Existed/This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
• I Hate It Here/The Lakes

London night one:

• Hits Different/Death By A Thousand Cuts
• The Black Dog/Come Back Be Here/Maroon

London night two:

• thanK you aIMee/Mean
• Castles Crumbling (with Hayley Williams)

London night three:

• Us (with Gracie Abrams)
• Out of the Woods/Is It Over Now?/Clean

Dublin night one:

• State of Grace/You’re on Your Own Kid
• Sweet Nothing/Hoax

Our predictions:

British fans will be delighted that London Boy and So Long, London live to see another day as potential surprise songs; surely, the first will be turned into a shorter mash-up (I can’t see her playing it in full, what with it being a love letter to her ex boyfriend - awkward) and the latter played on the final night at Wembley on August 20. There’s a few collaborations with British artists that haven’t been played yet, either: I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (featuring One Direction’s Zayn Malik), Everything Has Changed (Ed Sheeran) or Florida!!! (Florence Welch), so they’re looking likely.

Taylor Swift’s set lasts for three hours and 15 minutes: up there with career-spanning performances from Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and The Cure. 

The main show begins with the appearance of a ticking clock on stage, which counts down from a total of two minutes while songs from Lady Gaga (Applause) and Lesley Gore (You Don’t Own Me) play in the background. 

Once the countdown reaches zero, dancers brandishing ginormous, pastel-hued flags walk out on stage to a backing track listing her various albums (the crowd’s biggest scream being reserved for when it says “My name is Taylor, and I was born in 1989!”). Then, the fabric flags fall to the floor, lifts and reveals Swift beneath, in the centre, ready to be hoisted up on a rising stage block to sing a short version of opener Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince (from Lover) before going straight into her biggest streaming hit, Cruel Summer.

Swift takes no substantial breaks during the three-hour plus set – aside from various outfit or stage changes in between Eras – but there are fleeting moments you can rest, including after the Speak Now section (which is a mere single song, Enchanted) which has a slightly longer interval before Swift begins to perform songs from Red. Don’t forget, either, to put on the special wristband you’re handed on entry – it flashes different colours throughout the set and can often signal surprise songs or special moments.

Prepare your friendship bracelets

Whether you’re a bona fide Swiftie or the parent or guardian of one, I guarantee you will have heard of friendship bracelets. Inspired by a lyric from Midnights’ You’re On Your Own, Kid (“So make the friendship bracelets / Take the moment and taste it”), Swift’s fans wear armfuls of homemade, largely plastic bracelets featuring beads that spell out song names or inside jokes. 

Then, once at the show, the fans “trade” bracelets with each other to make new friends. The internet is full of tutorials on how to make them, but if your show is drawing closer and you’re yet to make any, Amazon Prime is your best bet.

What to pack?

Despite what Gen Zs on TikTok may suggest, the Eras tour is just a concert. Thus, it doesn’t necessitate buying fancy new cameras, iPhones, earplugs or battery packs – but you would be wise to pack a jumper (it gets cold – and the ones for sale on the official merchandise will set you back around £60); those friendship bracelets, as well, of course, as your ticket. 

The tour is completely sold-out for all dates, but it is worth keeping an eye on your emails as Ticketmaster are reportedly sending out last-minute purchase codes ahead of each date. 

What to wear?

Sequins, glitter, cowboy hats – anything goes, as long as you go for it. Find the link to our all-ages guide on what to wear to Swift’s Era’s tour below. 

Learn the fan lyrics 

If you’re lucky enough to have tickets to the Eras tour, learning 11 albums worth of songs – plus the Vault tracks from her ‘Taylor’s Version’ rerecords – might seem like an impossible task. Unluckily, it’s not just Swift’s 274 official singles (46 of which make up the setlist) that you need to know, because the crowd adds special lines to multiple songs. 

During Delicate, from Reputation, fans yell the chant “One, two, three, let’s go b—h!” after she sings “We can’t make any promises, now can we, babe?” Chart-topping revenge anthem Bad Blood, meanwhile, taken from 2014’s 1989, sees fans screech the end of the line “You forgive / You forget / But you never let it go”. Swift’s knowing winks during the songs indicate she knows exactly what the crowd is gearing up for.

Who are the support acts?

US pop-rock band Paramore are the primary support act for all UK Eras shows, and typically begin their 45-minute set at 6pm. There were extra support acts for the first three shows at Wembley Stadium (Mette, Griff and Benson Boone), but ones for the August dates have yet to be announced.

Standout moments so far – concert by concert

The Eras tour is a tightly-run ship revolving around immaculate choreography, a watertight setlist and a performer renowned for her professionalism, but that doesn’t mean every single night is the same. The weather can be temperamental, Swift could bring out a special guest, or you might just spot your favourite A-lister lurking within the crowd (or, more likely, the coveted VIP tent in front of the sound desk). And of course, there’s the secret song section, for which we’ve dedicated a separate section above this one.

Edinburgh: Night One

Fans present at the opening show in Edinburgh were quick to record the moment Swift had to take a break from performing Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve on acoustic guitar – as part of the secret songs set – because of a pesky hand-cramp. As Swift put it: “My hand has frozen in a weird way. This has never happened before!” 

Videos of her shivering on stage suggest the reliably-volatile Scottish weather was to blame. Another highlight came courtesy of her backing dancer Kam, recently in the news for his decision to buy a kilt (after worrying it was cultural appropriation), who contributes a city-specific line to We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Edinburgh’s first one being “Ya wee raj”. Think of it as Taylor does Trainspotting.

'The wildest way to welcome a lass' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 An incredible start to Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour #EdinburghTSTheEraTour Photo Credit: TAS Rights Management pic.twitter.com/mC8A6VCpr2 — Scottish Gas Murrayfield (@MurrayfieldStad) June 8, 2024

Edinburgh: Night Two

Proving that the secret song section is truly what gets the crowd (and internet) talking, Swift’s decision to perform Crazier, a track taken from 2009’s Hannah Montana: The Movie – that she has never played live before – had Swifties around the globe hyperventilating, not least because its inclusion suggested it will appear on the rerecording of her debut album.

Elsewhere, fans of Amazon Prime Video’s hit Outlander would have been wise to peer towards the VIP tent, where the show’s cast – including Sam Heughan – were busy dancing the night away.

Edinburgh: Night Three

Scottish singer Nina Nesbitt, who watched the third show from the VIP tent, shared a moving message on Instagram about her long-term love for Swift. The 29-year-old, who hails from West Lothian, wrote: “It was so special to hear the songs that made me want to pick up a guitar back in the place I’m from”. 

Swift’s influence was also keenly felt during her surprise performance of Exile, in which the crowd – all 73,000 of them – dutifully sang Bon Iver’s parts of the song; you can see her joy in videos from the performance in which she’s grinning, in disbelief, that this many people know her music this inside-out.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

Liverpool: Night One

You’ll be surprised to learn that Liverpool’s biggest Swiftie is not, in fact, a random teenage girl singing along to Fearless in her bedroom. Jurgen Klopp, the former Reds manager, who has spoken of his love for Swift’s music before, showed up on the first night at Anfield (wearing pink heart-shaped sunglasses, no less) to show his support. Elsewhere, Swift performed I Can See You, a Vault track from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), as the first secret song - fitting given it was filmed in the city last year. No appearance from Sir Paul McCartney - also an avid Swiftie - but there’s two nights left…

Klopp wearing pink Taylor Swift heart glasses, what a man 🥰🥰🥰🥰 pic.twitter.com/9kh7YVitjx — Karen (@Karen31_x) June 13, 2024

Swift used her 100th Eras Tour show to confirm that the tour will end this year, ending speculation that more dates would be added. “The celebration of the 100th show for me means this is the very first time I’ve acknowledged to myself and admitted that this tour is going to end in December. Like, that’s it,” she told the rain-sodden crowd at Anfield. “I think that this tour has really become my entire life,” she said during her intro to All Too Wel. “It’s taken over everything. I think I once had hobbies, but I don’t know what they were anymore.

“All I do when I’m not on stage is sit at home and try to think of clever acoustic song mash-ups and think about what you might want to hear.”

Liverpool: Night Two

Stood just a few heads back from where Swift was seated for the surprise songs set, nothing could have prepared me for the first track: This Is What You Came For, the 2016 hit originally performed by Calvin Harris and Rihanna – that Swift wrote. It will surely be on Reputation (Taylor’s Version); Harris, Swift’s superstar DJ ex-boyfriend, clearly couldn’t be bothered to deal with the social media attention, because he deleted his account on X after this performance. I’ve seen Swift on multiple tours, in wildly different stages of her career, but seeing her on Eras – so confident and self-assured – is a privilege. 

British rising star Griff, who will open for Swift on the second night at Wembley, was also present - warning that “if I don’t have a voice next week at Wembley it’s because I lost it at Eras a week early.” 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Griff (@wiffygriffy)

Liverpool: Night Three

A highlight of the Red set is always We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, when Swift’s dancer Kem tries out his best local slang. The third night in Scouseland saw him listen to the TikTok advice and yell “Jog on lad,” much to the delight of the crowd. The Red trend continued through to the surprise songs, when Swift performed the title track from that album – an ode to love, but for one night only, Liverpool FC. Or, of course, the Kansas City Chiefs.

A special mention goes to the Swifties who dedicated a selection of friendship bracelets to victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Bracelets laid by Taylor Swift fans on the Hillsborough Memorial at Anfield today pic.twitter.com/RsDNCDTy8L — Iain Watts (@iainwattsphoto) June 15, 2024

Swift had obviously been doing her homework before heading to the Welsh capital’s Principality Stadium, as she uttered a number of Welsh phrases throughout the gig, from “Shwmae Cardiff” (Hello Cardiff) to “Croeso I daith Eras” (Welcome to the Eras tour) and “Un, dau, tri, pedwar” (1, 2, 3, 4). Fan favourite dancer Kam, meanwhile, went for “ych a fi!” (gross) during We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. As the only indoor/closed-roof concert of the UK leg of Eras, meanwhile, some fans in Cardiff were left disappointed there was no firework display during Karma, the closing song.

London: Night One

The first night in the capital was always going to be starry, and Wembley certainly didn’t disappoint. Swift’s boyfriend, the NFL star Travis Kelce, showed up with his brother Jason, along with supermodel Cara Delevingne, fashion designer Stella McCartney, actresses Rosamund Pike, Salma Hayek and Nicola Coughlan and even Labour leader Keir Starmer (with his wife, Victoria). Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales opted to celebrate his 42nd birthday at the show , watching from a private box with his children. 

'Swift' campaign pitstop. pic.twitter.com/VdSo7Pb0i5 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 21, 2024

As always, the surprise songs segment proved a winner, as Swift launched into The Black Dog, for the first time ever, which was inspired by her past visits to an unassuming boozer in Vauxhall. Swift has always had a special relationship with London, having lived here for a time when she was dating British actor Joe Alwyn, meaning her first night at Wembley (she has played at the stadium before, as part of 2018’s Reputation tour) was always going to be special. Little wonder she called it “the most exhilarating city in the world”! She even got the weather to bend to her every whim, with the day’s rare sun giving way to rain during Midnight Rain.

Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start 🇬🇧🇺🇸🤝 @KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/VlD6V0PiEL — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 22, 2024

London: Night Two

The second night at Wembley took a look at Friday’s guestlist and said oh no, you’re not getting away with that. Two future Kings and a (potential) future Prime Minister had nothing on the second night’s VIP guests: Tom Cruise, Greta Gerwig, Liam Hemsworth, Rachel Zegler, Jamie Dornan, Hugh Grant (eating a bag of carrots in the VIP tent, no less), Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Emily Maitlis, Beth Mead and, again, Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce (seemingly with his full family in tow). 

Tom Cruise at Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in London. pic.twitter.com/IM5zuFRtzh — Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 22, 2024

The show turned into a “who’s who” of Hollywood, but it was the appearance of Swift’s beloved mother, Andrea - who got choked up by a hero’s welcome from fans - that touched the heartstrings. Eighteen years of guiding her daughter later, and she’s the biggest popstar in the world, her tickets a hotter commodity than gas or oil (*kind of). 

even after all these years, she is so touched by the love of her daughter's fans, and so incredibly proud of taylor's impact. 🥹🫶🏻💜 pic.twitter.com/2fOjuRkaqn — swiftie wins (@swifferwins) June 22, 2024

Also, the secret song choices made this path even more poignant: first up was thanK you aIMee (the capitalised letters spell out Kim, widely thought to be a reference to former nemesis Kim Kardashian) crossed with Mean, Swift’s Grammy-winning country single about classmate jibes and irrelevant haters from Speak Now, where she swapped the lyrics to “Someday I’ll be singing this song at Wembley”. Then came a long-awaited duet with Paramore’s Hayley Williams for Castles Crumbling, also from Speak Now, a sparkling showcase for both women’s talents - and mutual respect and adoration.

London: Night Three

Travis Kelce appearing on stage as one of Swift’s backing performers for I Can Do It With A Broken Heart! The Sir Paul McCartney trading friendship bracelets from the VIP tent, where he was hanging out with daughter Stella! Swift bringing close friend Gracie Abrams out to sing Us, their collaboration from Abrams’s new album . Once again, it was the VIP guests who got the crowd talking: Macca at the top, closely followed by Jon Bon Jovi, Ellie Goulding, Sophie Turner, Cate Blanchett, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Andrew Scott and Piers Morgan. 

Paul McCartney dancing with fans to But Daddy I Love Him 😭😭😭😭 #LondonTSTheErasTour @taylornation13 pic.twitter.com/Dcy6iXEtfV — Zoe 🤍 (@camdenswiftt) June 23, 2024

Swift also made a few pointed comments about the pitfalls of playing live (during the 10 minute-long All Too Well, she stopped for a few seconds, saying “I swallowed a bug, can you sing?”), and the talents of her extensive live band, seemingly in response to disparaging comments made by Dave Grohl in London the day before. At a Foo Fighters gig at the London Stadium, Grohl warned the crowd “Be nice! You don’t want the Swifties after you” before suggesting Swift doesn’t sing live at her live shows. 

Dublin: Night One

Swift was welcomed to Dublin with a bunch of flowers from her old friends – and “Irish fan club” – U2. “Already feeling that Irish hospitality!!” she posted on Instagram. She paid tribute to the “folklore” of Ireland and there were Irish references sprinkled throughout the evening, from a “haon, dó, trí, ceathair” countdown in I Can Do It With a Broken Heart to costume changes in the colours of the Irish flag. Paramore singer Hayley Williams also wore a Cranberries t-shirt for her support set.

Potential special guests

Swift has brought a number of famous guests on stage to sing with her throughout the Eras tour – typically artists with feature credits on her songs. The National’s Aaron Dessner, who produced much of her lockdown albums Folklore and Evermore, appeared in Santa Clara, California, to perform melodic break-up ballad Right Where You Left Me. The National are in Europe throughout the summer for festivals, so he could make a surprise appearance again. 

Then there’s sister-indie trio HAIM, who are personal close friends with Swift and featured on No Body, No Crime. Pictures of them out for a meal in London with Swift (and other famous faces, including Kate Moss, Lena Dunham and Andrew Scott) suggest they could make an appearance.

Other potential secret guests range from Lana Del Rey (who sang on Snow on the Beach, and is in the UK in August for Reading and Leeds festivals), Ed Sheeran (Everything Has Changed), Jack Antonoff (Getaway Car and more) and Zayn Malik (I Don’t Wanna Live Forever). All are probable, since Swift already brought out Paramore’s Hayley Williams for their collaboration, Castles Crumbling, and Gracie Abrams (for Us).

The secrets to look out for – and what they all mean

Ask any Taylor Swift fan what the secret to her colossal success is, and you might be surprised by their answer. Her emotionally vulnerable lyrics and 11 chart-topping studio albums come into play, of course, but it’s her Easter eggs – the secret clues she hides in her songs – that have established her as an unprecedented force in the music industry. And she’s done the same with the Eras concert, filling it with clues, tips and tricks hidden behind certain stages, lyrics or costumes that throw light on her life, her passions and her songs. Here we interpret it all for you. 

The show opens with Lover – to mark Taylor’s creative rebirth …

Released in 2019, Swift’s seventh studio album was meant to get the full bells and whistles treatment: chart-topping singles (Me!, You Need to Calm Down, Lover and The Man) and a sold-out tour (“Lover Fest” was supposed to be a worldwide phenomenon, that included a show at London’s BST Hyde Park). Lover was also intended to mark a creative rebirth for Swift, whose popularity had waned following public spats with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian (that resulted in 2017’s Reputation). 

Instead, Covid arrived, the tour was cancelled, and some of the singles flopped (although the album did feature Cruel Summer, surprisingly now her biggest, most-streamed hit). Swift had multiple reasons to open the Eras tour with the Lover section, and track Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince. The album was her first record to be entirely hers – following her legal battle with former record label Big Red Machine, that has seen her rerecord much of her back catalogue – and it never got its glory days because of the pandemic, so she seems to be picking up where she left off. 

Some fans have even construed the choice to be aimed at former boyfriend Joe Alwyn, who she reportedly broke up with in March 2023 (the same month the Eras tour kicked off in the US), with Swift the all-American golden girl and he, the brooding British actor, the prince who wound up breaking her heart.

… Then the house burns down

For much of the Lover section, Swift performs on stage in front of a huge glass house with rooms nodding at previous music videos or Eras. As the titular track ends and she prepares to move into the Fearless era, the house bursts into fake flames and looks like it is burning down on stage. Could it symbolise the breakdown of her relationship with Alwyn, an end to her romantic side, or a potential hiatus post-Eras tour?

The Fearless dance

Nostalgia forms the heart of the Eras tour. Over two decades, Swift has released 11 studio albums packed with hits – from Love Story to We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – and made billions of dollars from her music. The tour itself is a celebration of this (as Swift announces at the beginning: “We are about to go on a little adventure together”), as well as her old and new fans. The second part of the show is dedicated to 2008’s country gem Fearless – which won her first Grammy for Album of the Year – and features multiple nods to her younger years and earlier performances, including the jump and spin dance and heart sign she makes with her hands during the title song.

The meaningful outfits 

Colours are important in Taylor Swift’s World, because each album is colour-coded (gold for Fearless, purple for Speak Now, black for Reputation, etc). Those signifiers form the heart of many fans’ chosen outfits for the tour, but also Swift’s own style choices on stage. When she announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in Los Angeles on August 9, she swapped her usual outfits for blue variants (1989’s colour) throughout the show. The show’s newest Era, dedicated to 11th album The Tortured Poets Department, sees her wear a toned-down spin on a circus ringmaster outfit for I Can Do It With a Broken Heart (a knowing nod to her 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards outfit) – a song about powering through heartbreak to dazzle fans and critics – while the logo on the t-shirt she wears during 22 (from Red) changes depending on the show.

One particular outfit to keep an eye on is the black and red, snake-emblazoned sequin catsuit she wears during the Reputation era – because it’s the only outfit that hasn’t changed since the beginning of the tour. 

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart – and the Reputation glass boxes

ICDIWABH, mentioned above, is a defiant, gloriously poppy middle finger-up to anyone who thought Swift would buckle under the pressure of heartbreak and fame. “They said, “Babe, you gotta fake it ‘til you make it” and I did,” she sings. “Lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die”. The staging itself involves a motionless Swift, lying on the ground after performing The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, being picked up by two grinning circus masters, who strip her dress and replace it with the ringmaster outfit. After flopping and falling around like a ragdoll, Swift suddenly jerks to life and bursts into song – a true professional, at whatever personal cost.

During the Reputation section, meanwhile, and in particular Look What You Made Me Do, Swift performs in front of a collection of glass boxes containing dancers dressed in similar costumes to ones worn throughout her career. The song itself, which was originally aimed at West and Kardashian, is Swift’s way of standing up for herself in front of an industry who expected her to be the meek, good-girl country star, instead of a powerful woman. Taken together, the imagery of both songs (ICDIWABH and LWYMMD) supports this – Swift seeing herself as someone who hasn’t been allowed to grow up, whose entire adolescence (and now, adulthood) was catered to pleasing the public.

Taken from her fourth studio album, 2012’s Red, 22 marked a musical switch for Swift from country to pure pop. During her performance of the song at the Eras tour, she storms down the long stage with her crew of backing dancers to reach one lucky fan at the other end, who is handed the black (personally signed) trilby she wears during the performance (and wore in the original video). 

Fans looking to secure the hat would be best to direct their attention to the Taylor Nation social media accounts – allegedly run by a combination of 13 Management, her mother Andrea and father Scott – who personally choose the recipient. One such lucky fan was the late basketball player’s Kobe Bryant’s young daughter, Bianka, who was handed the hat (and embraced) by Swift in Los Angeles.

The Folklore house

Between the pop-tastic anthems of Red and 1989, Swift brings down the tempo for the Folklore section (twinned with Evermore on the European leg). The album, which she wrote and released during the pandemic, was a critical darling; co-written with and produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, it marked a switch from pop to a more indie, mature sound. During the set, she performs songs from Folklore and Evermore from atop a grassy woodland cabin (inspired by her 2021 Grammy performance) that is also home to the moss-covered piano where she sits and performs Champagne Problems.

So High School’s ode to Travis Kelce

When Swift began the Eras tour, she was newly single and heartbroken, tearing up on stage while performing for songs she had written in honour of former beau Joe Alwyn. Since then, she’s released The Tortured Poets Department, another break-up album widely interpreted to be about Matty Healy, the 1975 frontman who she dated afterwards. 

But her current boyfriend, the NFL star Travis Kelce, has no reason to fear, because he gets his love story during So High School. Swift only sings part of the song, which is about her falling head over heels for this teenage-kind of love (and includes the line “You know how to ball / I know Aristotle”), but the accompanying dance is the clearest nod to Kelce. She and her backing dancers sit atop makeshift bleachers and “swag surf” – a waving motion typically used at US sporting events, that she was seen doing during a Kansas City Chiefs game earlier this year.

The Bejeweled TikTok dance

It’s easy to attribute the unprecedented success of the Eras tour to the rise of TikTok. The day after the tour began in Arizona in March 2023, I had seen it in its entirety – from my bedroom in London – thanks to people live-streaming from the concert, or uploading multiple videos. Since then, of course, there has been the blockbuster concert film, but the video sharing platform offered the first opportunity for international fans (or those who couldn’t afford tickets) to see the show. 

TikTok even provided Swift with a free choreographer. New Jersey-based creator Mikael Arellano went viral in 2022 with his dance to Bejeweled, the ninth track from Midnights, where he shimmies and shakes his hands and body to the chorus. It racked up billions of views and sure enough, when the Eras tour opened, Swift and her dancers did the same dance. As a way of saying thank you, Arellano was even called up to accept the much-fêted 22 hat in May 2023.

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Taylor Swift says she is 'swooning' over Travis Kelce's Eras Tour debut: See London photos

Taylor Swift reflected on her headline-making London shows at Wembley Stadium, sharing she is "still cracking up" and "swooning over" boyfriend Travis Kelce's Eras Tour debut in an Instagram post on Monday.

"Wembley Stadium round one was so surreal. Looking out into crowds of 90,000 fans each night and hearing that VOLUME…," wrote Swift. "Those were some of the loudest crowds I’ve ever heard."

Swift's three-show Eras Tour weekend in London made constant headlines, brought out the biggest stars from across music and entertainment, and included some surprise appearances on stage.

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Prince william dances to 'shake it off' at taylor swift's eras tour in london.

British stars like Hugh Grant, Paul McCartney and Prince William took in Swift's globally famous show alongside a litany of other celebrities at London's famous Wembley stadium as Swift rocked the stage in a wide variety of outfits and set designs, navigating hundreds of thousands of fans through her musical eras.

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Travis Kelce joins Taylor Swift on stage during London Eras Tour stop

• Jun 23, 2024

Watch what Travis Kelce does during Taylor Swift's performance of 'Shake It Off'

• Jun 24, 2024

• Jun 22, 2024

Here are some of the best pictures from Swift's headline-making weekend in London:

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• Taylor Swift
• United Kingdom

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Independent TV

Showing now | culture.

Oliver Browning | Monday 24 June 2024 07:15 BST

Watch: Taylor Swift brings Travis Kelce onstage for first time during Wembley tour

Travis Kelce made a surprise appearance on stage at Taylor Swift ’s London concert.

Kelce, an NFL star who won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February, started dating Swift in 2023.

Their high-profile romance - and regular appearances together - have delighted fans.

On Sunday night (23 June), Swift was performing her third show of the weekend at Wembley Stadium.

As she was singing “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” from The Tortured Poets Department, Kelce made his way to the stage, where he posed as one of his girlfriend's backup dancers.

Wearing a tuxedo and black top hat, he delighted fans with a few dance moves and carried Swift to a red sofa during the middle of the show.

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