Ultimate Guide to London Dungeon

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Published: July 18, 2024
Mrs Lovett's pie shop at London Dungeon. Image credit: Merlin.

Prepare to have your nerves well and truly shredded at London Dungeon, where a gruesome cast of characters from London’s dark and deadly past lie in wait for you. Not for the faint of heart, this popular South Bank attraction provides a fun and frightening grown-up alternative to its County Hall co-tenant, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and the nearby London Eye. Join us on a journey into London’s darkest, dankest corners as we explore what to expect, when to visit and where to get tickets in our ultimate London Dungeon guide!

London Dungeon: The Lowdown

Creepy court jester at London Dungeon
Image credit: Merlin

Formerly located at London Bridge and relocated to the South Bank in 2013, London Dungeon has been attracting and terrifying punters since way back in 1974, when it opened as a macabre exhibition of wax figures representing some of London’s most notorious former residents. It’s come a long way since then. Today’s London Dungeon is a fully immersive experience, designed to entertain, educate and frankly frighten the pants off anyone who dares to enter.

Inside, 13 interactive shows and a whole host of actors tell tales from 1,000 years of London history, complete with dazzling special effects, blood-curdling screams, plenty of laughs and, yep, the occasional jump scare. In other words, this experience is not for those of a nervous disposition. There’s even a thrill ride, enticingly named Drop Dead. You might want to leave younger kids outside for this bit…

You’ll meet grim characters galore in this dark, disgusting, noisy and noisome dungeon, among them knife-wielding villains like Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper, as well as getting swept up in gunpowder plots, witch trials and plagues. Creepy doesn’t even begin to cover it. Here, then, are the bits not to miss.

London Dungeon Highlights

Curse of the Witch at London Dungeon
Image credit: Merlin
  • The Descent. The fun (and fear) begins as soon as you step into the rusting old medieval life that’s about to deliver you (hopefully unscathed) to the Thames docks. Your host? A cheerful court jester with a sideline in horrible history lessons. This impish character will keep you company and regale you with bloodthirsty tales of yore as you descend into the bowels of the building, cogs grinding and chains screaming overhead. It’s quite the intro, but do try to conceal your fear: the last thing you need is for your new ‘friends’ to mark you out as the weak one…
  • Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot. The year is 1605 and you find yourself in filthy rat-infested tunnels beneath the streets of London. What’s that over there then? That’d be a great big pile of explosives and a fuse just waiting to be lit. Discover how the Gunpowder Plot was foiled and what became of poor Guy Fawkes afterwards (spoiler: it ain’t pretty, folks).
  • Curse of the Witch. The 17th Century was brutal. If you weren’t dying from the plague you were probably being accused of witchcraft and hung/burned/drowned for your troubles. Meet Elizabeth Sawyer as she awaits her own cursed fate at the notorious Newgate Prison. But is she really as evil as they all say? You’ll find out soon enough…
Drop Dead: Drop Ride at the London Dungeon
Image credit: Merlin
  • Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop and Sweeney Todd. These two make a lovely couple. Really they do! Though admittedly you might not wish to sample Mrs Lovett’s wares, or indeed sit for a shave in her paramour’s barber shop. You’ll kill yourself laughing at the bawdy jokes, pie-related puns, and cutting quips. But, whatever you do, don’t flirt with Mr Todd, or you might find yourself eating humble pie. Or worse.
  • The Torture Chamber. Are you brave enough to be the torturer’s next ‘volunteer’? No? Well, saddle up, because he’s going to show you how the rack, the pear of anguish, the – um – chappy chopper, and other medieval instruments of torture work whether you like it or not. Try not to gag.
  • Drop Dead: Drop Ride. No ordinary thrill ride (this is the notorious London Dungeon, after all), Drop Dead recreates the sensation of… Newgate Prison’s long drop. That’s right: the gallows. As well as (hopefully) surviving this experience, you’ll discover what happens to the human body during a hanging and find out exactly what a neck sounds like when it cracks. Nice. 

London Dungeon: When to Visit

Plague doctor at London Dungeon
Image credit: Merlin

Opening hours vary throughout the year but are generally 11AM–4PM (10AM–5PM on Saturdays). Hours vary during school holidays, on bank holidays and during the peak summer season. Check the official London Dungeon website for opening times on the date you want to visit. In any case you’ll need to pre-book a time slot. Book a slot earlier or later in the day and avoid weekends if you want to avoid the worst of the tourist hordes. After all, it’s already crowded enough down there in those stinking tunnels deep beneath the city streets…

Closest Transport Links to London Dungeon

The London Dungeon is just over the bridge from both Charing Cross and Westminster Underground station, and a short walk from Waterloo station. Disembark and stroll towards the London Eye (the big round wheely thing on the South Bank – you can’t miss it) and you’ll find the London Dungeon right behind, in County Hall.

London Dungeon: Tickets

Jack the Ripper at London Dungeon
Image credit: Merlin

You can book direct via the London Dungeon website, where options include anytime entry or a cocktail of your choice in the Tavern to conclude your experience.

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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A tourist photographs a statue at the British Museum
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The top free things to do in London

London’s reputation for being expensive (just check out the house prices), doesn’t mean vacations in the British capital have to break the bank. Many major museums are free to enter, whilst parks, markets and even some concerts will cost you absolutely nothing, leaving you free to spend your cash on other things. The list of free things to do in London is a long one, so here are a select few that will leave you quids in. Explore London’s museum collections Starting out with just 38 paintings in 1834, The National Gallery on the northern side of Trafalgar Square now has close to 2,500 artworks hanging from its cloth-lined walls. Concentrating on a mere 700 years of European art roughly corresponding with the years 1250 to 1900, some of its most famous works include da Vinci’s Virgin of the Rocks, van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire. Cross the Thames at Hungerford and Golden Jubilee Bridges and you’ll be perfectly located to continue your tour of free things to do in London at Leake Street Arches, the capital’s foremost space for graffiti and street artists. The freedom to spray means it never looks the same for long, and now also plays host to a Polish kitchen and board game café. Food sadly isn’t welcome at the British Library’s Sir John Ritblat Gallery, whose free permanent exhibition space includes some of the most important documents in British history. These include Magna Carta, a symbol of liberty and law to this day, and handwritten manuscripts by everyone from author Charlotte Brontë to Beatle Paul McCartney. Picnic in the park Nearly as many trees as residents, 14,000 species of wildlife and 3,000 parks – it’s no wonder London became the world’s first National Park City in 2019. Its public green spaces have acted as shared backyards, in some cases, for centuries. Its largest is Epping Forest, an area of woodland untouched since the time of William the Conqueror in 1066. Mountain biking and walking are popular pastimes here, with multiple short walks allowing visitors to soak up the spirit of the place and catch sight of its wild deer. Hampstead Health’s Parliament Hill also has a small population of muntjac deer, although it’s far better known for its panoramic views of central London, spanning from The Shard to Canary Wharf. For a sense of what you might expect at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew without the entrance cost and tube journey, there’s the Barbican Conservatory. An oasis of greenery, it’s London’s second-largest indoor garden, containing some 2,000 plants erupting from every surface. Pull back the leaves and you’ll also find a hidden pond filled with koi carp and terrapins. Take part in ancient traditions Things to do in London for free aren’t limited to the capital’s static attractions. Head to Buckingham Palace for mid-morning and you’ll be able to admire the pageantry of the marching bands involved in the Changing of the Guard. The full ceremony lasts 45 minutes, with the changeover between guard battalions taking place at 11AM. The best viewing spots go early, but Hyde Park’s southern boundary offers a crowd-free space to watch the mounted troops arrive and depart from Wellington Barracks. Whilst it’s not possible to enter the palace during the ceremony, it is usually possible to enter the neogothic splendor of the Houses of Parliament a short distance away. Members of the public are able to see the goings-on of the House of Commons (the green-benched lower house) from the perch of the Strangers Gallery. Along the way you can grab a glimpse of Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the complex and where royals lie in state. No pre-booking is required to visit Pugin’s pre-Raphaelite artworks or parliament’s central halls, although the Strangers Gallery fills up quickly for Wednesday’s Prime Ministers Questions. Less confrontational in nature are the free concerts taking place in churches and auditoriums across the capital. Often used as rehearsals to later paid events, classical works can be heard at a number of locations, including the bright interior of St-Martins-in-the-Fields off Trafalgar Square, Morley College’s Waterloo Center and Regent Hall on Oxford Street. Visit London’s top markets All walks of London life buy and sell at its plethora of markets, with voices from all over the world demonstrating why London is known as a city where everyone is welcome. When it comes to color and Instagram posts, make a beeline for Sunday’s Columbia Road Flower Market, which is packed full of blooms. The shadow of Waterloo Bridge plays host to the Southbank Centre’s daily book market, whose row after row of secondhand tomes are sure to include that out-of-print classic you’ve been searching for, in addition to a select pick of artworks old and new. The nearby space behind Royal Festival Hall also hosts a Friday – Sunday pop-up street food market, with aromas that drift towards the Thames sightseeing cruises mooring up at Westminster Pier. Back in east London, the stalls of Old Spitalfields Market sit beneath Victorian ironwork dating to 1876, though its history stretches back to the 1600s. Once a fruit and vegetable wholesale market, today’s stalls are a trendy blend of soul food spots, homeware and boutique fashions, with antiques taking over each Thursday. Take a stroll Getting out into fresh air is relatively easy, and as well as its parks and green spaces, London has numerous walks. The obvious place to start is the Jubilee Walkway, unveiled to mark 25 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in 1977. Connecting many of London’s major landmarks, it runs for 15 miles, with the most popular stretch lining the south bank of the Thames from Lambeth Palace to Tower Bridge. Meanwhile, Regent’s Canal provides a place to wander without the crowds, taking in Paddington Basin, Little Venice, the howls of ZSL London Zoo’s wolf pack and popular Victoria Park along the way to its terminus on the Thames at Limehouse. You certainly won’t be disturbed by the residents of Brompton Cemetery, a grade I listed space containing around 35,000 memorials dating back to the 1830s. Among them you’ll find the graves of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and the scientist who discovered the cause of cholera, John Snow. Other ways to save in London There are a huge number of free things to do in London. But they’re not the only way to save when visiting the British capital. The Explorer Pass from Go City saves on admission at many of London’s top visitor attractions without you having to make any decisions on what to do beforehand. What’s more, all you need is your phone to get started!
Ian Packham
Dinosaurs in Crystal Palace Park.
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Quirky things to do in London

Scratch the surface and you’ll find there are dozens of unusual and quirky things to do in London. We’ve got a whole bunch of out-there ideas to help you sidestep the tourist traps and experience London at its wackiest, from strolling underneath the Thames, to sleepovers with dinosaurs, a Moomin mecca and dining in the dark. London’s quirkiest museums Sure, you’ve heard of the Natural History Museum. But did you know you could stay over in its cavernous Hintze Hall? We can’t promise you sweet dreams as you doze off in the shadow of a suspended blue whale skeleton, but you’re certainly guaranteed a unique and unforgettable experience. There’s a sleepover for kids, with a dino t-shirt workshop and a chance to search the museum for prehistoric beasts by flashlight, and a separate one for adults that includes a pub quiz, an all-night monster movie marathon and more. London’s smaller, quirkier museums are often its most interesting. Surrounded by beautiful ornamental gardens and woodland, the Horniman in south London specializes in anthropology and natural history with a collection of over 350,000 objects. Don’t miss the eye-popping permanent exhibition of taxidermy animals. It’s here you’ll meet the famously overstuffed walrus that is the museum’s emblem. He’s been around as long as the museum itself – since 1901. Take a ride on Mail Rail at the Postal Museum in Farringdon. This quirky little place is great for kids, with an interactive exhibition and fun playroom. But the undisputed highlight here is a ride into the original underground tunnels on the same miniature train used to transport mail 100 years ago. Head to lively Fitzrovia for the atmospheric Pollock Toy Museum. This nostalgic wonderland of colorful toys and trinkets boasts over 4,000 antique toys, with everything from Victorian porcelain dolls to dinky Matchbox cars and wooden rocking horses. To step into Dennis Severs’ House in Spitalfields is to enter a bygone era. But nothing here is quite as it seems. Severs lived in this Georgian townhouse from 1979 until his death in 1999, during which time he painstakingly transformed the interior to represent the imagined 18th-century lives of a fictional Huguenot family. It is, in effect, a highly authentic theatre set, alive with grand period décor and furnishings, and particularly evocative in December when rooms are decked out with festive candles, trees and decorations. Fun (and free!) outdoor attractions Postman’s Park is an oasis of calm amid the bustling streets of the City. At its heart is a late-Victorian era monument to everyday heroes who died saving the lives of others. Set against a red-brick wall, beautiful ceramic tiles of the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice commemorate the lives lost, vividly (sometimes even graphically) detailing their courageous deaths. It’s a lovely spot for quiet reflection. Venture south to Crystal Palace Park, a Victorian pleasure garden that retains many of its original features. Dinosaur sculptures that date back to the 1850s bask in and around the lake. Though not considered entirely anatomically accurate by modern standards, what they lack in realism they more than make up for in charm. Look out for the megalosaurus and iguanadons in particular. The park also contains six huge sphinxes that flank the staircases along the Italian terraces, as well as a fun maze and a number of interesting statues, many of which are headless (some are even said to be cursed)! There are many attractions to tempt visitors to Greenwich, not least the Cutty Sark and Maritime Museum, but no trip to the home of time would be complete without a stroll through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. A feat of turn-of-the-century engineering, the tunnel spans the Thames at a depth of 15 metres, emerging on the southern tip of the Isle of Dogs, from where you’ll be rewarded with splendid views back across the river to the Royal Observatory. Footsore visitors may prefer to have a go at one of London’s latest crazes: pedal buses. These people-powered vehicles seat up to around 12 and allow you to tour the sights while seated around a table. Many operate a bring-your-own-bottle policy, while others factor in stops at some of London’s finest alehouses. Unusual emporiums Looking for a quirky souvenir of your trip to London? Then look no further than Bloomsbury’s James Smith & Sons, the candy store of the umbrella world, where well-to-do gentlemen (and ladies) have been furnishing themselves with high-quality handmade umbrellas, parasols, walking sticks and more for over 150 years Just over the road, and a stone’s throw from the British Museum, Treadwell's is a quirky esoteric bookstore specializing in witchcraft, tarot, spiritualism and the occult. Wander downstairs to see the amazing fireplace that once belonged to occultist and celebrated tarot illustrator Pamela Colman Smith, and now forms something of a shrine to her memory. Lighten the mood with a pilgrimage to The Moomin Shop in Covent Garden Market. Wall-to-wall Moomin memorabilia is what it’s all about here, with author Tove Jansson’s lovable trolls available to buy in almost every format you can think of: Moomin books, Moomin mugs, Moomin socks, Moomin purses, Moomin cuddly toys and, yes, even Moomin tea. Quirky eats and entertainment Once you’ve worked up an appetite, it’s time for dinner – with a difference. Farringdon’s Dans le Noir is a sensory dining experience like no other, where visually impaired waiters serve up surprise courses in pitch darkness. Simply choose the red (meat), blue (fish) or green (you guessed it: vegetarian) menu and let the waiters – and your taste buds – do the rest. You might be surprised by how tricky it is to identify food you can’t see. Those who suffer from nyctophobia need not apply. London’s knack for reinventing its public spaces also now extends to public conveniences. Officially, the initials of the WC bar in Clapham stand for the wine and charcuterie served inside, but this hip hangout was, in fact, also a lavatory in a former life. Don’t let that put you off though: this century-old subterranean space is beautifully restored and very atmospheric, with exposed brick, reclaimed pipework and still-gleaming original tiles. Grab a booth and dive into delicious sharing boards, tasty tapas and ace cocktails that include, naturally, a WC Fields Martini. The sister bar over in Bloomsbury is an equally charming place to spend your pennies. Some of London’s quirkiest music venues also happen to be some of its finest. A pilgrimage to Islington’s Union Chapel is always rewarding. This working 19th-century gothic church hosts regular live acts and other entertainment such as comedy and film screenings. It’s tough to beat communing with your favourite band in this most sacred of spaces. A café by day, the subterranean church crypt at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, just off Trafalgar Square, transforms into a late-night jazz venue in the evenings. Meanwhile, over at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe, the grand entrance shaft for a long-defunct pedestrian tunnel beneath the Thames has been reborn as a unique space for the performing arts. Its high walls, blackened by soot from steam trains, provides a suitably atmospheric backdrop for dramatic operas.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
tower bridge
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Things to do Alone in London

We humans are social creatures by nature, craving the contact of others for the most part. However, there are times when all we want is to be with ourselves. And why not? Spending some quality time alone can be liberating. No longer are you beholden to the wishes of others. You can go where you want, when you want, and do whatever your heart desires. So if you're alone and want to go adventuring in London, what's stopping you? There's so much to do and see in the city, so head out and see if for yourself! These are the best things to do alone in London. Featuring: Museums Art Galleries The cinema Plays and musicals Lounge in a park Walking tours and more! Head to a museum If your brain is thirsty for some of that sweet knowledge, why not head to one of London's many museums? You're spoilt for choice, as the city has some of the best in the world. You've got well-known greats like the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum right next door to one another. Or, try something a little unorthodox. The Museum of Brands gives you a great insight into how marketing and culture have evolved over the centuries. Be sure to check out the cringe-inducing videos of past television advertisements. Fantastic. Or, check out the London Transport Museum to see how London's iconic transport services have evolved over the years. Whichever you choose, visiting a museum is easily one of the best things to do alone in London. Go to an art gallery Feeling cultural? Stroll on down to one of the city's fantastic art galleries! You've got classics like The National Gallery and the Tate Britain, where you'll find famous paintings from periods past. Or, if you want something more modern, head to the Tate Modern or the National Portrait Gallery, where they have their yearly portrait contenders on display. And best of all, take as much time to look around as you like. Go see a flick We can spend so much time watching films at home when we're by ourselves. Why not take that solo experience to the big screen? And don't just go to any old cinema. Treat yourself to one of the many Curzon cinemas dotted about London. Whether you're close to Soho, Mayfair, or Bloomsbury, there's a Curzon just for you. And, with a perfect mix of arthouse films and big-budget blockbusters on show, you can pick the perfect flick for your mood. With no one there to criticise your movie choice, it's easily one of the best things to do alone in London. Catch a show Want to add a little razzle-dazzle to your day? Why not hit the West End and check out a play or musical? See the wizarding wonder all grown up in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Watch Hollywood scribe Aaron Sorkin's take on 20th century classic To Kill A Mockingbird. Or, put on your best inspector's hat at Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. For you musical lovers out there, there are classics like The Phantom of the Opera, and modern marvels like Wicked, The Lion King, or the hilarious Book of Mormon. Parklife In the unlikely event that the weather is actually nice, why not take a stroll around one of London's many amazing parks? They're the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. You've got the big ones like Hyde Park and Regents Park, where you'll be regularly joined by dog walkers, joggers, and people lounging on the grass. If you're looking for a bit of party in your park visit, head to London Fields in Hackney. During summer, the park is full of fiery barbeques, beverages, and banging tunes. Or try Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, which has a more middling vibe. Take a walking tour If your legs are getting a bit restless, why not mix exercise with a little information on a walking tour? There are loads of them taking place all around London. If the sun is out and shining at its best, try a movie, music, or icon tour. These will take you to movie sets, old gig haunts, and other iconic London locales. Or, spice up your walk with some culture at a tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Learn about the history of the building, take a literal peek behind the curtain to see how the building accommodates modern performances, and much more. As you'll likely be in a group anyway, a walking tour is one of the best things to do alone in London. Sightsee London is one of the oldest cities on the planet. With thousands of years of history, why not just walk around and see it all? There's the mighty Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London...the list goes on and on! Chart a course on your phone and set off, music in-ear, and see as many as you like. Or, if you want to give your legs a rest, step aboard a bus tour of London's best sights. Check out a market and some delicious street food Feeling peckish? Don't worry; London's got you covered. Across the city, there are numerous markets with some delicious street food choices to tickle any fancy. Perhaps the most famous is Borough Market, a winding maze of shops and food stalls. There, you'll find thousands of food and drink options to hit the spot. In South, Brixton Village offers a wealth of food and shopping options for any savvy buyer. Or, if you're looking for something a little more cool and modern, hit Boxpark in Shoreditch. With shops down below and bars up above, you'll find burgers, pizza, hotdogs, and much more to chow down on. Head to Kew Gardens And finally, if you want to combine culture, nature, and fuel into one fantastic day out, head over to Kew Gardens. See the oldest pot plant on the planet, a Jurassic cycad palm planted in the 18th century. Explore the different Houses, all mimicking one of Earth's biomes, replete with indigenous plant life from across the globe. Climb the Treetop Walkway for the best views in London. It doesn't get much better than that—definitely one of the best things to do alone in London.
Dom Bewley

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