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London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London

8 Reviews 4.38 out of 5 stars Based on 8 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor | London, England
Book online or call us

from $7.98 per person

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London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London Image 1
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London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London Image 5
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 23 (0) days in advance.
1 hour (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Instant confirmation

Overview

You came to London to write, but the words won't come. Then on a foggy evening walk, you spot him: a man in a black top hat who looks impossibly like Charles Dickens. Dead for over 150 years, but real enough to follow. You set off after him.

This self-guided literary quest takes you on a walk through the Victorian heart of London. Using the Questo app on your smartphone, you follow the figure at 12 stops through Clerkenwell, Holborn, and Fleet Street: from the Charles Dickens Museum on Doughty Street and the buried Fleet River to Fagin's haunt on Saffron Hill, and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, where Dickens drank with fellow writers.

Decode hidden messages, solve literary puzzles, and piece together the story of Victorian London's most famous writer.

Start whenever you like and explore 3.5 kilometres of London's most storied streets at your own pace. Best experienced during the day.

Perfect for history lovers, literature fans, and curious explorers. No knowledge of Dickens required.

What's Included

  • One device works for up to 3 players; buy extra tickets for the full multiplayer experience
  • Flexible scheduling, start anytime, best experienced during the day
  • Follow a mysterious Dickens lookalike from Clerkenwell to Fleet Street
  • Live tour guide (self-guided via the Questo app)
See 3 moreSee 2 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

47 Doughty Street
London WC1N 2LW, UK

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

145 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2BU, UK

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
Read more

Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free

Charles Dickens Museum (pass by)

The Charles Dickens Museum is an author's house museum at 48 Doughty Street in Holborn, London Borough of Camden. It occupies a typical Georgian terraced house which was Charles Dickens's home from 25 March 1837 (a year after his marriage) to December 1839.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Vine Hill (pass by)

It was laid out around 1686 and originally ran further, along what is now the Man in the Moon Passage. John Rocque's Map of London, 1746 shows Vine Street extending from Piccadilly northeast to Warwick Street. In 1720, the main properties on the street were a brewery and a carpenter's yard.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

The One Tun Pub & Rooms (pass by)

This stylish inn dates to 1759, but its moment of fame came in 1838, when Charles Dickens changed its name to the Three Cripples and made it Bill Sykes' watering hole of choice in Oliver Twist.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Staple Inn (pass by)

Staple Inn dates from 1585. The building was once the wool staple, where wool was weighed and taxed. It survived the Great Fire of London, was extensively damaged by a Nazi German Luftwaffe aerial bomb in 1944 but was subsequently restored.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Lincoln's Inn Fields (pass by)

The Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre was located in the Fields from 1661 to 1848, when it was demolished. This, originally called the Duke's Theatre, was created by converting Lisle's Tennis Court in 1695.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Maughan Library (pass by)

Following a £35m renovation designed by Gaunt Francis Architects, the Maughan is the largest new university library in the United Kingdom since World War II. Designed by Sir James Pennethorne and constructed in 1851, with further extensions made between 1868 and 1900, it is a Grade II* listed building.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Dr. Johnson's House (pass by)

The house now known as Dr Johnson's House was probably originally built for a City merchant. Its most famous resident, and one of the most distinguished figures in English literary history, Samuel Johnson (1709-84), rented it from 1748 to 1759.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (pass by)

Originally, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was built in the 1530's, although the original pub was lost in The Great Fire of London in 1666. The current pub dates from 1667 – having been one of the first London buildings reconstructed after the Great Fire.Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Read more

Saint Peter's Italian Church (pass by)

It was consecrated on 16 April 1863 as "The Church of St Peter of all Nations". At the time of consecration, it was the only basilica-style church in the UK. Its organ was built in 1886 by Belgian Anneesen. During World War II, when Italian immigrants were interned, Irish Pallottines made use of the church.
Read more

Royal College of Surgeons of England (pass by)

The Royal College of Surgeons has a long history. Its earliest origins lie in the 1540s when the Company of Barbers and the Fellowship of Surgeons joined together to form the Company of Barber-Surgeons. In the 1700s medicine became an academic discipline and surgeons demanded more recognition for their expertise.
Read more

Parohia Sf. Gheorghe Londra (pass by)

Romanian Orthodox chapel St Dunstan-in-the-West is one of the churches in England to share its building with the Romanian Orthodox community (St. George church). The chapel to the left of the main altar is closed off by an iconostasis, formerly from Antim Monastery in Bucharest, dedicated in 1966.
Read more
Show 10 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (GMT). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-107194P103

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.38
8 reviews

Average 4.38 out of 5 stars based on 8 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
6
4 stars
1
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
1
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 23 (0) days in advance.
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Balloon Tours customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (GMT).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • One device works for up to 3 players; buy extra tickets for the full multiplayer experience.
  • Flexible scheduling, start anytime, best experienced during the day.
  • Follow a mysterious Dickens lookalike from Clerkenwell to Fleet Street.
  • Visit the Charles Dickens Museum, Fagin's Saffron Hill, and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.
  • Decode hidden messages and literary puzzles inspired by Oliver Twist.
  • Self-guided Dickens literary quest through London.
The following is NOT included:
  • Live tour guide (self-guided via the Questo app).
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

The minimum age to participate is 1..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London is as follows:

  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for London Quest: Chasing Dickens Through Victorian London will be included in your confirmation email from City Balloon Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • One device works for up to 3 players; buy extra tickets for the full multiplayer experience
  • Flexible scheduling, start anytime, best experienced during the day
  • Follow a mysterious Dickens lookalike from Clerkenwell to Fleet Street
  • Visit the Charles Dickens Museum, Fagin's Saffron Hill, and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
  • Decode hidden messages and literary puzzles inspired by Oliver Twist
  • Self-guided Dickens literary quest through London
  • Live tour guide (self-guided via the Questo app)

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Report Product Issue

Activity name