Today I want to share another of my free self-guided London walking tours with you. This one is a Holborn walk that will take you to some of the most historic lanes and secret pubs in the UK capital. If you enjoy getting off the beaten path and discovering the city’s hidden streets, this route is for you. I’ve included a map and all the details about the distance and how long it takes as well.
Holborn Walk
Despite being in central London, Holborn is often overlooked. Many people pass through it on their way from Covent Garden to the City, but there’s a lot that makes it worth a special trip.
Holborn is packed with everything from cultural attractions to historic pubs and pretty green spaces. It’s home to London’s diamond district as well as some of its most important legal societies. It even featured in Great Expectations.
My favorite thing to do in Holborn is walk around and take in the historic lanes. Today I want to share the best of them with you in this London walk.
Self-Guided London Walking Tours
If you want to explore beyond Holborn, I’ve also published walks in nearby areas like Clerkenwell, Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, and the City of London.
If you’re interested in more, I’ve created lots of free self-guided London walks and pulled them all together in my London walking tours blog post and my London walking map.
There are other walks in the book London’s Hidden Walks, too. You can get it here. There are additional ideas in my London walking books post as well.
If you’re looking for a guided tour, you can see options and book one here. They’re great ways to see the area with an experienced local.
Holborn Walk
My self-guided Holborn walk will take you from the tube station to the streets of the neighborhood. Along the way you’ll discover everything from secret pubs to leafy squares and under-the-radar museums.
The route of this London walking tour goes by lots of places to eat and drink, so you can stop to get a meal, snack, or tea if you need to rest your legs. It also goes by pubs with rooms like The Clerk & Well if you want to stay in the area.
The Route
This walking tour starts at the Holborn Underground station. It’s on two lines of the tube and many local bus routes, so it’s easy to get here by public transport.
You can also arrive on foot, by bike, or on a scooter from Covent Garden or other parts of central London.
Whatever way you choose to arrive, you can start your tour by exiting the station on High Holborn and turning right. Walk east on High Holborn, then take a right down a narrow alley called Little Turnstile.
Little Turnstile will lead you to Gate Street, where you’ll find a hidden pub called The Ship Tavern. This 16th-century watering hole is a great place to stop if you want to have a drink in one of the city’s historic ale houses.
Whether you stop or not, continue your Holborn walk by veering left on Gate Street and following it around as it takes you to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
This square is surrounded by attractive heritage buildings, some of which house small museums. As you take a loop around the perimeter, you’ll pass Sir John Soane’s Museum on the north border.
This is one of my favorite museums in London, and it’s worth a special trip (entry is free, but try to book in advance). Often referred to as a miniature British Museum, you’ll find everything from sculptures to paintings and a unique Egyptian sarcophagus inside.
On the south border, you’ll find the Hunterian Museum (entry is free here as well, but try to book in advance). Focusing on the history of surgery and medicine, this not-for-the-faint-of-heart museum has a collection of stomach-wrenching instruments and preserved specimens.
You can visit one or both museums (or neither), then continue your self-guided Holborn walk by strolling along the east border of Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Here you’ll find the eye-catching facade of Lincoln’s Inn, one of the four Inns of Court in London (they’re long-standing professional institutions for barristers). If you want to, you can head through the gates and explore.
When you’re done, you can exit Lincoln’s Inn Fields by going to the northeast corner and walking up an alley called Great Turnstile. It will lead you back to High Holborn.
Once there, turn right and continue your Holborn walking tour by heading east down High Holborn. As you approach the Chancery Lane tube station, you’ll notice the historic Cittie of Yorke pub on your left.
This Grade II-listed public house has a long history. While the current building dates to the 1920s, there’s been a pub on this site since 1430. The interiors are steeped in history, and everyone from Charles Dickens to Dylan Thomas has written about this place.
Whether you pop in or not, continue your London walk by heading east down High Holborn towards Chancery Lane station. When you get there, you’ll notice the stunning Tudor facade just past the station entrance on your right.
This is Staple Inn. It’s the last surviving Inn of Chancery, a group of historic buildings and legal institutions in London that are thought to have been established in the 14th century.
A Grade I-listed building, Staple Inn dates back to 1585. It survived the Great Fire in 1666, but its internal hall was destroyed by a bomb during World War II. Thankfully the facade was spared, and today it’s one of the most beloved Tudor frontages in London.
After admiring the building, continue your Holborn walk by heading farther east on High Holborn. On your left you’ll notice another famous facade.
This one is the red terracotta Holborn Bars, also known as the Prudential Assurance Building. Built in the late 19th century, this Gothic Revival-style building is Grade II-listed and a treat for the eyes.
After admiring it, walk east until you reach Holborn Circus. Once there, turn left on Hatton Garden. This is London’s diamond district, and you’ll soon start to notice an abundance of jewelers.
Before you go too far, take a right down a tiny passage called Ely Court. Here you’ll find one of the oldest pubs in London. Ye Olde Mitre dates back to 1547, and it’s one of my favorite hidden pubs in London.
With a series of small wood-paneled rooms, it will whisk you back to a bygone era. Ye Olde Mitre has featured in famous London movies like Snatch, too.
You can pop in for a drink or meal if it’s a weekday, or continue your Holborn walk by heading farther down Ely Court. When you get to the end, you’ll find yourself in Ely Place. This historic street is home to St Etheldreda’s Church.
Dating back to the 13th century, it’s one of only two surviving buildings in London from the reign of Edward I. It was originally built to be the chapel of Ely Palace, the London residence of the Bishops of Ely. It’s an important piece of architectural history.
You can go inside to see the stunning stained glass and historic walls, or continue your Holborn walk by heading back through Ely Court and out to Hatton Garden.
Turn right on Hatton Garden and pass by more jewelers as you make your way to Greville Street. Once there, turn right. Soon you’ll spot Bleeding Heart Yard on your right. This courtyard was the home of the Plornish family in the Charles Dickens novel Little Dorrit.
Once you’ve explored Bleeding Heart Yard, continue your walking tour by going back out to Greville Street and turning left.
Walk down to Leather Lane and turn right. You’ll find yourself in a bustling street food market if it’s a weekday. If not, you’ll still be surrounded by some of London’s best coffee shops. My top pick is Prufrock if you’re in need of a caffeine fix.
Either way, continue your Holborn walk by going all the way to the end of Leather Lane. When you get there, turn left onto Clerkenwell Road. You’ll pass pubs with rooms like The Clerk & Well as you make your way west.
Walk all the way down Clerkenwell Road, continuing as it becomes Theobalds Road. You’ll spot historic brick facades on your right and the gardens of Gray’s Inn (another of the Inns of Court) on your left.
When you reach Red Lion Street, turn left. You’ll see two local pubs as you cover the short distance to Lamb’s Conduit Passage. When you get there, veer right to walk down the passage.
You’ll pass colorful shopfronts as you make your way to Red Lion Square. Walk around the green space, taking in the mix of modern and historic buildings as you go. If you need a rest, you can sit on one of the benches in the park.
If not, continue your Holborn walk by exiting the square on Drake Street and turning right. Walk the short distance to Theobalds Road and turn left.
After crossing Southampton Row, you’ll see Sicilian Avenue on your left. This unique pedestrianized shopping parade was designed by Robert Worley in the early 20th century.
Completed in 1910, its baroque Edwardian architecture features Italian marble, colonnades, and turrets. Dramatic columns on plinths mark the entrances.
Sicilian Avenue has been used as a filming location for popular movies like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Wonder Woman.
From Sicilian Avenue you can either make a detour to walk through Bloomsbury Square Garden and visit the British Museum or continue your Holborn walk by going to the end of the pedestrianized stretch and turning right on Southampton Row.
From there it’s a short walk back to Holborn tube station. Your self-guided Holborn walking tour ends where it began. You can pick up the tube, a bus, a bike, or a scooter here, or spend more time exploring the area.
Map and Details of the Holborn Walk in London
Holborn Walking Tour
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Holborn walk and that it’s inspired you to get out and explore London’s hidden streets and leafy squares. This local area is worth discovering, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do when you visit.
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