Whether you want to take London Beatles tours on a self-guided basis or would rather join a group tour, this guide is for you! Included is a rundown of seven Beatles-related London locations to visit – as well as seven of the best Fab Four London tours.
Will it be the Beatles store, the London Palladium, Paul McCartney’s home, Savile Row or the iconic Abbey Road you head for first? Read on to discover The Beatles in London – and how best to follow in their footsteps.
The Beatles in London – Tour Guide Summary
| Name of tour | Duration | Transport | Book here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magical Mystery Beatles tour of London | 2.5 hours | Bus | BOOK |
| The Beatles London walking tour | 2 hours | Walking | BOOK |
| Private Beatles Tour of London by black cab | 3 hours | London Taxi | BOOK |
| ‘A Ticket to Ride’ evening tour of London | 2.5 hours | Minicab | BOOK |
| Black taxi Beatles magical tour of London | 4 hours | London Taxi | BOOK |
| The Beatles day tour to Liverpool from London | 1 day | Train & Coach | BOOK |
| Fab Four black taxi tour of London | 3 hours | London Taxi | BOOK |
7 of the best Beatles in London places to go
The Beatles Store, London
Located on Baker Street, the Beatles shop in London is a treasure trove for fans of the Liverpudlian quartet’s music.
The Beatles London store stocks what is said to be the biggest range of Beatles merchandise you’ll find anywhere on the planet, and is just a minute’s walk from Baker Street tube station.
The products on sale include keyrings, t-shirts, mugs, homeware, bags, posters, collectable items, musical accessories like guitar straps and even autographs.
The Beatles Museum, London
Contrary to popular belief there isn’t actually a London Beatles museum, but you can visit a couple of museums displaying artefacts relating to the Fab Four.
Artistic impressions of John, Paul, George and Ringo can be found at the National Portrait Gallery, while the British Library (part of the British Museum) has some original lyrics on show plus handwritten birthday cards and some photos.
Another option is to visit Madame Tussaud’s, where you can of course see their waxworks. Otherwise, you’d need to head to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool known as The Beatles Story.
Heading to Liverpool? Read our Liverpool itinerary for Beatles fans.
Abbey Road
Abbey Road was catapulted to worldwide fame after starring on the cover of the album of the same name. The road and the recording studios can be found in north west London, near St John’s Wood tube station. It’s an incredibly popular place to visit among Beatles fans from across the globe.
The location is included on many tours of Beatles sites in London, including six of the seven listed below. Or you can take the tube to St John’s Wood to find it.
At the tube station exit (there is only one here) continue westwards along Grove End Road. About half a kilometre along is the turn into Abbey Road, and you should easily spot both the studios and the crossing.
London Palladium
The term ‘Beatlemania’ was apparently coined after the band performed at the venue. This took place in October 1963. A newspaper then used the term within their gig write-up, and it caught on. The building on Argyll Street in Soho is also visually stunning, so it’s well worth a visit if you’re a fan and near the area.
Savile Row
The famous Beatles rooftop gig took place on Savile Row, where Apple Corp has their headquarters. It was the last time they’d play live together, and was called to a halt due to police intervention. The gig was previously unannounced. At the end, John Lennon thanked the crowd and said he hoped the band had auditioned well.
Marylebone Station
Marylebone Station was used at the start of A Hard Day’s Night, a Beatles feature film, so is a must for serious fans of the band or the movie. Interestingly George Harrison falling and tearing his suit was accidental, yet was included in the final cut.
Cavendish Avenue
In 1963, Paul McCartney bought number 7 Cavendish Avenue, close to the Abbey Road studios. Apparently he still owns the house, and continues to use it as a London base to this day. It’s in the St John’s Wood area, near Lord’s cricket ground.
7 of the best Beatles tours in London
If you feel like letting someone else lead the way so you can max out your limited time in London, the following are all contenders as best Beatles tour in London. Options include daytime and evening tours by black cab, minibus and coach, or even a day trip to Liverpool.
Magical Mystery Beatles tour of London
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Destinations: A Hard Day’s Night locations, Abbey Road, Beatles Store
- Departure point: Royal Court Theatre, London (next to Sloane Square station)
- What’s included: Minibus transport, tour guide, walk across Abbey Road
- What’s not included: Food, drinks or extras
- Means of transport: Bus
The tour begins in the upmarket Kensington area so you can see where the band’s first photoshoot took place. As you tour London, your guide will provide lots of interesting background information while you see the places where hit songs were written or that starred in the Beatles movie A Hard Day’s Night.
A stop at Abbey Road is of course included, and you can make the famous crossing here. The final leg of the tour is a walk from Marylebone station to the Beatles Store on Baker Street.
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR OF LONDON
The Beatles London walking tour
- Duration: 2 hours
- Destinations: Soho, St James & Mayfair districts
- Departure point: The Granaio restaurant, London (near Piccadilly station)
- What’s included: Guided walking tour
- What’s not included: Abbey Road visit, food, drinks or extras
- Means of transport: Walking
If you want to take a Beatles walking tour in London, this very affordable one is recommended. You’ll learn all about city life during the swinging sixties, as well as the band themselves. Iconic locations visited include Carnaby Street, which was fashion central during the decade, and Ronnie Scott’s, a jazz club favoured by many prominent people as well as the Fab Four.
Do note that a visit to Abbey Road is not included on this particular itinerary, though you will see other sites such as the location of their last-ever gig, music venues and locations for Beatles photoshoots.
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BEATLES LONDON WALKING TOUR
Private Beatles tour of London by black cab
- Duration: 3 hours
- Destinations: Gig venues, Beatles’ homes, filming & photo locations & more
- Departure point: Sloane Square station, London
- What’s included: Black cab transport, tour guide
- What’s not included: Food, drinks, extras or tips
- Means of transport: London taxi
This private Beatles London tour takes place in a traditional black London cab and is designed for one or two people. During the three hours you’ll learn all about the history of one of the biggest bands ever, visiting about 30 locations related to John, Paul, George and Ringo en route.
You’ll discover all the London districts that were important to the Beatles during the 1960s, including Mayfair, Soho, Chelsea, Marylebone and St Johns Wood – the latter being where the famous Abbey Road studios are located.
CLICK FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE Private Beatles tour of London by black cab
‘A Ticket to Ride’ evening tour of London
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Destinations: Gig venues, Beatles’ homes, photo locations & Abbey Road
- Departure point: Original London Visitor Centre, London (near Piccadilly station)
- What’s included: Minibus transport, tour guide, walk across Abbey Road
- What’s not included: Food, drinks or extras
- Means of transport: Minibus
This 2.5 hour tour of London takes you to around 35 locations that are related in some way to The Beatles. Included is iconic Abbey Road, where you’ll get to follow in the Fab Four’s footsteps by making the same crossing they did. It lasts for two-and-a-half hours and takes place during the evening.
You’ll also discover other places where the band posed for photographs as well as where they composed songs and played gigs. The only place the four all lived in together is also visited, as is the site of their final group performance and the art galleries where John met Yoko and where he exhibited his own works.
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ‘A Ticket to Ride’ evening tour of London
Black taxi Beatles magical tour of London
- Duration: 4 hours
- Destinations: Paul McCartney’s office, art galleries, Abbey Road & more
- Departure point: Central London hotel pick-up
- What’s included: Black cab transport, tour guide, complimentary water
- What’s not included: Food, extras or tips
- Means of transport: London taxi
Get a London black cab ride and a Beatles tour of London in one by booking this trip. You’ll be driven around the city in a black taxi after pick-up at your hotel, touring the key sights relating to the Fab Four. The guide grew up in the sixties, and will share all sorts of stories and snippets of information during the four hour tour.
En route you’ll see various places where the band worked, lived and played, including Paul McCartney’s current office, the gallery where John and Yoko met, homes where various hits were composed and of course Abbey Road.
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE Black taxi Beatles magical tour of London
The Beatles day tour to Liverpool from London
- Duration: 1 day
- Destinations: Liverpool, The Beatles Story, Cavern Club, Penny Lane & more
- Departure point: Euston Station, London
- What’s included: Return rail travel to Liverpool, Beatles Story entry, Magical Mystery Tour
- What’s not included: Food, drinks, extras & tour guide
- Means of transport: Train & coach tour in Liverpool
Even if you only have a day at your disposal, it is possible to take a trip to Liverpool to visit the home city of the four plus The Beatles Story museum. This is an unguided tour, and includes all you need to discover the history behind the famous British band.
You’ll travel by train from London Euston to Liverpool’s Lime Street station in central Liverpool, where there’s free time to explore the city. A ticket to The Beatles Story is included, in addition to a two hour Magical Mystery Tour of iconic sites like Strawberry Fields, the Cavern Club and Penny Lane. Former homes and schools are also seen along the way.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT The Beatles day tour to Liverpool from London
Fab Four black taxi tour of London
- Duration: 3 hours
- Destinations: Beatles’ homes, art galleries, last gig venue, Abbey Road
- Departure point: Central London hotel pick-up
- What’s included: Black cab transport, expert tour guide, free water, hotel pick-up
- What’s not included: Food, extras or tips
- Means of transport: London taxi
This Beatles tour of London by black cab places you in the safe hands of a Beatles expert, who will show you photos of the Fab Four and tell tales from the sixties as you tour London’s related sights.
Up to five can participate in this personal tour of the city, seeing where Paul lived and the apartment John and Yoko called home. You’ll see the famous Abbey Road studios and can also cross the road there just as John, Paul, George and Ringo did. The venue for their final rooftop concert and Apple Records HQ are also included.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE Fab Four black taxi tour of London
The Beatles in London – FAQs
Where did The Beatles hang out in London?
Areas frequented by the Fab Four during the 1960s include Mayfair, Soho, St John’s Wood and Kensington. The band once shared a home in Mayfair – Flat L at 57 Green Street. The flatshare was fairly short-lived as the growing family of John, Cynthia and Julian Lennon soon needed more space.
Where did John Lennon live in London?
A blue plaque unveiled by Yoko Ono marks the spot where John Lennon lived with her in 1968. The address is 34 Montagu Square, Marylebone. Ringo Starr was the one who took on the lease, renting it out to John and Yoko for several months. Paul McCartney also composed there, as did Jimi Hendrix who also lived there for a while.
Where is Abbey Road?
Abbey Road is in the St John’s Wood area of north west London, and the Beatles famously used the recording studios there. The zebra crossing the members of the band are walking across on the cover of the album is probably the most visited crossing in the world. The nearest tube station is St John’s Wood.
When did John Lennon meet Yoko Ono?
John and Yoko met in late 1966 at a London art gallery. Yoko was about to exhibit there and was busy preparing her pieces for display. The connection was said to be instantaneous, and although the partnership attracted controversy they were wed in March 1969.
Where did The Beatles play their last gig?
The Beatles played an unannounced concert from a rooftop on Savile Row, London in 1969. This was the headquarters of Apple, the band’s record label. They were over 40 minutes in before they were asked by the police to turn down the sound. It turned out to be their last live gig as a foursome.
Who shot John Lennon?
John Lennon was shot in New York, not London. The killing took place in 1980 in Manhattan, when Mark Chapman shot him four times. Apparently, the gunman was obsessed with Lennon.
How will you experience The Beatles in London?
From the homes of Lennon or McCartney to the site of The Beatles’ last live gig ever or shopping till you drop at the memorabilia store, how will you explore the part the Fab Four played in city life during the swinging sixties?
Whether you opt for an organised tour or go your own way, there’s no denying the influence this trailblazing band from Liverpool had on the pop music scene.
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