Great British Heritage
Agatha Christie in London
Agatha Christie in London explores the places, professions and theatres connected with the life and work of the Queen of Crime. With Jane Tapley, we visit the Isokon Gallery, where Christie lived during the Second World War, see the British Library’s major Christie exhibition, tour Apothecaries’ Hall and take our seats for The Mousetrap and Witness for the Prosecution. It is a carefully planned literary tour that looks at Christie not only as a novelist, but as a playwright, observer and creator of some of the best-known mysteries in English fiction.
London gives this tour a different perspective on Agatha Christie’s life and imagination. We see the modernist building she called home between 1941 and 1947, consider the medical knowledge that informed so many of her plots, and visit theatres where her work continues to be performed. A walk past Florin Court adds a link with Hercule Poirot on screen, while the British Library exhibition brings together personal objects, notebooks, photographs and manuscript drafts that help show how her stories took shape.
what’s included
At A Glance
Meet Your Expert Guide
Jane Tapley
Jane has led literary tours for Travel Editions for many years, bringing to life the worlds of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. A Blue Badge Guide, her knowledge of these writers and the places connected with them is second to none.
For forty years Jane was Special Events Organiser at the Theatre Royal Bath, regularly interviewing authors and working at the heart of British theatrical life. Her enthusiasm is much praised by travellers, and she often brings an added theatrical flourish to her tours through specially arranged dramatic performances.
itinerary & excursions
Your Itinerary
Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life.
Day 1: Arrival at the Doubletree by Hilton West End Hotel and Agatha Christie Talk
Arrive independently at the Doubletree by Hilton West End Hotel from 15.00.
This evening there will be a welcome drink, dinner with wine and an introductory talk by expert Jane Tapley on Agatha Christie’s playwriting career.
Day 2: Isokon Gallery, British Library and The Mousetrap
This morning we head to Belsize Park for a special visit to the Isokon Gallery and the Grade I listed Isokon Building, a pioneering modernist apartment block designed as an experiment in minimalist urban living, and where Agatha lived from 1941-1947.
We will have a private tour of the gallery which will include a talk from one of the co-trustees, on the time Agatha spent at the building. After free time for lunch (not included), we head to the British Library for Agatha Christie: A major exhibition on the woman behind books, for a fascinating insight into her life and creative mind. Here we view some of her personal belongings, notebooks, photographs and early manuscript drafts – some of which have never been on display before, and reveal how some of her iconic mysteries were conceived.
On our return to the hotel we stop at the Agatha Christie Memorial, a bronze sculpture that honours the famed author’s enduring legacy as the “Queen of Crime.”
Free time for an early dinner (own expense), before arriving at St Martin’s Theatre. Here we have tickets for Agatha’s legendary whodunnit, The Mousetrap. The show has been performed continuously in the West End and is the longest-running play in the world, now in its 75th year. Return to the hotel for approx. 22.30.
Day 3: Florin Court to County Hall
We start today with a walk past Florin Court, an art deco residential building with a distinctive curved facade. It was completed in 1936 and featured on TV as Whitehaven Mansions, the fictional residence of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot.
Next we continue to the atmospheric Apothecaries’ Hall for a guided tour led by one of the Hall’s archivists or historians, bringing to life a world of medicine, poisons and pharmacology that so often underpinned Agatha Christie’s plots. We then enjoy a visit to the historic Club for Acts and Actors (subject to availability), where we are welcomed with a light lunch and time to look around this fascinating theatrical institution.
This afternoon we take our seats at County Hall for a matinee performance of Witness for the Prosecution, Christie’s gripping courtroom drama. After the performance, we return to the hotel, arriving at approximately 18.00.
Availability
Choose Your Departure
HOTELS
Tour Accommodation
DoubleTree by Hilton London West End
Located in Bloomsbury, Central London, this four-star refurbished Edwardian building blends historic character with contemporary design. The hotel facilities include a restaurant and bar overlooking Southampton Row, fitness centre, and comfortable, modern bedrooms with ensuite bathroom, air-conditioning, TV, hairdryer, and tea/coffee-making facilities.
Getting there:
The nearest mainline railway station is London Euston (approx 1.3 km).
The nearest tube stations are Holborn (4 minute walk) or Russell Square (5 minute walk).
Please note that the hotel is inside the London Congestion Charge zone, and there is no on-site car park at the hotel. If driving, we suggest you locate and pre-book a nearby parking space using a parking app for best availability and rates.
Hotel Website
our regular tours
Mobility Information
This tour has a moderate fitness rating, reflecting a fuller itinerary with a good balance of visits, walking and time spent exploring on foot.
Some visits may involve cobbled streets, uneven paving, slopes, steps, stairs, limited seating, or walking from the coach drop-off point to the entrance of a site or attraction. The exact demands will vary from day to day, and we highlight specific practical details within the itinerary wherever possible.
You should feel comfortable walking at a steady group pace, standing during visits and enjoying a full day of sightseeing.
If you are unsure whether this tour is right for you, please contact us before booking.
Your questions answered
Tour FAQ
If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.
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