About Alternative London

Alternative London – Culture | Creativity | Community

Founded in 2010, Alternative London Tours was the first Alternative Tours in the city. Our mission is simple: take visitors and locals off the beaten track to discover the real London, not just through its monuments, but through its people, its stories, and its underappreciated creative corners.

Our Story

Born in the East End, Alternative London was founded by locals who saw London not only as a capital of history, but as a tapestry of communities, street art, and grassroots culture. From day one, we’ve made it our purpose to highlight the the non-conformists, the creatives who shape London’s vibrant and ever-changing identity. We have now established ourselves as one of London’s best and most loved tour companies.

What We Do

  • We guide street art and graffiti tours, showing you hidden murals and secret corners.

  • We run bike tours, including our signature East End and street art bike routes.

  • We offer Shoreditch Food Tours and London Craft Beer Tours, allowing you to taste the East London you won’t find in a guidebook.

  • We host Street Art & Graffiti Workshops, led by local artists.#

  • We pioneered London’s first LGBT+ & Queer History Tour.

  • We design tailor-made experiences for schools, businesses, and creative organisations – bringing art, learning, and team-building together.

Our Impact

Since our first year, we’ve been proud to receive:

  • Countless Awards including the 2025 Arival Tour Review award placing us in the top 10 of over 36,000 European Tour operators by verified review channels.

  • Top ranking on TripAdvisor, Get Your Guide, and Google

  • 5‑star reviews in publications like Time Out.

  • Recognition from global travel brands, including being named one of The Guardian Travel’s Top Ten Guided Tours in the World and featured by Lonely Planet.

We’ve collaborated with Visit London, Visit Britain, and the Mayor of London’s Office to shape the future of cultural tourism.

Our Community & Ethos

We deeply believe in supporting local creatives. Local street artists are at the heart of what we do — some have joined our collective, others lead our workshops. As our company grew, we stayed true to our roots: giving back, building platforms, and supporting small enterprise.

We also walk the walk. In 2016, we opened Unit 5 Gallery, a 3,500 sq ft cultural space in Shoreditch, featuring murals, street art events, and co-working space for creatives. In 2020, we moved to our purpose-built Street Workshop Space, allowing us to run year-round, ventilated graffiti workshops — designed to be safe, ethical, and community-centred.

Our Legacy & Vision

From our beginnings in London, we’ve expanded our footprint globally. In 2012, we helped launch Alternative Hamburg, and in 2019, Alternative Lisbon. While the COVID-19 pandemic paused some of our plans, our commitment hasn’t wavered. We remain a voice for cultural tourism, small creative business, and community activism — here in East London, and beyond.

As we look forward to the next decade, we celebrate everyone who’s been part of our journey. Whether you’re a guest on a tour or a local artist in our community, you’re part of Alternative London’s story.