Brand New This Year – London Cold War Small Group Spy Tour
16th February 2022
Brand New This Year – London Cold War Small Group Spy Tour
As part of our brand new this year series, we are delighted to feature and offer what looks a really fascinating London Cold War Small Group Spy Tour.
Departing Victoria at 1.15pm, this small group 3 hour tour (in a luxury 16 seat coach, with reclining seats, glass roof and free wi-fi) starts at former M16 Headquarters’ now famous St Ermin’s Hotel. The former headquarters is crammed with old memorabilia including an original Cold War coded message written in Silk, can you solve the code?
The Experience starts at St Ermin’s at 1.30pm and there is the option to meet the tour there instead of Victoria and arrive as early as you choose, have a go at cracking the silk code or maybe have a pre-tour drink in the famous Caxton Bar, where renowned 1950’s Russian Spy, Cambridge Graduate Guy Burgess handed over Top Secret Papers to his Russian Handlers. Or check out the excellent Restaurants, a treat for lunch.
MI6 Headquarters found at Vauxhall, London
From St Ermin’s your expert guide will take you on a 3 hour part walking tour, around London’s famous Spy and Espionage haunts, dead drops and the famous modern M16 Building (made famous by James Bond films).
Your guide will be entertaining and educational with a wide history of the Cold War period, right up to insights into current day security service activities.
The tour costs from just £59, runs every other day all year and has generous cancellation terms if your plans change, 100% refund with just 24 hours notice required.
There is time for lunch at St Ermin’s or plenty of great food options close by.
Caxton Bar located in the now St Ermins Hotel
Some Characters to look out for are part of the renowned Cambridge Spy Ring. This was a group of Cambridge University Graduates, famously exposed for Spying on behalf of Russian.
They were Donald Maclean born 1913, who fled to Russia and died there in 1983. Mentioned above, Guy Burgess born 1911 also fled to Russia and died there in 1963. Also departing for Russia was Kim Philby, born in 1912, died in Russia in 1983.
Perhaps the most fascinating figure was Anthony Blunt born in London 1907, he was famously exposed by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the House of Commons in 1979 as a Russian Spy. He never fled or faced prosecution, dying of a heart attack at his London flat in 1983.
Becoming Sir Anthony Blunt, Knighted by the queen, Blunt worked as the Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures from 1945 to 1972, which consisted of looking after the Royal Collection’s artwork. During his time working for the royal family.
During all that time, the Queen and even his own family had no idea he was a Russian Spy until exposed by Thatcher in 1979.
This is one of those experience that we can highly recommend and also recommend maybe some light reading about the spy’s involved before your tour. This was a fascinating period of British History and this experience indulges in a romantic reflection on days not so long ago, now almost inconceivable with modern communications and the internet.
Tour Highlights
Best Value Experience Tour
Expert Entertaining and Informative Guide
Learn about infamous Russian agents Cold War
See the current M16 Headquarters’ and understand how they operate today
Luxury bus with reclining seats, glass roof and free wi-fi