City of London is the financial capital of the world. We all know that. But did you know that it is the oldest and the smallest part of London with its own government and peculiar customs? This walk reveals history and meaning of many symbols you can find, sources of stories you can hear and bonkers laws you can experience in the City of London. You will learn about City’s firsts and how they influenced our language, country and the world.

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William Shakespeare spend almost three decades in the City. The city surrounded by the walls was the London he knew. He was a foreigner – as all people from outside those walls were called. He was renting lodgings, spending time in taverns and inns, going to church, acting & writing to earn his living. He was somebody like us - a Londoner. This walk shows what his life was like, where he lived and worked, who his family, friends and colleagues were, and where we can still meet him today.

City of London is considered a men’s world as the financial district of London, with its own government, livery companies and other institutions. Women have been always part of City’s life, good times and bad times, leading the way or living in the shadows, taking their lives in their own hands or… trying their luck. This walk brings to light stories of women who lived through good and bad times, who succeeded or failed, and (un)surprisingly became famous beyond the City of London.

City of London was burnt many times during its long history. Fires were common especially in Medieval times because it was densely built-up. The streets of the City were narrow with houses and their jetties touching almost each other. Houses, built from timber and thatch, were full of flammable materials – candles, oils, alcohols, coal, you name it. Even though this changed after 1666, the City burned again. This walk focuses on three most devastating fires. They were separated by centuries but we will see that they had one thing in common.

City of London and churches? Yes, of course. There were 107 churches before the Great Fire of London of 1666. 87 of them perished in the flames and only 52 were rebuilt. Churches were like Google – showing the way, telling the time, setting up routines. Today they tell us their stories intertwined with the story of the City. During this walk we discover some of them and hear tales about their parishioners, rectors and architects.

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City of London is place where people make money. With its imposing monuments and modern office blocks in mind you would not expect that there are places which provide safe haven and are refuge from stress the everyday life in the City brings. There are almost 200 green spaces - gardens, piazzas, squares - where you can sit down and enjoy the nature. These are places where nature finds refuge, too. During this walk we stroll among trees and flowers and look for birds and beetles thriving among the buildings.