The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in London
London, United Kingdom

The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Outty Ranking 47 3.0 · 2 traveler reviews1 hoursFrom $10

Pick your date

Highlighted days have spots open. Grey days are sold out or not running.

September 2026

SMTWTFS

Loading live availability

Who is going?

Adults

Age 13 and over

2

Children

Age 12 and under

0

Select a highlighted day to see live departure times and the exact price for your group.

From, per person$10
View availability on Viator

Non-refundable booking. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.

Instant mobile ticketSpots available today

Outty Ranking

47/100

Worth a Look. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

3.0/5

Based on 2 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour worth booking?

The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour is a 1-hour experience in London, United Kingdom, from $10 per person. It scores 47 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look, based on a 3/5 rating across 2 reviews. This booking is non-refundable, so pick your date carefully. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
47 / 100
Rating
3/5 (2)
Duration
1 hours
From
$10 per person

See where Charles Dickens lived, worked and found so much inspiration on this self-guided walking tour of London. • Find out why the author called London his “magic lantern”, and visit locations connected to both his d

What you get

    About this experience

    See where Charles Dickens lived, worked and found so much inspiration on this self-guided walking tour of London. • Find out why the author called London his “magic lantern”, and visit locations connected to both his daily life and novels like Oliver Twist and Little Dorrit • Hear from producer Lucinda Hawksley, a biographer and Londoner who is also Dickens’ great great great granddaughter • Do it all in an hour or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under "Before You Go". Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just pop in your headphones and tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

    What's included

    Included

    • VoiceMap App for Android and iOS
    • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
    • Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
    • Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
    • Lifetime access to this tour

    Not included

    • Smartphone and headphones
    • Transportation
    • Food and drink
    • Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

    What you'll see and do

    1. The tour passes the Prudential Building – it stands on the site of what was once Furnival’s Inn where Charles Dickens once lived.

      Pass by without stopping

    2. Hatton Garden

      The tour passes Hatton Garden street, it is famous as the centre of the diamond and jewellery trade in London.

      Pass by without stopping

    3. The tour passes by the Bleeding Heart Yard which Dicken's wrote about in Little Dorrit

      Pass by without stopping

    4. The tour passes the Goodenough College which used to be the Foundling Hospital. Dicken's used the story of the hospital as inspiration for Oliver Twist

      Pass by without stopping

    5. Charles Dickens Museum

      The tour ends at the Charles Dickens Museum.

      Pass by without stopping

    Where it starts and ends

    Meeting point

    London

    The tour starts at Chancery Lane Station, High Holborn, Holborn, London. Before arrival, please install the VoiceMap mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace.

    Hotel pickup

    No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.

    Ends at

    The tour ends at the Charles Dickens Museum a number of blocks from the start location.

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
    Languages
    cmn, en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 15 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    VoiceMap Audio Tours

    Know before you go

    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Photos

    Staple Inn by Keith Patrick MartinCharles Dickens Museum by jelm6Goodenough College by Steve CadmanPerseverance, Lamb's Conduit Street by Edwardx

    Traveler reviews

    2 verified traveler reviews for The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    1
    4 star
    0
    3 star
    0
    2 star
    0
    1 star
    1
    Sort
    Rudy_J · June 2026

    Having to connect to a...

    Having to connect to a second app with a code, which I never did find a way to use is hopelessly complicated. Waste of money. Museum though is great.

    Response from the operator: Hi there, I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your experience. When you were having technical difficulties, did you contact VoiceMap support via email or telephone? We are contactable by both telephone and email, so if you have technical difficulties, please reach out to us so we can identify what is going wrong. Again, I'm sorry about the poor experience you had.

    via Viator

    Helen_H · November 2024

    A Dickens Walk. - Worth it!

    Lovely guided tour that took us through some really fun parts of the city that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen.

    via Viator

    Good to know

    Duration
    1 hours
    Free cancellation
    Non-refundable
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Hotel pickup
    No pickup, meet at start point
    Booked in 30 days
    1
    Verdict
    Worth a Look

    Why this scores 47

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)65
    Review evidence (18% weight)15
    Booking momentum (14% weight)11
    Value for money (12% weight)100
    Listing quality (10% weight)85
    Local standing (8% weight)31
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)0

    The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for London.

    How much does The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour cost?

    +

    Prices start at $10 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in London usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour take?

    +

    Plan for about 1 hour from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in London is not rushed.

    Is The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour worth it?

    +

    It holds an Outty Ranking of 47 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3/5 across 2 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable culture & history in London, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour?

    +

    No. This experience is sold on a non-refundable basis, so only book a date you are confident about. Similar experiences in the city do offer free cancellation if flexibility matters more than price.

    Is The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour suitable for kids and families?

    +

    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 1-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour?

    +

    Around 1 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in London can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

    +

    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in London and add a light layer if any part of the 1-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour start and how do I get there?

    +

    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central London within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in London?

    +

    London's best attractions split cleanly: the museums are free and need no booking, so the paid market is about views, theatre and getting out of the city for a day. That makes value scoring unusually important here, and the Outty Ranking penalises anything charging premium prices for access you could get for nothing. On Outty we rank every London experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Soho Music & Historic Pubs Tour, London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs, The Great British Rock and Roll Walking Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit London?

    +

    May to September for long evenings, December for the Christmas markets. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in London?

    +

    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

    +

    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

    Ready to lock in your spot?

    Pick a date, choose your group, and see the exact price for The Life and Literature of Charles Dickens: A Self-Guided Audio Tour.

    Pick your date