The Haunted and Creepy Guide to London
At the time of writing, Halloween 2025 is around the creepy corner.
The city of London has a dark side with rich history and is the perfect place for a spooky weekend. I have included guided tours, attractions, foodie reccys and some independent shops.
London might be famous for the Jack The Ripper serial killer case and there are dedicated tours, but there are also other things I recommend you see!
Jack the Ripper Tours
There are many tours to choose from, in fact it can be quite overwhelming. It’s odd to think that even 150 years later there is still a keen interest and hysteria around this case.
Below, the two I have chosen are based around historical accuracy and one that focuses on the women victims that are quite often overlooked in this case.
Jack the Ripper - What About the Women? Tour
On this evening tour, follow in the footsteps of notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper. Unlike most Jack the Ripper tours, this tour shifts the focus to the women who lost their lives at the hands of the murderer.
Explore the areas of Brick Lane, Whitechapel Road, and Spitalfields. Hear the stories of the five women who came from all different walks of life and how they met their end.
What I like about this tour is that it focuses on the women and not so much the famous serial killer.
If you haven’t already read the book “The Five” about the poor women victims, their tough life and the social history of Victorian London then I really recommend it. There is also an audio book version you can listen to.
Jack The Ripper Museum, Cable Street
I visited the museum recently and found it very insightful, not just about the famous serial killer but you'll learn about how tough life was in 1800's Victorian London. Even more so for economically challenged women.
Along the walls you’ll see the newspaper articles and headlines detailing the murders, potential suspects and 1880’s policing and detective work.
Begin with a guided tour through their immersive museum, then follow in the footsteps of one of the world's most notorious killers on a guided walk through the East End streets. You can also choose to do the museum self guided.
The apartment upstairs is designed and set up to show how bad the living conditions were for some of Jack the Rippers victims.
I would allow 90 minutes for your visit.
You can visit this beautiful Victorian cemetery near to Hampstead Heath in North London. If you do visit in the winter months they close the gates at 5pm.
Highgate Cemetery became a fashionable place for burials and was much admired for the finest funerary architecture in the country. Inside there are 170,000 people buried in the grounds, some famous burials include Karl Marx, George Elliot and the wife of Charles Dickens, Catherine.
To gain access there is a £10 entry fee and they do offer guided tours for £18.
If you are like me and enjoy visiting places such as graveyards you'll find it very interesting.
The Viktor Wynd Museum Of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History,
Mare Street
Visit the UK's only curiosity museum, discover their collections of bizarre and grotesque and everything in between!
Look out for the cabinet of monsters, human hair collection and their extensive department of majic and occult. Interestingly they also have a section on fairies, mermaids and unicorns which might surprise you to find they are not indeed as fairytale-esque as we think!
The museum has many exhibitions on throughout the year and this autumn they have a exhibition on The season of the Witch, an in person talk about Vampires and Werewolves and so much more.
I would recommend pre booking before arrival, entrance tickets are £12 per person. They are located in Bethnal Green and are open until 10pm.
Ghosts of Greenwich: London's Haunted Walking Tour
Have you wandered around the neighbourhood of Greenwich? Famed for it's maritime history but at night time… the streets are very different. Start at the famous Cutty Sark Ship and walking through the streets, hear about the harrowing story of two British ships that disappeared and the chilling tale of what may have happened to 229 lost souls who were aboard.
Learn about the murky waters of the River Thames and the harrowing story from WW2 and the hauntings that followed in this eerie foot tunnel that sits at the bottom of the Thames. You’ll also learn about British pirates and how the Crown took bloody revenge upon them.
This two hour tour is great to see a different side of London and is easily accessible and the start and end point are near a tube station. I found the best deal on the Viator website at £12.80 per person.
Frankenstein at the Barbican Theatre
If you are looking for something a little more relaxing and something to do in the evening, then head to the Barbican cinema to watch the new Frankenstein film.
Guillermo del Toro pieces together Mary Shelley's classic tale, with Oscar Isaac as Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as his monster, and Mia Goth as Elizabeth.
The Barbican is very well located next to the tube station and a short walk from Spitallfields.
Standard tickets are £14 each and the film is 2 hours, 29 minutes long.
Atlantis Bookshop, Museum Street
London's oldest and independent occult bookshop in Bloomsbury.
Run by a mother and daughter, they have lots to discover here in terms of books, magicware, events and advice.
Their book collection is extensive with some antique and rare books on offer. The Atlantis Bookshop was established in 1922 by magicians, for magicians. It is the birth-place of modern witchcraft, with Gerald Gardner holding regular coven meetings in the basement of the Shop.
Everything for the seasoned witch, right through to those of you who are just discovering magic for the very first time.
Inside you'll see a wide range of magical items including: candles, incense, charms, ceremonial items, jewellery, crystal balls, wands, dowsing tools, cauldrons, statues, and limited edition prints and cards.
Halloween - Spooktacular Tea Experience at Twinings Tea
A unique Twining's tea tasting experience at their flagship store in the heart of London.
During this Masterclass, you’ll be taken into the tasting room beneath the venerable and haunted Twinings Tea Shop on the Strand to explore the dark and haunted past of tea around the world.
Listen to ghost stories from Chinese folklore, squirm as they tell you about the spirits of our beloved tea shop and feel the chill run down your spine as they explore the grisly fate of those fell afoul of tea smugglers on England’s shores…
This session covers several real events and some that are truly gruesome. Some elements of the session may be considered upsetting for some folks.
This is an education of tea and the history behind it but done in a spooky way, I think this would be great for a weekend with your friends to do.
Clink Prison Museum, Clink Street
The Clink Prison dates back to 1144 making it one of England’s oldest and most notorious prisons. Positioned in the heart of modern-day Southwark and built on the original site, The Clink Prison Museum presents the scandalous truth of Old Bankside through a hands-on educational experience.
There are opportunities to view archaeological artefacts, experience the sights, sounds and smells of the prison, handle torture devices, and to view and hear all about the tales of torment and many misfortunes of the inmates of the infamous Clink Prison.
They have guided tours for as little as £8.50 or self guided from £4.50.
