Everything you need to know about the Beatles tour: practical details
- When: Thursdays and Sundays at 2.30pm
- Starting point: Meet your guide outside the Beatles Store, 231 Baker Street
- End location: Abbey Road crossing and studios, located near St Johns Wood
- Duration: two hours and 30 minutes
- Age recommendation: Open to all (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult)
- Good to know: Bring an Oyster card or contactless payment – the tour includes a short tube journey to Abbey Road.
Book your tickets for the Beatles London Walking Tour now.
As far back as I can remember, The Beatles have been a staple in our house. My mum – a die‑hard fan – always had one of their records spinning, with tunes like "Yesterday" and "A Hard Day’s Night" on constant repeat. Fast forward to today, and I’m very much following in her footsteps. With a few Liverpool trips under my belt, I jumped at the chance to join a London Beatles walking tour – retracing their steps through Marylebone and ending, of course, with that legendary Abbey Road crossing. Here’s how it all came together – and why this tour might just be one to “Get Back” to.
What is the Beatles London walking tour and what to expect?
I join the group waiting in front of the extremely colourful Beatles store on Baker Street – the shopfront is all decked out like the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. We are meeting our guide, clearly a fellow fan, who is standing in a worn‑out Yellow Submarine T‑shirt. Things were off to a good start!
Before setting off, we get a quick overview of the route: from Marylebone to St John’s Wood, stopping at spots tied to The Beatles’ legacy – from former and current homes to places where legendary songs like “Help!” and “Eleanor Rigby” were crafted. Highlights include glimpses of Paul’s current London home and, of course, the Abbey Road Studios and its famous crossing.
The guide continues telling us about the Fab Four as we walk towards our first stop, telling stories about the band’s personalities, friendships, and feuds, plus the inspirations behind some of their biggest hits.
The Beatles in Marylebone – rock star hangs and filming spots
We made our way towards Marylebone, stopping by Boston Place. Many die-hard fans will recognise this street from the A Hard Day’s Night film, where The Beatles are seen running away from screaming fans on their way to Marylebone Station. London has changed a lot since those days, but luckily our guide came with photos from back in the day – offering us a glimpse of what the streets looked like in the 1960s.
As we stop by Boston Place, our guide shows us where The Beatles’ first office for Apple Corps Ltd was located – a company founded 1968 to manage their various business interests. Here, we hear a fantastic story about a character like no other: “Magic Alex” – the Greek self-proclaimed inventor who impressed John Lennon with futuristic gadgets including the Nothing Box (a blinking light plastic box). He was tasked by the band to develop some of ideas bordering wizardry including a device that would make it impossible to record their songs from the radio, or a wallpaper that doubles up as speakers, and even a flying saucer built from engines taken from George and John’s cars.
Spoiler: Most of these “inventions” never worked, and Apple ended up footing the bill. But it’s such a fun, lesser-known slice of Beatles history. I’ll never hear the lyrics “When I was a robber in Boston Place…” the same way again. The early recordings of "Hey Jude" in Anthology feature on take 2 are believed to refer to Magic Alex with that line.
Apple boutique – where the fans meet the band
As we follow our guide, walking through the streets as some of The Beatles’ top songs play on a speaker, I find myself singing along. We reach 94 Baker Street – once home to the Apple Boutique, The Beatles’ first retail venture. The store sold everything from clothes to accessories and quickly became a hangout for fans. The building front was famous for its magnificent psychedelic mural – a riot of colour that sadly didn’t survive city council complaints.
The current building doesn’t look anything like it was back then – but we got a pretty good idea thanks to our guide’s archive imagery! The boutique only lasted six months before closing in chaotic style: the band invited fans to come and take whatever was left for free. Can you imagine your favourite band today flinging open the doors and saying, “help yourselves”? Absolute madness – and I wish I could’ve been there.
The Fab Four in London – where they lived
We stop at 34 Montagu Square – once Ringo Starr’s flat back in 1965, later home to Paul McCartney and where he recorded early versions of “Eleanor Rigby”. Other famous residents included Jimi Hendrix, and later, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who lived there during the White Album recordings. It’s now an English Heritage site with a blue plaque unveiled by Yoko Ono.
We also visit 57 Wimpole Street, where Paul McCartney lived with his then girlfriend Jane Asher and her family. It’s there that he reportedly dreamed up the melody that became “Yesterday”. Back then the lyrics weren’t quite the same, but are personally one of my favourite versions: “Scrambled eggs, oh baby, how I love your legs.”
Make sure to spot Paul’s secret escape from the Asher’s home. Fans used to camp out in front of the building – so much so that Paul had to sneak out via a secret exit to escape the crowds.
Paul McCartney’s current London home – en route to Abbey Road
We hop on the tube from Baker Street to St Johns Wood (just one stop on the Jubilee line). From here it’s a short walk to 7 Cavendish Avenue, Paul’s current London home – conveniently close to Abbey Road Studios.
We can just about get a glimpse of the house behind the wooden gate where Paul famously came out to greet fans and sing a few songs back in the 60s. Our guide showed us a few pictures, giving us a better idea of what the house looked like. One of the photos shows Paul’s Old English Sheepdog, Martha – the inspiration for “Martha My Dear”. Who knew?
Abbey Road – is it worth visiting?
It’s only a short walk to Abbey Road – originally called BMI studios. The famous crossing still draws crowds daily, all trying to recreate the album cover – frequently bringing traffic to a halt!
Before offering to take a few pictures, the guide gives us a brief history of the studios. The Beatles started recording here in 1962, where they produced more than 200 songs! They were not the only celebrities making use of the studios; Winston Churchill famously recorded a speech here.
We also get a laugh from the “Paul is dead” conspiracy theories – fans once claimed he’d been replaced by a lookalike, citing “clues” in the Abbey Road cover: no shoes, cigarette in the wrong hand, license plate numbers – all very easily explained and making for a fun story!
Don’t miss the Abbey Road shop next to the studio, and as you go down the alley, you can retrace the studio’s timeline before entering to browse vinyl, memorabilia and much more. Also, make sure to stop by the Beatles coffee shop when going back to St Johns Wood tube station – I picked up a Beatles submarine Rubik’s’ cube – not your usual souvenir.
Is the Beatles tour worth it? Final thoughts
For me – absolutely. It’s a brilliant way to see a lesser explored side of London and soak up stories you won’t hear on your typical walking tour. Even as a lifelong fan, I came away with new fun facts (Martha the dog – who knew?) and a new appreciation for just how rooted The Beatles were in London life.
Walking in the Fab Four’s footsteps – from film locations to their former and current homes, all the way to Abbey Road – brings their story alive in a way that movies and books could never have.
If you’re into music history, pop culture, or just want that Abbey Road photo, this tour’s a must. As our guide put it: “The Beatles came from nothing and made it to the top – a reminder to believe in your dreams.”