From late 1950's visits with his older brother until he moved to New York in 1974 David Bowie was a face on the make in Soho's music scene and the roots of everything he became can be traced back to his time here. He was in R&B bands like The King Bees, The Manish Boys, Davy Jones and The Lower Third, The Buzz, The Riot Squad. He went solo and recorded an Anthony Newleyesque album in 1967 then met Lindsay Kemp in Soho and entered his mime phase and formed a folk trio, Feathers. His next band, Hype, included Tony Visconti and Mick Ronson. He had his first hit with "Space Oddity" and then formed The Spiders From Mars. All his classic early 70s stuff was recorded in Trident Studios in Soho and without a decade of gestation/failure in the area would he have been the same artist? This tour visits the sites that shaped and formed Bowie in the 1960s/70s and enabled him to become a superstar Aidan McManus is an award-winning tour guide, historian, broadcaster, and curator of film events.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 14.
David Bowie spent ten years in Soho before he became famous, we visit key sites in his development
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
The Bowie's Soho Walking Tour lasts about 2 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $36 per person for this London experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Saturdays, starting at 11:00 AM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Exit 1 opposite The Flying Horse Pub. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 24 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by FlipsideLondon Tours.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
This was an exceptional tour for any lover of Bowie and Soho. Aidan clearly has a very deep knowledge and passion for Bowie, music and old Soho. This is the best walking tour I've ever been on. I've already booked onto the Ganglands tour. Aidan was happy to answer questions between stops and even followed up with a list of things to read/watch/listen to after the tour. The price is great and it was a very enriching way to spend two hours.
This tour is superb! Before Bowie became a household name , he did a lot of grafting in various bands which this tour covers perfectly. Aidens knowledge is incredible ( I’ve also done the Punk in Soho and Strummer Walks tours,) the attention to detail is what puts these particular tour head and shoulders above others . Aiden was ACTUALLY walking the walk in the 70s in Soho so having personal knowledge is superb - his delivery of these walking tours will keep you captivated for sure …. No reading scripts with this tour guide for sure !
Excellent tour. Aiden was really knowledgeable and his humour and banter made this a really fabulous experience. Will definitely book another tour !
It was very personal-Aiden was so knowledgeable about nof instead Bowie, bur several ba da from the 60s and 70s
We did the Bowie’s SoHo Walk today and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. Aiden is absolute fount of rock n roll history knowledge and we could have gone on for another 2 hours, it was that engrossing. As a massive Bowie fan, it was magical for me to retrace his life in the area before he really “broke” and made it to the big time. Aiden is equipped with a library of historical photos of the buildings and the characters as they looked back in the day. He’s a true music fan, has done the research and has the pacing and storytelling down very well, a true professional. If you’re a fan of British rock and/or punk, his tour is a MUST.
Aidens Gangland London is a fantastic and fascinating insight into the gangsters that frequented London and Soho from 1920s onwards. His knowledge of events is simply mind-blowing and he is withoit doubt one of the finest London historians. It was a two hour tour but I could have continued all day. Just brilliant.
Aiden is still London's best tour guide. Fifth one I've done with him, four in Soho, and he's still full of new info, knowledge and anecdotes. Unbeatable.
I'm a big Bowie fan but there was so much I didn't know about his early career in Soho. Aidan was very informative and clearly knew his stuff very well! It was great to see the studio where Space Oddity was recorded.
I'm 53 and LOVE punk. My sister is 63 and doesn't know a darn thing about punk. Scratch that. She DIDN'T know anything, but now knows a lot! We were both hanging on every word, story, anecdote, and wisecrack of Aiden McManus. He shares his unbelievably in-depth knowledge of British punk with acerbic humor (very apropos), incredible detail, and loads of personality. I learned so much amazing history, and needless to say, it was exciting to be right in the spots where it was made. I can only hope that someone will videotape Aiden relaying his immense knowledge before it gets lost in the sands of time. He is not only mind-bogglingly smart on the subject, he's wildly entertaining. 100% worth it! Tip heavily!!
Very informative and Aidan is very engaging. Tour lasts for two hours and Aidan takes you to some really interesting venues supplemented with almost encyclopedic knowledge and wit!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bowie's Soho Walking Tour | 2 hours | 5.0 (24) | $36 | |
 London Food Walking Tour: Taste Your Way Through Soho & Chinatown | 3 hours | 4.9 (224) | $101 | View |
 London Rock Music walking Tour in Soho. | 2 hours | 5.0 (140) | $40 | View |
 Rock ‘n’ Roll London: An Audio Tour through Soho and Mayfair | 1h 30min–2h | — | $15 | View |
 Soho Rock & Roll Tour: Private Walking Tour for Groups & Families | 2 hours | 5.0 (64) | $350 | View |
 London Food Walking Tour: World Flavours in Soho & Chinatown | 3 hours | 5.0 (47) | $97 | View |
 Soho Music & Historic Pubs Tour | 2h 30min | 5.0 (2,376) | $43 | View |