Nine streets – four gates – and a host of Chinese characters. Discover London’s Chinatown and support our special community with Chinatown Stories – the history walking tours only available from China Exchange.

Did you know London’s Chinatown was abbey lands before Henry VIII’s Reformation in the 1530s? Or that jazz club Ronnie Scott’s started in Gerrard Street? What do the gingko trees and red lampposts mean? Why did the Chinese community move from Limehouse to Soho? Who was Brilliant Chang? Find out when you join a Chinatown Stories tour to explore below the surface of this unique part of London.

Each tour includes a lip-smacking Chinese lunch served family-style to allow you to relax, learn more from your guide and see the significance of Chinese food in the UK.

What makes our tours so special?

• We keep our groups small so that you have a more personal experience
• Over 2.5 hours, we cover an in-depth history of the area including but not limited to the buildings and the symbols of Chinatown as well as enjoying lunch with the host and other guests.
• Chinatown Stories are led for the benefit of the community – all guides are trained community volunteers and a donation from each ticket supports charities operating in the area.

Please select your dietary preference for lunch with your tickets. Do let us know at least 24 hours ahead of your tour of any food allergies via email to info@chinaexchange.uk

A 10% discount is available for five tickets or more booked in the same transaction. We can accommodate private groups by request. Email us to find out more: info@chinaexchange.uk

Our tours are in English. We can also offer tours in Cantonese or Mandarin for groups of 2 or more. Contact us to make arrangements.

What special COVID-19 measures is this tour taking?

In order to ensure the safety of our guests and guides we have made some changes to how our tours will work following the UK government guidelines.

• This is an outdoor activity. We will keep the size of the group up to 6 people from different households, including the guide
• We will keep 2 metres between the guide and guests from different households where possible. If it is not possible to keep 2 metres distance, we will keep 1 metre distance plus other precautions such as face coverings
• We require, if health permits, for all participants of our walking tours to wear a face covering throughout the duration of the tour
  
• Our tour guide is likely to be wearing a face covering, but please note this may be removed whilst the guide walks between stops to allow the guide to take a drink of water keeping 2 metres distance from others
  
• After the tour, the group will have the Chinese lunch outdoors. If the weather doesn't allow outdoor eating, we will only run the walking tour and we will inform you at least one day in advance and refund you the lunch ticket. In this case, we encourage you to eat indoors in Chinatown by yourself or with one other household after the tour as Chinatown needs your support!
• These measures may change as the UK guidelines for running such activities change. Ticket holders will be updated as appropriate

Chinatown Stories: Community-Led Walking Tours is a project led by China Exchange, developed in partnership with the Museum of Soho and The Anglo Asiatic Arts and Heritage Alliance (AAAHA). The project has been supported by Chinatown London and Airbnb Experiences.

Questions? Click here to find answers to the questions we get asked the most.