- If your idea of historic London is tired tours of self-important monuments or staring at dusty artifacts in museums while your thoughts drift to lunch, this guide will change your mind

With wit and wisdom, public historian and tour guide Sheldon Goodman has assembled 50 of the best things to do and see to immerse yourself in the rich history of the capital, from mudlarking along the Thames to walking the hidden corridors above St Paul's, shopping in London's oldest cigar store or visiting where the grisly remains of traitors to the Crown were displayed on spikes. Discover wild and wonderful things about the city with new and unexpected recommendations alongside alternative histories of famous and infamous sites.