May 24, 2025 was a very special day. It was Marianne’s Birthday! Jennifer and I decided to surprise her in London with a walking tour of the hidden pubs of London. It was a day full of laughter, fun, learning and beer!

Before our tour, we stopped in at Nespresso to get a much needed caffeine boost.

TIME TO DISCOVER LONDON’S HIDDEN PUBS!!!

We met our tour guide Will in the area of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Our group consisted of 11. All from the US. Now it was time to explore tiny backstreets and courtyards and pause for drinks in four historical pubs. Will gave us a wealth of information of London’s history along with beer recommendations.

THE COCKPIT PUB

The 1st pub we stopped at was The Cockpit, a relaxed tavern dating back to 1865. I was not the best student, regretfully, I ordered the wrong beer. To my delight, we had plenty of time at this pub to get it right. We learned that some beers are colder than others. You just need to know how they are poured!

We continued on our walking tour exploring the neighborhood’s winding streets steeped with history to get to our 2nd pub, The Punch Tavern.

THE PUNCH TAVERN

The Punch Tavern is one of London’s most historic Gin Palaces on Fleet Street since 1840s. The pub had many beers to pick from, however the pub takes pride in stocking 90 different gins. It’s a haven for gin lovers!

Jennifer had a delicious gin and tonic!

The fun continues!!

Today we cherish and celebrate Marianne!

We loved walking the streets of London to discover new building along with the hidden pubs.

THE GEORGE

The George, our 3rd tavern, is a lively and historic pub offering a warm welcome in the heart of central London.

We were feeling a sense of joy, camaraderie and a connection to British culture. Time was ticking and we still had one more pub to enjoy!

THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

The World Turned Upside Down is a sculpture by artist Mark Wallinger on the campus of the London School of Economics. It was revealed in 2019. The sculpture, measuring 13 feet in diameter. The World Turned Upside Down is a famous ballad from the English Revolution. One of the meanings of this sculpture is seeing the world from different and unfamiliar points of view.

THE SHIP TAVERN

Our 4th and final pub was The Ship Tavern, nestled in the edge of the tranquil Lincoln Inn Fields. The Ship is steeped in history and dates back to 1549. The pub had a warm inviting atmosphere with historical decor and enchanting candlelight.

Raising a glass to a brew-tiful day in London!

From London with love and a pint of beer with new mates!

We made it back to our hotel to continue Marianne’s birthday celebration. London was the perfect place to celebrate another great year. It was truly the ultimate playground for Marianne’s birthday celebration. We were blessed spending Marianne’s birthday in this incredible city!

Cheers to you Marianne for days filled with love, laughter and all your favorite things!