The City of London to Central London From St Paul's - 4 km
- philip carey
- Sep 17
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This detailed set of guides for runners and walkers will provide all the information you need to do this self-guided route in one place, so that you can explore London Bridge, the Old Bailey, Smithfields, Farringdon, Holborn, the Inns of Court, the Aldwych and Covent Garden at your own pace.
The Familiarisation Guide provides all the route information.
The Sightseeing Guide and Virtual tour guide add points of interest and 360-degree information.
The Connoisseur's Guide offers recommendations for places to eat, drink, and be entertained, as well as suggestions for exploring the surrounding areas and 'add-on' routes.
THE EXPERIENCE
This exciting route takes you on a discovery tour of the places that link the City of London to Central London. It contains many of the City of London’s historic institutions and icons, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Old Bailey Law Courts, Smithfield's Meat Market, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Museum of London, High Holborn, and the Inns of Court. It is rich in history, architecture, interesting streets, and stories to keep you motivated along the way.
It is great for history and iconic sights, cityscapes, markets, museums, law courts, inns of courts, universities, culture, theatres, cathedrals and churches. It also has many eating and drinking spots along the way
THE ROUTE FAMILIARISATION GUIDE (Level 1)
This guide provides you with the essential information you need to become familiar with the route before you arrive.
An overview map, My Google Map, and Strava Map to help guide you along the route
A video showing you what the route looks like as if you were running it at over 40 km/h.
Information to bear in mind along the route.
MAP OF THE ROUTE
The links to My Google and Strava Maps are designed to help you keep on track and limit the chances of getting lost. They don't provide turn-by-turn directions, but they do show your location relative to the route. They will open in a new tab.
The Google map shows the main route in red
HIGH SPEED VIDEO OF THE ROUTE
The high-speed video of the main red route is designed to get you visually familiar with the route ahead of your visit. It shows you a runner's view as if they were doing it at over 40 km/h
NGS TO BEAR IN MIND
The route is generally quiet, but it can become crowded at lunchtime and during rush hours. It's therefore best to do this route in the early morning – especially at the weekend when it is quiet, the light is at its best, and you have the whole day ahead of you
The Inns of Court – Grey's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Staple's Inn, and Inner Temple (also known as Middle Temple) often have restricted public access during certain times of the day if you plan to explore these areas.
The route will mainly be on-road, but it can be crowded around St Paul's Cathedral, Farringdon, and Covent Garden.
Smithfield Market is open for business on Monday to Friday mornings, typically from around midnight or 1 am until 7 am, though some traders may be open until mid-morning. The market is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays, with visitors advised to arrive by 7 am to see the market at its busiest and find the full range of products
THE ROUTE SIGHTSEEING GUIDE - (Level 2)
Once you are familiar with the route, the next time you take it, why not take the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the sights you can see along the way, take photos, and learn a bit about the area's history? The sights include:
St Paul's Cathedral
The Central Criminal Court (The Old Bailey)
St. Bartholomew’s Hospital
The Museum of London (opening in 2026)
Smithfield Market
The Inns of Court
The Royal Court of Justice
The Aldwych
Covent Garden
For more information on these and other sights nearby, see the gallery and the supporting text below
Virtual Tour Guide
This virtual tour guide is designed to help you familiarise yourself with the route and enhance your memories of 'being there'. Clicking on the picture will take you to a new page showing a map of 360 locations in the area. Click on the location icons, and you will be transported to an interactive 360-degree view of that area - in a new tab.
THE ROUTE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE - (Level 3)
Once you are familiar with the route and its sights, why not become a connoisseur of the area and explore the surrounding routes that will uncover new things to see, places to eat, drink, and be entertained?
FOOD AND DRINK LOCATIONS
This map shows you some of the places to eat and drink -
Covent Garden and Great Queen Street, at the end of the route, offer the widest selection of places to eat and drink, followed by Farringdon, as well as the areas to the south and west of St Paul's Cathedral and Smithfield.
THINGS TO DO LOCATIONS
There are plenty of things to do at the end of the route in and around Covent Garden, including The Royal Opera House, several theatres, the Transport Museum and Somerset House (with its events, river views and galleries). St Paul's Cathedral at the start of the route is a must-visit attraction, as is the Barbican Centre with its brutalist architecture, open spaces, theatres, and events. The Inns of Court take you to the heart of legal London, with the Royal Court of Justice, Grey's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Staple's Inn, and Inner and Middle Temple (also known as Middle Temple). These are well worth a visit, but please note that public access is often restricted during certain times of the day.
ROUTE EXTENTION
The map below and the My Google map link provide three extensions to the main route, helping you explore the area and find places to eat and drink. These are:
Borough High Street and Market (1.3 km)
Blackfriars Loop Extension (2.1 km
Guildhall & Watling Street Extension (1.3 km)
The Google map shows the main route in red and the additional extension routes in blue. A video and a more detailed explanation of these routes will be added shortly.
FOLLOW ON ROUTES
If you want a 'follow-on' route, try the 'Discover Central London - Southbank & Westminster' 5.7 km route. This is part of a connected series of routes that will take you across London to Hyde Park.
We will be launching new routes at regular intervals, so join our email list or subscribe to this channel to get an early look at these and our other special blogs on London’s history and culture.
Comments