I went on an Urban Adventure tour on Friday. Here’s how it went.

Start -Trafalgar Square, 2pm

I opted for the City Streets Explorer and met our group near the National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square. Our tour leader was Christian, who effectively marshalled everyone into a group and began the tour by setting off across the square (not easy - it was the last day of The Maze - and rammed). He then led us across to the Strand, pointing out key sights such as the statue of George Washington which was imported with boxes of earth so that it would always stand on American soil and the UK’s smallest police station, built during the General Strike of 1926 to spy on protestors. He was able to reel through facts and dates with the authority of someone genuinely interested in the quirks and stories, rather than someone simply going through the motions. Inevitably, the interest rubs off when it's genuine.

As we waited to catch a Routemaster bus (bring a Travelcard/Oyster with you, Zone 1 will suffice for this tour), spots of rain began to fall. Someone bought an umbrella, effectively ending the threat of rain (a handy tip for future visitors to London). After 5 minutes or so, we decided as a group to catch a standard bus. You need flexibility in this kind of tour and the option of modifying the itinerary as we went along, helped to keep it moving. We then wove our way down Fleet Street, which was an extra diversion Christian felt we had to see, and I wholeheartedly agree. The Royal Courts of Justice, Twinings Museum and shop, Temple Church and Middle Temple Hall, the fictional location of Sweeney Todd, The Cheshire Cheese pub and St Bride's church (with its contribution to traditional marriages) were all essential stops - in a tour which peels back the hidden corners of the city.

We walked up Ludgate Hill and had tea and scones in the crypt of St. Paul's, before venturing past the relocated Temple Bar and down to The Bank of England. The group had a quick scan around the museum in the Bank of England, as the purpose of the tour is two-fold. It's a way of seeing the hidden parts in a reasonable time-frame, but also a useful method of building up points you can return to in more detail. If you're coming from abroad and fancy an Urban Adventure, then it’s better to do it near the beginning of your stay. It's a London ‘primer’ and would likewise be just as valuable to people who've lived in London for some time, but have gaps in their knowledge about certain locations. After the obligatory attempt to lift a gold bar in the Bank of England Museum ('the only one they have left', was mentioned), we then took a route through narrow backstreets to see the medieval architecture that still exists in parts of the City of London today (the ‘Square Mile’). This extended into Leadenhall Market ('Ooh! Harry Potter', exclaimed one visitor), built on the site of the original Roman Forum of Londinium.

Finish - The Dickens Inn, St. Katherine's Dock

The tour continued towards the Monument for the Great Fire of London, via the Lloyds building and 30 St. Mary Axe (the 'Gherkin'). Taking the Thames Walk on the north bank, past Billingsgate, The Tower (including Traitors' Gate), Tower Bridge and through to the finish at 'The Dicken's Inn' in St. Katherine's Dock, for a breather. You're under no pressure to stay for a drink, but one of the benefits of this kind of tour is that the groups are small enough to be sociable and find out some more about those visiting - several from France, the US and the UK, in our case.

The tour is aimed at visitors and people who live in the UK (or London) alike and will open your eyes to interesting stories and facts, attributable to places that you may have breezed past countless times. The groups are small and the itinerary is subject to change by mutual consent, adding to its 'adventure' claim. (I should mention that the facts/dates were also correct).

The capital is brimming with stories, forgotten monuments and characters, which bring the city into sharp relief when experienced on foot - like no guide book can.

I'd certainly recommend an Urban Adventure tour, because it closely fits the ethos of the Inside Guide to London - which includes persuading visitors to venture further than Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. London's history, inhabitants and locations are so extensive, that obtaining a palatable 'chunk' of information in a limited time - is always going to be a tricky prospect. London Urban Adventures (backed by parent company 'Intrepid Travel') can show you the real London, without being hamstrung by rigid schedules and itineraries. Which of course - makes it more fun.

London Urban Adventures can be contacted through their website or by phone - +44 (0) 207 354 6169 - further details are contained on their website.