After a brief stop at one of the largest remaining segments of the original Roman city walls, we began our tour of the Jack the Ripper murder sites. As we wound our way through the dark passages of Whitechapel while listening to the details of the crimes, we were given a sense of the desperate lives the victims lived. The poor suffered terribly during the late 19th century in London, and the murders raised awareness of their plight and led to reform.

Few of the murder sites are still in their original condition, but the pub the victims (and Jack) frequented is still in business. The Ten Bells Pub marks the end of the tour, and this is not a great part of town at night. Be sure you know how to get to the nearest Tube stop before you allow your guide to get away.

If you are traveling with children, I do NOT recommend this tour. The murders are described in gory detail, and I would not feel safe walking in this area at night without being part of a group.

Start at Westminster Bridge, enjoying the view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament from the middle of the bridge, and then walk back towards the city. The view up and down the river from here is gorgeous as well.

At Parliament Square, you can also get a glimpse of the two white towers of the beautiful Westminster Abbey (definitely worth a visit!) In Parliament Square, there's a famous statue of Winston Churchill and other important dignitaries.

As you start your stroll down Whitehall, you will see all the most important buildings in London--ministries of finance, treasury, etc. Stop at the Cenotaph, a beautiful monument honoring the dead of WWI and WWII. Depending on the level of security, you can also peek down Downing Street to see the prime minister's residence. You can also see the horse guards a little farther down.

As you walk, look occasionally back towards Big Ben. The views up and down this street give continually great photo ops.

We stopped for beer and fish-and-chips at Clarence Pub along the way. Delicious!

Soon you'll be at Trafalgar Square, where you can climb the lions, feed the pigeons, and people-watch. Soak it in!

If you're not too tired, you can head down up to Piccadilly Circus, the Times Square of London. We walked down Piccadilly toward Green Park back to our hotel. There were many opportunities to buys souvenirs or stop for a snack.

It was a cold and foggy November evening when we set off on foot in search of some ghosts--just perfect for some good ghost stories. Our tour guide was Corrine, who is also an actress. She arrived with an even whiter face than you find on an English lass and dressed all in black. There were originally over 100 people who showed up for this tour. Guests were from all over the States and the world. The group was so big, in fact, they had to call for back-up and take two groups so everyone could hear.

You go down narrow and winding paths to hear about haunted buildings, churches, and pubs. You hear about and see the haunted London Bridge, churches that had to double as morgues during the plague and still have the sick who don’t care to leave, haunted Coven Garden (they also throw in some entertaining Hollywood gossip, since Harry Potter was filmed there--nothing bad, just a bit cheeky!), and the souls left behind after horrendous murders.

Corrine was absolutely wonderful and such a great storyteller. They get their stories from a number of places. One search on places such as www.amazon.com should give you a list of plenty of London ghost stories. This group meets at the Monument, and you take the Monument tube to get there. Corrine also knows her way around, so she will help you find your way if you get lost when they return, or join her for a pint in the pub. You do not meet at an office, so you might want to take a restroom stop at the tube, as well as pick up a beverage. The tour last about 90 minutes. It is a pretty easy walk and doesn’t get too strenuous or fast-paced. They do go down cobblestone streets, in case you or someone with you is in a wheelchair. The Original London Walks host a number of walks and tours. The also have several other haunted tours, including "Ghosts, Gaslights, and Guinness," "Ghosts of the Old City," "West End Ghosts," and "Jack the Ripper Haunts." You can visit them at www.walks.com. The walks only cost 5 pounds, making it one of your best bets. Advanced tickets are encouraged during tourist season and in October. In off-season, you simply show up at the meeting place.