Five days of London through its studios and rooms

Begin your June journey deep beneath the pavement of historic St James's, where London's oldest surviving craft traditions thrive away from public view. Step into the subterranean workshop of John Lobb Bootmaker, operational at 9 St James's Street since 1866. Soft afternoon sunlight filters through sidewalk pavement lights onto benches where master cordwainers hand-shape wooden lasts, hand-welt leather, and carefully preserve the custom foot profiles of historic figures and royalty. Standing directly alongside the craftsmen at work, you smell the faint aroma of beeswax, aged oak, and polished calfskin. As dusk falls over June's long evening twilight, cross St James's Street to descend into the 18th-century vaulted brick arches of Berry Bros. & Rudd's subterranean Napoleon Cellar. Here, in the quiet depth beneath London's oldest wine merchant, enjoy a private multi-course dinner paired personally by an in-house Master of Wine. Surrounded by historic casks and dust-dusted vintages, this evening introduces you to London not as a public monument, but as a living tapestry of private benches and hidden rooms.

In the quiet early hour of 09:00 AM, before London awakens to June traffic, enter Hertford House through its private courtyard doors. The Wallace Collection belongs entirely to you. Led by an expert guide lecturer, walk through the silent, light-filled Great Gallery without another soul in sight. Stand face-to-face with masterworks by Rembrandt, Titian, Velázquez, and Fragonard, experiencing the collection in the serene intimacy of a private townhouse room exactly as Lord Hertford intended. Later in the morning, walk across Mayfair to 11 Savile Row for a private bench visit inside Huntsman & Sons. Step past the historic shopfront and straight into the active cutting room floor. Here, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Head Cutter while heavy shears slice through hand-woven tweed and chalk outlines mark canvas chest pieces. You will inspect archival garments crafted for kings and screen legends while observing the living art of bespoke tailoring unfold in real time.

Spend your morning inside the pulsating heart of Covent Garden's artistic production at the Royal Opera House. Guided privately behind the scenes, cross the soaring glass Bridge of Aspiration into active costume fitting ateliers and scenic painting studios. Watch artisans hand-stitch tutus, mold historical headpieces, and fit silk brocades for upcoming world-class productions. The sound of sewing machines, the scent of dyes, and thousands of handcrafted pointe shoes suspended in storage offer a rare glimpse into the back-of-house craft that fuels theatrical magic. As evening arrives, travel west to Holland Park for a private curator-led buyout of Leighton House after public closing. Walk through Frederic, Lord Leighton's 19th-century studio palace in complete evening quiet. Guided by the Senior Curator, marvel at the Arab Hall's glittering golden dome, 16th-century Syrian tiles, and tranquil central fountain before stepping upstairs into the lofty Winter Studio where Leighton painted his grand Victorian canvases.

Day 4 marks the unrepeatable highlight of your London journey. Step inside Cox London's working bronze foundry and atelier by personal introduction from directors Christopher and Nicola Cox. Feel the radiant heat and raw sensory power as sculptors and metalworkers hammer lost-wax bronze castings, apply chemical patinas with blowtorches, and assemble bespoke sculptural lighting live at the bench. This is raw London metalwork at its highest artistic level, experienced right beside the creators. When night falls, step into Lincoln's Inn Fields for a candlelit private walkthrough of Sir John Soane's Museum. With doors locked to the public, navigate the labyrinthine 1820s private apartments and restored Drawing Office by flickering candlelight. A curator accompanies you through Soane's dense, magical arrangements of classical antiquities, culminating in the crypt beside the monumental 3,300-year-old alabaster sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I.

On your final morning in London, arrive at Somerset House at 08:30 AM before the public gates unlock. Greeted by a senior Courtauld curator, ascend into the Great Room in total morning light. For an hour and a half, experience Manet’s 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère' and Van Gogh’s 'Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear' in profound stillness. With the curator at your side, inspect brushstrokes up close and discuss the provenance of these world-defining masterpieces in complete private silence. Conclude your 5-day journey in Spitalfields at 19 Folgate Street with an exclusive private buyout of Dennis Severs' House. Step through the doorway into 10 rooms meticulously preserved as an 18th-century Huguenot silk-weaver's home. Guided by the House Creative Director, move through candlelit rooms where open wood fires crackle, half-eaten meals rest on tables, and lingering period scents evoke the invisible presence of the family who just left the room.