Explore the story of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, founded by King Charles II as a home for veteran soldiers and still home to the Chelsea Pensioners. From Royal Hospital Road, your guide will point out key features including the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, London Gate, the Old Burial Ground, Burton Court, Chapel Gate and the In-Pensioner statue. Hear about Sir Christopher Wren’s architecture, the Wren Chapel, the Great Hall and daily life within this remarkable community. The route also reaches Chelsea Gate and the publicly accessible Soane Stable Yard, where a free interactive exhibition introduces the Hospital’s history.

Stop at the National Army Museum and discover how its collections tell the story of the British Army and the people who have served in it. Your guide will introduce highlights such as the Soldier gallery, which explores everyday Army life across different periods, and the Conflict in Europe gallery, home to the skeleton of Napoleon’s horse Marengo and the large Siborne model of the Battle of Waterloo. The museum also uses paintings, personal testimony and interactive displays to examine military experience and its human impact. General museum admission is free, but the guided walking tour does not include an extended gallery visit, so you may wish to return after the walk.

End at Chelsea Physic Garden, founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries as a place to study medicinal plants. Your guide will explain why its sheltered four-acre riverside setting created a valuable microclimate, how the Garden became an outdoor classroom for apothecaries, and how its international seed exchange helped connect Chelsea with botanical institutions around the world. Today, the Garden is home to more than 4,500 medicinal, edible and useful plants, historic glasshouses and specialist collections. Entry to Chelsea Physic Garden is now included in the walking-tour price.