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Reading · United Kingdom Reading Audio Tours
Discover Reading with self-guided audio walking tours
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The Reading everyone knows.
The landmarks in every guidebook — and the tours that tell you what guidebooks don't.
A few words on Reading
Oscar Wilde did his best thinking in a cell here
Reading sits on the Thames and Kennet rivers in Berkshire, about 40 miles west of London, and has been a transit point long enough that it is easy to pass through without registering what is actually here. Henry I founded Reading Abbey in 1121, was buried there, and turned it into one of the wealthiest Benedictine monasteries in medieval England. The ruins still stand in the Forbury Gardens, a public park in the town center, where the great gatehouse arch survived the dissolution under Henry VIII and still frames a view that has not fundamentally changed in five centuries.
Oscar Wilde spent two years in Reading Gaol from 1895 to 1897, imprisoned for gross indecency.
He wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol afterward, naming the prison explicitly and with a kind of bitter irony that the city has learned to wear as a distinction. The prison closed in 2013 and has since hosted art exhibitions including a major Banksy show in 2016. The Victorian brick building on Forbury Road still looms over the surrounding streets.
Reading
Reading FAQ
Before you walk.
Reading Abbey was dissolved in 1539 and partially demolished. The remaining ruins, including the inner gatehouse, Hospitium of St John, and sections of the abbey wall, are in and around Forbury Gardens. The ruins were undergoing conservation work for several years and have reopened for public access. The nearby museum has artifacts from the abbey including a wall painting fragment.
Reading Gaol, where Oscar Wilde was imprisoned from 1895 to 1897, closed as a functioning prison in 2013. Since then it has hosted temporary art events and there have been ongoing proposals to turn it into a permanent arts venue. Check current opening status before visiting, as it has operated intermittently for exhibitions.
The Reading Festival takes place on Richfield Avenue over the August Bank Holiday weekend, typically the last weekend of August. It is one of the UK's oldest rock and alternative music festivals, running since 1971. It runs simultaneously with the Leeds Festival, with many acts performing at both. The site is adjacent to the Thames flood meadows.
The town center around Forbury Gardens, the abbey ruins, and the Kennet riverside walk are the most rewarding on foot. The Thames Path National Trail passes through Reading along the north bank of the Thames, with pleasant walking east toward Caversham and west toward Pangbourne. Caversham, the residential suburb across the Thames, has a village character distinct from the town center.
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This tour was such a great way to see the city. The stories were interesting without feeling too scripted, and I loved being able to explore at my own pace.
Jess
Tbilisi Tourstarstarstarstarstar
This was a solid way to get to know Brighton without feeling like a tourist. The narration had depth and context, but didn't overdo it.
Christoph
Brighton Tourstarstarstarstarstar
Started this tour with a croissant in one hand and zero expectations. The app just vibes with you, no pressure, just you, your headphones, and some cool stories.
John
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