London Dungeon

Set beneath the arches of London Bridge station, this is a sort of hi-tech haunted house aimed squarely at children and teenagers to whom it delivers a series of "safe" shocks, themed (very loosely) on events and legends from London's history. When it first opened back in the 1970s, it was made up mainly of waxwork tableaux, a bit like the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds. These days it's a 21st-century attraction, with plenty of lighting and sound effects adding to the atmosphere, while most of the jolts are provided by costumed actors and fairground-style rides. A list of some of the dungeon's current "scenes" should give you an idea of what to expect: "Great Plague & Surgery: Blood & Guts," "Jack the Ripper," and "Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom."

Depending on your age, you'll find it a terrible piece of kitsch, overpriced nonsense, or a glorious exercise in grand guignol-lite. It's certainly all very tongue-in-cheek, although you should use discretion with very young children.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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