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Tower of London
Go for the Crown Jewels, but the thing that sticks with you is the Yeoman Warder tour, included in your ticket and run by people who actually live inside these walls. An hour of grim stories and dark jokes, told on the spot where two of Henry VIII's queens lost their heads. Catch one early.
Photos: Colin (CC BY-SA 4.0), Bob Collowan (CC BY-SA 3.0), Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
A half day well spent if you let the Beefeater tour carry it; the stone keep itself is bare, and the stories are what you remember. The Jewel House line is the one thing that will eat your morning, so go there first.
Worth it for
- Standing in the actual room where the Crown Jewels are kept and walking the medieval walls
- Pairing it with Tower Bridge next door for a full riverside morning
- Kids, who tend to lock onto the ravens, the armor, and a Warder mid-story
You can skip if
- You have got an hour to spare, not the three or four this place really takes
Tickets & tours for Tower of London
Which ticket should you buy?
What you'll see
The centerpiece is the Crown Jewels, the working regalia of the British monarchy, displayed in a heavily secured vault that you pass through on a moving walkway. The collection includes crowns set with some of the largest cut diamonds in the world, along with scepters, orbs, and ceremonial plate still used at coronations.
Beyond the jewels, the White Tower at the center is the original Norman keep, now holding a display of royal armor. You can walk long stretches of the medieval walls, see the spot associated with the executions of three English queens, and visit the cells where prisoners scratched inscriptions into the stone that survive today.
The Yeoman Warders and ravens
The Yeoman Warders, often called Beefeaters, live inside the Tower and lead the free guided tours included with entry. Their walks last about an hour, mix grim history with dark humor, and are the single best way to make sense of the site. Tours run regularly through the day from near the entrance.
The Tower's ravens are part of its mythology: legend holds that the kingdom falls if they ever leave, so a small group is kept on site and cared for by a dedicated Ravenmaster. You will usually spot them near the White Tower and the green, large and unmistakable, with their flight feathers trimmed so they stay put.
Planning your visit
Tickets use timed entry, so you choose an arrival window when you book, and arriving when the gates open is the best way to reach the Crown Jewels before the queue builds. A standard visit runs two to three hours, and longer if you take a Warder tour and explore the walls in full.
Buying online ahead of time is usually cheaper than the gate price and guarantees your slot on busy days, when same-day tickets can sell out. The official ticket includes the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, the Warder tour, and the wall walks, so there is no need for separate add-ons.
Combining with nearby sights
Tower Bridge stands right next to the Tower, so the two pair naturally in a single visit, with the bridge's high walkways giving you a view back over the fortress. The riverside in front of the Tower is also one of the better spots to photograph the bridge.
From here the South Bank is a short walk across the river, and the City's other landmarks, including St Paul's Cathedral, are within reach by foot or a quick Tube hop. Borough Market, good for lunch, sits a little upriver on the south side.
History to know before you go
The Tower's reputation as a prison rests on real episodes. Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of Henry VIII's queens, were executed within the walls, and figures from Sir Walter Raleigh to the future Elizabeth I were held here. The graffiti carved by prisoners into the stone of the Beauchamp Tower survives and brings that history close.
Less grim is the long stretch when the Tower housed a royal menagerie, with lions, an elephant, and even a polar bear kept on site as royal gifts. It also served for centuries as the home of the Royal Mint and a secure store for state records, roles that explain why so much of national life passed through these walls.
Knowing a little of this beforehand makes the visit richer, since the buildings themselves are spare and the stories are what fill them. The Yeoman Warder tour does the same job in person, which is why it is worth catching one early in your visit.
Tower of London: FAQs
Plan for two to three hours. That covers the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, a Yeoman Warder tour, and a walk along the walls. Allow longer if you visit at a busy time or want to read the displays in depth.
Yes. General admission includes the Crown Jewels, the White Tower with its armor collection, the wall walks, and the free Yeoman Warder guided tours. There is no separate charge for the jewels.
It is recommended. Tickets use timed entry, online prices are usually lower than at the gate, and slots can sell out on busy summer and holiday days. Booking ahead also lets you pick an early arrival window.
Right when it opens. Heading straight to the Crown Jewels first thing means much shorter queues than midday, when coach groups arrive. Later in the afternoon also tends to be quieter.
Yes. The armor, the ravens, the castle walls, and the Warders' storytelling tend to hold children's interest. Note that there are cobbles, stairs, and steep spiral staircases in the older towers.
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