This summer we traveled to London for a baseball game. Watching baseball isn’t what you would expect us to be doing in London, but we managed to tackle some other attractions as well. One was doing the Tower of London tour, which was awesome! For centuries, nobody would want to see the inside but we were excited to book Tower of London tickets. The Tower of London tour is fascinating and walks you through 1,000 years of British history. Here’s everything you need to know about the Tower of London guided tour from hours to entrance fee and prices for items inside.
The Origin of the Tower of London
The foundation of The Tower of London was laid in 1066 after the Norman invasion of England. As the victor, William the Conqueror wanted to establish a fort on the Thames River in the center of England’s largest city. The decision to build a fort in the center of London was intended to be intimidating as well as strategic. William wanted the recently conquered inhabitants of London to have a constant reminder of his presence. This was carried out by erecting a massive structure to dominate their view from anywhere in London. For the beginning of its existence, the Tower of London was resented. It was a symbol of oppression by a foreign ruler. The image evolved throughout British history as did the Tower of London itself.
Throughout the centuries the fortification was expanded as buildings and defenses were added. The function of the site changed as well. It has been used as a palace, The Royal Mint, a prison and the storage facility of The Crown Jewels of The United Kingdom. It was even a zoo for a period of history. As you would imagine, there’s a lot to see and a Tower of London guided tour is the ideal way.
How to Book a Tower of London Tickets
The Tower of London has been one of the most popular attractions in London for centuries. Visitors have been touring the site since at least the 1500s. Tourism increased when The Crown Jewels began being displayed in the mid-1600s. This means you’ll be competing with other travelers and tour groups to spend time inside. If you don’t plan ahead, you could be waiting in line to get inside the Tower of London.
The easiest way to avoid a wait is to book Tower of London tickets online. You can buy them on the official website, but for the same price you can order your tickets through GetYourGuide and get free cancelation up to 24 hours before your visit. This means you can change your mind later, but can safely book skip-the-line passes to the Tower of London.
Click the button below to reserve your passes with the option to cancel them for free up to 24 hours before your visit.
Tour of London Hours, Tour Information and Prices
Ticket prices at the time of publishing are £25 or about $32. You save money by booking them online and remember, it’s possible to book with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance. Just use the green “Reserve NOW” button above to be directed to GetYourGuide and reserve entrance passes.
Tower of London Hours
The Tower of London grounds are open every day of the week. Operating hours on Tuesday through Saturday are 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. On Sundays and Mondays they open an hour later, and 10:00 am. Summer hours are in effect from March through October and the grounds close at 5:30 pm. For potential closures and other notices that could affect your visit check out the official website here.
Tower of London Prices
Ticket prices at the time of publishing are £25 or about $32. You save money by booking them online and remember, it’s possible to book with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance. Just use the green “Reserve NOW” button above to be directed to GetYourGuide and reserve entrance passes.
Tower of London Tour With a Yeoman Warder
Every entrance included a guided tour from a member of the famous Yeoman Warder. You may know them better as “beefeaters” but either way they are fantastic tour guides. The tour is free and a time slot does not need to be reserved in advance. They begin every 30 minutes from the area in front of the entrance. Meet the Yeoman Warder in the grassy area of the former moat.
The beefeaters have a long history of protecting the Tower of London and as the bodyguards of the ruling sovereign. Throughout the tour you will hear of their legacy, the most interesting facts and stories about the Tower of London and it’s all included for free.
You can also purchase an audio guide for your time after the Yeoman Warder tour. We chose to purchase the audio guide because we are those history nerds wherever we go. There’s a lot of great information in both the tour and the audio guide – we definitely recommend picking up the audio guide and spending more time exploring the grounds on your own.
What to Expect While on a Tower of London Tour
The Tower of London tour is great and something you should fit into your London itinerary when trip planning. You should expect to spend at least two hours touring the grounds but you could easily spend longer. Figure on needing 30 minutes for the Yeoman Warder tour, at least another hour to explore the grounds on your own using the audio guide and then you can work in some other attractions. Notably, you should plan time to tour The Bloody Tower, The Royal Mint, and The White Tower.
The crowds will, of course, be the largest in mid-afternoon. You can also expect large crowds during the summer months when tourism to London peaks. During these months it will be essential to book tickets online. Otherwise you’ll spend a lot of time lined up outside of the Tower of London.
The grounds are expansive and anyone will enjoy touring them. Is the Tower of London for kids? Sure! It will be a fun trip for all ages and any level of interest in history. It’s one of the best things to do in London with kids because there are so many things to explore inside the grounds.
For visitors with mobility issues, the grounds can be tough. Some attractions will also be difficult to explore if steps and cobblestones impede your mobility. While ramps and railings are installed where possible, The Tower of London is over a thousand years old. Only so much can be done to accommodate differently-abled travelers.
Viewing the Crown Jewels
You also owe it to yourself to see The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. There is no additional fee to enter the building where the jewels are displayed. However, you should prepare to stand in line. We visited in June and the line snaked around the plaza in front of the storage building. The wait wasn’t terrible because we were able to cycle through the informative audio guide and learn about the exhibit we were about to view. There are also markers to inform you of the expected wait time. The line moves quickly and the audio-guide and wait-time markers keep you sane while waiting.
Once inside you’re herded through exhibits explaining more information about the history of The Crown Jewels. You get to see images and videos of coronation ceremonies. The interior is designed to keep you moving and even uses escalators to push you through the actual display of the jewels. Inside, photography is restricted and there are staff around to ensure you follow the rules. They’re also there to answer questions and assist your tour.
For some tips on how to get the most from a museum or exhibit, check out our post here.
Wrap Up
Here’s a quick summary of all you need to know in planning a trip to The Tower of London.
- Book your tickets online – you’ll save time waiting outside and the online price is 10% cheaper
- Order your tickets through GetYourGuide – you can cancel for no penalty up to 24 hours before your visit. Here’s the link (or just scroll up).
- Do the free Yeoman Warder tour – it starts every 30 minutes at the entrance
- Also buy the audio guides – you will use them all over the Tower of London to learn more at your own pace
- Visit the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom – be prepared for waiting in line
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