You know you want to see something historical in London, but where to begin?

There’s just so many historical things to see in England’s capital city, how can you possibly decide?

Well, my friend, let me recommend to you the Tower of London.

Why?

Because it’s basically English history all in one building.

You get kings and queens. You get traitors. And you get a whole lot of BLING.

It’s one of my favorite places in all of London; I’ve visited multiple times over the years.

So how do you visit the Tower of London? Read on to find out!

A (VERY) Short History of the Tower of London

The Tower of London has a long history dating back nearly 1000 years.

It was founded by William the Conqueror shortly after he conquered England in 1066. At various times in history it has served as a royal palace, a prison, an armory, home of the Royal Mint, and even a zoo! And of course, home of the famous British Crown Jewels.

The Tower served as a place of execution for three Queens of England – Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey. Two kings were murdered within its walls – Henry VI and Edward V.

Famous prisoners included Queen Elizabeth I, the Catholic martyr and saint Sir Thomas More, and the poet Sir Walter Raleigh.

Even during the Second World War, it was used as a prison.

UNESCO designated the Tower of London a World Heritage Site in 1988.

Random aside: Did you know the Tower of London has inspired at least 2 board games? There’s Tower of London and Outrage! Steal the Crown Jewels. My family used to have the latter (which is sadly no longer sold at the Tower Gift Shop) and it provided us with hours of fun when I was a kid.

Essential information before you go

Opening Times

Opening times vary throughout the year, so be sure to check the official webpage ahead of your visit.

Last admission is typically 2 hours prior to closing time.

Tickets

Ticket prices vary. As of March 1, 2026 they are:

Adult (age 18-64) – £37.00

Child (age 5-15) – £18.50

Child (age 0-4) – free, no ticket required

Senior (age 65+) – £29.50

Student (age 16-17) (ID may be required) – £17.90

Full time student (18+) – £29.50

Disabled Concession – £29.50

Disabled Carer/Companion – free

Groups of 15 or more – £34.10

For those in receipt of Universal Credit and other named benefits – £1.00

The Tower also hosts special exhibits. You’ll need a separate ticket for these. Prices vary.

For the most up-to-date prices, check out the office website.

Where can I purchase tickets?

You can purchase online here, directly at the site (the ticket office is located at Tower Hill), or through a tour operator.

How do I get the tickets I purchased online?

If you order online, you can either download your tickets to your mobile phone or opt to receive an email from where you can print out the tickets to bring with you.

If you have trouble downloading the tickets, bring your confirmation number with you and staff will help you onsite at the ticket desk.

Should I purchase tickets in advance?

It’s definitely a good idea. Entrance to the Tower is timed, so book in advance to get your preferred timeslot and also to avoid risking denial at entry if the Tower is at capacity on the day of your intended visit.

Audio Guides

Prices vary. They are currently:

Adult – £5.00

Concession – £4.00

Child – £4.00

Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) – £14.00

You can choose to purchase your ticket at the same time you buy your ticket online.

You can pick up the audio guides at the Beefeater Shop, just off to the left as you enter the Tower.

Is the audio guide worth it? It depends. I would recommend it if you’re doing a self-guided tour of the Tower.

If you’re planning on a “quick” visit to the Tower, the Yeoman Warder Tour is probably enough (more on that below).

I would skip the audio guide if you’re very knowledgeable about English history, as the audio guide likely won’t provide you with any new information.

What time of year is best to visit?

Any time of year! Summer is the height of tourist season, so you’ll be contending with more crowds, but any time of year is good to visit.

What time of day is best to visit?

Go early – as in, aim to make it for opening. It’s a lot less crowded. This is especially important if you want to see the crown jewels (more on that below).

What is the recommended length of time to visit?

Plan on spending 3-4 hours, if not more. There’s plenty to do to fill up your entire day, but 3-4 hours should give you enough time to see most things. The only exception would be if the line to the crown jewels has an excessive wait time (think 1-2 hours), then plan on a little longer if you’re interested in seeing other things as well.

What should I bring?

Wear comfortable shoes – you’ll likely be standing and walking a lot during your visit and, like many old buildings, there are some uneven steps and winding staircases to climb.

Also, being England, you’ll want to keep an eye on the weather. In colder months, layer up. For most of the year, bring some kind of rain protection just in case you’re blessed with that notorious British weather.

What should I not bring?

Food or drink – these aren’t allowed inside. But don’t worry, there are lots of places inside the Tower itself to purchase food and drinks. More on that below.

Besides the obvious things like weapons and illegal items, you should also not bring a tripod or selfie stick. These are not permitted inside either.

Don’t bring large bags. Purses are ok, but large bags and luggage will, again, not be allowed inside.

How to get there

The easiest way to get to the Tower is probably via underground. Tower Hill underground station, which is serviced by the Circle and District lines, is only 5 minutes away.

Bus Routes 15, 42, 78, 100, 343 and RV1 stop near the Tower of London.

All major sightseeing buses have the Tower of London as a stop, so this is another good option if you’re taking a hop-on hop-off tour.

Restrooms

The Tower does have restrooms inside the grounds. These are located at:

Brick Tower, behind the Jewel House (male, female, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities)

Salt Tower (male toilets)

Cradle Tower (female and accessible toilets)

During your visit

Yay! You’ve purchased your tickets and are at the Tower! Here’s what to see and expect:

Entry

Your tickets will be inspected upon entry.

You’ll then pass by Traitor’s Gate, which numerous prisoners – including the future Queen Elizabeth I – had to pass through when they entered.

If you purchased audio guides, you can pick these up from the Beefeater Ship once you enter the Tower grounds themselves.

What to see and do

The Crown Jewels

We’ll get straight to it – the Crown Jewels are what everyone wants to see. And for good reason! They are absolutely stunning.

Short History

The crown jewels are the regalia used in the coronation of British monarchs. They include the symbols of authority, like the crown, scepter, and orbs, as well as many, many other pieces, including plates and cutlery. They were most recently used for the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.

The Kings of England (and later, Britain) have been crowned for over a thousand years. Older crowns and regalia were lost over time, including having been melted down when the monarchy was overthrown during the English Civil War. Most of the present crown jewels date from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

Your visit

Remember how I said earlier you’ll want to try and get to the Tower for opening? This is the reason. The crowds are a lot less first thing in the morning. Even the lady checking my tickets at the entrance to the Tower advised me to head straight for the Jewels before seeing anything else.

Head here first. If you did make it to the Tower for early morning, you’ll have far fewer crowds and almost no line. Even if your ticket is for later in the day, you’ll probably want to get in line (which can sometimes be in excess of 2 hours) to ensure that you’ll be able to see the jewels.

The crown jewels are the most popular attraction at the Tower, so there is extensive crowd control in place that anticipates you’ll be queuing up for a long time. It includes footage from past coronations and other information as you wait in line for the main event.

If you’re lucky enough to have no lines, you’ll quickly walk through the several waiting rooms and arrive at the place where the jewels themselves are on display. For viewing, there’s an elevated platform and two conveyor belts (one on either side of the jewels) that whisk you past the priceless regalia.

Guided tours – The Yeoman Warder Tour

You should absolutely take a Yeoman Warder tour if you have the chance!

The Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters as they’re sometimes called, are former members of the British Armed Forces who, after years of faithful service, now reside at the Tower. They provide daily tours to the Tower’s visitors.

Essential information about the Yeoman Warder tours:

Cost: Free! It’s included in the price of your admission ticket.

Duration: 1 hour

When: Every half hour, beginning 10:00am Tuesday-Saturday and at 10:30am on Sundays and Mondays. The last tour of the day is at 3:30pm.

Meeting point: Main entrance to the Tower

Language: English only

The Ravens

Did you know that the Tower is home to several ravens?

According to legend, the kingdom will fall if the ravens ever leave the Tower. The ravens all have their wings clipped to safeguard against that ever happening. They even have a dedicated worker in charge of them, the aptly named Ravenmaster.

The ravens are always a big hit with kids.

Tower Green

You’re familiar with Henry VIII and his six wives. You’ve watched The Tudors, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, or any other cultural depiction. Well, Tower Green is the place where two of those unfortunate women, Anne Boleyn (wife #2) and Catherine Howard (wife #5), were beheaded. The place of execution is marked with a round sculpture with a glass pillow on top. The names of those executed here are etched on the glass table.

Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula

This is the burial place of several of the people who were executed at the Tower – among them, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.

The chapel is still a functioning Anglican church, where you can attend services on Sunday (although not in August or on the Sundays after Christmas and Easter).

The White Tower

The White Tower is the most iconic building of the Tower of London. It is the old castle keep. Construction was begun by William the Conqueror in the 1080s. Among the notable events that took place here was the abdication of Richard II, who was forced to give up the throne by his cousin and successor, Henry IV.

There are several notable things to see in the White Tower.

St. John’s Chapel is the oldest surviving complete Norman chapel in England. It’s where medieval kings and their courts once heard Mass, and it’s still an active place of worship to this day.

The Royal Armoury has a long history within the White Tower. Arms and armor have been stored here for centuries. You can still see them in a very well put-together exhibit. Highlights include the armor of Henry VIII, and the (almost) tallest and smallest complete sets of armor ever built. There’s also a fun interactive exhibit where kids and adults alike can try firing cannons and shooting arrows (which gave me a newfound respect for and slight jealousy of the powerful arm muscles of medieval archers).

On the top floor, you can find an original executioner’s block and axe, thought to have been used at the Tower’s last beheading in 1747.

The Bloody Tower

This tower once held some of the Tower’s most famous prisoners. There’s the study of Sir Walter Raleigh, who looked like he lived here in some comfort with his family. The infamous Princes in the Tower (Edward V and his brother Richard, who were just were 12 and 10 years old) were said to have lived and been killed here, although their actual fate remains unknown.

Beauchamp Tower

Pronounced “Bee-chum” (ah, the English and their weird pronunciations), this tower contains another exhibit about imprisonment at the Tower (rather more comprehensive than the information at the Bloody Tower).

Many were held in captivity in the very room you get to visit. You can still see the graffiti they carved into walls, some of them quite elaborate. (Hey, they had to do something during their long hours of imprisonment.)

The most famous prisoners were Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite, and Philip Howard, Duke of Arundel, who died here and was later declared a Catholic saint. You can still see their graffiti on the walls.

Torture at the Tower

Housed in the Wakefield Tower is the Torture at the Tower exhibit. The tower was used as a place of torture – ahem, interrogation – in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Here you can see some of the techniques that were used to extract information from prisoners – including the infamous rack.

If you’re not into this darker side of history, you may want to skip this exhibit.

Medieval Palace

I may be biased (ok, I AM biased), but this was one of my favorite things to see at the Tower. Spread over three towers – St. Thomas’ Tower, the Wakefield Tower, and the Lanthorn Tower – the exhibit does a good job explaining the life of a medieval king. The Tower was once a royal residence, and the rooms here are decorated to look as they might have once looked when royalty used to stay here.

You can also see the spot where, according to tradition, Henry VI was murdered. (Kings don’t really have a great track record at the Tower, apparently.)

Battlements

From the Medieval Palace, you can walk along the battlements and you imagine those from begone eras defending the castle against the kingdom’s enemies.

One of the best views of Tower Bridge is from the battlements; it makes a great spot for photos.

Keep walking along the battlements and you’ll get to the north side, where you can find information on the former Tower Zoo (yes, the Tower used to be home to an elephant!), Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo – in his retirement, Wellington was Constable of the Tower), and the Tower’s role in modern warfare (guess it never truly deviated from its original purpose!).

Fusilier Museum

If you have time, I recommend also checking out the Fusilier Museum. It’s the museum of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, who are actually headquartered at the Tower itself. You can see 12 of the regiment’s Victoria Crosses (Britain’s highest military decoration) and the military uniform of King George V.

The Gift Shops

The Tower has not 1, not 2, but 5 gift shops spread throughout the complex. These are:

Tower of London Shop – Located just outside the Tower grounds. If you left the Tower without having bought anything, stop by this shop (the largest of the 5) and browse their large selection. Open 10:00am-5:30pm.

Beefeater Shop – Located near the entrance. Mostly to pickup/drop off your audio guide and pick up a guidebook. Open 10:00am-4:30pm.

The White Tower Shop – Located in the White Tower. Open 10:00am-4:30pm.

Ravens Shop – Geared mainly towards kids. Open 10:00am-4:30pm.

Jewel House Shop – Open 10:00am-4:30pm.

Where to Eat

There are a few eateries within the Tower complex.

New Armouries Café: Also serves breakfast. Opening times vary.

Ravens Café: A good place to grab snacks. Opening times vary.

Ice cream carts: My personal favorite, the ice cream here is award-winning. Expect long lines on a warm summer’s day. Daily 10:30am-4:30pm, weather dependent.

Tower of London Café: Just outside the Tower itself on Tower Wharf, come here for refreshments and some of the best views of Tower Bridge.

There are also a lot of food stalls just outside of the Tower. You can’t re-enter the Tower after you’ve exited, so if you choose to eat at one of these stalls, I recommend seeing everything you want to see at the Tower first.

Nearby sites not to miss

While you’re in the area, here are a few other nearby historical sites you might want to check out:

Tower Bridge

You’ve seen the photos. Nothing screams “I went to London!” more than a photo with Tower Bridge in the background.

Heck, no matter how many times I’ve been to London, I still make sure to take my photo with the famous landmark whenever I’m in that part of town.

Built between 1886 and 1894, this well-known bridge is not actually “London Bridge,” although it’s often mistaken as such.

Go on, join the crowd and take a photo with Tower Bridge.

I recommend taking a photo from the battlements of the Tower itself. That way, you’re not fighting with the hordes of other tourists for your perfect shot.

Tower Hill Memorial

So, many of the famous individuals executed ‘at the Tower’ were actually executed right outside. This is because executions were mostly public back in the day. The scaffold was set up, but so were stands so that people could watch. Gruesome, for sure. But if you want to see the spot where Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell were beheaded, you’ll have to head outside the Tower walls.

Roman Walls

Did you know that London was once a Roman town? It was called ‘Londinium,’ and is where we get the name ‘London’ from. While there are a lot of Roman sites around Britain, there aren’t too many left in London itself.

Right as you get out of Tower Hill tube station, there’s a piece of the Roman wall preserved. Admire the Roman engineering, take a photo with a modern statue of the Emperor Trajan, and enjoy the rest of your day!

So there you have it! A complete guide to visiting the Tower of London. What’s your favorite place in the Tower? What are you most looking forward to seeing? Let me know in the comments!