Visiting the Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of my favorite historical sites to visit. It is a must see during your trip to London as it holds so much history having been a palace, prison, fortress, zoo, and houses the Royal Crown Jewels. Here is what to expect during your visit and how long to plan.

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Tower of London
16-33 Pounds Per Person
Plan 3-4 Hours
We have actually visited the Tower of London twice, and that is because we did not plan for enough time the first time we visited. Plan for at least 3-4 hours for your visit. During peak months there may be longer lines, especially to see the Crown Jewels. I highly suggest purchasing your timed entry tickets online before your visit. This will guarantee your entry and avoid ticket lines.
View more info on visiting the Tower of London HERE.

If you plan to visit both the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, then I suggest purchasing the Historic Royal Places Membership. This will save you money on entry into both places, as well as get you FREE entry into Kew Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Hillsborough Castle and Banqueting House.
Learn more about the Historic Royal Palaces Membership HERE.

The moat around the Tower of London has since been filled and transformed into a beautiful walkway full of flowers. It makes for fabulous photos and a wonderful walk. The walk around the back of the Tower is pretty empty.

Your ticket includes a Guided Yeoman Tour. Yeomans, often called “Beefeaters”, are the guards of the Tower of London. They live and work here. Tours start every 30-45 minutes, look at the clock directly inside the entry for the next tour time. Tours depart from the moat so make your way down there to wait. Tours last approximately 45 minutes.

If you don’t want to wait for the next Yeoman tour, alternatively you can purchase an audio tour guide. There are an additional 5 pounds per person and are not included in your ticket price. I found the audio tour really interesting with many more facts and information as you make your way through the Tower. I definitely suggest doing both the Yeoman tour and the audio tour if you have time.

The White Tower is the most recognizable structure at the Tower of London. This houses the most interesting exhibit (beside the Crown Jewels) in my opinion. There are several floors to explore with historical artifacts.

As I mentioned previously you will most likely have to wait in a line to see the Crown Jewels exhibit. We waited in line for about 45 minutes the day we visited. This exhibit was my favorite to see, but alas they do not allow photos inside, so you will have to wait and see them for yourself!

Also do not miss the guards outside of the Crown Jewels exhibit. They change every so often which is fun to see! love their fluffy hats.

If you get thirsty or hungry during your visit, there are several places to choose from on site. We ate lunch at the Amouries Cafe and it was quite good.
View all of the food options on the website HERE.