A complete guide to visiting the Tower of London

From the Crown Jewels and famous ravens to hidden towers, selfie spots and Beefeater tours, here’s everything you need to know before visiting the Tower of London.

Last updated: May 13, 2026
tower of london

Few London attractions pack quite as much drama into one place as the Tower of London. 

This riverside fortress has survived fires, betrayals, royal scandals, political chaos and centuries of grim history — and somehow still finds time for souvenir shopping and raven spotting too. 

One minute you’re admiring glittering royal crowns, the next you’re standing on the exact patch of grass where famous executions once took place. It’s strange, fascinating and surprisingly easy to spend an entire day exploring. 

This guide covers 
 

  • How to get to the Tower of London  
  • Entry and security tips  
  • The best things to see inside  
  • Crown Jewels advice and queue tips  
  • Beefeater tours versus self-guided visits  
  • The best photo spots around the Tower  
  • What to do in bad weather  
  • Gift shops and souvenir highlights  
  • Nearby attractions and food recommendations 

Is the Tower of London worth visiting? 

Without question. 

The Tower of London combines royal history, famous artefacts, medieval architecture and wonderfully strange traditions all inside one fortress beside the Thames. 

It’s particularly worth adding to your plans if you enjoy: 

  • Royal history and crown collections  
  • Dark historical stories and famous prisoners  
  • Medieval towers and hidden passageways  
  • Ravens with suspiciously important jobs  
  • Extremely British gift shop souvenirs  

There’s nowhere else in London quite like it. 

tower of london

How do you get to the Tower of London? 

Tower of London sits beside the River Thames in central London and is easy to reach using public transport. 

By Tube and train 

Tower Hill station is the closest Underground stop and sits roughly five minutes away on foot. 

Other nearby stations include Monument station, Bank station, Aldgate station and Aldgate East station. 

National Rail services stop at London Bridge station and Fenchurch Street station nearby. 

By bus 

Several bus routes stop close to the Tower, including the 15, 42, 78, 100 and 343. 

By riverboat 

Arriving by river feels particularly fitting considering how many famous prisoners historically travelled this exact route. 

Tower Pier sits directly beside the attraction entrance. 

What happens when you arrive? 

Once you reach the entrance, staff scan tickets before visitors pass through a security and baggage screening area. 

The process moves fairly quickly, although mornings and weekends naturally get busier. 

One important thing to know: the Tower of London does not provide large luggage storage facilities, so avoid bringing oversized suitcases unless absolutely necessary. 

What are the best things to see inside? 

The Tower complex covers much more ground than many visitors expect, so having a rough plan helps enormously. 

Here are the highlights worth prioritising. 

The Crown Jewels 

The Crown Jewels remain the Tower’s biggest attraction and understandably draw the longest queues. 

Inside the Jewel House, you’ll find ceremonial crowns, sceptres, swords and royal regalia covered in thousands of gemstones. The collection includes the Imperial State Crown still used during major royal ceremonies today. 

Even visitors who normally feel fairly neutral about royal history tend to leave impressed. 

There’s also a moving walkway through part of the exhibition to keep visitor traffic flowing smoothly, which somehow makes the whole experience feel even more dramatic. 

Top tip : visit the Crown Jewels early in the day if possible. Queue times increase significantly later on.

tower of london

The White Tower 

The White Tower sits at the heart of the fortress and remains the oldest surviving section of the complex. 

Inside, you’ll find displays from the Royal Armouries collection featuring swords, armour, shields and enough medieval weaponry to make modern gym equipment look disappointing. 

The interactive upper-floor exhibits also let visitors try activities inspired by historic combat and engineering, including archery and cannon firing simulations. 

And yes, certain pieces of royal armour are every bit as ridiculous-looking as history suggests. 

The ravens 

The Tower ravens have become almost as famous as the fortress itself. 

According to legend, if the ravens ever leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall. No pressure, then. 

The birds wander freely around parts of the grounds and battlements, often looking mildly irritated by tourists taking photos nearby. 

They also have official caretakers known as Ravenmasters, which honestly sounds like the coolest job title in London. 

Tower Green 

Today, Tower Green looks calm and peaceful. 

Historically, it witnessed several high-profile executions including those of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. 

You’ll also find Anne Boleyn’s memorial nearby, marked with a striking glass sculpture. 

The Bloody Tower 

Bloody Tower explores some of the Tower’s most famous mysteries, including the story of the Princes in the Tower. 

The tower also once imprisoned figures including Sir Walter Raleigh during his long confinement inside the fortress. 

Where should you shop inside the Tower? 

The Tower of London takes souvenir shopping very seriously. 

Several different gift shops sit throughout the grounds, each focusing on different themes. 

Tower of London Shop 

Located near the main entrance, this larger store stocks books, clothing, royal souvenirs and gifts inspired by British history. 

White Tower Shop 

This shop focuses heavily on medieval themes, including replica swords, armour-inspired gifts and historical toys. 

Beefeater Shop 

As expected, this store celebrates the Yeoman Warders with themed souvenirs, guidebooks and apparel. 

Ravens Shop 

Raven-themed umbrellas, mugs and gifts dominate this wonderfully specific little shop. 

Crown Jewels Shop 

Located near the Jewel House exit, this store specialises in glittering jewellery-inspired souvenirs and royal-themed keepsakes. 

tower of london

Should you join a Beefeater tour? 

If time allows, combining a Yeoman Warder tour with independent exploring works best. 

The Beefeater tours provide entertaining storytelling, historical context and insider details about the Tower’s past. They help explain the overall history before you start wandering through exhibits yourself. 

The tours focus more on storytelling than entering individual buildings, so afterwards you can continue exploring independently at your own pace. 

The Yeoman Warders themselves often become a highlight of the visit thanks to their humour and fascinating knowledge of the site. 

Best photo spots at the Tower of London 

The Tower offers some excellent photography locations once you know where to look. 

The battlements near Wakefield Tower 

This section provides fantastic views towards Tower Bridge alongside the London skyline. 

Turn around and you’ll also get a great angle of the White Tower itself. 

Photos with the Yeoman Warders 

The Beefeaters usually welcome photos after tours finish, making this one of the most popular visitor photo opportunities. 

Traitors' Gate 

The dramatic riverside entrance once used for prisoners arriving by boat creates one of the Tower’s most atmospheric backdrops. 

The green near the Tudor houses 

This quieter area offers classic historic London scenery complete with traditional-style buildings and open green space. 

Raven spotting 

If you manage to catch one of the Tower ravens standing still long enough for a photo, consider it a small victory. 

 

One important photography rule: photography is not permitted inside the Crown Jewels exhibition itself. 

Visiting the Tower of London in bad weather 

London rain rarely sticks to anyone’s sightseeing schedule, but thankfully much of the Tower experience still works well during gloomy weather. 

Indoor highlights including the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and the Bloody Tower all provide plenty of shelter while still covering the major attractions. 

Beefeater tours occasionally adapt their routes during heavy rain, although severe weather can sometimes lead to cancellations. 

It’s always worth checking with staff when you arrive. 

tower of london

What should you visit nearby afterwards? 

The Tower sits in one of London’s best sightseeing areas, making it easy to continue exploring once your visit finishes. 

Tower Bridge 

Right beside the Tower, Tower Bridge offers glass walkways and fascinating engineering exhibitions. 

The Shard 

London’s tallest building sits roughly 15 minutes away on foot and delivers panoramic skyline views across the city. 

Where to eat nearby 

Borough Market 

One of London’s best food markets sits within walking distance and offers everything from pasta and pastries to street food and massive cheese counters. 

St Katharine Docks 

This quieter marina area nearby has cafés, restaurants and waterside seating perfect for a post-sightseeing break. 

Final thoughts from inside the fortress 

The Tower of London somehow manages to balance royal ceremony, medieval history, grim storytelling and unexpectedly charming raven encounters all in one place. 

It’s dramatic, slightly chaotic and packed with stories around every corner. 

And honestly, any attraction where you can admire priceless crowns while being silently judged by a raven deserves a spot on your London itinerary. 

Enjoyed this spiffing spot of London?

Take your trip to the next level with  our complete guide to The London Eye or check out the complete guide to the View from the Shard , all filled with visitor hacks and money-saving tips.   

With Go City® you can skip the stress and save big on London attraction tickets and choose from must-see attractions, tours and experiences, all with one easy-to-use pass.      

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No word sparks the minds of people quite like 'free.' The absence of payment can be a strong pull for us tax, rent, or mortgage payers who need to put oven chips on the table. We can all agree that getting something for nothing is awesome - especially if that free thing is culture. Culture can be inspirational, informative, and eye-opening in equal measure, giving us a look back into the past, allowing us to process the present, or helping us look forward to the future. So, if you're looking for a shot of free culture to go right into your veins, free museums are just the thing. But which ones? Why, these ones, of course! Here are the best free museums in London. Including: British Museum Natural History Museum V&A Museum Science Museum Museum of London and more! British Museum How does 2 million of years of free culture sound? Well, look no further than Britain's very own museum, the British Museum! Enter a world of other worlds, with sections dedicated to many eras of our planet. You'll find carvings and tablets from early man, artefacts from ancient Greece and Egypt, all the way through to Rennaissance paintings. And while you'll have to pay to enter some of the exhibits, on the whole, the bulk of the museum is absolutely free. Natural History Museum Do you want to see freaking dinosaur skeletons? Of course you do. Head over to the Natural History Museum and see them for yourself! Get a glimpse into the distant past as you explore creatures great and small throughout 65 million years of our planet's history. Meet giant sloths, extinct dinosaurs, and a big old blue whale skeleton that hangs over your head. And, other than a couple of paid exhibits, all of this is entirely free for you to explore. So go see some big bones, baby! Oh, and pick up a free guidebook and map combo while you're at it. V&A Museum A celebratory marriage of art, design, and history, the V&A Museum is one of the best free museums you can visit in London. 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