Complete Tower of London tour:
Opening ceremony, Crown Jewels, and river cruise
Destination
London, UK
Duration
3 hours
Tour size
Max 20
Language
English
Overview
The Tower of London has opened the same way every morning for 700 years. On this Tower of London tour, you'll be inside to watch it happen, then walk straight into the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels before anyone else.
- •Watch the Beefeaters (Yeoman Warders of the Tower) perform the Opening Ceremony, a military ritual that takes place every single morning at the Tower of London
- •Walk into the Jewel House and see the Crown Jewels ahead of the crowds, with time to study every crown, orb, and scepter
- •See the Bloody Tower, the execution site where Anne Boleyn lost her head, the Torture Chamber, and the medieval castle walls
- •Meet the ravens who live on the Tower grounds, kept here by a tradition that says if they ever leave, London will fall
- •Step onto a Thames river cruise from the pier right outside the Tower gates, with London's landmarks gliding past from the water
What's included
- Early entry ticket to the Tower of London, including the Opening Ceremony
- First-entry access to the Jewel House (Crown Jewels)
- Certified Blue Badge guide
- Headset
- Flexible one-way City Cruises river cruise pass
You will visit
- Tower of London Opening Ceremony
- First entrance to the Jewel House and Crown Jewels
- Bloody Tower
- Torture Chamber
- Execution site on Tower Green
- Castle walls walk
- Edward I's restored royal bedroom
- White Tower at your own pace
- Thames river cruise with a flexible 24-hour one-way pass
Get a taste of Complete Tower of London tour
Select a start time
Choose a tour date
No time slots available for this date
Select tickets & quantity
Total price
What to expect
The Opening Ceremony: 700 years, every single morning
Your Tower of London tour begins before the main gates open. You'll gather with your small group and Blue Badge guide to watch the Beefeaters march with the Tower's keys. They'll perform the Opening Ceremony, the same ritual that has opened this fortress every morning since the 14th century. These are not actors in costume. Beefeaters are former military with distinguished service records, and they have opened these gates the same way for centuries.
The Crown Jewels: see every crown, before the crowds
Immediately after the ceremony, you'll walk straight into the Jewel House while the general public is still waiting outside. A moving walkway carries you slowly past the cabinets, close enough to count the stones, from the Imperial State Crown to the coronation anointing spoon. These are not museum replicas. The crown in that case was removed and resized for King Charles's head in 2023, then placed back behind the glass.
"The Opening Ceremony has happened every morning for 700 years. We get people in to see it before anyone else walks through those gates."
George,
WalksDevour Blue Badge guide
"The Crown Jewels aren't replicas. They took the crown out of that case and resized it for King Charles. That's what you're looking at."
Anna,
WalksDevour Blue Badge guide
Postcards from London
Complete Tower of London tour
Complete Tower of London tour
Complete Tower of London tour
Complete Tower of London tour
Complete Tower of London tour
Recent reviews & recommendations
Frequently asked questions
Our guides love answering your questions. Here are some things they’d like you to know before you arrive.
Seize every moment in London
Best of London tour: Tower, Thames, and the royal walk to Westminster
VIP Tower of London night tour: The fortress after the gates close
London in a day: Essential landmarks of London
