Tower of London Tour

Ticket adviser

Six ways in, ranked by fit

Most visitors need standard admission and nothing else. The other five earn their price only in particular situations, which we spell out. Commission does not affect the order: the official tickets earn us nothing and are listed first.

Three queues, not one

The ticket office (skip it by booking online), security at the entrance (everyone), and the Jewel House inside (everyone, though early entry puts you at the front). "Skip the line" usually means the first of these.

Where guides may guide

External guides are not allowed to lead inside the Jewel House or the White Tower. A paid guide's value is the grounds, the stories, and reading the crowds.

No live prices here

We show what we saw on the date next to each price, in the currency we saw it. Providers change prices and show your local currency at checkout. We do not show availability or sold-out states because we have no live feed.

Links marked Viator are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Bookings are completed with the provider. Full disclosure.

  1. 1 Official (Historic Royal Palaces) Admission

    Standard admission (official)

    Best for

    • Almost everyone: first visits, families, anyone happy to explore independently
    • Visitors who want the Yeoman Warder tour, which is included

    You probably don't need it if

    • You hold an HRP membership (entry is free)
    • You have already bought a tour that includes admission
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    Yes
    What the guide does
    No paid guide. A Yeoman Warder tour of about an hour is included, first come first served, every 45 minutes until 15:15. The audio guide is an optional £5 extra.
    Where guiding is restricted
    Not applicable.
    Time with a guide
    About an hour if you join the Yeoman Warder tour
    Independent time
    As long as you like until closing; no re-entry
    Group size
    Not applicable (Yeoman Warder tours can be large)
    Meeting arrangements
    Main entrance by the Middle Tower; timed entry slot
    Early entry
    None. Doors open at the published opening time (09:00 or 10:00 depending on the day and season).
    Cancellation
    Check HRP's terms at checkout; tickets are sold for a date and timeslot.
    Queues
    You will queue for security at the entrance and again for the Crown Jewels. No ticket removes the Jewel House queue; arriving at opening or after 15:00 does.
  2. 2 Official (Historic Royal Palaces) Official upgrade

    Opening Ceremony experience (official early entry)

    Best for

    • Peak-season visitors who want the Crown Jewels without the queue
    • Early risers who like ceremony: you watch the gates being unlocked

    You probably don't need it if

    • You are visiting on a quiet weekday outside school holidays
    • You cannot reliably be at the Wharf 15 minutes before the start; late arrivals are not admitted to the ceremony and not refunded
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    Yes
    What the guide does
    No guide. A Yeoman Warder and soldiers perform the unlocking; you then enter ahead of the public and go straight to the Jewel House.
    Where guiding is restricted
    Not applicable.
    Time with a guide
    The ceremony itself is short; you then have the whole day
    Independent time
    Full day
    Group size
    50 tickets a day, up to 6 per booking
    Meeting arrangements
    Middle Drawbridge on the Wharf. Tuesday to Saturday 08:45 (arrive by 08:30); Sunday and Monday 09:45 (arrive by 09:30).
    Early entry
    Yes: you enter before the gates open and are first in line as the Crown Jewels exhibition opens.
    Cancellation
    No refunds for late arrival. Advance booking only; check HRP's terms for other changes.
    Queues
    Skips the admission queue and puts you first into the Jewel House. Runs daily until 30 September 2026 at the time of checking; confirm dates on the official page.
  3. 3 Viator Guided tour

    Small-group guided tour with early entry and a private Beefeater audience

    Best for

    • First-time visitors who want a guide for the whole morning and the story behind what they are looking at
    • People who want to ask a Yeoman Warder questions in a small group rather than a crowd

    You probably don't need it if

    • You are content with the free Yeoman Warder tour included in admission
    • Stairs are a problem: the operator says the tour is not wheelchair accessible
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    Yes
    What the guide does
    An external guide leads about 1½ hours around the grounds, then a 30-minute Crown Jewels visit and about an hour in the White Tower, plus a private audience with a Beefeater.
    Where guiding is restricted
    External guides may not lead groups inside the Jewel House; you view the Crown Jewels on the moving walkway like everyone else. The White Tower option on this product does not include the Beefeater audience.
    Time with a guide
    About 3 hours
    Independent time
    You may stay inside after the tour ends; no re-entry once you leave
    Group size
    Small group (recent reviews mention about ten people); confirm on the product page
    Meeting arrangements
    Outside Starbucks, 3 Tower Place West, EC3R 5BT, 15 minutes before the 08:45 start
    Early entry
    Early-morning timed admission tickets are included, so you enter with the first visitors; this is not the official Opening Ceremony.
    Cancellation
    Free cancellation up to 24 hours before (Viator listing, 10 Sep 2026)
    Queues
    The included timed tickets avoid the ticket-office queue. You still pass security and join the Jewel House flow, though early in the day it is short.
  4. 4 Viator Early access

    Early-access tour: Opening Ceremony, then the Crown Jewels before the crowds

    Best for

    • Peak-day visitors who missed out on the official Opening Ceremony tickets (50 a day)
    • People who want an hour of orientation from a guide and then the day to themselves

    You probably don't need it if

    • You are visiting on a quiet day: standard admission and a 09:00 arrival achieves the same thing
    • You want a guide inside the Jewel House or White Tower: the venue does not allow it
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    Yes
    What the guide does
    Meets you at the ticket office before opening, brings you in for the Opening Ceremony (on the Tower & Beefeater option), gives a short guided orientation of about 30 minutes, then points you to the Crown Jewels and White Tower to continue on your own.
    Where guiding is restricted
    No guiding inside the Jewel House or the White Tower, which the operator states is forbidden by the venue. The 'early access' is via the same Opening Ceremony entry the official ticket uses.
    Time with a guide
    About 1 hour (reviews say 45 minutes to an hour)
    Independent time
    The rest of the day; no re-entry
    Group size
    Maximum 27 travellers per the listing
    Meeting arrangements
    In front of the Tower of London ticket office (Tower Vaults, 2 Tower Hill, EC3N 4EE), by the City Wonders sign
    Early entry
    Yes on the Tower & Beefeater option: entry before public opening with the Opening Ceremony. Check which option you are booking; the listing has several.
    Cancellation
    Free cancellation up to 24 hours before (Viator listing, 10 Sep 2026)
    Queues
    You enter before the public and reach the Jewel House first. That is a real advantage on a peak day and no advantage at all on a quiet one.
  5. 5 Viator Private tour

    Private tour with a Blue Badge guide

    Best for

    • Families or groups of four or more who want a guide's full attention and a pace they control
    • Visitors with mobility limits who want someone to plan around them (the listing says wheelchair accessible, but the Tower's interiors are not)

    You probably don't need it if

    • You are a couple on a normal budget: the free Yeoman Warder tour plus the audio guide gives most of the value
    • You want the Ceremony of the Keys: that is a separate evening product
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    Yes
    What the guide does
    A qualified Blue Badge guide leads only your party for about three hours: the grounds, the Jewel House and the White Tower, then optionally Tower Bridge (admission there not included).
    Where guiding is restricted
    Guides cannot talk inside the Jewel House; the guide will 'work to minimise time spent queuing' but cannot bypass security or the Jewel House flow.
    Time with a guide
    About 3 hours
    Independent time
    Ends back at the meeting point; you can stay inside afterwards
    Group size
    Private: your party only; price varies by group size
    Meeting arrangements
    The welcome centre opposite the main entrance, 2b Tower Hill, EC3N 4EE; the guide holds a sign with the lead name
    Early entry
    None stated; the guide times the visit to avoid the worst queues
    Cancellation
    Free cancellation up to 24 hours before (Viator listing, 10 Sep 2026)
    Queues
    A private guide reads the crowds and reorders the visit, which is the real queue advantage. There is no private entrance.
  6. 6 Viator After hours

    After-hours tour with a Yeoman Warder and the Ceremony of the Keys

    Best for

    • Anyone who could not get free Ceremony of the Keys tickets from HRP, which are often booked up months ahead
    • Repeat visitors and enthusiasts: the Tower after closing, with a Yeoman Warder to yourselves

    You probably don't need it if

    • You have not yet been inside by day: this is grounds only, with no Crown Jewels and no interiors
    • You managed to book the official (free) Ceremony of the Keys tickets
    The details: what is included, restrictions, meeting point, cancellation
    Admission included
    No: buy separately
    What the guide does
    A Yeoman Warder leads your group around the grounds after the public has left, then you watch the 21:53 Ceremony of the Keys.
    Where guiding is restricted
    No buildings are entered and the Crown Jewels are not included. Other public ticket holders join you for the ceremony itself; the private part is the walk beforehand.
    Time with a guide
    About 1½ hours from 20:30
    Independent time
    None
    Group size
    Not stated; ask the operator
    Meeting arrangements
    Tower of London Shop, Tower Place West, 50 Lower Thames Street, EC3R 6DT, 15 minutes before 20:30
    Early entry
    Not applicable (evening)
    Cancellation
    Free cancellation up to 24 hours before (Viator listing, 10 Sep 2026). Full names of all participants are required at booking for security.
    Queues
    No queues. Buy a separate daytime admission if you also want to see the interiors and the Crown Jewels.
A Yeoman Warder in the dark blue and red undress uniform at the Tower of London
Photo: PRA, CC BY-SA 3.0

Included in admission

The Yeoman Warder tour is free, and the best hour in the fortress

  • Every 45 minutes. First tour 10:00 Tuesday to Saturday, 10:45 Sunday and Monday; last tour 15:15.
  • Starts near the main entrance, by the Bell Tower. Cannot be booked; just turn up.
  • The route includes a flight of 21 steps and cobbled, uneven walkways. English only. Historic Royal Palaces warns parts may frighten young children and that tours can be cancelled in poor weather or heavy crowds.

Checked 10 Sept 2026 against the official tour page. Paid "Beefeater" tours add a private audience or early entry; they do not replace this.

What standard admission includes

  • The Crown Jewels exhibition
  • The White Tower and the Royal Armouries displays
  • A Yeoman Warder guided tour (first come, first served, weather permitting)
  • The Bloody Tower, Beauchamp Tower and the wall walk
  • The Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

Not included

  • Audio guide (from £5 adult, £14 family)
  • The Ceremony of the Keys (separate booking)
  • The official River Tour

Cheaper ways in

  • £1 tickets for anyone receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit and other named benefits (book online in advance; up to four per household)
  • £1 tickets for Tower Hamlets residents with proof of address, bought on the day
  • One free carer or companion ticket per disabled visitor
  • Historic Royal Palaces membership from £65 a year covers unlimited visits to three palaces

All from the official tickets page, checked 10 Sept 2026. We earn nothing from any of these.