Is the Tower of London Worth It?
Short answer: yes, the Tower of London is worth it for almost every first-time visitor, as long as you give it at least half a day and see the Crown Jewels before lunch. It’s one of London’s more expensive attractions, but the ticket includes a Yeoman Warder tour, the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and the medieval wall walks. There’s enough to fill three to four hours, which makes the price per hour easier to justify than many London sights.
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Key takeaways
- The Crown Jewels alone nearly justify the ticket: the collection holds 23,578 gemstones, including the Cullinan II diamond in the Imperial State Crown.
- The free Yeoman Warder tour is the best part for many visitors: it’s included in your ticket, and you can’t book it in advance, you simply join at the meeting point.
- Timing matters more than at most attractions: the Jewel House queue is at its worst between about 12:00 and 15:00.
- Plan three to four hours. The official advice is at least two, but that’s rushed if you want the White Tower and the wall walks too.
- It’s not a palace. Expect a fortress, a prison and a museum rather than grand furnished state rooms.
Is the Tower of London worth it? Our verdict
The Tower of London is a 900-year-old fortress on the north bank of the Thames that has been a royal residence, a prison, an armoury, a mint, a zoo and the home of the Crown Jewels. It still works as a real place: the Yeoman Warders (“Beefeaters”) live inside the walls with their families, soldiers stand guard outside the Jewel House, and the gates are locked every night in the Ceremony of the Keys.
That sense of a living fortress is what makes it memorable, but it isn’t for everyone:
- Great for history lovers, families with children over about seven (executions, ravens and armour go down well), and anyone who wants one “big” London attraction.
- Less rewarding for people who dislike crowds and narrow spiral staircases, or who were expecting the lavish interiors of a royal palace.
What’s actually inside: the highlights
The Crown Jewels in the Jewel House
This is what most people come for, and it doesn’t disappoint. The regalia are displayed in the Waterloo Block, and you pass the most famous pieces, including the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, on a moving walkway. The Cullinan diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, was cut into nine major stones; the two largest are set in that sceptre and crown.
The one frustration is the travelator: it moves you along quickly at busy times. The good news is that there’s a raised viewing platform at the end where you can stand and look for longer.
The Yeoman Warder tour
Every Yeoman Warder is a former senior non-commissioned officer with at least 22 years of service in the armed forces, and they tell the Tower’s history with a sharp, often very dark sense of humour. Tours start roughly every 45 minutes near the main entrance, with the last one mid-afternoon. They’re free with your ticket and you can’t book them ahead, so check the start times on arrival. If you do nothing else here, do this.
The White Tower and the Line of Kings
The White Tower, begun by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, is the building you picture when you think of the Tower of London. Inside are the Royal Armouries displays, including the Line of Kings, which has been showing royal armour and life-sized wooden horses to visitors for more than 300 years. There are a lot of stairs.
Tower Green, the Bloody Tower and Traitors’ Gate
The quiet lawn of Tower Green is where ten people were beheaded in private, including Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey; a glass memorial marks the scaffold site. Nearby, the Bloody Tower tells the story of the “Princes in the Tower”, and Traitors’ Gate is the river entrance through which prisoners were brought by boat.
The wall walks, the Medieval Palace and the ravens
The wall walks are often skipped by people running short on time, which is a shame. They take you through the restored rooms of the Medieval Palace and along the battlements, with some of the best views of Tower Bridge you’ll get anywhere. On the way, look out for the ravens: legend says the kingdom will fall if they ever leave the Tower, and the Ravenmaster looks after them.
What does a Tower of London ticket cost?
According to Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk), the charity that runs the Tower, adult tickets start from about £37 at the time of writing. Prices are dynamic: off-peak dates (term-time weekdays) are cheaper than peak dates such as weekends and school holidays, and you see the exact price when you choose your date at checkout.
| Ticket type | What you get | Price (at the time of writing) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard admission | Crown Jewels, White Tower, wall walks, Yeoman Warder tours, all exhibitions | Adults from about £37; child and concession tickets are cheaper |
| Children under 5 | Same as above | Free, no ticket needed |
| Opening Ceremony experience | A special early-morning experience built around the Tower’s opening ceremony, plus a day visit | £62 adults, £33.50 children 5+ |
| Ceremony of the Keys | The nightly locking-up ceremony (about 21:30–22:05), no daytime access | Varies by month; released online a month ahead and sells out fast |
You can still buy tickets at the ticket office on the day, but Historic Royal Palaces advises booking online in advance at busy times. People receiving certain UK benefits can book £1 tickets online. Always check hrp.org.uk for the current price on your date.
Is it good value? A bit over £35 buys you the Crown Jewels, a guided tour and enough to fill an afternoon. It stops being good value if you arrive at 14:00, queue for the jewels and leave at 16:00.
Standard ticket or a guided tour?
This is where the Tower differs from most attractions. A guided tour is already included, so a paid tour is only worth it if it adds something the standard ticket doesn’t: early access, a smaller group, or a guide who stays with you inside the buildings (Yeoman Warder tours stay outdoors).
Stick with a standard ticket if you can arrive at opening time, are happy to join the Yeoman Warder tour, and like exploring at your own pace.
Consider a paid tour if you can only visit around midday, want to see the Crown Jewels before the crowds build, or want someone to explain the White Tower and the jewels up close. Some options on GetYourGuide:
- Tower of London and Crown Jewels entry ticket: a standard dated ticket, handy if you’re booking other London sights in one place.
- VIP Opening Ceremony, Crown Jewels and river cruise: early entry, so you see the jewels before the rush, with a guide and a Thames cruise.
- Small-group tour including a guided White Tower visit: for those who want a guide inside the buildings, not only in the courtyards.
How long should you spend at the Tower of London?
- 2 hours: Crown Jewels, a quick look at the White Tower and Traitors’ Gate. Doable, but you’ll feel rushed and probably skip the Yeoman Warder tour.
- 3 to 4 hours: the sweet spot. Jewels, a Yeoman Warder tour, the White Tower, Tower Green and the wall walks.
- A full day: everything above plus the smaller exhibitions (Coins and Kings, the Fusilier Museum, the torture exhibition in the Wakefield Tower) and lunch at the café inside.
Practical tips for a better visit
- Head straight to the Jewel House. Historic Royal Palaces itself warns that long queues form outside between roughly 12:00 and 15:00. Go first thing, then do everything else.
- Or come late. The Tower is noticeably quieter in the later afternoon, though you’ll need to be efficient, as buildings close before the site does.
- Check opening days. The Tower opens an hour later on Sundays and Mondays than on other days, and closes earlier in winter. Confirm the current times on hrp.org.uk.
- Use Tower Hill station. It’s on the Circle and District lines, a few minutes’ walk from the main entrance on the west side. Tower Gateway (DLR) and Fenchurch Street are also close.
- Travel light. Every visitor goes through a bag search, and there are no lockers inside.
- Wear proper shoes. Cobbles, uneven flagstones and steep spiral staircases are everywhere. Access for wheelchair users is limited in the older towers, although the Jewel House has level access.
- Dress for the weather. Much of the visit is outdoors, including the Yeoman Warder tour, which runs in the rain.
When the Tower of London isn’t worth it
- You only have a day or two in London and want to see as much as possible. Half a day is a big chunk of a short trip; a walk past the walls, along Tower Wharf and over Tower Bridge gives you the atmosphere for free.
- You can only go at lunchtime in summer. Without early access, you may spend a significant part of your visit queuing for the Crown Jewels.
- You’re after royal interiors. For gilded state rooms and gardens, Hampton Court Palace (also run by Historic Royal Palaces) or Kensington Palace are a better fit.
- Stairs are a problem for you. Much of the White Tower and the wall walks involve narrow staircases.
The bottom line
The Tower of London earns its reputation. The Crown Jewels are genuinely spectacular, the Yeoman Warders are some of the best storytellers in any museum in Europe, and the fortress has a thousand years of history packed into a site you can walk across in five minutes. Arrive at opening time, go to the jewels first, and join a Beefeater tour. If you can’t manage an early start, compare early-access Tower of London tours and tickets so the queue doesn’t eat your visit.
📍 Planning a trip? See our guide: Things to Do in London
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Tower of London worth the money?
For most visitors, yes. Adult tickets start from about £37 at the time of writing, and that includes the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, the wall walks and a guided Yeoman Warder tour. With three to four hours inside, it’s better value than many shorter London attractions.
Are the Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tours free?
Yes. They’re included in the standard admission ticket. You can’t book a place in advance: check the tour times when you arrive and join at the meeting point.
How long is the queue for the Crown Jewels?
It varies a lot. Queues are longest between about 12:00 and 15:00 in busy periods, according to Historic Royal Palaces. First thing in the morning or later in the afternoon, you can often walk straight in.
Can you see the Crown Jewels without paying for the Tower?
No. The Jewel House is inside the fortress walls, so you need a Tower of London admission ticket to see the Crown Jewels.
Do you need to book Tower of London tickets in advance?
It isn’t required, as tickets are also sold on the day, but booking online is recommended during school holidays and weekends. The Ceremony of the Keys must always be booked in advance online and sells out quickly.
Is the Tower of London good for kids?
Very. The armour in the White Tower, the ravens, the stories of prisoners and executions, and the Beefeaters’ humour tend to work well for children. Under-5s go free, but pushchairs are awkward on the stairs of the older towers.
Featured image: Photo: Bob Collowan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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