The Castle RollsA survey of every visitable castle in the United Kingdom
4.7 / 5 · 120,472 reviews TICKETED

Tower of London

Greater London, England


Tower of London
Tower of London, further view Tower of London, further view

Key facts

Operator
Historic Royal Palaces
Condition
Intact
Access
Staffed, ticketed

Pinpoint

London EC3N 4AB

Telephone 0333 320 6000

Possible Opening hours

Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.

Monday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Founded by William the Conqueror after 1066, the Tower has served as royal palace, prison, treasury and execution site across nearly a thousand years — and it's the Crown Jewels and the Yeoman Warders' guided tours that reviewers consistently rate as the highlights of an enormous site. This is one of the most visited paid attractions in Britain, so it draws serious crowds.

Worth the trip

The Crown Jewels — reviewers across the board call seeing them in person genuinely spectacular, moving walkway and all.

Before you go

Book tickets online in advance; reviewers say the queues without pre-booked tickets can be long, and it's easy to lose half a day here, so arrive early if you want to see everything without rushing.

WHAT VISITORS SAY · 4.7 / 5 across 120,472 Google reviews

Reviewers consistently rate the Crown Jewels and the Beefeater tours as the unmissable highlights, with several specifically recommending booking tickets in advance and allowing at least 2.5-3 hours to see everything properly. Multiple reviewers note the tickets are expensive but feel it's worth the cost, and one flags that the site isn't very pram-friendly and the White Tower involves a lot of steps.

Crown Jewels; Yeoman Warder tours

“Awesome experience. Love the virtual tour. Amazing architecture. The Crown jewels are truly something to behold, just mind blowing. Also loved touring the armory. "Can you build something that will last 1000 years".”— Jason Reeson, visitor review

Further reading

The Norman Conquest cover book
The Norman Conquest

Marc Morris

Find it on Amazon
Castles: Their History and Evolution in Medieval Britain cover book
Castles: Their History and Evolution in Medieval Britain

Marc Morris

Find it on Amazon
DK Eyewitness Books: Castle cover book
DK Eyewitness Books: Castle

Christopher Gravett

Find it on Amazon