About this experience
Stand inside the empty Tower of London as Yeoman Warders perform the Opening Ceremony, then access the Crown Jewels before the crowds arrive. All-day entry and audio guide included.
Highlights
- Enjoy all-day access to the Tower of London with a map and audio guide app
- Explore the Tower's medieval outer walls and Traitors' Gate with an expert guide
- Enjoy first-of-the-day access to the Jewel House to admire the Crown Jewels
- Witness the Beefeater Opening Ceremony before the Tower opens to the public
What's included
- Expert English-speaking tour leader
- Pre-opening access to the Tower of London with a Yeoman Warder
- Beefeater Opening Ceremony viewing
- First-of-the-day access to the Crown Jewels and Jewel House
- Guided walking tour of the Tower of London external grounds
- All-day Tower of London entry ticket
- Tower of London map and audio guide app
- Self-guided exploration after the ceremony
How to use
- Show Mobile Ticket
- At Redemption Counter
What to expect
Most Tower of London visitors arrive to find the Jewel House queue already stretching across the courtyard. This tour changes that entirely. With pre-opening access and a group capped at 20 guests, you step inside the fortress before the public arrives and witness a ceremony that most visitors never even know takes place.
Your expert guide begins outside the fortress walls, leading the group along the medieval outer perimeter of this 11th-century royal stronghold built by William the Conqueror. You pass Traitors' Gate, the former watergate through which prisoners arrived by river barge, and walk the Thames-facing ramparts where royal guards kept watch for centuries.
Before the Tower opens its doors for the day, a Yeoman Warder leads your group through a side entrance and into the empty inner courtyard for a ceremony briefing. Then, Yeoman Warders in full Tudor dress uniform march through the grounds and perform the Beefeater Opening Ceremony, unlocking the fortress gates with precise, centuries-old military ritual.
From the ceremony, you head directly to the Jewel House while the rooms are still nearly empty. The Imperial State Crown, set with over 2,800 diamonds, and the Sovereign's Sceptre, which holds the 530-carat Cullinan I, are working pieces of the Royal Collection that you take in without the usual crowds pressing in around you.
Once the guided portion wraps up, your all-day entry ticket and included audio guide app give you the freedom to keep exploring at your own pace. Your map points the way to the White Tower's medieval armory, Bloody Tower, Tower Green, and the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, where two of Henry VIII's wives are buried.
This tour is perfect for first-time visitors and history enthusiasts who want to experience the Tower of London properly, with unhurried access to its most significant sites and the rare privilege of being inside before the crowds arrive.
Things to note
- Passport or ID card
- Headphones
- Charged Smartphone
- Weather-appropriate clothing
- Comfortable shoes
Terms & conditions
Your tour host will not be joining you inside the Tower of London. Instead, you will follow a Beafeater inside for the opening ceremony, then explore independently with an audio guide.
This tour is not wheelchair accessible due to uneven surfaces and historic stone stairways.
A smartphone and headphones are required to use the included audio guide app. Please ensure you have your device and headphones with you on the day.
Your Tower of London entry ticket is valid for the full day, so you are free to stay and explore long after the guided portion has finished. Keep your schedule flexible to make the most of it.