The Tower of London is amazing, not by what it is today, but by what is has been over the past thousand years. Ever since William the Conqueror ordered the tower to be built in the 11th century, it has been the center of politics, war, and executions until the present day.

Today, the Tower of London can boast as being one of England's biggest tourist attractions. It houses the magnificent Crown Jewels of the British Monarchy inside the Jewel House just opposite the White Tower.

The White Tower itself is in the middle of the complex and is the largest building on site. The building is in good shape and the stairs from one floor to another are within the turrets. The White Tower displays the armory, clothing, currency, and other important artifacts surrounding the Tower throughout its history.

Along the Tower grounds, you will find many tour groups being led by the the Yeomen Warders, also known as Beefeaters, dressed in their traditional red and black attire.

The Tower of London is certainly a fantastic place to spend half-a-day. If you are a history or architecture buff, it will be all the more fulfilling.

Visit Tower of London to plan your visit.

 

The Tower of London encompasses over 900 years of bloody, macabre English history. As soon as you enter, you can feel the ghosts of history swirling around you, begging not to be forgotten. A visit to the Tower of London is like being transported back in time and actually bringing your history books to life.

 

The queue for tickets is across from the entrance to the Tower. If you are only planning on visiting the Tower, you can buy ahead online and save a little money. If you are planning on visiting Kensington Palace or Hampton Court in addition to the Tower, be sure to buy a combined ticket (only available in person) and you will save quite a lot over paying separate admission at both places.

 

After you purchase your ticket and enter the Tower, the best place to start is with a guided tour by one of the yeoman warders. Groups for the tours assemble just inside the entrance. The tours don’t last too long, so if you aren’t pressed for time, go on a second tour with a different "Beefeater." Each one does the tour just a little bit differently.

 

The yeoman warders outline the history and major events associated with the Tower as you make your way around. Also during the tour you will go in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, which I believe you cannot go into on your own, only as part of a tour. Services are still held here every Sunday. The two wives that Henry VIII had executed, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, lie underneath the altar.

 

After the tour, have fun wandering around and exploring on your own. Be sure to check out the crown jewels and the armour of Henry VIII. Don’t miss the Bloody Tower, where the two young princes were murdered and Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned. Enjoy every moment of your step back in time.

Take the Circle or District lines (yellow or green) to the Tower Hill stop. The exit from the Underground leads right to the Tower.

Admission to the Tower is £11 for adults and includes the opportunity for two free tours. The Royal Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) give a overview of the tower tour and also a more in depth Punishment and Prisoner tour. The standard tour leaves every thirty minutes and ARE NOT TO BE MISSED!

The Beefeaters (who are retired, highly-decorated military officers) give an insightful, largely funny tour. During these tours you also gain access to the Chapel Royal of St. Peter. Other sights to be seen within the Tower include the Crown Jewels. A long queue leads you along corridors where you are shown scenes from Queen Elizabeth's cornonation and in-depth descriptions about the jewels. You can view some of the gold serveware on your own, but the actual jewels must be seen from people-movers. Because of the crowds, this is a great feature which allows you to get as close to the jewels as you are allowed without having someone standing directly in front of you. The White Tower holds an impressive collection of Royal Amouries. There are two gift shops on site and a cafeteria-style restaurant.

Do walk along the River Thames on your way out of the Tower and view the amazing landmark Tower Bridge.

Everyone we talked to about our trip to London told us that the tower was the place to take kids, so this was at the top of our list of attractions to visit.

We arrived a little late in the afternoon, but were still able to join another group of tourists guided by a red and blue-clad "beefeater" through the grounds. This greatly enhanced our visit, as the wry-witted Yeoman Warder explained the history attached to the centuries-old buildings. The tour ended in the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, which covered the bones of hundreds of executed prisoners (including royalty) who did not visit the tower by choice.

Always a lover of Tudor history, I was especially fascinated by hearing about the "Queen's House" that was built for Anne Boleyn as a wedding present, only to hold her during the grim days that led up to her execution. The boys looked for the place in the stairs that once hid the bodies of two ill-fated princes who disappeared before their uncle took their throne. Then we took an hour or so to poke around the displays of royal armour in the White Tower, a building that was put up on orders of William the Conqueror!

While I've heard the queue to see the crown jewels can be long, we sped through near closing time. To top it all off, the kids spent a mint in the crowded gift shop when we were done with our visit. It was an enjoyable afternoon.

Entrance fees: £12 for adults, £10 for kids. Admission for kids under 5 is free.

Tip: After the tower, go down to the docks by the Tower Bridge and catch a boat ride on the Thames. This is a quick way to see a lot of the city with children.

Yes, there may be tons of tourists milling around speaking hundreds of different languages. Yes, you may have to wait in line for about an hour to get in. Yes, the Tower of London is a common tourist trap in London that many people choose to avoid for that very reason.

However, the compelling history behind the Tower of London is worth putting all of those things aside to go see it. For those who would not be caught dead being seen in a tourist trap, it's okay! This one is worth it. The museum located inside of the tower itself is fabulous, and you can walk all thoughout the fortress. Walking about, it's easy to lose yourself and feel like you have taken a trip back in time, especially when walking into some of the darker rooms that contain artifacts.

We took a guided tour. To have a guided tour, you have to wait a little bit longer, but it's nice having one because you get to hear all sorts of interesting stories that you otherwise wouldn't hear going into the fortress alone. If you're willing to spend a tiny bit extra, I think that the guided tour is worth it.