Entry to the Tower of London costs £38 for an adult and £19 for a child aged 5 to 15 (price excluding donation, recorded on the official Historic Royal Palaces website). It is open 9 am to 5:30 pm Tuesday to Saturday and 10 am to 5:30 pm on Sunday and Monday; last entry 4:30 pm.
Fortress, palace, prison and then home of the Crown Jewels, the Tower of London takes at least two hours to visit according to its operator. This page sets out its official rules, its published quiet times and a combined visit with Tower Bridge, right next door. For the rest of your stay, see our guide to visiting London.
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Key facts for visiting the Tower of London
- Opening hours: 9 am–5:30 pm (Tuesday–Saturday), 10 am–5:30 pm (Sunday, Monday); last entry 4:30 pm; last Yeoman Warder guided tour 3:15 pm (week of 12 October 2026).
- Full price recorded on 15 October 2026: adult £38, child 5–15 £19 (excluding donation).
- Booking: not compulsory; tickets online in advance or at the ticket office on the day.
- Suggested time: at least 2 hours, Crown Jewels included (official website).
- Information checked on 15 October 2026 on hrp.org.uk.
Tickets: official website or resellers?
Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that runs the Tower, sells tickets on hrp.org.uk. The displayed price sometimes includes an optional donation: the price « excluding donation » recorded on 15 October 2026 is £38 (adult) and £19 (ages 5–15). Family, concession and carer tickets are available; members enter free. The guided tour by a Yeoman Warder (« Beefeater ») is included.
Resellers: third-party sites and tourist passes sell entry. Check that it is a dated ticket and compare it with the official price for the same day: we do not publish a price gap without a simultaneous check.
Opening hours and closing days
| Day | Hours (week of 12 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 10 am – 5:30 pm |
| Tuesday to Saturday | 9 am – 5:30 pm |
| Sunday | 10 am – 5:30 pm |
| Last entry | 4:30 pm |
| Last Yeoman Warder tour | 3:15 pm |
The website also flags partial closures of routes: check the official calendar before you come. About 45 minutes before a Gun Salute, the wharf in front of the entrance is closed.
Best time to visit
Historic Royal Palaces publishes its quiet times: the Tower is quietest before 11 am outside school holidays; during school holidays it is busiest in the morning and it is better to come after 1:30 pm. High season runs from Easter to October. See the Crown Jewels first, when the queue is shortest.
The visit is largely outdoors (ramparts, cobbled courtyards). In London, November is the wettest month (67 mm (2.6 in)) and July the warmest (23.9 °C (75 °F) average high), according to the 1991–2020 Met Office normals for Heathrow, taken from our page on the best time to visit London.
What to see: suggested route
- 1 hour: the Crown Jewels (Jewel House), then the White Tower from the outside.
- 2 hours (recommended): a Yeoman Warder guided tour, the Crown Jewels, the White Tower (royal armouries), the ramparts.
- Half a day: add the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula (during the guided tour), the Bloody Tower, the Beauchamp Tower and its graffiti, and the ravens.
Combined visit: Tower of London + Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a few minutes’ walk away. Its exhibition (glass walkways high up, engine rooms) is open every day from 9:30 am to 6 pm, last entry 5 pm (official website towerbridge.org.uk, 15 October 2026). Our plan: the Tower of London at opening (9 am, the official quiet time), Crown Jewels first, guided tour, then Tower Bridge in the early afternoon. The reverse is possible during school-holiday weeks, since the Tower is then quieter after 1:30 pm; respect the 4:30 pm last entry.
Getting there
Address: Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB. According to the official website: 5 minutes’ walk from Tower Hill Underground station (District and Circle lines, step-free access to the street), 10 to 15 minutes from London Bridge and Fenchurch Street stations. River boats serve Tower Pier, right next to the entrance, from Westminster and the London Eye.
Accessibility and rules
- Historic building: difficult steps, spiral staircases, cobbles; wheelchair access is limited (official website). A detailed access guide is published.
- Wheelchair loan, a digital guide in British Sign Language, companion and concession tickets.
- No left-luggage: suitcases and large wheeled bags are prohibited.
Common mistakes
- Arriving after 3:15 pm and missing the Yeoman Warder guided tour, which is included in the ticket.
- Coming with a suitcase: there is no left-luggage on site.
- Leaving the Crown Jewels until the end, when the queue is longest.
- Allowing less than two hours.
The Tower of London in brief: a little history
The White Tower, the central keep, was begun by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Enlarged by his successors, the fortress served as a royal residence, armoury, mint, menagerie and state prison.
Several famous executions took place within the grounds, including that of Anne Boleyn in 1536. The Crown Jewels, still used in ceremonies, are kept here; they were used for the coronation of Charles III in 2023.
The Yeoman Warders, nicknamed Beefeaters, live within the grounds with their families. They are former servicemen; they lead the guided tours included in the ticket. Every evening the Ceremony of the Keys takes place, bookable separately.
The Tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Visiting with children
- The child ticket covers ages 5–15 (£19); for under-5s, check the full price list on hrp.org.uk.
- The ravens, the armour in the White Tower and the Yeoman Warders’ stories are usually popular with children.
- The spiral staircases in the White Tower are narrow: bring a baby carrier rather than a pushchair (stroller).
- Historic Royal Palaces runs family events during school holidays: check the events calendar.
Checklist before your visit
- A dated ticket bought on hrp.org.uk or at the ticket office.
- No suitcase or large wheeled bag: there is no left-luggage.
- Comfortable shoes for the cobbles and spiral staircases.
- Arrive before 11 am outside school holidays, after 1:30 pm during school holidays.
- Crown Jewels first, Yeoman Warder tour before 3:15 pm.
Is it worth it?
The Tower of London is one of the most complete visits in the city: military, royal and judicial history, plus the Crown Jewels. It costs more than the big national museums, which are free, but the included guided tour and the richness of the site justify spending half a day. If your budget is tight, choose between the Tower and Westminster Abbey according to your interests: fortress and jewels on one side, Gothic architecture and royal tombs on the other.
What to see nearby
Tower Bridge, St Katharine Docks and the Sky Garden. For another major historic monument, see our page on Westminster Abbey, reachable by river boat from Tower Pier. Our London guide and our page on the best time to visit London complete your planning.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter the Tower of London?
£38 for an adult and £19 for a child aged 5 to 15, excluding donation (official website, recorded on 15 October 2026).
How long do you need at the Tower of London?
At least two hours, Crown Jewels included, according to Historic Royal Palaces.
Do you need to book the Tower of London?
No, tickets are sold at the ticket office on the day, but buying online in advance is offered.
What is the best time to visit the Tower of London?
Before 11 am outside school holidays; during the holidays, after 1:30 pm, according to the site’s operator.
Is the Beefeater tour included?
Yes, the Yeoman Warder guided tour is included in the ticket; the last one leaves at 3:15 pm.
Our sources
- Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk): Tower of London, pages Visit, Tickets and prices, Opening and closing times, Getting here, Accessibility, consulted on 15 October 2026.
- Tower Bridge (towerbridge.org.uk), Visit page, consulted on 15 October 2026.
- Met Office, 1991–2020 normals for London-Heathrow, taken from our page on the best time to visit London.
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026.