Tower of London: Opening Ceremony & Early Crown Jewels Access
Overview
Available languages
1 hour
Mobile ticket
Most visitors arrive at the Tower of London to find crowded rooms and long queues at the Jewel House. This tour puts you inside before any of that happens.
You join a group of up to 20 guests and begin with a guided walk along the Tower's medieval outer walls, covering stories of Traitors' Gate, royal prisoners, and Thames-side ramparts. Before the Tower opens to the public, a Yeoman Warder leads your group inside for the Beefeater Opening Ceremony, where Yeoman Warders march in full dress uniform and unlock the fortress with military precision. It is a living ritual that most visitors never see.
Straight after the ceremony, you head to the Jewel House for first-of-the-day access to the Crown Jewels before the queues form. Your all-day entry ticket and included map and audio guide app then let you explore the White Tower, Bloody Tower, Tower Green, and more at your own pace.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
This tour is not wheelchair accessible due to uneven terrain and historic surfaces. Please contact us in advance if you have any questions or concerns about your mobility.
A smartphone and headphones are required to access the included audio guide app. Please ensure you bring both on the day of your tour.
What To Expect
Tower of London
Meet your guide outside the Tower of London Gift Shop for check-in and a welcome briefing. From here, follow your guide along the medieval outer walls, passing the ancient moat, Traitors' Gate, and the Thames-facing ramparts while hearing stories of royal prisoners, ravens, and centuries of intrigue.
Tower of London
Before the Tower opens to the public, a Yeoman Warder leads your group through a side entrance and into the empty fortress. Watch as Yeoman Warders in full dress uniform march through the courtyard and unlock the Tower of London gates with military precision, a living royal ritual that most visitors never witness.
Options
Tower of London: Opening Ceremony & Early Crown Jewels Access
What‘s Included
All-day Tower of London entry ticket
Tower of London map and audio guide app
Guided walking tour of the Tower of London external grounds
Self-guided exploration after the ceremony
First-of-the-day access to the Crown Jewels and Jewel House
Pre-opening access to the Tower of London with a Yeoman Warder
Beefeater Opening Ceremony viewing
Expert English-speaking tour host
Guided interior tour of the Tower of London
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
103 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great outside Tower tour
annelizabeths2021,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Jenoe was wonderful! Her enthusiasm and factual history knowledge was great.
Jen’s amazingness
spencercL213IG,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jen was amazing. I learned so much from her.
Lee was very...
Brian L,Jun 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Lee was very knowledgeable and entertaining, the morning key ceremony is a great way to see a little history and get a jump on the crowds.
Tower of London early tour
omhmom,Jun 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great guide, great stories, entertaining
Tower of London tour -Genoe was great
martysF5249YP,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jenoe was a great tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about the history of the tower and was very funny/well spoken in telling all the stories. She was a great tour guide and my family had a great time.
Jenoe is the best!
mariannesI8186MO,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jenoe was amazing! What a fabulous tour and thank you for the fun stories of the Tower!!
Informative
158yolandaa,Jun 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Friendly personable knowledgeable
Terrific Tower Tour
RyanMiller80,Jun 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jen was informative and entertaining. Very knowledgeable and friendly
BOOK WITH JEM
X2750XHsarahc,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jem was awesome!! So many good stories and learned so much
Not with the money
Michele R,May 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00This tour was not worth the money. We did the opening ceremony but due to the construction at the site you can not go through the gates they actually open with the keys. They didn’t let us go close to where they were actually opening it. We could watch them march down but could not see it. Our guide then just walked us up to the entry to the jewels and left. It wasn’t a real guide. Just buy early access tickets yourself. This was not with the price of this tour
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Operated by The Tour Guy