Essential Tips & Guides
Insider knowledge to make your Tower of London visit extraordinary
Before You Go Checklist
Family Guide
Photography Spots & Timing
Classic White Tower Shot
Best: 9:00-10:00 AMFrom Tower Green, morning light illuminates the White Tower perfectly. Avoid harsh midday shadows.
Tower Bridge Backdrop
Best: Any timeStand on Thames walkway facing east. Tower walls with Tower Bridge behind - iconic London shot.
Medieval Palace Courtyard
Best: 11:00 AM-1:00 PMLess crowded than main areas. Beautiful Tudor architecture, half-timbered buildings.
Traitors' Gate from Water
Best: AfternoonFrom Thames Path outside Tower. The famous water entrance where prisoners arrived by boat.
Ravens Close-Up
Best: Morning or late afternoonNear Wakefield Tower. Be patient and respectful - ravens are working residents! Don't get too close.
Important: Photography not allowed inside the Jewel House (Crown Jewels). Allowed everywhere else including White Tower, ramparts, and courtyards.
Food & Facilities
New Armouries Café (Inside)
Hot meals, sandwiches, coffee. Reasonable prices. Indoor seating with Tower Green views. Gets busy 12-2pm.
Ravens Café (Inside)
Quick grab-and-go. Snacks, drinks, ice cream. Near exit, convenient for late visit snack.
Picnic Areas
No official picnic spots inside, but benches near Tower Green when not crowded. Better option: eat before entry or after exit.
Nearby (5 min walk)
St Katharine Docks has multiple restaurants/pubs with Thames views. All Saints Café for budget option. Lots of coffee shops on Tower Hill.
Pro Tip: Food inside is decent but pricey. St Katharine Docks (5 min walk) has better variety and value. Can also exit Tower for lunch and return same day with ticket.
Hidden Gems Most Visitors Miss
The Salt Tower Graffiti
Medieval prisoners carved intricate graffiti into cell walls. Look for the astronomical clock carved by Hugh Draper (imprisoned 1561). Most visitors rush past.
Fusiliers Museum
Often empty even when Tower is packed. Free with Tower ticket. Fascinating military history from 1685. In Waterloo Block, opposite Crown Jewels entrance.
The Well Tower
Quietest rampart tower. Amazing Thames views. Where Sir Walter Raleigh was held. Most tourists stick to main paths.
St Thomas's Tower
Edward I's private palace chambers, rebuilt as they were in 1270s. Incredibly atmospheric. Often overlooked in rush to Crown Jewels.
Ceremony of the Keys
700-year-old nightly ritual locking the Tower (9:30pm). Free but must book months ahead. Unforgettable experience, very limited spots.
The Queen's House Garden
Visible from Tower Green. Where Anne Boleyn walked before execution. Not open to public but beautiful Tudor garden to admire from outside.
Local Expert's Final Tips
- •Join a Yeoman Warder tour (free with ticket) - they're incredibly entertaining and share stories not in guidebooks
- •Visit on a weekday in shoulder season (April/May or Sept/Oct) for best weather-to-crowd ratio
- •The Tower is living history - engage with the Yeoman Warders and staff, they love sharing knowledge