The Tower of London: Exploring One of London’s Iconic Attractions

Looking for something truly London? The Tower of London sits right by the Thames, dwarfing the city’s glassy skyscrapers with almost 1,000 years of history. Locals sometimes walk past it without a glance, but there’s more here than the average tourist stop. If you live or work in London, or if you’re the friend who gets asked for recommendations, you’ll want to get these details right.

It’s easy to get here—just hop off at Tower Hill station, or stroll over from London Bridge. Book tickets ahead online (yes, even if you’re a Londoner with a Blue Peter badge or a National Art Pass). The queues can get chunky around school trips and in summer, so go early in the day, especially if you want a shot at seeing the Crown Jewels in peace.

Don’t let the classic tourist routes fool you: there’s loads tucked away if you know where to look. The Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, run free guided tours that are genuinely funny—ignore the stereotypes, these Londoners love a sharp question or a bit of banter about royal scandals. If you’ve got London kids in tow, check out the scavenger hunts or follow the legend of the Tower’s ravens (and yes, there are real birds with names like Jubilee and Erin strutting around).

• Why the Tower Still Matters in London
• Stories You Won’t Find on the Plaques
• Tips for Visiting Like a Local
• Eating, Drinking, and Shops Nearby
• What’s On: Events and Exhibits for 2025

Why the Tower Still Matters in London

The Tower of London isn’t just a throwback for school trips and busloads of tourists. It’s a living piece of the city’s story. Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, it’s watched over London through invasions, plagues, and the Blitz. These days, it’s one of London’s best-loved landmarks and a big part of the city’s identity.

It’s not just the ancient walls that matter. The Crown Jewels, kept under tight security in the Jewel House, are the star attraction. They’re still used for big national events—when Charles III was crowned, those were the real jewels on display. Plus, the Beefeaters aren’t just in costume for show. They actually live on site, and you’ll bump into them at St Katharine Docks Sainsbury’s if you’re local.

The Tower has also played every role you can think of: palace, armoury, fortress, zoo, prison, and even a royal mint. The graffiti of doomed prisoners still marks the chapel walls. In fact, over 6 million people visited just last year, which easily puts it in the top five London attractions.

Locals still talk about the Tower as the city’s unofficial timekeeper—every evening since 1280, the Ceremony of the Keys (where they lock the main gates) takes place. It’s free to watch, if you snag tickets early enough. That mix of pageantry and history is hard to find anywhere else in the UK.

• The moat is now dry, but every few years, it gets filled with poppies or lights for local memorials and charity events—check out Tower Remembers or the wildflower blooms in July.
• You can see parts of London’s original Roman wall just outside, handy if you’re after the real roots of the city.
• The Tower plays host to London’s coolest history-themed runs and charity walks; watch for events on the Historic Royal Palaces site to join in.

Stories You Won’t Find on the Plaques

The Tower of London has seen more drama than most West End theatres. But if you’re sticking to the official signs, you’ll miss out on the juicy bits locals love to swap at the pub. Want to know who tried (and failed) to escape, or who really haunts the old stones?

First off, the Tower wasn’t just for unfortunate queens and traitors. In the 1940s, notorious East End gangsters, the Kray twins, ended up here for a night when they dodged National Service—something you won’t spot on guided plaques. Even the Beefeaters have stories about the ghosts in the Queen’s House, and they’ll quietly admit to avoiding one staircase after dark.

Anne Boleyn is probably London’s most famous headless ghost, wandering near the chapel where she’s buried. But there’s also a less-spoken legend about the two young princes, Edward V and Richard, supposedly murdered and buried in the White Tower. Builders found tiny bones in 1674, but historians still debate if they belong to the boys.

If you want weird, here’s a fact: the Tower once held a royal menagerie, with lions and even a polar bear who would fish for food in the Thames. Samuel Pepys, that busy London diarist, wrote about crowds coming just to watch the animals. Today, you only see the ravenmasters wrangling the birds, but a few stone animal sculptures still turn up in random corners.

The Tower of London feels more alive when you start spotting these side stories. If you join a Yeoman Warder tour, don’t be shy—ask about the ravens’ hidden nests or see if anyone acknowledges the flickering lights in the White Tower at night. Most visitors miss these details, so you’ll have a bragging right next time you’re walking past the moat.

Tips for Visiting Like a Local

You can spot Londoners at the Tower of London because we do things differently. Want the best day out while dodging the crowds and awkward selfies? Here’s how.

• Go outside peak hours. Early mornings right when the Tower opens (usually 9am or 10am depending on the season) are perfect—especially midweek. Early risers get a quieter look at the Crown Jewels.
• Buy tickets online. Seriously, nobody buys them at the gate anymore—plus, you sometimes save a few quid.
• Use your Oyster or contactless card for quick Thameslink or DLR journeys to Tower Hill. The Circle and District Line get you the closest, but London Bridge Station gives a breezy riverside walk with top views of Tower Bridge.
• Check for resident discounts. Did you know Tower Hamlets locals can score £1 entry with proof of address? Don’t miss out if you’re nearby.
• Skip the main café queues. The New Armouries Café is fine, but locals often nip across to Byward Kitchen or even grab a takeaway from Borough Market and picnic by the moat (no alcohol, though—rules are strict!).
• Join a Yeoman Warder tour—they leave every 30 minutes, and it’s the quickest way to get true London stories. Plan for a good hour.
• Avoid busy school trip periods—usually late mornings on weekdays in term time, especially from May through July. Check London school holiday calendars for quieter windows.

The Tower gets more than 2.8 million visits a year—a lot for any London spot. So planning helps:

Don’t just take my word for it either. The head Yeoman Warder, Pete McGowran, put it best:

“Locals know all the shortcuts—catch us before the crowds and you’ll get a much livelier tour. And ask questions, we love it!”

If you want to feel like a true Londoner, walk the wall walkways for those secret city views. Most Londoners only realise how cool they are when out-of-towners show up. You’ll thank yourself for checking weather reports, too—the Tower looks dramatic in the rain but walking the battlements in a downpour is less fun than it sounds. Bring a brolly and wear comfy shoes, trust me!

Eating, Drinking, and Shops Nearby

When hunger or thirst hits near the Tower of London, you’ve got decent choices—no need to settle for stale sandwiches from the first kiosk you see. The on-site New Armouries Café does hot meals, sandwiches, and proper English tea, and you can actually get decent veggie or gluten-free options (which isn’t always a given in old-school attractions). If you want to keep it truly British, the café’s scones and sausage rolls are reliably good.

If you step just outside the gates, you’re spoiled for options. Head to Wagamama on Tower Hill if you need a quick noodle fix that won’t break the bank—handy for families. For something posher, Coppa Club’s igloo domes overlook the Thames and Tower Bridge and are Insta-famous for a reason. If it’s classic pub vibes you want, The Hung, Drawn & Quartered is a local favourite for a pint and actually references the Tower’s grimmer past in its name.

After a long tour, Borough Market isn’t far on foot or by Tube. You’ll find fresh-baked bread, global street food, and British cheese stalls. Ideal if you want to mix history with London food culture in a single outing.

• Tower of London Gift Shop—stocked with quirky royal souvenirs, Beefeater teddy bears, and the odd replica crown. It’s worth a browse even if you’re not souvenir shopping.
• St Katharine Docks—just a ten-minute walk along the river, with independent cafes, Mediterranean restaurants, and even waterside coffee if you want a quieter spot away from tourists.
• Try a stroll down to Goodmans Field for bigger chains like Pizza Union and Honest Burgers, good for picky eaters or anyone wanting a quick bite before catching the Tube back.

Wi-Fi is patchy around the Tower itself, but most cafes nearby have free access if you need to check transport or show off your raven selfies. There’s something for everyone—whether you want a fancy riverside meal, family-friendly grub, or just a classic London pint.

What’s On: Events and Exhibits for 2025

There’s always something happening at the Tower in London, and 2025 is no exception. Whether you’re local, hosting visitors, or just looking for a reason to nip out of the office, keep an eye on what’s on for the year ahead. Events range from big-ticket exhibits to quirky pop-ups and family-friendly days out.

This year, heads up for these highlights:

• Tower Twilight Tours: Back by popular demand, you can book guided after-dark tours every Friday from March to October. Perfect for anyone craving stories that don’t make the official guidebooks. Tours kick off from 7:00 pm – and you get a different vibe at night.
• Unearthed: Tudor Artifacts Exhibition: Running June through September, this new display pulls out never-seen items from the storage vaults, including Tudor tools, armor, and even old love letters. Seriously, who knew the Tudors were that soppy?
• Raven Walks & Keeper Q&As: Londoners love the Tower’s resident ravens, so plan to join the weekend walks at 11:30 am (free with entry). You get to meet the ravenmaster and learn why these birds really matter.
• Crown Jewels 2025 Anniversary: It’s exactly 350 years since the regalia survived the big Tower fire, so this season’s Jewel House tour comes packed with new audio features and rare items on loan from Edinburgh Castle.
• Family Festival Week (Summer Holidays): The Tower gets lively with pop-up craft workshops, storytelling sessions, and hands-on history games. Don’t forget, kids go free with a paying adult from 27 July – 31 August.

Booking in advance is smart these days—especially for festivals and the Tower of London night tours. Special events often get listed first for Historic Royal Palaces members, so check their site if you’re a regular.

Food stalls and the café add seasonal menus during big events, so more London street food finds its way inside the grounds. And watch the official @toweroflondon Instagram for real-time event reminders and ticket drops—it’s got the least cringey updates of all the royal social media.