How Long Do You Need at the Tower of London?

Underestimating the Tower is the classic London-itinerary mistake. It looks compact from the outside, but there's a thousand years of history packed inside, and the Crown Jewels queue alone can eat into your plans. If you're slotting Tower of London tours into a busy trip, budget your time with care.

The short answer

Allow two to three hours for a standard visit that covers the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and a wander of the grounds without rushing. With children, or if you want to do the Wall Walk and every tower properly, plan for closer to four hours. A quick highlights-only dash is possible in about 90 minutes, but you'll feel it.

A sensible route for a half-day

• First 30 minutes: straight to the Crown Jewels before the queue builds.
• Next hour: the White Tower and Royal Armouries, then Tower Green and the scaffold memorial.
• Then: catch a Yeoman Warder tour (they leave every 30 minutes) or walk the battlements for the Tower Bridge views.
• Last stretch: the ravens, the Medieval Palace and the shops before you leave.

Half-day or full day?

The Tower is a natural half-day. To turn it into a full day, pair it with the neighbourhood: Tower Bridge is a two-minute walk, and St Katharine Docks and the river are right there. We've mapped out exactly how to combine them in our Tower and Tower Bridge day guide.

For opening hours and last-admission times, see the visitor guide; to time your visit for the smallest crowds, our guide to the best time to visit.