Tower of London After Hours Tours

The Tower of London is a different place after dark. Once the daytime crowds have left and the floodlights come on, the fortress feels its full age — and an after-hours tour is the way to experience it. The centrepiece is the Ceremony of the Keys, the nightly locking of the Tower that has taken place for around 700 years, witnessed with a Yeoman Warder in the near-empty grounds.

The Ceremony of the Keys

Every night, a Chief Yeoman Warder locks the Tower's gates in a short, unchanging ceremony that has continued for some seven centuries. It is quiet, formal and genuinely atmospheric — a piece of living tradition rather than a show. Because it happens after the Tower closes, it is not part of a normal ticket and needs its own booking. An after-hours tour is the reliable way in, with guaranteed access included.

The after-hours tour

What to expect on the night

The tour is entirely outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes for the cobbles — bring a jacket even in summer evenings. Arrive in good time, as the gates are, fittingly, locked to latecomers. The mood is calm and reflective rather than theatrical, and the reward is the Tower as few visitors ever see it: silent, floodlit and nearly empty, with a thousand years of history pressing in from the walls. For daytime hours, prices and directions, see the visitor guide; for other evening-adjacent traditions, the events page.

After-hours FAQs