Tower of London Beefeater Tours

No visit to the Tower of London is complete without a Beefeater. The Yeoman Warders — Beefeaters by their old nickname — have guarded the fortress for centuries and still live within its walls. Every admission ticket includes their free group tour, and it is one of the best introductions to the site anywhere in London. Paid Beefeater tours build on that with a private meet and greet and a smaller group.

Who are the Beefeaters?

The Yeoman Warders are ceremonial guardians of the Tower, and the role is hard-won: each must have served at least 22 years in the armed forces, with a clean record and long-service and good-conduct medals. There are around three dozen of them, and they and their families make up a small resident community inside the walls. One of them holds the title of Ravenmaster and cares for the ravens. Their tours mix real history with dark humour, and they are the reason so many visitors leave the Tower with a story to tell.

Best Beefeater tours

The free tour is superb; these paid options add a personal encounter.

Free tour or paid meet and greet?

Be clear about what you are paying for. The free Beefeater tour delivers the history and the storytelling at no extra cost, on the Tower's schedule and in a larger group. A paid Beefeater tour adds three things the free tour cannot: a private or guaranteed meet and greet, a smaller group, and often skip-the-line entry. If a personal encounter is the memory you want, pay for it; if you mainly want the stories, the free tour is one of the best things at the Tower and it is already included.

Beefeater tour FAQs