April 6, 2026
The infamous Tower of London is one of the oldest and most historical places to visit on a trip to the capital. Although actually, a castle made up of 22 towers, its history is both gruesome and compelling. The former royal residence, treasury, mint, armoury, and menagerie, are now most remembered as the prison where a king, three queens, and many nobles were beheaded.
visit the tower of london
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Today the iconic landmark draws in millions of intrigued tourists looking for an insight into its past and of course to jump on the travelator for a glimpse of the spectacular Crown Jewels.
A visit to the Tower of London never disappoints as there are always a variety of activities running bringing the iconic attraction to life.
Knight School
This February half term sees the return of Knight School. Enrol the kids and watch your brave defenders rise through the ranks from page, squire, and finally Knight. Medieval characters amuse families with jokes and dance moves throughout the session.
Eager trainees can expect to develop their knightly skills from manners, etiquette, and entertainment to martial skills and fitness.
All the action happens outside the striking central White Tower, built by William the Conqueror almost 1,000 years ago. An incredible backdrop for the kids to practice their swashbuckling sword skills and charge at a quintain.
If they make the grade, the finale is a glorious knighting ceremony amongst rapturous applause as they join the Tower garrison.
The live interactive history lesson, combined with actors enacting one of the most highly regarded professions in the Middle Ages, is a brilliant way to educate young minds. If only my history lessons at school were as fun!
There is plenty on offer indoors too with drop-in activities like creating catapults, dressing up, and designing flags and shields just to name a few. The adventure doesn’t need to end here either. Explore the Royal Armouries within the White Tower. Take a closer look at the real armour worn by King Henry VIII and the gilded armour of Kings Charles I and also James II.
Crown Jewels
I don’t think anyone can leave without heading to the Jewel House. Queues can be long, but we were lucky and wandered straight in. Enter the dark rooms, and walk past videos showing monarchs wearing glittering jewels. The spectacular collection of crowns, orbs and sceptres, ceremonial swords, robes, and dining vessels encrusted with thousands of gemstones is astonishing.
The jewels are all behind glass, and you can catch a good glimpse guided through the collection on the travelator. We were completely bedazzled by the platinum crown of the late Queen Mother, set with the 106-carat Koh-i-Nûr (‘Mountain of Light’) diamond, and the Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament. You can’t take photos inside the building, so you’ll have to take my word for it – they’re definitely worth visiting.
Guards at the Tower of London
Spot the guards outside Jewel House and the half-timbered Queen’s House which faces Tower Green. Queen’s House looks distinctly different from the rest of the complex. It was built around 1530 in the reign of King Henry VIII for his second Queen Anne Boleyn, who was executed soon afterward.
There are three daily ceremonies to look out for – the Ceremonial Opening, the Ceremony of the Word, and the Ceremony of the Keys.
Book Now: Early Access Tour with Opening Ceremony
The Ceremony of the Keys is a 700-year-old ancient ceremony that occurs daily from 21:30 to 22:05 hours. Tickets are free but must be pre-booked online. The event is really popular so make sure you book your tickets months in advance.
The ravens
Meet the Ravenmaster, who takes care of the most important members of the Tower of London – The Ravens. The legend goes that if the six ravens ever leave the fortress, the Kingdom will fall. To be on the safe side there are actually seven ravens at the Tower. The ravens are free to roam the grounds during the day and preside over four different territories within the Tower’s walls.
Visitors aren’t allowed to feed them and shouldn’t approach too closely as they can be aggressive if their territory is threatened. If you’re lucky you may see them snacking on treats of mice, chicks, and blood-soaked biscuits.
Yeoman Warders tour
Many people also hop onto a Yeoman Warders tour, if they don’t fancy using an audio guide. Also known as Beefeaters they originally formed King Henry VIII’s personal bodyguard. The entertaining 45-minute tours begin near the main entrance daily, every 30 minutes. It’s a great way to discover all the captivating stories of ardor, treachery, and torture that went on behind the walls.
Useful Information
Historic Royal Palaces run regular family activities during the school holidays, so it’s worth checking to see what’s on when you want to visit.
The tours and activities like Knight School are included in the Tower of London general admission ticket.
For more information and to buy tickets visit the Tower of London website.
other things to do near the tower of London
- Tower Bridge
Combine a visit to Tower Bridge on the same day, as the Tower of London is located just in front of the bridge. The Tower Bridge exhibition gives you the opportunity of seeing London from the high-level walkways
Book Now: Tower Bridge Tickets
- Sky Garden
London’s highest public garden offers incredible views of London. Only a 10 minutes away from the Tower of London is a great place for a drink and a bite to eat too with two onsite restaurants. The entrance is free for the gardens but you need to book your ticket in advance at Sky Garden website.
- Dunstan-in-the-East
A beautiful, tranquil spot in the city of London is the ruins of an old Parish church, now a public garden. Read more about it in 5 Hidden Gems to Discover in London.
Book Now: 3-Hour Sacred, Secret, Sanctuary Gardens & Ruins
- The Shard
This is the tallest building in the UK standing 309.6 metres (1,016ft) high. Its observation deck, The View from The Shard, offers 360-degree panoramic views of the city. Book tickets here.
There are also plenty of places to eat within the building, for a real try the Mary Poppins Afternoon Tea at the Aqua Shard.
Book Now: View from the Shard Entrance Ticket with Champagne
Read more on London day trips: London for Free – 10 Money-Saving Experiences
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Zenbabytravel says:
Knight school looks so cool Sima! We’ve been jousting with the boys last year in spring at Blenheim Palace and they totally love it and would be up fo some more! And of course the Crown Jewels & all that fun at Tower of London – thanks for the fabulous inspiration linked on #CulturedKids!
Sima Sthanakiya says:
The kids loved it as well as the adults. Highly recommend it of your boys loved jousting
Scarlett Roitman says:
I wish I’d done Knight School with my girls once upon a time – it’s such an incredible backdrop. Top of my list is the Ceremony of the Keys – and a visit to that Beefeater pub! #CULTUREDKIDS
Sima Sthanakiya says:
I really want to do the Ceremony of the Keys. Looks fascinating being able to watch such an old tradition still in practice.
Nancy | MapandFamily says:
That really does look fun! Time for another visit to the Tower of London and I too would love to see the Ceremony of the Keys.
Sima Sthanakiya says:
We all had so much fun Nancy. And yeah a trip to the Tower of London is always a good idea.
Megan Morgan says:
What a view whilst learning to be a knight! Such a fab activity for kids #culturedkids
Sima Sthanakiya says:
It was fabulous Megan. Highly recommend!
Angie Silver says:
Well this is such a cool idea!
Sima Sthanakiya says:
We all had so much fun. I love all the school holiday activities Historic Palaces run.
Vyki from Museum Mum says:
Ceremony of the Keys is top of my wishlist. We’ve had a few really successful trips to the Tower of London with kids over the years – the Crown Jewels always captures their imagination, as well as the menagerie wire animals. Knight School sounds like a lot of fun! #CulturedKids
Sima Sthanakiya says:
Knight School is a great way to peak their interests in history. It’s a fascinating attraction something new every time you visit.
The Jetset Boyz says:
The Ceremony of the Keys is an absolutely fascinating tradition – well worth trying to get tickets to attend! They’re just £5.00 per person. There’s normally a one year wait for the next available slot, but due to the pandemic you may get lucky and snag tickets for the coming weeks.
Sima Sthanakiya says:
It’s on my long list of things to do 🙂