Tower of London Opening Ceremony and Tower Bridge Guided Tour

The Tower of London Opening Ceremony

Every morning the Yeoman Warders unlock the Tower of London with a short, formal ceremony that has been part of fortress life for centuries. Watching it is only possible if you are inside before the public opening time, which is why this early-access tour starts at 08:15 and enters through a separate entrance with your guide.

The ceremony is brief but atmospheric: uniformed Warders, the ring of keys, the quiet courtyards before the day begins. Your guide explains the traditions behind it and how the Tower has been guarded since it was founded in the 11th century. It is a highlight many people miss when they buy standard Tower of London tickets and arrive later in the day.

The Crown Jewels before the crowds

The Jewel House holds more than a hundred objects of royal regalia, including the coronation crowns, orbs, sceptres and swords still used at coronations and state occasions. On a normal visit the queue can stretch across the courtyard by late morning, but on this tour you go in early, while the moving walkway past the crowns is still calm.

Your guide introduces the stories behind the most famous pieces before you go in, so you know what you are looking at: the great diamonds, the ancient coronation spoon and the crowns made for the coronations of the last few centuries. Plan around 30 minutes for the Jewel House and its displays.

The White Tower and the fortress grounds

The White Tower is the Norman keep at the centre of the Tower of London, begun in the 1070s and one of the oldest and best-preserved buildings of its kind in Europe. Its pale stone walls and four corner turrets are the image most people have of the Tower, and inside you find a historic chapel and a collection of royal armour.

With your guide you also walk the grounds between the walls, past Tower Green, the Bloody Tower and the ravens on the lawns, hearing about the prisoners, plots and royal life that shaped the site. The Tower part of the tour lasts around one and a half hours, including photo stops.

Tower Bridge and its high-level walkways

A short walk from the Tower brings you to Tower Bridge, opened in 1894 and instantly recognisable with its two Gothic towers and pale blue suspension chains. Your skip-the-line timed tickets take you up into the towers and along the high-level walkways that link them 42 metres above the Thames.

From the walkways you look down the river towards the City and Canary Wharf and back towards the Tower of London you have just explored. The exhibition explains how the bridge was designed to let tall ships pass while carrying road traffic. If you have wondered whether Tower Bridge is worth visiting inside, the views alone make the case, and a section of glass floor lets you look straight down at the traffic and boats below.

The Victorian Engine Rooms

The tour ends below the bridge in the Victorian Engine Rooms, where huge steam engines, boilers and accumulators once powered the hydraulic system that raised the bascules. The machinery is beautifully preserved in its original colours, with polished brass and giant flywheels.

Exhibits and displays tell the story of the engineers and stokers who kept the bridge running and of London's industrial past. The bridge still opens several hundred times a year, now with modern hydraulics. Allow about 45 minutes for the whole Tower Bridge visit, after which you are free to continue your day along the river. The riverside path towards London Bridge and Borough is an easy next step.