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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Tower of London

12 replies

Notambitious · 12/02/2025 21:25

Just how busy is it really?

We are planning to go next week with dc x2, probably in the week, although it is half term. A colleague has kindly informed me today that we won’t be able to see anything, will queue for hours to even get in (we have timed tickets) and also for the jewels, the audio guides will sell out etc etc. I am prepared for it to be busy but is this an exaggeration? They said to go straight to the jewels as soon as you get in to avoid the worst of the queues and also do a Beefeater tour rather than the audio guides. They said it’s one or the other for the tours and you don’t do both. Does anyone have any other recommendations?

Thanks :)

OP posts:
DuckBee · 12/02/2025 21:28

Yes go straight to the jewels as the wueue is very long. Try and get there as early as you can. Most of England seems to be on half term so be brave!

AlleyRose · 12/02/2025 21:31

It does get incredibly busy during school hols. I went (for the millionth time - I love it) in the summer hols. Got there first thing and went straight to the chapel as I wanted to see Anne Boleyn's place of rest. Did the Crown Jewels before that as there was no queue and I've seen them many times before. By 11 the queue was enormous and the rest of the tower was indeed just queues to get anywhere. I vowed never to go in school holidays again but you might be ok in February?

Imisscoffee2021 · 12/02/2025 21:32

Go for the Jewels first, the queue does move fast though it looks scary because everyone is on a conveyor belt in there, literally. So there's no dawdling inside. Doors open at 10 but queues will be building up outside longer, pre book your tickets so you have them on your phone ready. There are a few entrances so have a look at the map and see which is nearest jewel house, I can't recall now not been in a while.

MumonabikeE5 · 12/02/2025 21:34

I am so pleased I read this. Because I was thinking of taking the kids, we’ve not been before. But this sounds pretty crap.

Namechanger385u4p · 12/02/2025 21:36

I have a pass so go regularly in the hols/weekends. But i do avoid summer hols!
Get a mobile ticket so you just scan those on the gate.

The queue for the jewels can be long, i went in the oct half term and queued around 20 mins,
There's never usually queues for anything else.

dh sometimes gets an audio guide, ive never noticed it beinf a problem.

You can join their tours that happen every couple of hours i think.

JimHalpertsWife · 12/02/2025 21:38

Really they are being quite dramatic. We took the dc last Easter, so school holidays. Had 10am tickets, barely a queue for entry, joined a massive Beefeater tour on entry which we knew ended at the Jewels entry, so we ducked out 15mins before it ended to head up to the Jewels then. Didn't queue at all.

Namechanger385u4p · 12/02/2025 21:42

Most things are move-and-look rather than stand-and-look, so even if if's busy you can see all the stuff. The games at the top of the white tower can get clogged up.

My DC love the coin making bit the best which is often quiet as it's out of the way.

corlan · 12/02/2025 21:44

I believe the chapel where Anne Boleyn is buried is closed until April. They're doing work to put in better disabled access.
You can pay for an audio guide at the Tower but there's also a QR code you can scan to get a free audio guide - not sure if it's as good as the paid for one! The QR code is on the maps as you enter the Tower.
It will definitely be busy there next week - good advice to see the crown jewels either very early or late in the day to avoid the longest queues.
There's special performances on for the kids during half term - something about Captain Blood stealing the Crown Jewels - should be fun!

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/02/2025 21:57

It’s usually rammed at school holidays and most weekends. Timed/mobile tickets won’t make much difference as everyone still has to go through the same security/bag search so you all get funnelled into that queue (and there’s only one entrance unless you’re part of a pre booked group). It gets busier and busier as the day goes on. It’s worth it though.

You don’t have to choose the Beefeater tour OR the headset guided tour, you can do both. As others have said, go straight to the Crown Jewels then double back for the Beefeater tour, and then you can pick up a headset after that.

(I live within walking distance so get entry for £1 and go frequently - when it’s quiet! - but I walk past most days on my way to/from home).

Original poster
Notambitious · 12/02/2025 22:03

Thanks everyone! Plenty to think about!

OP posts:
MarioLink · 17/02/2025 06:08

We have been in school holidays recently. Booked for the second time slot, no queue, straight into the jewels, the next tour which was busy but they speak up so we heard everything, sent the kids to the front so they could see. Small queues for toilets. Quiet spots could be found. We had a good time. When we left we saw there was a big queue to enter and for the jewels.

reluctantbrit · 17/02/2025 16:15

Straight to the Jewel House and the rest is fairly ok. It's busy but that's part and parcel going somewhere like this in the holidays.

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