Sights · Our pick in London
Tower of London
The Crown Jewels
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Bob Collowan · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Tower of London
The Tower of London was begun by William the Conqueror after 1066, and its White Tower is one of the finest Norman buildings in Europe. Over the centuries it has been a royal palace, a prison and a place of execution. Today it guards the Crown Jewels, and the Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, lead tours full of stories. Arrive early to see the Crown Jewels before the queues build, and book tickets online.
Why it's on our list
- The Crown Jewels
- Yeoman Warder tours
- The White Tower
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Tower of London before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Tower of London, as the crow flies.
- Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square0.2 mi3 min walk
- The Dixon0.4 mi8 min walk
- Shangri-La The Shard0.5 mi10 min walk
- Andaz London Liverpool Street0.7 mi14 min walk
- The Ned0.7 mi14 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Tower of London are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Tower HillDistrictCircle0.1 mi2 min walk
- Tower GatewayDLR0.2 mi4 min walk
- London Fenchurch StreetNational Rail0.2 mi5 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Lower Thames Street0.2 mi3 min walk
- Taxi rank, Minories0.2 mi4 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- The Shard0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- London Eye1.9 miWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Covent Garden2.0 miWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Trafalgar Square2.2 miWalk 45 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Westminster Abbey2.3 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- The British Museum2.3 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Leicester Square2.3 miCycle 15 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Buckingham Palace2.9 miCycle 19 minCar or taxi 25 min
- Harrods3.8 miCycle 24 minCar or taxi 31 min
Main rail terminals
- London Bridge0.5 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Liverpool Street0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Waterloo1.7 miWalk 34 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 15 min
- Charing Cross2.2 miWalk 44 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras2.6 miCycle 17 minCar or taxi 22 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)2.7 miCycle 18 minCar or taxi 23 min
- Euston2.9 miCycle 18 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Victoria3.0 miCycle 19 minCar or taxi 25 min
- Paddington4.3 miCycle 28 minCar or taxi 35 min