Morning at the Tower with Crown Jewels & Thames River Cruise

Enter the Tower of London and spend the morning discovering the rich history waiting inside. Then see London by water on a Thames river cruise.

Step inside a former royal residence and experience history brought to life with a complete tour of the Tower of London by an expert Blue Badge guide. You’ll get an up-close view of the precious Crown Jewels and a complete tour of the complex. Hear the history behind the Bloody Tower, Traitor’s Gate, and the ravens kept within the Tower—along with the many specters said to haunt these halls. Finish with a relaxing river cruise down the River Thames.

Your tour begins outside the Tower, where your expert guide will give you the context needed to understand the significance the site holds—not only in the pages of history, but its continued relevance today. Once the doors open, you'll step inside this historic building, with your guide bringing you directly to the Jewel House. Armed with the knowledge that makes these gemstones so important, feast your eyes on the 23,000 gemstones contained within the Crown Jewels.

 Afterwards, your guide will lead you out onto the castle ramparts. Take in the gorgeous view of the Thames before exploring the personal chambers of past kings and discovering the intriguing stories of betrayal and power behind the Traitor’s Gate and the Bloody Tower. You’ll also discover why a superstition holds that ravens be kept within the Tower at all times.   

 Retracing the paths of former prisoners of the Tower, you’ll step into the Torture Tower where you’ll discover the methods used to extract confessions and the exact spots where famous characters in history spent their final days.   

 Your last stop on the tour will be the White Tower. Here you’ll see the armory and discover the function behind specific pieces of armor and how they changed throughout the centuries. After parting ways from your guide, you’ll be free to explore further on your own, equipped with the complete story of the Tower and its importance as a symbol of royal, state and historic power.  You’ll also receive a flexible one-way boat pass for a London sightseeing river cruise to be used on any day and from any pier.