TOWER OF LONDON TOUR - London 2015 - page 450

Hours: March-Oct Tue-Sat 9:00-17:30, Sun-Mon 10:00-17:30; Nov-Feb Tue-Sat
9:00-16:30, Sun-Mon 10:00-16:30; last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Advance Tickets: To avoid the long ticket-buying lines at the Tower, the easiest option
is to buy your ticket at the Trader's Gate gift shop, located down the steps from
the Tower Hill Tube stop (tickets here are generally slightly cheaper than at the
gate—they don't include the voluntary donation). Tickets are also sold at various
locations (such as travel agencies) throughout London. You can also buy tickets,
with credit card only, at the Tower Welcome Centre to the left of the normal ticket
lines—though on busy days, it can be crowded here as well. It's easy to book online
( www.hrp.org.uk , £ 1 discount, no fee) or by phone (tel. [phone] within UK or
tel. [phone] from the US; £ 2 fee), then pick up your tickets at the Tower.
More Crowd-Beating Tips: It's most crowded in summer, on weekends (especially
Sundays), and during school holidays. Any time of year, the line for the crown jew-
els—the best on earth—can be just as long as the line for tickets. For fewer crowds,
arrive before 10:00 and go straight for the jewels. Alternatively, arrive in the after-
noon, tour the rest of the Tower first, and see the jewels an hour before closing time,
when crowds die down.
Getting There: The Tower is located in East London (Tube: Tower Hill). For speed, take
the Tube there (about 10-12 minutes from central London); for romance, take the boat.
Thames Clippers boats make the trip between the Tower of London and Westminster
Pier near Big Ben in 30 minutes; the boat continues on to Greenwich from the Tower
Pier. For details about these cruises, see here . Buses #15 and #RV1 make the trip from
Trafalgar Square (see map on here ) .
Information: Upon arrival, pick up the free map/guide, and check the schedule of the
day's events and special demonstrations (such as knights in armor explaining medi-
eval fighting techniques; these are most common on particularly busy days such as
school holidays). Everything inside is well described, so skip the £ 5 Tower guidebook.
Switchboard tel. [phone], www.hrp.org.uk .
Sunday Worship: On Sunday morning, visitors are welcome on the grounds for free to
worship in the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula. You get in without the lines, but
you can only see the chapel—no sightseeing (9:15 Communion or 11:00 service with
fine choral music, meet at west gate 30 minutes early, dress for church, may be closed
for ceremonies—call ahead; phone number listed above).
Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) Tours: Free, worthwhile, one-hour Beefeater tours leave
every 30 minutes from inside the gate (first tour Tue-Sat at 10:00, Sun-Mon at 10:30,
last one at 15:30—or 14:30 in Nov-Feb). The boisterous Beefeaters are great enter-
tainers, whose historical talks include lots of bloody anecdotes and corny jokes. Check