It’s one of those time-honored experiences that brings British history clanging to life, all iron keys, whispered secrets, ornate colored garments, and ceremonial swagger.
From early entry privileges to private Beefeater audiences, these carefully handpicked tours offer a rare glimpse behind the Tower’s formidable façade and tourist invasion.
You’ll find everything from fast-track Crown Jewels access to stories told by those who live and work within its walls. And if you’re making a full day of it, you might also consider a spot of whimsy aboard one of London’s best tea bus tours or browse things to do in London with teens — especially if you’re balancing history with budget.
Below, I’ve diligently narrowed down my top 6 options, including three quick picks, with full reviews to help you choose the best experience for your Tower of London tour.
Best Beefeater Tours Tower of London
| Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Audience | Ultimate Tower of London, Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels | VIP Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour with Private Beefeater Meet & Greet |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
| Duration: 3 hours | Duration: 2.5 hours | Duration: 3 hours |
| Pickup: Not included | Pickup: Not included | Pickup: Not included |
| Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours | Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours | Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours |
| Includes: Early access, private Beefeater audience, Crown Jewels, Tower admission | Includes: Welcome by Beefeater, Crown Jewels, Tower grounds, expert guide | Includes: Private Beefeater meet, Crown Jewels, full Tower tour |
| Best for early access & personal interaction | Ideal for first-timers wanting iconic highlights | Best for intimate experience with in-depth history |
| 👉 Reserve Your Spot! | 👉 Reserve Your Spot! | 👉 Reserve Your Spot! |
Quick Pick: Tower of London Beefeater Tours
- Tour 1: Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Audience
- Tour 2: Ultimate Tower of London, Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels
- Tour 3: VIP Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour with Private Beefeater Meet & Greet
- Tour 4: London: Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters
- Tour 5: Tower of London: Early Access with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters
- Tour 6: Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Meet & Greet
Tower of London Beefeater Tour Reviews (2025)
Tour 1: Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Audience
✅ Meeting Point: Tower of London Ticket Office, EC3N 4AB, London
✅ Departure Time: 8:15 AM
✅ Duration: 3 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking guide, includes exclusive Beefeater audience
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Early access to Tower grounds, private Beefeater audience before general admission, Crown Jewels entry, full Tower admission
It’s not every morning you find yourself waiting at the Tower of London gates before the rest of the city has even poured its tea. But that’s the quiet magic of the Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Audience — a rare chance to slip past the usual crowds and into the heart of British royal history.
The experience begins with that delicious feeling of exclusivity. Just a small group and the cobbled hush of the Tower, steeped in centuries of drama and iron will. Then, like a scene from a historical novel, a real-life Beefeater appears — not just to recite facts, but to invite you into their world.
Our Yeoman Warder didn’t rush or stick to the script. There was wit, pride, and just the right touch of gallows humour. We stood in the same shadowy corners where stories unfolded: Anne Boleyn, traitors’ gates, ravens who won’t leave.
Best of all? Crown Jewels before the lines. Gleaming, outrageous, almost surreal in the empty gallery light.
The Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Audience left us feeling like we’d glimpsed a side of the Tower few ever do.
Tour 2: Ultimate Tower of London, Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels
✅ Meeting Point: Outside the Tower of London Shop, next to the entrance
✅ Departure Time: 9:15 AM
✅ Duration: 2.5 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking guide, Beefeater welcome
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Welcome by a Tower Warden (Beefeater), Crown Jewels entry, guided Tower tour, White Tower access, small group experience
There’s something quietly thrilling about being greeted by a Beefeater in full regalia before the crowds surge through the gates. Not just a costumed welcome, but a real introduction from someone who lives inside these walls — part guard, part guide, part legend.
The Ultimate Tower of London, Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels tour felt like slipping backstage. We joined a small group early enough to enjoy the space without being herded, and our guide, crisp, engaging, full of pace, brought colour and context to every stone and shadow.
The Beefeater’s welcome added a lovely touch of ceremony before we moved into the Crown Jewels. No pushing. No elbowing. Just quiet awe as the royal regalia glittered like something out of myth.
What surprised me most were the smaller details: carved graffiti in the Tower’s cells, a whispered anecdote near the ravens’ enclosure, the chill underfoot in the White Tower. All told well, with that mix of solemnity and humour, the British seem to have mastered.
We decided together on the Ultimate Tower of London, Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels, and it offered a perfectly timed dive into London’s royal past.
Tour 3: VIP Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour with Private Beefeater Meet & Greet
✅ Meeting Point: Tower of London, main entrance near the ticket office
✅ Departure Time: 8:00 AM
✅ Duration: 3 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking Blue Badge guide + Beefeater greeting
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Early access to Tower grounds, private Beefeater meet & greet, Crown Jewels viewing, full expert-led Tower tour
Some tours feel like history. This one felt like access.
We met just before 8am, the city still stretching awake, and were led through the Tower gates like trusted guests. The crowds hadn’t yet formed — it was just us, the ancient walls, and the slight echo of boots on stone.
The VIP Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour with Private Beefeater Meet & Greet is every bit as exclusive as it sounds. A uniformed Yeoman Warder welcomed us in person, not for a photo op, but for a genuine, private introduction. It was personal, a little cheeky, and entirely unforgettable.
What followed was a richly guided walk through towers and tales — from bloody betrayals to royal triumphs — delivered by a certified Blue Badge guide who clearly knew how to weave fact and feeling.
Seeing the Crown Jewels with no one around made them feel even more surreal. No glass between us and the idea of monarchy — just breath and space and sparkle.
The VIP Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour with Private Beefeater Meet & Greet honestly felt like a secret, well-kept.
Tour 4: London: Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters
✅ Meeting Point: Outside the Tower of London entrance, EC3N 4AB, London
✅ Departure Time: 10:00 AM
✅ Duration: 3 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking guide, Beefeater interaction
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Entry to Tower of London, Crown Jewels access, live guide, meet the Beefeaters experience, full guided tour
This is the kind of classic experience you imagine when you first picture the Tower — grand, guided, and full of atmosphere.
The London: Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel — it simply rolls it well. We met our group just outside the Tower gates, where the first views across the Thames were already stealing our attention.
Our guide arrived full of energy, the kind that makes you forget you’re on your feet for three hours. They had that uncanny ability to point at a brick and tell a story that made you see it differently. That’s a rare skill.
The Beefeater segment was woven in nicely, not rushed, not overdone. Just the right length for photos, questions, and a bit of humour. And the Crown Jewels? Timed just right after the introduction, with enough build-up that they still managed to impress, even if you’ve seen the pictures.
Several friends recommended the London: Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters, and it struck that perfect sightseeing stride — informative, entertaining, and beautifully British.
Tour 5: Tower of London: Early Access with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters
✅ Meeting Point: Tower of London entrance, EC3N 4AB, London
✅ Departure Time: 8:15 AM
✅ Duration: 2.5 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking guide, Beefeater welcome
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Early Tower access, Beefeater greeting, Crown Jewels entry, guided Tower tour, smaller group size
This tour runs on one of the best luxuries in London — an early start.
With the sun catching on the Tower’s ancient stone and barely a tourist in sight, the Tower of London: Early Access with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters tour offers a rare kind of hush. Just the creak of history underfoot and the occasional caw of a raven who seems to know more than it lets on.
Our guide welcomed us with warmth and a bit of dry wit, easing us into centuries of betrayal, royal intrigue, and gruesome endings without ever feeling heavy-handed. It was the kind of storytelling that keeps you leaning forward, even before your first coffee.
The Beefeater welcome came early in the experience — personal, proud, and full of character. You could feel the weight of tradition, even as jokes were shared. And then, the Crown Jewels. With no queues. No hustle. Just gleaming symbols of empire, up close and oddly quiet.
The Tower of London: Early Access with Crown Jewels & Beefeaters felt like London itself had opened a door just for us.
Tour 6: Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Meet & Greet
✅ Meeting Point: Tower of London main entrance near ticket collection
✅ Departure Time: 8:15 AM
✅ Duration: 3 hours
✅ Guide: Live English-speaking guide, exclusive Beefeater meet
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: First entry to Tower grounds, private Beefeater audience, Crown Jewels access, guided tour, small group format
This one’s for those who like their history bold, unfiltered — and preferably before breakfast.
We joined the Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Meet & Greet just as the gates opened, stepping into a place that felt both sacred and defiant. The Tower has that effect: heavy stone, chill air, and the soft scuff of shoes on ancient paths.
And then came the Beefeater. Not waving from a distance, but right there, walking and talking with us like a host who knows every brick and betrayal by heart. It wasn’t theatrical — it was intimate. Full of wit, pride, and one or two sharp jokes that landed perfectly.
The tour itself was deeply considered — never rushed, never padded. The Crown Jewels appeared early enough to dazzle, and the rest of the Tower revealed itself in layers: the armoury, the ravens, the secrets scratched into cell walls.
The Tower of London First Entry with Beefeater Private Meet & Greet was like a quiet privilege — as if the Tower allowed us in before the day properly began.
Tower of London Tour with Beefeater
Who Are the Beefeaters?
Often mistaken for actors in costume, Beefeaters — officially known as Yeoman Warders — are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London.
Each one is a retired military service member with at least 22 years of experience, chosen for their impeccable service.
They live onsite, know every corridor and secret, and serve as living links to centuries of royal tradition.
A Brief History of the Tower of London
Founded in 1066 by William the Conqueror, the Tower of London has served many roles: royal residence, prison, armoury, and treasury.
It has witnessed everything from the coronation of kings to the beheading of queens.
The Crown Jewels, still housed here today, represent both grandeur and control, power you can actually walk past.
What Happens on a Beefeater Tour?
A Tower of London tour with Beefeater is part performance, part history, and part access.
You’ll enter with your guide and meet a real Beefeater — someone who knows the stories because they live them.
Expect royal tales, dark secrets, and dry British wit. It’s not just a tour. It’s oral history in action.
What Will You See on the Tour?
✅ The Crown Jewels, with early access on select tours
✅ Traitor’s Gate and the Bloody Tower
✅ Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula — burial site of Anne Boleyn
✅ Tower Green — site of royal executions
✅ The White Tower, full of weapons and armour
✅ And, of course, the ravens — guardians of the realm
FAQs (Beefeater Tour Tower of London: 6 Best Options (2025 Reviews)
Q1: Where do the Beefeater tours of the Tower of London start?
Most tours begin just outside the main entrance or the Tower ticket office at EC3N 4AB. Check your booking confirmation for exact meet-up details, as a few tours start beside the Tower shop.
Q2: Do I get to meet a real Beefeater on these tours?
Yes. All six tours include either a private audience, a Beefeater welcome, or interaction during your visit. These are official Yeoman Warders who live and work at the Tower.
Q3: Are the Crown Jewels included in these tours?
Absolutely. Every tour on this list includes entry to the Crown Jewels, often timed before general crowds arrive for a more personal viewing.
Q4: How early are the ‘early access’ tours?
Early access tours typically begin between 8:00 and 8:15 AM — before public opening hours. It’s a quieter, more exclusive experience.
Q5: Can I cancel the tour if my plans change?
Yes, all listed tours include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, giving you flexibility if needed.
Q6: Are these tours suitable for children?
Yes, though younger children may find the stories intense. Small-group formats and Beefeater storytelling can be engaging for older kids.
Q7: Do any of these tours include hotel pickup?
No. All six tours require you to meet at the Tower of London directly. Transport to the meeting point is not included.
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How We Select the Best Tours & Products
At 501 Places, we carefully select tours & products based on quality, authenticity, traveler feedback, expert insights, and ethical standards.
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