--- title: Early Access Tower of London, Crown Jewels & Thames River Cruise lang: en type: tour city: London country: United Kingdom price: 94 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.8 reviews: 293 duration_minutes: 285 languages: [en] free_cancellation: true rank_in_category: 12 of 25 (Thames River Cruises) schedule_checked: 2026-10-01 data_updated: 2026-10-01 canonical: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/early-access-tower-of-london-crown-jewels-thames-river-cruise/ --- # Early Access Tower of London, Crown Jewels & Thames River Cruise **Guidekin's take:** The main option pairs early Crown Jewels access with a Thames cruise and a guided Westminster walk. Tower admission is included, but its interior is self-guided; the Opening Ceremony option ends at the Tower and omits the Westminster walk. 4.8 from 293 reviews at €94 per person for 4h 45m. ## Overview Skip the line and start your morning inside the Tower of London, a former royal residence, and experience history brought to life. You’ll admire the precious Crown Jewels and then enjoy an hour to explore at your own pace. Next, soak in views of Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, The Shard, and more on a relaxing river cruise down the River Thames. You'll disembark in Westminster, where you'll set off on a walking tour. Learn why each stop earned its spot in England's royal and political history as you pass Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and end with a peaceful stroll through St. James' Park. This walking tour covers London's main sites in under 5 hours. Unlock even more Tower of London secrets and watch the storied Opening Ceremony by selecting the Opening Ceremony option when booking. After the Opening Ceremony, you'll enjoy a complete tour of the Tower of London with a certified Blue Badge Guide and finish with a relaxing river cruise down the River Thames. ## Before you book - Meeting point: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the… - Starts 08:15, 09:00, 09:15: 3 departures a day - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Children from €84: ages 2 to 14 ## Key facts - Price: from €94 per person for the Best of London Tour Option option; other options up to €113 - Duration: 4h 45m - Rating: 4.8/5 from 293 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Recommended by 95% of travellers (share of four- and five-star reviews) - Operator: Walks - UK ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | Best of London Tour Option | €94 / person | English | Duration: 4 hours 45 minutes Tower of London & River Cruise: Early entry to Crown Jewels, History walk, Tower of London & River Cruise. DOES NOT include Opening Ceremony | | VIP Opening Ceremony Option | €113 / person | English | Duration: 3 hours VIP Access Upgrade & Cruise: See the opening ceremony and Crown Jewels before the crowds. Full tour of the Tower with & river cruise. NO history walk | ## What's included - Guided walk past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben & Westminster Abbey - Cruise on the River Thames with views of Tower Bridge, St Pauls Catherdral & Shakespeare's Globe - Entrance to Tower of London with first access to Crown Jewels - Explore the Tower viewing Blood Gates, the legendary ravens & the castle walls Ca ## Not included - Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off - Gratuities - Entrance to other monuments - Guided tour of Tower of London ## Itinerary 1. **Jewel House** (45m; admission included) - Meet your local tour leader and head into the tower. You'll head straight to the Jewel House, which means you’ll be able to grab a prime spot to view the Crown Jewels. If you want to start your Tower of London tour with a behind-the-scenes look of day-to-day life at the... 2. **Tower of London** (1h; admission included) - You'll have free time to explore the entire complex at your own pace. Your tour leader will share suggestions based on your interests. By the end of your visit, you'll be equipped with the complete story of the Tower and its importance as a symbol of royal, state and historic... 3. **Bloody Tower** (pass by, no stop) - See the sites where famous prisoners were executed, and choose to venture into the Bloody Tower to hear the story of the two princes, which has become a legend in its own right. Various sources say their ghosts are among the specters that have been sighted at the Tower at... 4. **White Tower** (pass by, no stop) - is the heart of the Tower of London, and you’ll have the chance to explore the armory. See armor used by Henry VIII, Charles I, and James II on display. 5. **Thames River** (1h 5m; admission included) - Reunite with your tour leader and board a sightseeing cruise down the River Thames, you'll see Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Shard—the tallest building in the UK—Shakespeare's Globe Theater and more. 6. **London Eye** (pass by, no stop) - An observation wheel and fixture on the London skyline popularized in movies and TV shows. 7. **Tower Bridge** (pass by, no stop) - A 19th century drawbridge still in use today and one of London's most recognizable landmarks. 8. **St. Paul's Cathedral** (pass by, no stop) - A symbol of resilience, having been rebuilt after the Great Fire and survived WWII bombings. The cathedral also hosted the state funeral for Sir Winston Churchill. 9. **Westminster Abbey** (20m) - The river cruise ends in Westminster, where your tour leader will take you on a walking tour of England's royal history. Pause outside Westminster Abbey, where Coronations and royal weddings have been held for centuries. 10. **Big Ben** (10m) - Gaze up at the clock tower standing next to the Houses of Parliament and an iconic symbol of the capital city. 11. **Houses of Parliament** (20m) - The center of political life in the UK for centuries, with the current building dating back to the 1860s and 1870s. 12. **Buckingham Palace** (20m) - Continue past Buckingham Palace to see the official residence of King Charles III and many other British monarchs before him. 13. **St. James's Park** (20m) - Finally, finish with a peaceful stroll through St. James' Park, the oldest Royal Park in London. ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 08:15, 09:00, 09:15 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-01 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets at 5BT, Tower Place West, 50 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6DT, UK. Meet at the West Gate entrance, opposite the Starbucks and in front of the Tower of London giftshop. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJo63f804DdkgRfROMU7dXOQ4 ## Good to know - Public transportation options are available nearby - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers. - Sites on this tour are subject to occasional closures. If modifications are needed and time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time. - This tour is in English. - This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty. - Please note: This tour offers multiple options. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests. Depending on the option you select, your itinerary may vary slightly. - Note: the Opening Ceremony option does not include a royal history walking tour of Westminster. - Note: If the Opening Ceremony option is selected the tour will end at the Tower of London. ## Compared with other Thames River Cruises | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #12 of 25** | €94 | 4h 45m | 4.8 (293) | shared | | [High-Speed Thames River Speedboat in London](/uk/london/tours/high-speed-thames-river-speedboat-in-london/?format=md) | €83 | 50 min | 4.96 (4332) | shared | | [Thames Rockets Sunset London Speedboat Experience](/uk/london/tours/thames-rockets-sunset-london-speedboat-experience/?format=md) | €77 | 50 min | 4.99 (259) | shared | | [Thames High-Speed Zone Speedboat in London](/uk/london/tours/thames-high-speed-zone-speedboat-in-london/?format=md) | €77 | 45 min | 4.93 (602) | shared | Ranked #12 of 25 in Thames River Cruises by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €12 to €113, median €69; typical length 1h 30m. 0 of 25 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/thames-river-cruises/?format=md ## More in London - All London tours: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/early-access-tower-of-london-crown-jewels-thames-river-cruise/ ## Query this catalogue with URLs Every listing accepts filter parameters directly in the URL, so you can hand a user a link that already matches their constraints. Combine freely on https://guidekin.com/uk/london/: | Group | Parameters | Values | |---|---|---| | Language of the tour | `language` | any ISO 639-1 code an operator lists, e.g. en, es, fr, de, it, pt, ru, uk, tr, hi. 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