New research by Travelodge has crowned the Tower of London as the capital’s best tourist attraction. It came out ahead of Covent Garden and Buckingham Palace in the top three.
A number of London museums also feature in the top 20, including the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Tower of London is a 1,000-year-old fortress home to the Crown Jewels and iconic Yeoman Warders – best known as Beefeaters. It served as a royal palace, prison and armoury through centuries of history.
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There’s much to see at this attraction, so visitors are advised to allow at least three hours to explore. Admission ticket includes access to the Crown Jewels, The White Tower, Battlements, Bloody Tower, Torture at the Tower exhibition, Fusiliers Museum, and Royal Mint exhibition, and The Yeoman Warder Tour (subject to availability).
TripAdvisor user Meagan S said: “The first tour by Beefeaters started at 10 and was well worth it. It allowed us to see the inside of the chapel (not generally open to the public) and hear lesser known facts.”
She added: “You could easily spend the whole day here going through all the rooms if you are a history buff. We spent about 3 hrs and saw less than half of the exhibits.”
She also recommended: “I would recommend walking up the stairs to get up to ramparts for a unique view of the tower and the Tower Bridge. It also walks you through what the king’s bedroom would have looked like.”
One must-see is the “Torture at the Tower” exhibition, which showcases brutal methods used on prisoners during the 1500s and 1600s. Inside the Lower Wakefield Tower, visitors can see replicas of torture devices once used to extract confessions.
Kids can dive into history with hands-on activities like sword fighting and cannon firing in the White Tower. They can also design a musket, shoot arrows and dress Henry VIII for battle.
Right now, visitors can also see a powerful poppy installation marking 80 years since the end of WWII. Nearly 30,000 original ceramic poppies pour across the lawn in a design meant to resemble a wound.
Michelle D said on TripAdvisor: “This time it was to also see the stunning display of poppies… how wonderful.” She added: “Such an iconic, beautiful place to visit… a must when you visit.”
The display runs until 11 November, marking VE Day, VJ Day and Armistice Day, and is included in your admission. It was created by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper, with the poppies on loan from Imperial War Museums.
Tickets for the Tower of London are £35.80 for adults, £17.90 for children aged 5 to 15, and free for under 5s. Entry is free with a Historic Royal Palaces membership (£60 per year).
Top 20 London attractions, according to Travelodge:
– Tower of London
– Covent Garden
– Buckingham Palace
– Natural History Museum
– Camden Market
– Big Ben
– Borough Market
– The London Eye
– British Museum
– Tower Bridge
– Victoria and Albert Museum
– Imperial War Museum
– Battersea Power Station
– Harry Potter Studio Tour
– Science Museum
– Sky Garden
– Hyde Park
– Hampton Court Palace
– St Paul’s Cathedral
– Tate Modern
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