The Jetpacker

The Tower of London is almost 1,000 years old, and with that comes 1,000 years worth of stories and history lessons.  But for £15, a Beefeater (one of the Tower’s 100 residents) will break down the history to just a couple of hours and guide you through the Tower complex.

The Tower of London has something for both sexes.  Ladies will be transfixed by the Crown Jewels exhibition which houses the Queen Mother’s Crown (with 2,000 diamonds, including one that is 105 carats) and the Sceptre with the Cross (topped by the world’s largest cut diamond — 503 carats).

Men, on the other hand, will revel in bloody tales of woe and despair as they walk through the Beauchamp Tower (where political prisoners suffered), the Scaffold Site (where the beheadings of numerous people, including Anne Boelyn, took place), and the aptly titled Bloody Tower (where some of the harshest torture occurred).

Both sexes can enjoy searching for the Tower’s famous pets: the ravens.  There are 10 snarky ravens (Gwylum, Thor, Hugin, Munin, Branwen, Bran, Gundulf, Baldrick, Fleur and Colin) that are allowed to freely roam the grounds of the Tower.  The oldest raven ever to live at the Tower of London was Jim Crow, who died at the age of 44.

Adjacent to the Tower of London is Tower Bridge.  The Brits take pride in calling it the most famous bridge in the world.  Maybe it’s our California bias, but we can think of at least one bridge that’s just as, if not more famous (though it’s not nearly as aesthetically pleasing).

But the Tower Bridge suffers from a bit of an identity crisis.  Some people mistakenly think Tower Bridge is London Bridge.  London Bridge is actually the next bridge up the river Thames and it’s not nearly as interesting, iconic or popular as Tower Bridge.

Remember that nursery rhyme “London Bridge Is Falling Down”?  Well, the original London Bridge never actually fell down… it just got moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona (presumably so drunk people could party on it).

Completed in 1894, Tower Bridge is 800 feet long with two towers over 200 feet tall.  It’s free to walk or drive across, and is a must-visit for any first-time London tourist.  The Tower Bridge Exhibition costs £7 and gives you access to the Engine rooms and the high-level walkways for a great view of London from the center of the city.

Get ticket information for The Tower of London here and Tower Bridge here.