Tower Bridge ★☆☆
This faux-medieval bridge is well worth the photo stop—but you might not bother with the exhibition
The fancifully Victorian Tower Bridge are as much a London icon as Big Ben's clock tower, a suspension bascule bridge (drawbridge) supported by turreted twin towers in a medieval style only the late 19C could dream up (it was built 1886–94).
The pair of elevated walkways tying the two towers together aren't just there to offer a lovely viewpoint for visitors—including a glass-bottomed section so you can watch the cars below whizz by 42 meters (138 feet) beneath your feet. They help disperse the horizontal forces exerted on the towers by the suspension sections of the landward sections of the bridge.
Getting that view means paying for the Tower Bridge Experience, which is actually not really worth the time. I mean, yes, you get the views, but are also subjected to the interactive displays—manned by Victorian-garbed mannequins—showcasing the old coal-driven steam engines, machines, and massive counterweights that, until the 1970s, raised and lowered the roadway below. (Now it's all done by hydraulics and computers.) It's marginally interesting, but also cheesy and overblown.
Dead Man's Hole
Fun aside: Under the east side of the northern end of the Tower Bridge is Dead Man's Hole, a former mortuary where bodies—washed to this spot by the tidal action of the Thames—were fished from the waters and laid out for identification.
Experience London like a Londoner and unlock the secrets of the River Thames' south bank on this 4-hour private walking tour with local guide that takes you from Big Ben to Tower Bridge. Itineraries are fully customizable, but typically visit the London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe, and Tower Bridge, as well as food markets, cute boutiques, cool restaurants, and a myriad hidden gems.
Greet your local guide at Westminster tube station at a time of your choosing. As this is a private tour, you can customize your itinerary to suit your interests: just request a private consultation when you book to create a tailor-made tour.
A typical itinerary begins with a stroll across Westminster Bridge, stopping to capture views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and, of course, the London Eye. As you explore the south bank of the Thames, you'll see attractions from the recreated Shakespeare's Globe theater to the Golden Hinde, a replica of a 16th-century pirate ship that circumnavigated the globe.
Yet this tour isn't really about the big ticket attractions. Following the curve of the Thames, your guide will take you deep below the city's surface, showing you secret locations that locals love and tourists often miss out on, and spots that never make it into the conventional guidebooks.
You'll duck down back streets to explore atmospheric lanes, cool restaurants, and indie stores, and discover up-and-coming neighborhoods, as well as Londoners' favorite food destination, Borough Market. Along the way, your guide will share their local knowledge, enabling you to discover this great city like a native.
A typical tour concludes at Tower Bridge, where you're free to explore the iconic structure (own expense), or catch a tube from Tower Hill.
The Tower of London is Europe's best preserved medieval fortress, and one of London's oldest buildings. It was established by William the Conqueror in 1067, and over the centuries many members of royalty and the aristocracy have lost their lives here.
Accompanied by your private guide, you'll visit the Jewel House containing the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and Chapel of St. John, one of the purest expressions of Norman architecture. You'll gain incredible insights into the Tower's architecture and history on this private walking tour, with ceremony and tradition provided by the Yeomen Warden who parade daily at 11am in the Inner Ward.
Just down river from the Tower is Tower Bridge, a famous London landmark built between 1886 and 1894. The view from the towers provides a wonderful panorama of London, all the way down river to Greenwich and Canary Wharf.
This in-depth private walking tour of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge is hosted by an expert guide specializing in art history. Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at the time of booking to alert your guide, so they can prepare for your private tour.
A team of professional photographers will plan your Tower Bridge session with you. You'll get an insider perspective on the location and amazing photos of you as we explore and enjoy the highlights around Tower Bridge. Teams of 1 or 2 photographers will guide you through the city and use the subway and walking where appropriate.
Visit many iconic landmarks around the bridge and take in the sights of the city as you are guided around and have fun getting gorgeous photographs of you and your loved ones. This customizable experience is perfect for couples, groups, friends, singles and families looking for professional styled photos in London.
On this exciting 3-hour tour you’ll start the morning with an opportunity to witness the Tower of London opening ceremony and be one of the first to view the Crown Jewels before the crowds arrive. Formerly a fortress, a prison, and the macabre execution site of three Queens of England, this tour includes pre-booked early morning tour where tour guests bypass the crowds that form later in the day and enjoy being among the first to see the Crown Jewels. This incredible collection is on view in the Jewel House for the last 600 years and include swords, crowns, scepters, orbs, rings all in a dazzling collection that is sure to inspire and captivate anyone who is fortunate to visit. Guests will spend approximately two hours on site exploring the Tower highlights before being led on a thrilling walking tour over the Tower Bridge before enjoying easy access to the Tower Bridge Exhibition for amazing one-of-a-kind views of this remarkable London icon and city wonder.
Before entering the Tower Bridge Exhibition for a self-guided tour, your expert local guide will accompany the tour group to a secret location to take the best picture of the City of London and give an incredible captivating detailed narration on the Tower Bridge including the story of its important past and its remarkable connection to British history. This must-do tour invites any visitor to London a one of a kind opportunity to discover two of London's most famous attractions. On this tour you will be guaranteed a tour experience to explore British iconic history, spectacular views, enthralling exhibitions and magnificent royal heritage.
These might include Tower Bridge
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Well, I prefer just taking a few pictures of it from the Tower of London and moving on.
The little museum—grandly called the Tower Bridge Experience—takes about 30–45 minutes, though, again, I would just skip it. There are far more interesting bits of London to get to.
