Taking guided tour of ireland but 2 day stop on our own in London - first time.
Day one: tower of London: it seems can follow a 'yeoman warder' around or rent audio for self- guided tour. which is better? Are there private tours ?
Day two: want to do a rock-n-roll history tour and a ghost or haunted tour later in evening. There are so many from Viator or 'get your guide' or others - any recommendations?

The 'best' way is to get there slightly before opening time and enter as soon as the gates open. There will be a Yeoman Warder just beyond the entrance assembling a group to lead on tour. IGNORE that stop and go directly to the Jewel House to see the Crown Jewels virtually alone. After seeing the Jewels, return to where you saw the Beefeater/Yeoman Warder and hook up with a tour then. The tour is great but doesn't take you inside the White Tower etc so after the tour continue exploring on your own.

Note: If you wait to visit the Crown Jewels until after you take the first YW tour the queue to get inside the Jewel House will be a zoo.


Meant to add - if Day one is your arrival day after a transatlantic flight do the Tower on Day two instead. Because . . . 1) you wouldn't be able to get there at opening time, and 2) you may be too jet lagged to enjoy the Tower. If you are doing Ireland first ignore this last bit . . .

We've done a few walking tours but about 2 years ago, we took the Ghost Bus Tour. It covers more ground because you're on a bus, but the best part is that it's also a show. The guide was in costume and he was hilarious. I suggest booking on line to make sure you get tickets. If you don't book on line and if they have availability, be prepared to pay cash. I know you're going to Ireland, but of course, you'll need pounds for this tour. Cash was the rule in 2024, I don't know if that's changed.

We just got back from London; the Tower of London was our favorite thing that we did. I had heard about how crowded it could be, but that wasn't our experience. We arrived around 10:00 a.m. and purchased our tickets. They told us to meet at the Bell Tower area for the next Yeoman Warder tour; the tour is included with your ticket and lasts about an hour. We loved it; they give you a thorough history of the tower and show you Traitor's Gate. We went through to see the crown jewels after; they were beautiful. You can stroll through at your own pace except for one area that has a flat escalator that takes you past some of the jewels. Next we headed to the White Tower and walked through; they have some interesting things on display, including a nice display of armor. Lots of steps at the White Tower. There's also a beautiful chapel area you can go to, but the exterior is undergoing renovations. Our last stop was going through the dungeon area where they had torture devices on display like the rack, etc. We used the City Cruises boats for arrival and departure; you get a nice little narrated tour with that as well. Uber boats are also available. Lots of walking so be sure to wear comfy shoes. Somehow we missed the other chapel where Ann Boleyn is buried - would have liked to have visited that as well.

"Somehow we missed the other chapel where Ann Boleyn is buried - would have liked to have visited that as well."

That seems odd -- but the YW's may have changed their tours since the last time I've done it. I've taken it with various friends / relatives probably 10+ times and each time the tour ended with us sitting in that chapel where he / she finishes up the tour narrative.

No ours didn't do that, but I would have liked to have seen it. Good excuse to go back.

For a rock and roll or ghost walk, check London Walks. Have done many with them over the years and always excellent. www.walks.com