Start the tour with skip-the-line, early entrance into the Tower. Stand inside the Traitor's Gate with a small group of visitors and watch the ancient military ceremony that officially opens the tower every day. After a quick introduction from the Yeoman Warders who guard the palace, stroll straight into the Jewel House and be among the first people to see the Crown Jewels. There are no crowds, so after you guide tells you what to look out for, you can take your time and soak in one of the most dazzling collections of riches in the world.

Then take a full tour around the Tower of London. Start with the site where many royal heads were removed on the old execution block and learn the poignant stories behind the deaths of people like Anne Boleyn and Sir Walter Raleigh. Head up to the Bloody Tower to see where Sir Walter spent 13 years of his life and down into the basements where enemies of the crown were tortured in a dungeon that contains examples of actual medieval torture devices.

After a walk along the walls, which includes a peek inside the restored bedroom of Edward I (a must for medieval history enthusiasts), meet the Tower’s resident ravens and get an archers' eye view out over the old moat. Step into the castle keep, or White Tower, for a full tour of a wonderfully-preserved Norman castle. See swords, armor, and royal regalia so as you visit each room.