The Tower of London is best approached as a fortified complex rather than a single tower. Its official visitor programme includes the Crown Jewels and the stories of the people who lived, guarded and were held here. The walls and courtyards help make those overlapping histories legible.

Begin by orienting yourself to the White Tower and the enclosure before choosing the experiences you most want to see. A visit focused only on the Crown Jewels misses the relationship between the buildings, the river and the fortress. Give yourself permission to stop in the courtyards and read the changing scale of the place.