If you would like a unique experience when you go to London (something that a very limited number of people get to see), get tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. For a measly 5 pounds you can participate in this tour. Beware that a limited number of people get to see this tour (maybe 30-40 people per night) so you must go online immediately when the tickets become available which is the beginning of the month approximately 30 days in advance of your visit. What is the Ceremony of the Keys? It is a ceremony that has taken place for over 700 years, nightly, where they lock up the Tower of London (9:30 PM or 21:30). The ceremony lasts about an hour and is hosted by a Yeoman Warder (in our case Shady Lane - who was awesome! A+++). If you are lucky enough to get tickets, it is absolutely worth it! God save the King!

It's a lovely ceremony, full of terrific pomp and circumstance which Americans eat up. Our guide was right out of central casting, punctuating every sentence with a sharp, YEAH? He was amiable and more than happy to answer every question we had. I don't want to be that American who writes something negative about an 800 year old ceremony, but where it fell down is when our intimate group of 40 or so people were suddenly overwhelmed by at least twice that number in additional guests who appeared at the last minute and somewhat crowded us out. But, all in all, it wasn't a big deal. If you've ever been to the Tower during the day, you know just how much of a zoo it is. The ceremony itself, which is quite short, didn't seem to make much sense. A sentry watches a guy lock up a gate. That guy approaches the sentry who yells, "whose keys are these?" The question doesn't make sense. Did the sentry not just watch the dude lock up multiple gates? Who else's keys could they have been? But, the ceremony's been working for 800 years, so who am I to quibble? So, get up early, log in with your phone, laptop and work computer, and good luck with the ticket lottery!

I have wanted to do this for a long time and was delighted to get tickets for a friend and me. There is such an atmosphere in the Tower at night and our Yeoman guide, Gary, was amazing. He told us a lot of interesting facts about the Tower but he was also really funny and very approachable. He explained what would happen and as we waited two large groups joined us, but Gary made sure we go the first opportunity of places. He was also good about putting 'long people' at the back so us vertically challenged people got a good view. The Ceremony itself was really interesting and it felt such a privilege to be there. For me the most amazing thing was the playing of The Last Post at the end - so poignant and moving. It was cold and dark - and a little bit creepy - but it was so worth it.

We have done the regular Tower of London tour, so this experience sounded like a cool thing to do. You have to be quick to get tickets, as they are limited and go fast. A yeoman warder guides you through what will happen and gives the history of the ceremony. The ceremony itself is not very long, but the yeoman warder takes questions afterward. It was definitely worth it if you like history and tradition!

This was really cool and well worth it to set my alarm here in the USA to book these tickets. I was a little worried that some huge tourist group would show up based on some of the previous reviews, but it was a very small group that made it very intimate and special. My teen girls loved it and so did we.

Very old tradition which not everybody sees….. Professionally run, great access - buy direct as it is only 5 pounds per person. Access to watch the ceremony of the keys and you see an uncrowded London Tower in the night from inside the grounds….. you cannot take photos of video of the ceremony, but you can take photos/video of the grounds and you/your party in the grounds…. It goes ahead no matter what the weather, each and every evening.

Incredible expérience for just a couple of £. The Tower of london is stunning at night, the cérémony is a must-watch and our Yeoman Warder Darren Hardy was great ! Explaining the history behind the place with a great touch of humour ! I recommend 100%