Real Crowd Talk

What time of year? What day of the week? Those will be huge factors, as well as whether there are other events happening in London at the time that might increase crowds generally. Assuming you mean Westminster Abbey, I went there on a Saturday mid morning and it was jam packed. Not Vatican level crowds but definitely uncomfortable crowded. I went to the Tower of London at the opening time on a weekday in October and it was a smallish crowd - we followed the tips to see the crown jewels first, then loop back to take a Yeoman Warder tour. It was definitely more crowded when we left.

During the week in August.

It’s a summer month when tourists are at their peak anywhere in the world.

Yes, London will be crowded.

I'm not sure anything can compare to the crowds at the Vatican Museums when you are packed into those corridors like sardines.

Tower of London is different in that a lot of it is outside and is a fairly large area so folks can disperse a bit. As mentioned go early and to the Jewel House first, then double back to the start and the Warder's tour. There can be long lines later to get into the Jewel House but you are on a moving walkway once you are in so it goes faster than you would think.

Westminster Abbey, well, I haven't been in there since pre-Covid so my information from then is not good BUT I will say that in general I think the crowd is managed better than the Vatican.

I took my niece to Westminster Abbey last August (2 August at 10 am) and it was disconcertingly jammed- definitely similar to what I experienced in Sept. of 2022 at the Vatican Museums. I have visited the abbey several times over the last few decades and have never seen it so crowded. What salvaged the experience, for me, was the Verger tour. Our guide deftly led us from stop to stop, weaving in and out of the crowds, and it was important not to lose sight of her! I'm not sure if a different time of day- maybe later in the afternoon- would make a difference in terms of crowds, but it's worthwhile snagging a Verger or Hidden Highlights tour, if you can.

I took my niece to the Tower of London as well. I booked a 9 am entry for 1 August 2023. Per RS, we headed for the crown jewels and experienced only a short wait. By the time we came out, the line was quite long. By the time we left the Tower, the line to the jewels was insanely long, and my niece said, "They're not worth it for that wait." As was mentioned, since it's a larger space and more spread out, the crowds are more tolerable here. However, the Beefeater tour that we joined was so massive that we eventually wandered off since it was hard to hear.

I'd book tickets in advance for both and get the earliest entry time you can. Even mid week in August you're going to have a lot of people there. Best of luck.

I have timed entries, Westminster 230pm, British Museum 230, and Tower of London 330. Maybe I can adjust them to a later time.

I live in NY so I know how crowded certain areas can be. I’ve asked for a comparison to the VM because last summer the crowd was unlike anything I have ever seen. I could see a deadly stampede developing.

Many parts of London in August are actually quieter than other times of year because a lot of people who live there go away and also there is no business travel. Some major tourist sites are probably very busy but a lot of London itself is not. You can get some good deals on hotels in the City (financial district) in August.

Helen, thank you.

There are many times these places are not busy, including the Vatican. Ask the attendants when that is, and you will end up with a nice visit with nobody around. Don't be afraid of interacting with these people! They live there, and know. Never tried it in London, which outside of the main bits in Central London, a couple of which you have mentioned, is not busy at all. I stay a wee bit outside the main areas, take a deep breath and then "go in". Then I leave, once the business has been attended to, as it were. Such is Europe.