When you travel to London, you will realize that most of the things you can do on your vacation can be free. Once in the city, you will see that walking through the different points of interest, strolling through its streets, discovering corners, and visiting the markets will occupy almost all of your time. The British capital offers endless free activities: churches to museums, emblematic buildings to markets, and colorful neighborhoods.
You will find in this article tips about places to visit and things to do for free in London. Make sure you download Framey App and start exploring this fantastic city and let yourself be inspired by the experience of other users who have visited London before you.
1. Places to visit in London for free: you can’t miss them!
Some places in London are must-sees. Walking there is necessary when you go to this capital! So, if this is your first visit, take out the camera and open your eyes wide!
Big Ben & The Parliament
Visit the Houses of Parliament, and if you book in advance on the official website, you can attend a session. Also, you will already know that you need to return home after visiting London with a photo of its most universal symbol: Big Ben! They restored it not long ago, and now it looks more beautiful than ever.
Trafalgar Square
One of Britain’s biggest tourist attractions, the famous Westminster Square was built in the 1830s. The square has many must-see sites, including Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery.
Piccadilly Circus
Wander around Piccadilly Circus and take your photo with the typical illuminated signs in the background. If you dare, you can participate in a night tour that will take you to discover the most modern parts of London. During the visit, you will pass through the main central places of the city.
South Bank
The London Eye will accompany you while you discover the side of London that lies south of the River Thames while strolling along the South Bank.
Buckingham Palace
One of the best places in London is Buckingham Palace. Although you can only pay to visit the inside of the Palace on specific dates (between July and September and some days during the rest of the year), you will be able to enjoy the changing of the guard for free. It is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and every day in June and July. It is not celebrated if it rains or there are special events in the Palace or the city.
A walk from Westminster to Tower Bridge
One of the best walks in London is the one that goes from the London Eye to Tower Bridge. It’s about three and a half kilometers. It depends on how often you stop to take pictures… and, believe us, there will be a lot of those!
The charm of this walk is that, while you walk, you will be able to see some of the best free places in London: the Thames, the buildings, the Globe Theatre, the Tate Gallery, the bridges over the river, the boat HMS Belfast to finish on the most famous bridge in London.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge could not be missing from this list of places! Crossing one of the most iconic bridges in the world is entirely free and well worth it. You will enjoy beautiful views over the river Thames and its two banks; if you are lucky, you might even see it opening up for a ship to pass through. You will have to pay to visit it inside or cross the walkway above. You’ll love it!
Parks to see in London
If you have time, between one cultural visit and another, you can visit one of the many parks in London.
The truth is that this city has many green spaces, which is fantastic. Have you had a sunny and pleasant day? An interesting idea to save money is to get some takeaway food and have a picnic. It will surely be one of the great memories of the trip.
Chinatown and Soho
Two of the most mythical neighborhoods in London, which are also very close to Piccadilly, are Chinatown and Soho. We recommend you take a good walk through both.
In the first one, you will see the typical Chinese-style entrance doors, some decorations, and many Asian restaurants, which serve great dishes at reasonable prices. The second one is a party neighborhood, so don’t be surprised to find friendly bars and sex shops, which are part of the “charm” of the area.
2. Free London attractions for cultural fans!
London is, without a doubt, a culturally vibrant city, having four UNESCO world heritage sites: the Tower of London, Westminster Palace, Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens and Maritime Greenwich.
Did you know that 84% of Londoners think the city’s cultural scene is essential in ensuring a high quality of life (GLA/ICM research)? Given that, it should not surprise you that if you admire the British cultural life, you will have many things to do for free in this incredible city. Here is what you can do for free in the London capital.
Visit the National Museums
One of the remarkable things to do for free in London is to visit the city’s national museums. These museums have spectacular cultural wealth, and the entrance is free. You only have to pay if you want to see a special temporary exhibition that is held in the museum and that is not the one permanently exhibited.
Among the museums that you can visit for free in London are the following: the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Tate Modern, the Science Museum, the Museum of London, and the Imperial War Museum. You can also visit the Royal Air Force Museum, the V&A Museum of Childhood, and the National Maritime Museum for free.
Visit the interior of Westminster Abbey
The Abbey never charges people who come to pray, but tourists who wish to visit it must, on the other hand, pay an entrance fee to cover its operating costs. The Evensong choir is not present at all services, so try to schedule your visit to the Abbey to listen to them. The choir members are trained at Westminster Abbey Choir School and are highly talented. To listen to the Evensong choir, come to services at 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and at 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Listen to a free concert in London. The Southbank Centre, a collection of concert halls along the Thames, offers many free musical events in London, as does the National Theater, also located on the South Bank. Guests can enjoy free Monday lunchtime recitals at the Royal Opera House and regular free concerts at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church.
Admire the street artists
Every afternoon the West Piazza is teeming with street performers who are there to entertain, and the best performances can draw large crowds. All of the artists present have auditioned for the right to perform there and they are licensed to do so. More street performers can be seen along the South Bank, especially near the London Eye.
Be amazed by the street art of the city
London is also the capital of Street art, a must for all artists who want to make a name for themselves. If you are a fan of the genre, you will easily find what you are seeking – and this gives you the opportunity of a free visit to London! Camden is iconic, as is Shoreditch, and the areas of Bethnal Green and Bricklane are very popular.
Experience the traditional tea & local food
And after all these great activities that will feed your spirit, take advantage of the best afternoon tea in London. You cannot visit this city without experiencing the tradition of tea, and you can only do it in the most exciting places. And considering what you have saved up from all the places you have visited, you can choose a quality experience. Don’t forget to find the best brunch spots in London.
3. Free activities to do in London, perfect to be captured on camera
As we have mentioned, you can visit London without spending much money, since many tourist activities you can do are free. Traveling to London can mean walking through the streets and the neighborhoods and marveling at the buildings, the parks, the telephone booths, and enjoying the atmosphere.
Taking these tours, and enjoying the city, is entirely free. You will only spend money if you want to visit a point of interest in the town with private access. Among the free activities that you can do in the city, we have chosen the following:
Take a photo at the Abbey Road crosswalk, just as it appeared on The Beatles album cover. This street is between Camden Town and Westminster.
Discover the platform 9 ¾ from the famous Harry Potter saga at King’s Cross station. You will have to queue to take a picture with the cart disappearing in the column, and on the left, you will find the souvenir shop of the saga. You can’t go to London without thinking about this famous Harry Potter. Some of the sets used in the films were real: Saint Paul’s Cathedral, The Australian Embassy, Leadenhall Market, and King’s Cross Station. If you’re a fan, this should be one of the best free tours in London!
Walk and marvel at the surroundings of Little Venice. This hideout is in Maida Vale, between the Grand Union Canal and the Regent’s Canal.
Visit the different markets of the city, such as Camden. You’ll also see the colors and smell the scents at the Columbia Road Flower Market, located on Columbia Road.
Find and photograph yourself with the Peter Pan sculpture in Kensington Gardens.
Visit Bushy Park, where there are about 320 reindeer in the wild.
Visit St Dunstan’s Church. What remains of the church is a Gothic structure taken over by the park vegetation. This church was bombed in 1941. Its ruins are on the hill of St Dunstan, between London Bridge and the Tower of London.
London has many things to do, even for visitors on a budget. Even if you choose fun things to do in London, enjoy cultural activities, or explore the parks and the markets, London will always be a fantastic destination for you and your friends! Enjoy your stay in London!
Photo sources: Pexels.com; Unsplash.com.
