Listen To Big Ben Chime
Big Ben is one of Londons most iconic sites, and its of course free to look at and appreciate.
I would recommend actually going later at night or first thing in the morning when the hoards of tourists arent out, standing underneath it and hearing it chime.
Its a really special experience to know that you are one of just a few people in the world at that moment that are standing near Big Ben!Do note that Big Ben is in scaffolding until the end of 2021. Sadly, restoration works have to take place!
- Save
Sleep On Budget Accommodations
Accommodation and transport are often the biggest expense while traveling. Try to stay at budget accommodations like hostels or Airbnb and take advantage of our 35 discount for your Airbnb booking.
We also created a big guide to hostels in London. Here we collected the 3 best hostels in London for you.
These are:
Read:15 simple booking hacks for hostels
Oxford And Cambridge Boat Race
Every April, Oxford and Cambridge have their annual boat race where they row down a section of the Thames to see who can claim the prize that year.
Rowing is a popular sport in certain areas of the UK, particularly in more affluent areas like Oxford and Cambridge, and thousands of people come out to spectate.
There will also be pubs and areas to eat along the stretch of the race, but you can sit and watch for free.
- Save
Also Check: Attractions In Wichita Falls Tx
Get Drunk In A Public Toilet
Wait, waitits not what it looks like! Dont get us wrong.
It is just that lots of public toilets in London have been converted into bars and pubs
Yes, no kidding. Read that again:
THEY CONVERTED PUBLIC TOILETS INTO BARS!
Check all public toilets no wait bars with the cool guys from TimeOut London.
Also super cool: The London Old Docks Pub tour. A historical pub, beer and food tour.
Top Free Things To Do In London
- Pin
At first glance, visitors to London might worry that the city is prohibitively expensive. And while they’re not wrongdining and other excursions in this British capital can quickly add upmany of London is an expensive city but there really are so many free things to do in the capital. These ideas should get you started but if you’re already familiar with these suggestions you need the super list of 100+ Free Things to Do in London. Now, there’s got to be something new to you on there! And if you’re traveling with a family, the Free Things to Do in London with Kids feature should come in handy. If you’d like to stick with central London have a look at the Free Things to Do in Westminster article.
Don’t Miss: Family Friendly Things To Do In Cleveland
Go Up The Tallest Building The Shard
One of the best views of London are from the viewing platforms of the Shard, with an unrivalled 360-degree view of the city.
This review I read before actually put it best: We were a little unfortunate with weather as it rained and had not realised the top viewing point is open to the elements. Lesson learnt take a coat. We went early evening and managed to capture amazing views of the city by day and night. Well worth the visit and impressed no limit on time viewing.
Therefore, bring a coat, time and your camera. We spent here around 2 hours.
With 360-degree panoramas of London from more than 300 metres above sea level, you will spot the iconic London Eye, Tower of London, St. Pauls, the Thames and more.
Besides the view, my personal highlight was the high-speed elevetor.
After the elevator at Taipei 101 in Taiwan, it was the fastest I ever took. No worries, you wont get dizzy or anything. Its just a tiny rush, you almost do not feel it.
Good to know: The online entrance with Tiqets.com £6 cheaper than you would pay at the door.
Visit The Public Galleries In The Houses Of Parliament
Whatever you say about todays politics , theres no denying that its anything but boring.
You can watch the action first hand at the public galleries in the Houses of Parliament free to both UK residents and overseas visitors.
Most of the time you can just rock up and get in, but you will need to book ahead if you want to see Prime Ministers Questions or Ministerial Question Time.
Don’t Miss: Healdsburg To Do
Royal Opera House Free Recitals At Swiss Church/ Free Concert At St Giles In The Fields Church
Address: Swiss Church, 79 Endell Street, London, WC2H 9DY. St Giles in the fields church is just off Tottenham Court Road Tube Station
Timings: Every Monday at 1pm. St Giles concert is every Friday at 1.10pm
The majority of the tickets for the free lunchtime concerts are available on the day of the performance at the Royal Opera House Box Office until 11 am and then at the Swiss Church from 12 pm onwards. Tickets are limited and distributed on a first come first served basis so make sure you grab those early tickets. The artists performing the recitals are members of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme. Also every Friday, 1.10pm: St Giles-in-the-fields Church offer a free concert.
Back In Time At The Dennis Severs House
Ever so slightly wacky, the Dennis Severs House is one of the more unusual days out in London.
The house is an artistic recreation of the life of a Huguenot weavers family from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
A series of still-life recreations, each meticulously brought to life in the rooms of 18 Folgate Street you walk through the house and through the lives of generation after generation of the fictional family.
Don’t Miss: Fun Things To Do In Wichita Falls Tx
Pick Up A Bargain In The January Sales
If youre anything like us, youll agree that the best thing about January is the ridiculous sales. Who doesnt love snapping up a bargain?
That said, the thought of battling shoppers on Oxford Street fills us with dread head somewhere like Camden Passage or Seven Dials for a spluttering of cool indie shops and stalls instead. Thank us later.
+ Fabulous Free Things To Do In London With Kids
Visiting London with kids is an insanely cool thing to do, but it can also be expensive if you visit all the top paid attractions like the London Eye or the Tower of London. The good news is that there are also plenty of fun free things to do in London with kids.
During our 20 years living and working in London before we had kids we enjoyed trying various London food tours and checking out the newest restaurant openings. Our London bucket list was long but it wasnt particularly family-friendly .
Once the kids came along, we had to re-think our London life and we discovered that there were a lot of great things to do in London with children. The best part was that most of them were completely free.
Now youre wondering what to do in London with kids that is free right? You could spend your days walking around the most iconic London sights and discovering the prettiest streets in London as this is completely free but thats probably not what youre here for.
Whether you are looking for inspiration for great days out with kids in London on a budget or you are staying longer in London on a UK staycation, weve come up with a list of over 20 of our favourite free things to do with kids in London.
This guide to free kids activities in London will help you plan your days well and keep your daily sightseeing spend to a minimum.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something using one, we may earn a small commission but this is at no extra cost to you.
Also Check: Stuff To Do In Syracuse Ny
Become A Local In London
We asked our fellow travelers what a local usually does in its town. The result was an absolute amazing weekend and these 7 secret tips to London.
You can download them for free.
No sure if you should download?
First of all, we wont send any spam or any non-sense.
Second, have a look at the hidden gems in London to get a preview.
Once thing is certain: You will love the recommendations here.
Vegetarian Supper Club At Kricket
20th January
Fancy tasting some of the best Indian dishes in the capital? Kricket at White City is hosting a one-off supper club where you can do just that.
The likes of Jerusalem artichoke and beetroot chaat are complemented by leek pakora and aloo gobi, and youll get a welcome drink on arrival . Youll want to come hungry trust us.
Read Also: Places To Go In Mystic Ct
Worship A Roman God At The London Mithraeum
The Mithraeum is a gem of a find. Looking for unusual places to visit in London? How about an immersive experience based around the ancient Roman Temple of Mithras underneath the Bloomberg Offices in the heart of the city? Thought so.
Id never even heard of the Mithraeum before stumbling on it while visiting St Stephens a few doors down the road, but it was a revelation.
The Mithraeum is set over three floors one showcasing the Roman artifacts found on the site, the second explaining who Mithras was and how people worshipped him and the third the temple itself.
The temple dates from the 3rd century AD the ruins are part of a short sensory experience that plunges you into the mystery of worshipping in a Roman temple. Totally weird, very memorable and completely wonderful.
Want to know more about the ancient Roman town of Londinium? Check out these 56 cool and interesting facts about London.
I Dont Know About You But I Am Certainly Feeling The Pinch Both On The Waistline And In The Wallet After This Recent Festive Season
Work-wise, I have spent this week creating my brand new London Map Art Print , and this inspired me to put together a somewhat quirky guide to the best free things I like to do whenever Im in one of the worlds most expensive cities .
Before I start though, I cant go past some of the super famous free activities to do whilst youre in the Home of Big Ben. My personal top 3 free museums, for example, are definitely the Natural History Museum , the British Museum , and me being a total design geek, I of course cant go past the Design Museum ~ So be sure to check these options out too.
Now most of my list below are things you WONT find in your regular guide books or tourist websites. Off the beaten track, hidden gems, quirky curiosities, unique experiences, historical deep-dives and how to experience nature in busy ole London Town.
So if youre planning a winter London trip anytime soon, or even if youre a Londoner yourself needing some new weekend inspiration, you cant help but feel motivated by this list of unique free and healthy city activities. So in no particular order, off we go!
Read Also: Things To Do With Toddlers In Syracuse Ny
The Changing Of The Guard
One of the best ceremonies in the city, the Changing of the Guard, is sadly suspended until further notice. In the future, it should take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11am outside Buckingham Palace. Dressed in bearskin hats and red tunics, the Queens Guard will stomp around in time to music in a display of awesome pageantry, as they switch responsibilities with one another.
Best Free Tour In London Free Harry Potter Tour Of London
If you are interested in budget-friendly accommodation options in London check our posts here and here. We also have a useful family-friendly budget guide to London which you can access here.
Creative Commons License Attribution
London from Parliament Hill was licensed under Creative Commons License courtesy of DncnH Daunt Books was licensed under Creative Commons License courtesy of Charlotte Gilhooly.
If you are visiting London checkout our guides to London
Recommended Reading: What To Do Mystic Ct
The Pelicans At St James Park
For a more unusual kids day out in London head to St James Park and meet the pelicans.
Pelicans were first introduced here in 1664 when a Russian ambassador gifted them to King Charles II. They were joined by several more Eastern White pelicans in 2013 as a gift from the city of Prague.
You can see them being fed every day between 2.30pm and 3pm at the eastern end of the parks lake.
Gorgeous Views From A Car Park
This one is considered one of the best roof top bars in all London. And definitely one of the very cool things to do in London with friends.
We got your attention, right?!
Enjoy the views from a car park at Franks rooftop bar and restaurant in Peckham.
Its located on the 10th floor of a multi-story car park!
The views can be compared to SKY GARDEN, another fee thing to do. Scroll down for more details.
Here you can find an overview of all the best rooftop bars in London.
Recommended Reading: Things To Do Mystic
House Of Vans Free Cinema
The House of Vans runs loads of cool events and workshops from its Waterloo location.
From skate school to live music nights its always worth checking out the event calendar to see whats going on.
It also just so happens to run a series of cinema nights that should go straight to the top of your list of top free things to do in London. Old-school action movies, feel good films you name it, they show it.
No need to book, just check the schedule, turn up and watch.
Visit The Best Museums And Galleries In London
It is well-known that London is full of free museums, but did you know that there are over 75 museums in London with free admission?! Thats enough to keep you occupied for months, years even! Free things to do in London eat your heart out.
My favourite free museums in London include:
- Natural History Museum
My favourite free galleries in London include:
- National Gallery London
Also Check: Things To Do In Germantown Md
Hyde Park Pirate Playground
The Diana Memorial Playground at Hyde Park is hands down one of the best playgrounds for kids in all of London.
I never got to enjoy it as a child, but have done lots of babysitting around the area and always take them there for the ultimate good time .Theres a giant pirate ship they can play in, as well as other climbing apparatuses, sand, and soft surfaces so they can run around and expend all of their energy.The rest of Hyde Park is beautiful and free as well, so you can take a stroll through Hyde Park before hitting up the playground or pack a picnic to enjoy in the park afterwards.
- Save
Get In A Splendid 17th Century Royal Villa
Queens House Greenwich was the first classical building in England, and it was designed by the renowned architect Ingo Jones.
Admire the beauty and famous exterior features of the Queens House.
Enjoy extraordinary art and see beautiful art in this historic royal house and uncover its hidden stories with expert tours.
Don’t Miss: Places To Visit In Wichita Falls Tx
Map Of Free Things To Do In London With Kids
As promised, click here for a helpful map of all the key free things to do with kids in London.
Weve given you 27 great ideas here, and hope there is something for everyone whether youre visiting London in the summer or the winter. If youre looking for even more free things to do in London here are a couple more great resources: 33 free things to do in London and London sightseeing for kids.
One last tip if youre visiting London is to to help you plan, find your way around and book stuff ahead of time. One of our favourite apps is Klook which is what we used to book our Tower of London tickets and our Chelsea Stadium tour tickets.
St Martins In The Fields
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ
Timings: Mon, Tues, Fri at 1pm.
This is quite a famous Anglican church perched on the northeastern corner of Trafalgar Square. There has always been a church on the site since medieval times. It has been a premier concert location for over 250 years. The free lunchtime concerts are a wonderful way to sample the virtuoso performances of world-class musicians. From choral music, to piano solos, there is always something to look forward to for music lovers.
Tip: Also checkout my earlier guide to finding free music concerts in London and Europe.
A photo posted by Kash Bhattacharya on Sep 23, 2013 at 11:04pm PDT
Read Also: Things To Do Near Wichita Falls Tx
Check Out The Christopher Wren Architecture At St Stephen Walbrook
Christopher Wren basically re-designed London after the Great Fire of 1666. Most famous for his work on St Pauls Cathedral, he actually created the designs for a number of buildings in central London, St Stephen Walbrook among them.
The church is an unusual place to visit in London particularly for architectural buffs to see Wrens work on a much smaller scale. Dont forget to pop into the Mithraeum a few doors down once youre done.
