Free Things to do in London
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London is a city that can be without an introduction. You know it when you hear it; sounds majestic. It has everything from history, heritage, arts and culture, good food, star attractions, and lavish nightlife. So, what to do on your next visit to London? We got it covered. These are the top 5 free things to do in London.
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- Visit the museums:
London is home to some of the world’s most excellent museums, many offering free admission. The British Museum is home to a vast collection of artifacts and artworks from all over the world, representing a variety of civilizations and historical eras. It houses well-known displays like The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, and the Egyptian mummies.
The Natural History Museum has the giant blue whale skeleton in place of the famous whole-body dinosaur in the main hall. They also have an animatronic T-rex in the Dinosaurs gallery and the Earthquake simulator. If you have kids, it’s the perfect place to go.
Many other museums like the Imperial War Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Modern, and the National Gallery are some of the most famous museums you can visit for free. They can usually accommodate walk-ins, but they may not be able to do it during busy periods. So book a timed entry early on through their website, and all of them are entirely free.
2. View London city from above.
As good as it is to just wander around the city, experiencing the stunning views from its above is also fantastic. Places like Sky Garden and Tate Modern Viewing Platform provide excellent city views.
Sky Garden is an indoor public garden and observation deck located on the 43rd floor of the “Walkie Talkie” building, that weird-shaped building you see on the London Skyline. It offers panoramic views of the city. It is free, but you must book in advance, and there may be queues to enter during peak hours. It also has a restaurant. So you can enjoy your meal, looking at the city’s view. It is open from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 11 am to 9 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. This is probably the best view of the city that you can get from a high-rise building.
The Tate Modern Viewing Platform is located on the 10th floor of the Tate Modern art museum. It provides 360-degree views of the city, including the River Thames, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Shard, and yes, it’s always free to enter. No advanced booking is required. It’s a museum, so you get two free things to do at the same place.
3. Roam around the royal parks:
You know you can visit the same Park as the Royal Family does for absolutely nothing. You might bump into the princess there, God knows. Jokes apart! Royal Parks are some of the city’s most beautiful and peaceful green spaces. There are eight Royal Parks; Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Greenwich Park, St. James’s Park, Richmond Park, Kensington Gardens, Bushy Park, and The Green Park.
They are a great place to relax and unwind, go for a walk, exercise and clear your mind. They have hundreds of buildings, statues and memorials that reflect London’s heritage. Grab a picnic basket, and you get yourself a fantastic day out at the Royal parks in London.
The parks also have special activities which you can pay to enjoy. For instance, Hyde park offers horse riding. It has two designated routes for horse riding. Regent’s Park is home to the London Zoo, Greenwich Park has the Royal Observatory and so on. You can visit their website for other activities.
4. Eat at The Churchill Arms:
While this choice doesn’t sound like a to-do thing, trust me, it’s a must-go place while you’re in London, especially if you’re photogenic and love flowers. They spend almost 50,000 pounds a year just on the plants and lights. So you know it’s something to look at.
It’s a restaurant located at 119 Kensington Church Street. They say Winston Churchill’s grandparents were regular visitors, so they named it that way, but who knows? It’s a Thai restaurant, that’s a surprise!! It’s covered with flowers all year round except during Christmas when pine trees are all over the building. It’s a joy to watch the Christmas lights at night.
You’re gonna have to eat. So why not eat tasty food, and enjoy this iconic place at the same time?
5. Visit The National Gallery:
National Gallery is an impressive collection of over 2,300 paintings from the 13th to the 20th century. You can see paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt without spending a single penny. The museum also offers free guided tours, audio guides, and family activities to enhance your experience and help you learn more about the paintings and their history.
Check the museum’s website to see which exhibits are currently on display and plan your visit accordingly. It is a large gallery, and it can take several hours to see all the shows. Plan to spend at least a few hours, and consider taking a break at the cafe or restaurant. With so many paintings, it can be overwhelming to try to see everything. Focus on your favorite artists or styles, and use the map to plan your route.
It is located at Trafalgar Square. You can easily spend a whole day exploring the gallery and nearby attractions like the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Houses of Parliament. Zero dollars spent on the day!
So you have a whole week of places to go to for free in London. Where are you going on your next visit? Or if you have already been there, what are other activities you did for free? Let me know in the comments.
Make sure to read my other articles about free things to do in cities like New York, Paris, and many more in my profile. Thank you, and have a good day. Keep traveling!!