Ten Free Things to Do in London

You could spend an entire day here and barely scratch the surface. From the Rosetta Stone to Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculpture, the British Museum contains two million years of human history. General admission is free although the hottest ticket to view the Bayeux Tapestry is sold out until 2027.

Right on Trafalgar Square, this is one of the world’s great collections of Western art. Van Gogh, Turner, Rembrandt, Monet and Leonardo da Vinci, you’ll find them all here. You can simply walk in, although booking a free ticket is useful at busy times.

Even if modern art isn’t your thing, Tate Modern is worth visiting simply for the building - a vast former power station beside the Thames. The permanent collection is free, and the Turbine Hall alone is impressive. Well worth the trip.

Start at Westminster Bridge and follow the Thames eastwards. You’ll pass the London Eye, the National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern and Borough Market before eventually reaching Tower Bridge. It is one of the best walks in London - and it costs nothing.

It may be one of London’s most photographed ceremonies, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is a genuine piece of royal pageantry, and you don’t need a ticket to watch it. Check the schedule before setting out.

This is London on an entirely different scale. Wander through the 2,500-acre park, look for the herds of red and fallow deer and climb to King Henry’s Mound for a remarkable view towards central London. You can almost forget you’re in a capital city.

For one of the best views in London, head upwards rather than outwards. The Sky Garden occupies the top of the Walkie Talkie building and looks across the City and the Thames. It really is free - but you need to book a complimentary time slot in advance so figure it into your plans.

City of London skyline from London City Hall - Sept 2015 - Crop Aligned (opens in a new tab)

© User:Colin and Kim Hansen / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab)

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

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On a Saturday market stalls stretch through Notting Hill, while the colourful streets around them are an attraction in themselves. Browsing is free; resisting the temptation to buy something is rather harder.

Climb the hill to the Royal Observatory and stand on the spot where east meets west - the Prime Meridian. The views over Greenwich, the Thames and Canary Wharf are superb, particularly on a clear day. Greenwich is a great day out.

Shard and City of London skyline from Greenwich (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Daniel Case (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab)

Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab)

Changes: cropped to 3:2; colour slightly adjusted.

Perhaps the best free attraction of all is London itself. Wander through Chinatown, Covent Garden, St James’s, Soho or the City. Cross Waterloo Bridge at sunset. Explore the little streets around Clerkenwell. Stop and watch the street performers. There is no admission charge, no closing time and, unlike almost everything else in London, no queues!