The best free things to do in London

There’s no way around it, visiting London is expensive. Accommodation costs are high, with even mid-range hotels coming in at over £170 per night for a standard room. Eating out is costly too, although you’ll be able to stretch your money further by tucking into excellent quality food – with a side of people watching – if you eat at the city’s many atmospheric food halls and markets. The flip side is that there are many world-class experiences that are completely free.

From touring valuable artworks to listening to live music, here are my local tips on the best things to do in London for free.

1. Don’t miss the free museums…

As part of ensuring that art, history and culture are accessible to everyone, all national museums in the UK offer free entry. This means you can tour the permanent collections of many famous institutions for no cost at all. Among London’s best free museums, see decorative arts and fashion at the V&A, visit the animatronic dinosaur and iconic blue whale skeleton at the Natural History Museum, and tour the world through ancient artefacts at the British Museum.

Planning tip: Many museums offer free tours, which can help you make sense of the vast collections in a relatively short time. Book in advance for themed tours of the British Museum or show up at the meeting points for the daily volunteer-led tours. The V&A tours run three times a day, and the NHM website has several self-guided tours.

2. …and unforgettable art galleries

For works by British icons – such as painter of light JMW Turner – go to Tate Britain, for portrait-based prints, drawings and paintings visit the National Portrait Gallery, or the adjacent National Gallery, with must-see pieces from the Renaissance onwards. 

For modern and contemporary pieces, the Tate Modern, in a former power station on the South Bank is unmissable, with everything from large-scale installations to pop-art inspired creations. White Cube in Bermondsey and Mason’s Yard near Piccadilly host contemporary art. For emerging artists, try Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea.

Planning tip: As with the museums, many galleries offer daily free tours. Check individual websites for schedules. Free entry only applies to the permanent collections; you’ll need to pay to visit any special exhibits and displays.

3. Walk in London’s many parks and green spaces

Good weather may not be guaranteed, but the freedom to roam through London’s parks is. Take your pick of parkland, heaths, woodlands, public gardens, commons, greens, canals and riversides in addition to eight Royal Parks.

St James’s near Buckingham Palace is one of the most central parks, fabulous for bird-watching, with a daily feeding of its resident pelicans around 2:30pm. In the west, Hyde Park is the largest park within central London, with a peaceful rose garden, a huge boating and seasonal swimming lake, and memorials to the Holocaust, Princess Diana and Prince Albert.

To the north, gaze at the London skyline from the top of Primrose Hill, wander along the canal through Regent’s Park to the quaint junction named Little Venice. East London is home to gardens and lakes in Victoria Park and the vast Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with wetlands, meadows and waterways. South London favorite is Greenwich Park, home to the historic Ranger’s House, an elegant Georgian villa, the exterior of which was used as a filming location in the Netflix hit Bridgerton. 

Planning tip: Take a wander by Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park on a Sunday to hear free speech in action as orators share their views on any given subject (providing it’s legal). There’s no schedule or programme; people just show up and take turns.

4. Be part of a parade, street party or celebration

Time your visit right to join crowds in a festive mood at one of London’s free outdoor ceremonies and celebrations. The Changing of the Guard takes place near Buckingham Palace three to four times a week, with troops of guards marching to regimental bands and drummers to relieve sentries of their duties at the palace.

New Year’s Day begins with a parade of marching bands, performers and floats. In late January/early February each year, Chinese New Year is celebrated around Chinatown with parades and lion dances. Trafalgar Square is the main location for many different events throughout the year, including St Patrick’s Day in March, Eid-al-Adha in May, Pride in July, and Diwali in October/November. 

Among the world’s biggest and best street parties, Notting Hill Carnival takes over the streets of west London – around Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park – at the end of August, with steel bands, dancers, sound systems and sumptuous Caribbean food.

Local tip: Keep an ear to the ground for major sporting successes, as large celebrations – such as the open-top bus parade down the Mall following the Lionesses win over Spain in UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 – can be announced with only a couple of days’ notice. With live music, big screens and special guests, the atmosphere is unbeatable.

5. Explore the street art, architecture and icons of the South Bank 

It’s easy to while away half a day on London’s South Bank without spending any money. Start at Leake Street under Waterloo station. This 200m-long road under the railway arches is an evolving street-art creation, with new murals, tags and paintings added daily. Stroll out towards the river to see icons like the London Eye and Houses of Parliament. Pause to watch the skaters in the Undercroft, part of the Southbank Centre, before walking east (with the river to your left). You’ll pass the Tate Modern, the Millennium Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe, with views of St Paul’s Cathedral across the river. Continue along the riverfront to the Victorian Tower Bridge, and cross over to get a closer look at the solid Norman architecture of the Tower of London. 

Planning tip: Stop at Borough Market near London Bridge station for lunch – there are usually free samples on offer, but this is where you want to splash some cash on freshly prepared food from around the world.

6. Enjoy the best city views for free

You could spend £19 per person getting whisked up by lift to floor 69 of The Shard, or rotate gently in a pod on the London Eye to a max of 135m for £29 per person. These are fabulous ways to get views over London if you’re happy to spend that money. However, there are lots of free ways to enjoy a panorama over the city skyline. 

Within central London, gaze over the Thames towards St Paul’s Cathedral from Level 10 at Tate Modern, or head even higher at the Sky Garden (43rd floor), and higher still at Horizon 22 (level 58). Heading out from the center, Primrose Hill in Regent’s Park and Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath are favorites with Londoners for their views taking in the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral. In Richmond Park in the southwest suburbs, wander up King Henry's Mound to see the protected view of St Paul’s Cathedral, which is over 10 miles away to the east. 

Planning tip: Free tickets for the Sky Garden are released every Monday morning for the following week and must be booked in advance. They are valid for an hour and it’s recommended that you bring photographic ID with you. Similarly, Horizon 22 must be booked online in advance, with tickets released every Monday for the following 2 weeks. 

7. Catch live music, a workshop or performance

Pubs across London host live music evenings throughout the week, from soulful solo singers to full jazz bands. They are usually free, but you’ll be expected to spend some money at the bar. You’ll likely hear buskers along the South Bank and in some tube stations, or catch entertainment in Covent Garden – if you hang around for their performance, consider tipping them as a sign of your appreciation. 

For something completely gratis, look out for daytime recitals. Musicians from Trinity Laban perform free concerts several times a week at venues across the city, and the London Symphony Orchestra hosts free instrumental concerts on selected Fridays. Gain insight into the music industry at Music Industry Monday, a weekly event of industry professionals and guest speakers followed by an open mic night. The Southbank Centre has a program of free workshops and events, including music, dance and storytelling.

Planning tip: Keep an eye on EventBrite for free tickets to open mic performances, jamming sessions, recitals and rehearsals. Dice is also useful for finding upcoming events. Use the price filter to set your budget.