Free things to do in London are easier to find than you might think. The city has a reputation as one of the most expensive in the world, and it is well earned, but some of the best things you can do here cost nothing at all. Visit London, the city’s official tourism body, recently picked out 8 completely free experiences. We have gathered them here with practical tips, and at each stop we tell you where to find a Greek cafe or restaurant nearby, whether you have lived in London for years or are visiting for a weekend.
One of the most important museums in the world and the first place any Londoner will mention if you ask about free things to do in London. Entry is free every day. Standing in the Great Court under the glass roof, you understand immediately why millions of people visit every year. For Greeks it has a special meaning: this is where the Parthenon Marbles are displayed, in Room 18, alongside a huge collection of Greek antiquities. Go early in the morning to avoid the queues.
Getting there: Tottenham Court Road or Holborn. Open daily 10:00 to 17:00, Fridays until 20:30.
Greek stop nearby: Two minutes from the museum, The Life Goddess on Store Street for meze and Greek coffee, and Elysée on Percy Street, the historic Greek restaurant of Fitzrovia with live music in the evenings.
The building alone is worth the visit. In Hintze Hall you are greeted by the 25 metre skeleton of a blue whale, and from there on it is dinosaurs, meteorites, gemstones and an earthquake simulator. Perfect for families. Right next door are the Science Museum and the V&A, also free, so you can spend a whole day in South Kensington without paying for a single ticket.
Getting there: South Kensington. At weekends and school holidays book a free timed ticket online to get in faster.
The old power station on Bankside is now one of the most visited modern art museums in the world. The permanent collection, with Picasso, Warhol, Dalí and Rothko, is free. Do not miss the Turbine Hall, the vast entrance space that hosts a different installation every year. And go up to the 10th floor of the Blavatnik Building: the view over the Thames and St Paul’s is one of the best in the city, no ticket required.
Getting there: Southwark or Blackfriars, or walk over from St Paul’s across the Millennium Bridge.
London’s highest public garden, at the top of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper at 20 Fenchurch Street. Tropical plants, 360 degree views and free entry. The trick is the booking: free tickets are released online about three weeks in advance and go quickly, especially for sunset slots. Set a reminder and book early. Without a booking you can try your luck at the walk-in times, but do not count on it.
Getting there: Monument or Bank. Bring photo ID.
The most British scene there is: red tunics, tall bearskin hats and a band playing in front of Buckingham Palace. The ceremony usually takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11:00, but the schedule changes with the season and the weather, so check the official calendar before you go. Arrive at least 45 minutes early for a good spot. If you prefer fewer crowds, watch the mounted guard change at Horse Guards Parade on Whitehall instead.
Getting there: Green Park, St James’s Park or Victoria.
Greek stop nearby: After the ceremony, coffee at Chill House Coffee on Shepherd Street in Mayfair, five minutes from Green Park.
London is one of the greenest capitals in Europe. Hyde Park with the Serpentine lake and neighbouring Kensington Gardens are perfect for a walk, a run or a picnic. A little further out, Richmond Park has hundreds of deer roaming free, and from Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath you get the whole city skyline. Greenwich Park has the best view towards Canary Wharf. All free, all day, and probably the most relaxing free things to do in London on a sunny weekend.
Greek stop nearby: Around Hyde Park you have Halepi on Leinster Terrace, one of London’s oldest Greek Cypriot restaurants, It’s All Greek To Me on Praed Street for a quick souvlaki, and a bit further up in Marylebone, Kima for seafood and Opso for modern Greek cooking.
London’s most famous food market has traded on the same corner next to London Bridge for centuries. Entry is free and wandering between the stalls of cheese, bread, spices and street food from around the world is an experience in itself. Most traders offer samples. If you want to eat, start here, because portions are generous and prices are reasonable by London standards. Thursday to Saturday is busiest.
Getting there: London Bridge. Closed on Mondays.
Of all the free things to do in London, this is probably the best walk. Start at Westminster Bridge with Big Ben opposite and head east along the Thames: the London Eye, the Southbank Centre with its free spaces and exhibitions, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern, Borough Market and finally Tower Bridge with the Tower of London across the water. Two relaxed hours, with street performers, the open air book market under Waterloo Bridge and views you never tire of. At night, with the lights on, it is even better.
The list of free things to do in London does not end here. The city has dozens more free museums and galleries: the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Museum of London Docklands, Wallace Collection, Sir John Soane’s Museum and the Bank of England Museum. The big cathedrals charge for entry, but many smaller churches, such as St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square, are open and often host free lunchtime concerts.
Add Greek events to your list of free things to do in London: many of them are free or cost very little, from talks at the Hellenic Centre to exhibitions, festivals and community nights. They are all in one place, with dates and tickets, on the Greek Events page on Greek List, the most complete list of Greek events in the UK. Organising something? You can list your event for free.
The restaurants and cafes mentioned above are members of Greek List. More than 100,000 Greeks and Cypriots in the UK read us every month on the site, in the newsletter and in the Ellines sto Londino Facebook group, and our listings rank first on Google. If you want them to find you too, see the plans and sign up or add your business in a few minutes.
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