London is out to prove that you can get something for nothing. Enjoy some of the unique experiences the city has to offer without breaking the bank in our guide to the best of London’s free activities.
London is an expensive city; we know this from living here for the last 20 or so years.
But in a city this size, there are plenty of fantastic free things to do.
Since December 2001, all UK’s national museums have been free of charge; a policy implemented by the Labour government at the time to increase access to cultural experiences for everyone.
This policy has become a revered feature of British cultural life.
But it’s not just museums that are free, there are a host of experiences, walks, views and festivals that don’t cost a penny.
After some long negotiations, Mark and I have agreed on our top 20 free things to do in London that all visitors and residents should try.
We’re always looking for new London gems, so we’ll keep this guide up to date as new experiences pop up and others disappear.
1. SHOREDITCH STREET ART
London’s street art scene began in the 1960s and 1970s with the rise of punk rock, mod and skinhead subcultures. What started as illegal graffiti has evolved into some of the best, but transient, art in London.
An influx of artists to Shoreditch in the 1990s looking for affordable studio space, transformed the area into the epicentre of street art in London.
Now, artists from all over the world come to make their mark on this cool London neighbourhood.
Some of the best areas are around Brick Lane, Rivington Street and New Inn Yard. Naturally, all this amazing art is completely free.
Our self-guided Shoreditch street art walk takes you past a lot of the best works.
2. SKY GARDEN
The Sky Garden is a free observation deck on the 43rd floor of the Fenchurch Building, also known as the Walkie-Talkie.
It has a lush tropical garden and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking panoramic views of London.
Sky Garden is free to visit, but you need to book a timed entry ticket as numbers are controlled to avoid the space getting overcrowded.
There are 2 bars and 2 restaurants in Sky Garden. We haven’t eaten at the restaurants, but the bars on the observation floor are a bit overpriced. Our recommendation is to take in the views and enjoy a drink somewhere else.
Book your free Sky Garden tickets.
3. NOW BUILDING
The Now Building is a four-story public atrium with 2,260 square metres of wrap around screens. Featuring tenures from rotating international artists, the massive multi-media installation shows mind-blowing visuals in 8K resolution.
The atrium space is open and it’s free to walk in and watch the presentation, and there’s no need to book tickets in advance.
Located above the Tottenham Court Road Underground station on the corner of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road, it’s a great thing to do while wandering around Soho.
4. BRITISH MUSEUM
The British Museum was the world’s first national museum open to the public. It has a collection of art, artifacts and relics representing thousands of years of human history and culture.
Some of the most important items include the Rosetta Stone, the Bust of Ramesses the Great from Luxor and a collection of 140 mummies from Tutankhamun.
The Great Court is a beautiful free space in London and the largest covered square in Europe.
Booking Tickets – You can book a timed entry ticket online, however Mark and I have generally found that it’s not necessary.
Note – Don’t be fooled by the fact that the entry queues direct you to what looks like a payment desk. This is to encourage you to make a donation but rest assured, the British Museum is free to visit.
5. CAMDEN MARKET
Camden Market is the largest and most interesting market in London. As a celebration of counterculture, it’s a melting pot of music, fashion, arts, craft and food.
It’s a delightful jumble of spaces which are: the Stables Market, Lock Market, Hawley Wharf Market and Buck Street Market.
They are all worth exploring but our favourite sections are the Stables Market, a cool labyrinth of cobble lanes and alleyways, and Camden Hawley Wharf, a new complex with covered food courts and modern boutiques.
Seeing both is a good way to see the traditional and modern sides to Camden.
6. TATE MODERN
The Tate Modern is one of the national galleries in the UK that are completely free. It houses the country’s collection of modern and contemporary art in a converted power station.
There are many famous pieces in the collection including works by Lichtenstein, Matisse and Picasso. However, the real attraction for us are the quirky installations, some of which we get, others we don’t.
The hit-and-miss aspect of the gallery is one of the main reasons to go. You never know what surprises are in store.
There are two things that are always good at Tate Modern.
The first is the Turbine Hall which displays huge-scale art installations in the basement which once housed the electricity generators.
The second is the café on Level 10. We’re not normally huge fans of art gallery cafés, but this one is worth it for the excellent views of London.
7. COVENT GARDEN & NEAL’S YARD
Covent Garden is the dining and entertainment hub in the West End of London. It’s one of those rare entities that is very popular with tourists but somewhere the locals actually like to go as well.
Including us. We often gravitate towards Covent Garden after a night out in the West End.
You’ll find plenty of cocktail bars, restaurants and cafes, but it’s also a great place to stroll around making it a wonderful free thing to do in London.
Covent Garden has a rich history of supporting buskers, and you can see quality street performances every day for free.
The Apple Market is the most iconic market in Covent Garden where you’ll often hear free performances by the musicians from the National Opera House.
The Jubilee Market is a great place to stroll around and soak up the atmosphere, even if you’re not looking for souvenirs or vintage jewellery.
Have a look around Neils Yard, one of the prettiest streets in London. It’s home to independent businesses recognised for their sustainable and ethical practices.
Finally, another great free activity in Covent Garden is to spot movie locations. Some of the classics that have been filmed here include My Fair Lady, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Mary Poppins, Tomorrow Never Dies, Spectre and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
8. LEAKE STREET ARCHES
Beneath Waterloo Station, Leake Street Arches has some of the best street art in London.
Forming a free open museum, the arches were originally made famous by Banksy who organised a festival here in 2008.
Since then, the Leake Street Arches have become canvas for local and international artists who have transformed the tunnel into a colourful explosion of murals.
The great thing about Leake Street Arches is the temporary nature of the art. When an artist puts their mark on the walls, there’s no guarantee that it won’t be painted over.
This means there’s always something happening in the tunnels with artists working around the clock.
9. V&A MUSEUM
The Victoria & Albert Museum is a celebration of human creativity and one of the most interesting and diverse free things to do in London.
The collection spans 5,000 years and includes everything from Egyptian artefacts through to modern fashion, photography and performance.
Some of the amazing things you can see completely free of charge include the 7 huge Raphael paintings that were early designs for tapestries to hang in the Sistine Chapel, and the Cast Courts, incredible reproductions of famous sculptures.
It’s free to enter the main galleries, but there are always excellent temporary exhibitions (paid) that are worth checking out. See what’s on at vam.ac.uk.
10. SOUTH BANK
South Bank is the promenade south of the River Thames stretching from Lambeth Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge.
There are several top attractions along the South Bank including the London Eye, Sea Life Aquarium, and the National Theatre.
You’ll also find plenty of restaurants, shopping and street performances.
Strolling along the promenade is a great free thing to do in London. We have put together a South Bank London walk which has all the main attractions and hidden gems you can find along the river.
The other attraction is the South Bank Centre, a hub of creativity with regular free performances, festivals, events and exhibitions. Check what’s on at southbankcentre.co.uk.
11. BOROUGH MARKET
Borough Market is a foodies delight and an unmissable attraction for anyone visiting London for the first time.
The market dates back to the 12th century and today has a staggering amount of local and international produce.
Obviously, the food isn’t free, but we’re including it in this guide because even if you don’t want to buy anything, strolling around and soaking up the atmosphere is a wonderful thing to do.
This is London’s biggest market so it can get busy. The best time to go is early on Saturday morning or later in the weekday afternoons.
12. RICHMOND PARK
Richmond Park is a sweeping park in west London with woods, rolling hills and wide-open grassland.
It’s a great place for animal lovers as it’s a haven for several rare and endangered species. You’ll also encounter the deer which have roamed the park since 1637.
Other highlights include Isabella Plantation, a beautiful 40-acre manicured garden, and Pembroke Lodge gardens.
Richmond Park is free to visit, and the pedestrian gates are open 24 hours a day.
We have developed a walk that covers the best sections of the park while also exploring Richmond, read more on our guide to the best walks in London.
13. LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Our most festive addition to this list, the London Christmas Lights is a heart-warming free thing to do in London.
As locals, we go around the lights every year checking out the dazzling designs and although it’s a very popular thing to do, it retains its magic every year.
We’re probably biased, but after spending some time over the Christmas period in a few European cities, we’ve come to the conclusion that no one does Christmas lights like London.
You can read about the best of the Christmas Lights which we update every year with new photos so you can see what each street looks like.
We also have a self-guided Christmas Lights walking route which visits the very best displays across a 2.3 mile (5 kilometre) walk.
14. WHITE CUBE GALLERY
The White Cube gallery has spaces in Hong Kong, Paris, New York and London. It’s one of the leading contemporary art galleries in the world with an artist-led philosophy that has supported creatives for the last 30 years.
The gallery operates across various locations from time to time, but the main space is White Cube Bermondsey which is Europe’s largest commercial gallery space.
You’ll find large scale exhibitions and smaller collections from a diverse range of artists and there’s always something interesting happening.
Find out what’s on at the White Cube website.
15. NOTTING HILL & PORTOBELLO MARKET
Notting Hill is one of London’s most colourful neighbourhoods.
Famous for rows of pastel-hued terrace houses, the diverse cultural make up of Notting Hill make it one of our favourite areas to explore.
It’s the perfect neighbourhood for visitors from the US looking for charming London residential architecture.
Some of the cool free things to do include strolling Portobello Road during market days (the best is Saturday), finding the very hidden Banksy and ticking off locations from the Notting Hill movie.
We have more details in our Notting Hill Guide, which includes all the best things to do as well as information on getting there, where to eat and where to stay.
16. HARRODS
Harrods is a British institution packed with rare items, luxury fashion, homewares and technology.
Although we wouldn’t call it cheap, you could easily turn it into a free thing to do because strolling around admiring the Grade II listed building is reward enough without needing to spend a dime.
Our favourite section is the food hall which we could spend hours in, just eyeing the magnificent displays.
17. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
For us, the great thing about London’s world-class national museums being free is that we can just pop in for a quick look whenever we’re nearby.
Which is something Mark and I do regularly at the National Portrait Gallery, possibly our favourite art gallery in London.
The collection celebrates notable figures of history through portraits in both photographs and paintings.
You’ll find contemporary tributes to modern personalities, through to paintings of historic figures from across the centuries.
The main exhibition is free, but they have regular temporary collections (paid) so it’s worth seeing what’s on at npg.org.uk.
18. BRITISH LIBRARY
The British Library is the National Library of the United Kingdom containing over 170 million items.
You can use the Reading Room free of charge for personal study and access the collection – although you can’t borrow books like other libraries.
The Treasures Gallery contains a wealth of historical documents including the Magna Carta, handwritten Beatles lyrics, Florence Nightingale’s original manuscripts and Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks.
Visit the Sound Gallery, the largest collection of recorded sounds in the world.
The British Library was the victim of a cyber-attack in 2023 which continues to cause major issues to their online systems, so some services are limited. However, you can still visit the Reading Rooms and all the galleries.
19. TAKE A WALK
One of the best ways to experience London for free is to take a walk through the city.
We’ve put together 15 self-guided walks that explore different areas of the city. They range from easy strolls (around 2-4 miles in length) through to longer all-day excursions (6-9 miles).
Each walk includes detailed descriptions of what you can see along the way, with a map to follow your progress.
Read our top walks in London guide which has walks from several different neighbourhoods with all the information you need.
20. BFI MEDIATHEQUE
For movie fans, the BFI Mediatheque is probably the ultimate free London activity.
Home to the National Film Archives, the centre has over 85,000 films and TV programmes which you can watch free of charge. Thanks to funding provided by the National Lottery the archive continues to grow as more and more titles are digitised.
They have around 10 private viewing booths where you can settle in and watch anything you like. Some booths seat multiple people, others are for solo viewing. Headphones are provided or you can bring your own.
Watch rare TV, films from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, classic films and long-forgotten British masterpieces.
There’s also a massive selection of kid’s films and animated gems.
Tell the attendants how long you want to watch for (maximum 2 hours) and they’ll show you to a booth.
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– Paul & Mark.
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