London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to visit, but it is also one of the best for doing things for nothing. The capital’s biggest draw — its world-class national museums and galleries — is almost entirely free, and around them sit free skyline views, eight royal parks, buzzing street markets and quiet hidden corners that most visitors walk straight past. This guide rounds up more than forty free things to do in London, grouped so you can build a day, a weekend or a whole trip without paying for attractions at all.
World-class museums and galleries, all free
The single best reason London is so good for free days out is that its major museums charge nothing for general admission. You can spend hours in any of these without spending a penny:
- The British Museum — the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, the Parthenon sculptures and the glass-roofed Great Court.
- The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery on Trafalgar Square — Van Gogh, Turner, da Vinci and centuries of portraits.
- Tate Modern (modern and contemporary art in a former power station, with a free top-floor viewing level) and Tate Britain (British art and the Turner collection).
- The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington — dinosaurs, the blue whale skeleton and hands-on galleries, superb for families.
- The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) — the world’s leading museum of art, design and fashion.
- The Imperial War Museum, the Museum of London Docklands, the Wallace Collection and Sir John Soane’s Museum, a wonderfully eccentric free house-museum near Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
Beyond the headline names, a second tier of free museums is just as rewarding and far quieter: the London Museum, the Bank of England Museum (where you can lift a real gold bar), the Guildhall Art Gallery with the remains of London’s Roman amphitheatre beneath it, the Horniman Museum and gardens in the south, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and contemporary spaces such as the Whitechapel Gallery, the Saatchi Gallery and the courtyard and some galleries of the Royal Academy. Only special exhibitions usually charge, so stick to the permanent collections and everything is free.
Free views over the London skyline
You do not need to pay for an observation deck to see London from above. The Sky Garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street (the “Walkie-Talkie”) has three storeys of gardens and 360-degree views, and entry is free if you book a timed slot in advance. Horizon 22, currently the highest free viewing gallery in the city, also requires a free pre-booked ticket. For outdoor views that need no booking at all, climb Primrose Hill, Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, or Greenwich Park by the Royal Observatory — all classic free panoramas of the skyline. The rooftop terrace of One New Change by St Paul’s and the free viewing level of Tate Modern also give fine City views for nothing, and the Crossrail Place Roof Garden in Canary Wharf is a free, enclosed tropical garden few visitors know about.
| Free view | Booking needed? |
|---|---|
| Sky Garden (20 Fenchurch Street) | Yes, free timed slot |
| Horizon 22 | Yes, free timed ticket |
| Primrose Hill | No |
| Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath | No |
| Greenwich Park | No |
| One New Change roof terrace | No |
| Tate Modern viewing level | No |
Royal London, landmarks and ceremony
Many of London’s most famous sights cost nothing to see from the outside, and some of its ceremony is free to watch. Walk past Buckingham Palace and time your visit for the Changing of the Guard, a free spectacle on selected days. See Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey from the outside, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London from the riverside, Trafalgar Square with its lions and fountains, and St Paul’s Cathedral, whose exterior and surrounding gardens cost nothing even though entry inside is ticketed.
Parks, gardens and green escapes
London has eight Royal Parks, all free to enter. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens run into one another with the Serpentine, the Italian Gardens and Kensington Palace’s grounds. St James’s Park has the best view toward Buckingham Palace, Regent’s Park hides the free, fragrant Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, and Greenwich Park pairs skyline views with maritime history. Further out, Richmond Park has free-roaming deer, Hampstead Heath feels like countryside, and the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park is a serene, free Japanese garden. The Sky Garden above also counts as a free indoor garden on a wet day.
London’s markets: free to wander
Browsing London’s markets costs nothing, even if the food is tempting. Borough Market near London Bridge is the city’s most famous food market; Camden Market is a maze of stalls and street food; Portobello Road in Notting Hill is the classic antiques market (busiest on Saturdays); and the Columbia Road Flower Market on Sundays turns a whole street into a river of blooms. For history and architecture, wander Leadenhall Market, a beautiful Victorian covered arcade in the City, and Old Spitalfields Market in the East End.
River walks and neighbourhoods to explore on foot
Some of the best free things to do in London are simply walks. The South Bank from Westminster to Tower Bridge takes in the London Eye, the Southbank Centre, Tate Modern and the Globe. Follow the Thames Path further in either direction, stroll Regent’s Canal from Little Venice to Camden, or lose an afternoon in the lanes of Covent Garden (free street performers under the piazza), Notting Hill, Soho and the bookshops of Bloomsbury.
Hidden gems most visitors miss
Away from the big sights, London is full of free corners worth seeking out: St Dunstan in the East, a bombed church turned into a romantic garden ruin; Postman’s Park with its memorial to everyday heroes; the jewel-box of Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden; Daunt Books on Marylebone High Street, one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world; and Little Venice, where canals meet near Paddington. Free lunchtime concerts in City churches and at venues such as St Martin-in-the-Fields add culture at no cost. Street-art fans can walk the legal graffiti of the Leake Street Tunnel under Waterloo, or the East End murals around Shoreditch and Brick Lane.
Free festivals and events through the year
London’s calendar is full of free spectacle if you time it right. Winter brings the New Year’s Day Parade and free views of the Lord Mayor’s Show procession; spring and summer add free festivals in Trafalgar Square for Diwali, Chinese New Year in Chinatown (one of the largest celebrations outside Asia), Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday, open-air cinema and concerts in the parks, and the Changing of the Guard and Trooping the Colour flypasts. Many museums run free late-night openings with music and talks on selected evenings. Check the museums’ and the mayor’s own what’s-on listings before your trip, as the best free events change week to week.
Planning a free day out in London
A few practicals make a no-cost trip run smoothly. Walking and the river are free, but when you do take transport, use a contactless card or phone — fares are capped daily, so you never pay more than the cap however many journeys you make. Pre-book the free view slots (Sky Garden, Horizon 22) a few days ahead, as they go quickly. Many museums run free late openings and family trails, and the best free events — Diwali and other festivals in Trafalgar Square, open-air cinema, summer concerts — are listed on the mayor’s and museums’ own what’s-on pages. With the national museums as your anchor and parks, markets and river walks around them, you can fill several days in London without paying for a single attraction.
Frequently asked questions
Are London’s museums really free?
Yes. General admission to the major national museums — the British Museum, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A — is free. Only special temporary exhibitions normally charge, so the permanent collections cost nothing.
What is the best free thing to do in London?
For most visitors it is the free national museums, led by the British Museum. For a free skyline view, book a slot at the Sky Garden or Horizon 22; for ceremony, watch the Changing of the Guard; and for green space, the Royal Parks are all free.
What free things can you do in London with kids?
The Natural History Museum (dinosaurs and the blue whale), the Science Museum’s hands-on galleries, the Royal Parks and playgrounds, Richmond Park’s deer, and the free view from the Sky Garden are all excellent with children, and all cost nothing.
Is there a free view of London?
Yes. The Sky Garden and Horizon 22 both offer free indoor skyline views with a pre-booked timed ticket. For free outdoor viewpoints that need no booking, head to Primrose Hill, Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, or Greenwich Park.
How much should I budget for a free day in London?
You can genuinely spend nothing on attractions. Your only likely costs are transport (capped daily if you pay by contactless) and food. Walking the river, exploring markets and parks, and visiting the free museums can fill a full day at no entry cost.