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London is one of the most visited cities in the world, but also one of the most expensive. As a backpacker on a budget, this city can quickly chew through your budget, but there are many free things to do in London, saving you money while still experiencing all that this wonderful city has to offer. From glorious galleries to the most prestigious parks and landmarks, you can stay well within your budget and see the sights without spending a penny! Here are some free things to do in London.
Hyde Park
Stop off at one of the world’s most astonishing city parks for a tranquil day on your travels. Covering 350 rolling acres, this picturesque landscape boasts grand greenery from ornate flower gardens to shrub beds and over 400 trees. The sinuous Serpentine lake attracts exotic water birds such as the great crested grebe, with other sightings including buzzards and even Egyptian geese. Stroll through Hyde Park at dusk for an opportune time to view bats from the Dell Bridge, and don’t miss the moving tribute to Princess Diana, a memorial fountain whose bridges take visitors right to its heart. With so much flora and fauna to spot, this is the perfect place to enjoy a change of pace from London’s hustle and bustle.
BFI Mediatheque
Beneath the arches of Waterloo Bridge awaits a celluloid world for tourists and cinephiles to discover. If you’re new to Britain and eager to learn more about its cinematic culture over the past 100 years, this destination contains an unlimited wealth of must-see treasures. Run by the British Film Institute, the Mediatheque contains viewing stations from which guests can watch films and TV highlights from the National Archive without charge. Whether showcasing the extraordinary talent of directors like Alfred Hitchcock or highlighting important social issues, these often hard-to-find films offer something for all tastes. Book in advance or simply turn up on the day — ideal for backpackers on the move!
Houses of Parliament
Spend a morning at Britain’s rather regal seat of government, the two houses of the legislature crowned by the Palace of Westminster’s opulent neo-classical architecture. While the 75-minute guided tour has a price, you can sit in on parliamentary debates or committee hearings free of charge, offering a truly dynamic feel for the workings of Parliament. Simply turn up bright and early on Monday to Thursday, when the two Houses are ‘sitting’, and queue to take a seat in the public galleries. As the issues of the day are hotly debated, enjoy the sight of the Lords Chamber’s ornate Sovereign Throne or the Commons Chamber’s iconic green benches at this most politically important of London freebies.
National Portrait Gallery
Get to grips with the most renowned and famous figures from Great Britain through this extensive collection of portraits dating from the 16th Century to the present day. This ‘who’s who’ of historical and contemporary figures boasts an eclectic selection of British innovators, boundary-pushers, modern celebrities and much more. Feast your eyes on a plentiful collection of portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and spot paintings of all your favourite extraordinary men and women, from the Brontë sisters to Ian McKellen and Sir Bobby Charlton.
National History Museum
From prehistoric birds and mammals to ancient reptiles and invertebrates, this unique museum on Exhibition Road offers a planet’s worth of wonders from the Earth’s astonishing antiquity, and it is one of the best free things to do in London. Meet the Neanderthals and Denisovans, our closest ancestral relations, the latter of which were only recently discovered and date back at least 40,000 years. Hurtle back through time to when velociraptors and brontosauruses roamed the earth, in an unparalleled exhibit featuring four animatronic dinosaurs including a terrifying T-rex. As well as year-round fixtures you’ll find seasonal temporary exhibits such as Animal Inside Out, revealing what nature’s awe-inspiring creatures look like beneath the skin.
British Museum
No stay in London would be complete without a visit to the world-famous British Museum, ebullient with exquisite artefacts from innumerable cultures and periods. View the Elgin Marbles, whose home was once the Parthenon in Athens, and get a glimpse of the iconic Rosetta Stone which enabled the translation of Egyptian texts. On the way through inexhaustible collections you’ll marvel at real-life mummies preserved for thousands of years, incredible inventions and ornaments from imperial China’s dynasties, and learn about the history of civilisation in all its forms.
Westminster Abbey
An elegant fixture on London’s landscape, this grand Gothic church in the heart of Westminster costs nothing to visit and offers some of the most beautiful sights in the capital. Whether savouring the stupendous fan-vaulted roof in the Lady Chapel or admiring Poets’ Corner’s myriad memorials to Britain’s greatest writers, there’s no shortage of staggering sights in the 700-year-old building. The distinguished destination has often played host to royal weddings, most recently the celebrated union of Prince William and Kate Middleton, making the Abbey a truly illustrious location to spend some time on a London break. Pause outside the towering structure at evening for a serene nighttime view that really is priceless.
Buckingham Palace
No royal residence is more well-known and welcoming than Buckingham Palace, boasting an ostentatious facade and the ever-present regal red attire of the Queen’s Guard. While you won’t be able to enter the Palace, laying eyes on the spectacularly elegant residence is a must for any curious visitor to London. Arrive before 11:30 and bear witness to the daily Changing of the Guard, one of the capital’s top tourist attractions. The vivid ceremony involves an elaborately choreographed handover from one set of sentries to the next, showing off all the pomp and decorousness of the British sensibility. A visit to the Palace is ideal for backpackers on the go, as you’re within walking distance of many further places of interest from 10 Downing Street to Trafalgar Square.
Mudlarking by the Thames
In contrast to its current cleanly reputation, the Thames was once used as London’s watery landfill, the population tossing away their everyday junk along its dirtying course. Consequently the 95-mile foreshore is today something of a treasure-trove of archaic items preserved by the mud. Search along this urban sprawl and you could find plenty of fascinating trinkets lying on the surface. Old-fashioned 16th Century clay smoking pipes are often discovered, while tools, pottery and buttons are also common. Budding archaeologists are free to leisurely wander the riverside and examine finds without a license, as long as no digging is involved, but please speak to the Museum of London if you’re lucky enough to make a discovery! What better way to get a hands-on feel for London’s domestic history while basking in the reflective river vistas?
Science Museum
Entry is free to this world-renowned museum which opened over 150 years ago yet remains at the forefront of sharing scientific knowledge with tourists and locals alike. Inspirational exhibits include the bulky historic computers which gave rise to the machines we know today, and an abundant collection of over 500 intricate and innovative timepieces from sundials to wristwatches. Physics comes to life as never before at the prodigiously popular Launchpad, featuring 50 interactive exhibits that let you shatter light rays into rainbows, see solid carbon dioxide release streams of gas, and witness the world psychedelically through a Thermal Imaging Camera.
As you can see, there are many free things to do in London that will help you travel on a tight budget. Happy travels!
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