Last updated on June 4th, 2023
London is a large city full of spectacular things to see and do. It also has a reputation for being very expensive. This is true…sort of. London has many luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and prestigious shops, but it also has a lot of great budget options.
With so many choices, there’s something for every type of traveler, and with a little effort, you can easily visit on a budget. Knowing some of the best tips on where to go and what to look out for can help your money go further.
You can still experience all the city offers without breaking the bank and overspending. This guide will teach you the best ways of visiting London on a budget and still be able to get the full city experience.
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Take Advantage of Free Attractions
London has a large number of free things to do, many of which are top attractions. First off, several museums in London are free to visit. The National Gallery, The British Museum, and Natural History Museum are three of the most popular, but there are over 170 museums in total!
Other Free Museums to Visit
You can also admire Big Ben, Buckingham Palace’s Changing of the Guard, and Tower Bridge for no money at all. Another great free attraction is the Sky Garden. The indoor garden is located at the top of the “Walkie Talkie” building and has the city’s best skyline views.
To access the Sky Garden for free, go online to reserve a ticket. Tickets are available three weeks in advance, in which you will need to pick a specific date and time to visit. And try to withstand the urge to eat at one of the restaurants while there. Although the viewpoint is free, the restaurants make up for that with their expensive menus.
One of the most pleasant things about London is the large number of parks and outdoor areas where you can spend the afternoon lounging. Hyde Park is one of the most beautiful, but there are plenty of other places to roam. St. Jame’s Park and Kensington Gardens are other great places to relax after a long day of sightseeing.
Walk or Use Public Transportation
Walking is the best way to get around in a city, but with one as large as London, you cannot walk everywhere. In these instances, the most affordable form of transportation is the tube or city bus.
To get the best rates, purchase an Oyster Card, which allows you to travel for almost half the cost of buying a single ticket (around £2.40 per trip around the city center). Best of all, there is a daily cap, meaning after you have reached a certain amount, the remainder of your daily rides are free.
The Oyster Card also allows you to hop between the underground and a bus. You can even use this payment for trams, Docklands Light Railways, Heathrow Express, and many National Rail services.
Oyster Cards can be purchased online in advance, at the airport, or any tube station. When you need to top off your card, find a ticket machine at any station or Oyster Ticket Stops.
Try to walk from place to place if you can before hopping on public transportation. It is the best way to enjoy the city’s beauty and see the sights. London is one of those cities with hidden gems and surprises that you will miss if you don’t take the time to get lost in the streets.
To make the most of your time, plan to visit attractions that are close together. You can see more in less time while avoiding unnecessary travel.
Hop on a Bike
If you like exploring the city on foot but need to give yourself a break, grab a bike instead. London has a cheap bike rental system known as Santander Cycles or ‘Boris Bikes’ that can be rented for just £2 with an additional £2 for every 30 minutes of use. Recently, the company has introduced e-bike rentals as well.
Grab a bike at a docking station and drop it off at another convenient location when you’re done. There are over 700 docks around London, so finding one is not hard. You can also download the app for routes, bike locations, and payment options.
If you’re okay riding through a crowded city, this is another great and inexpensive way to get around.
Grab Some Cheap But Delicious Food
One advantage of being in such a large city is the number of restaurants available for all budgets. You can find fast food restaurants and street food everywhere. The London markets are among the best places to grab an inexpensive bite.
Borough Market is one of the best for food, but there is also Covent Garden Market and Camden Town Market, which have a wide range of vendors. There is every type of food imaginable here and a large assortment of fresh produce.
If you love street food, then Camden Market is one of the best places to go. They have over 100 stalls dedicated to food alone. Not only is this a budget-friendly option, but it is also great for visitors who want a quick meal.
The markets aren’t the only place you can eat for less. There are hundreds of restaurants around the city that have delicious food for not much money. Grab some fish and chips followed by a pint at an historic pub. London’s pub scene is one of the top things to experience for little money.
Be Flexible With Your Accommodations
Hotels will consume a chunk of your budget as they tend to be much higher than most cities. However, you can keep costs down by doing some research and following these tips.
Although there are thousands of hotels in and around London, booking months in advance will save you a lot of money. Even then, the price for the average hotel is high.
So shop around for current deals and cross-reference prices. If you have a stash of travel points saved, this may be a great time to use them to stay where all the action is for a lot less.
If you’re trying to keep your budget low, research some Airbnb rentals instead of hotels. These are much cheaper in the city center, especially when traveling with friends. Another benefit of renting an apartment is having a full kitchen to cook meals if you’d rather not eat out every night.
And if the location doesn’t matter much to you, look into staying on the city’s outskirts (Zones 2-4) for even lower prices. London has an extensive tube system, so getting to the main sites is simple if you decide to stay further out. However, I recommend staying in the city center to avoid long commutes.
Budget-Friendly Hotels in London
- The Corner (London City)
- Z Hotel (Covent Garden)
- The Princess Royal (Notting Hill)
- The Pilgrim (Paddington)
- The Spread Eagle (Wandsworth)
Another tip for saving on accommodations is avoiding peak season. June through August is peak tourist season, which means large crowds and prices. Planning your trip around these popular times will drastically lower prices.
Holidays and special events will also raise the prices. For example, Christmas is a popular time to visit the city, so avoid visiting during November and December when hotels raise their prices due to the high demand.
Join a Free Walking Tour
Free walking tours are available that are usually led by university students who will take you around the city. And although a tip is encouraged, these tours cost much less than joining a large group excursion. These tours do not offer access to any attractions but are a great way to learn more about the city quickly.
Several popular companies have free walking tours. Free Tours by Foot has some unique experiences, such as the Graffiti and Street Art tour of the East End neighborhoods, the Harry Potter filming locations tour, and the captivating Jack the Ripper tour, to name a few.
Another terrific company is Sandeman’s New Europe for those who want a more in-depth guide to London. Their free tours are 3 hours long and available at 10:00 am daily. The tour begins in Covent Garden and ends in front of Westminster Abbey, passing by Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and other important landmarks along the way.
Popular Paid Walking Tours
Although these tours are not free, they are a great way to learn about the city’s history and culture. They also offer entry into London’s attractions and a small group setting that you do not get as part of a free tour.
Purchase the London Pass
If you plan on seeing a ton of attractions, then it may be worth purchasing the London Pass. This pass allows you entry into 90 attractions, including Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, and the Tower of London.
Currently, the price of a London Pass is £125 for a two-day adult pass (£109 on sale), and each attraction costs between £20-£30 for entry. You would save money with the card by visiting just six attractions in those two days. It makes even more sense if you want to go on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour which starts at £37 for one ticket.
Passes range from 1 to 10-day options with an addition of adding the Oyster Pass. The London Pass runs regular deals and special discounts, so check the website frequently before purchasing yours.
The London Pass has additional perks, such as a skip-the-line entry to a number of sites. For many, including myself, saving time in line is worth the cost. If you want to join a bus tour but don’t want to splurge on tickets, then the London Pass gets you on one for free.
TRAVEL TIP: Purchase the London Pass and Oyster Card Bundle to save even more money.
Before purchasing your pass, decide what attractions you’d like to visit, how much they would be on their own, and if they are included in the London Pass. If it costs less than individual tickets, purchasing the pass is a no-brainer.
Most Popular Attractions Included with the Pass
- St. Paul’s Cathedral (£23 per ticket)
- Windsor Castle (£30 per ticket)
- Tower of London (£29.90 per ticket)
- Westminster Abbey (£27 per ticket)
For discounts, purchase the pass online. You can get the pass fully refunded within 365 days if you do not use it, and it remains good for two years after purchase. Download your mobile pass on the London Pass app or print your tickets to enjoy access to over 90 attractions.
Remember, once you activate the pass at the first attraction, it is only good for the consecutive days you purchased it. Use the free guidebook with your purchase to help you plan your sightseeing itinerary.
Take a Self-Guided Tour
Taking your own tour is one of the most creative ways to save money on sightseeing. River tours and hop-on-hop-off bus tours are popular ways to take in the sites with the help of a guide. Unfortunately, they can also cost a decent amount of money. So create your own sightseeing tour for the price of a bus or river cruise ticket.
Instead of joining a tour bus, hop on a public route instead. A few of the main city routes take you past some of the top sites, including Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, the Thames, and the Houses of Parliament, all for a bus ticket.
Popular Bus Routes
- Route 9: Passes by Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, Kensington Gardens, and St. Jame’s Palace.
- Route 11: Passes by St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and Trafalgar Square.
- Route 24: Passes by Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, and Trafalgar Square.
London’s public ferry service, known as the Thames Clipper, will take you on the river for around £5-£20 depending on the route (get an additional 10% with an Oyster Card).
You will pass by the same attractions as joining a tour, minus the knowledgeable guide. I’ve got a solution for that, though. Download the VoiceMap app for free access to 35 personalized tours.
You can also download a self-guided audio tour by Free Tours by Foot. The offer four of their most popular group tours if you prefer to take one on your own.
Save Money on Theater Tickets
This particular tip goes against the norm, as you usually want to purchase tickets for anything well in advance. Waiting until the day of can actually save you tons of money for performances. London is known for its famous theatre scene, but tickets for these events can be extremely pricey.
To purchase tickets to a famous West End Show head over to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square (They are also available online). You can get discounted tickets days in advanced and half-priced tickets the day of for many shows.
Other places to watch live events that are much less expensive are the National Theatre or Shakespeare’s Globe. You can watch a Shakespearean play for as little as £10 if you don’t mind standing. Seats range from £25-£65 based on availability and location.
London is a melting pot of cultures and home to the performing arts, which means you can still enjoy a show without spending lots of money. There are always free concerts and events found around the city.
For upcoming dates, check out Visit London. This site has a detailed list of everything to do around the city, including seasonal festivals and celebrations.
Pubs are also a great plate for live music. Most charge a cover after a specific time, so make sure to get there early in order to bypass the entrance fee.
Conclusion
London is a vibrant city with no shortage of things to see and do. No matter what your interests or budget, there is something for every type of traveler. Some of the best free things to do are explore the local markets, relax at a park, stroll the historic streets, and grab a pint at a cozy pub.
If you have time, I highly recommend visiting as many sights as you can and seeing a show or two! No matter how you chose to spend your time in London, it is a magical city which I am confident you will love.
Know of some other ways to experience London on a budget? Leave a comment below with some additional money saving tips and free things to do.
Enjoyed this post? Here are some other travel planning guides!
Travel Planning Resources
BOOK YOUR FLIGHT | Skyscanner is the top search engine for finding and booking flights. They price check over 1,200 travel sites to help you find the best prices.
VIEW ACCOMMODATIONS | For booking hotels and vacation rentals Booking.com is a top resource . They offer some of the cheapest rates and different payment options.
PLAN TRANSPORTATION
- Rental Car: Discover Cars is my go-to site when booking rentals. They work with hundreds of companies worldwide to help you find the best car for your needs and budget.
- Trains: Trainline is the best choice if you are traveling throughout England. They work with 270 companies for 45 countries in Europe and the UK.
- Bus: Omio is an easy website to use for booking train and bus tickets. Similar to Skyscanner, the website looks at hundreds of transport companies to get you the best deals.
SCHEDULE YOUR TOURS | There are many top companies available in Europe. Get Your Guide is one of the best sites for tours, excursions, and activities. Viator is another terrific website for all types of experiences.
GET TRAVEL INSURANCE | Having travel insurance is always a good idea. World Nomads is one of the top travel insurance companies. It will cover you if you must cancel your trip or if something unexpected happens.
Check out the resource page for additional travel planning resources.
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