Free things to do in London
Updated: July 21, 2026
Every visitor to London is quickly aware that the city can be an expensive place to enjoy. But you can balance some of those costs by taking advantage of some of the great free things to do in London. Here’s our list of favorites, in no particular order.
An evening walk along the River Thames, is both fantastic and free. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
| Free Thing | Good to Know | Nearest Tube |
|---|---|---|
| Free skyline views | Sky Garden and the Garden at 120 are both free. Reserve a Sky Garden slot ahead; the Garden at 120 needs no booking. | Monument |
| Thames Path walk | Free riverside walk. Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge is the classic stretch. | Westminster / Embankment |
| Walk the bridges | Tower, Millennium, Westminster and more are all free to cross. | Tower Hill |
| Borough Market | Free to enter. Closed Mondays, opens 10am (Sun to 4pm). Cash helps for snacks. | London Bridge |
| London City Hall | Free to visit, Mon to Thu 8:30am–6pm. Security screening at the door. | Custom House (Elizabeth line) |
| St Dunstan-in-the-East | Free ruined-church garden. Loveliest early in the morning. | Monument |
| Camden Markets | Free to wander. Six markets rolled into one. | Camden Town |
| London's free museums | General admission is free. Some special exhibitions charge. | Varies by museum |
| Changing of the Guard | Free to watch. Usually Mon, Wed, Fri at 11am, but now on selected dates. Check the monthly schedule. | Green Park / St James's Park |
| Royal Parks | All free. St James's, Green Park and Hyde Park run in a chain through the center. | Green Park / Hyde Park Corner |
| Browse Harrods | Free to look around. The Food Halls are the fun part. | Knightsbridge |
| Greenwich sights | National Maritime Museum, Queen's House and the Astronomy Centre are all free. | Cutty Sark (DLR) |
| St Pancras International | Free to wander. Look for Elton John's piano. | King's Cross St Pancras |
| Battersea Power Station | Free to walk through. The chimney lift costs extra. | Battersea Power Station |
Take in a free view of the city
| 💷 Cost | Free, but reserve a ticket ahead |
| 📍 Address | 1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Monument |
| 🕐 Hours | Vary by day and season, check the official site |
| 🔗 Official site | skygarden.london |
Nothing makes you feel like you’ve arrived in London like a sweeping view of the iconic skyline. Whether you want to take photos or just take it in, many of the ways to view it are free.
Our favorite free view of London is from the Sky Garden, located on the 43rd floor of the famous “Walkie-Talkie” building at 20 Fenchurch Street, where you can enjoy world-class views from inside the giant atrium or the outside glass-enclosed observation deck. This indoor-outdoor plaza features three levels of beautiful terraced gardens under a rounded glass dome. It’s an amazing bird’s eye view right in the center of London.
Although it is free to visit the garden, their website suggests you reserve a ticket, especially during the busy tourist seasons, to avoid having to wait on line to get in.
A view of Tower of London and Tower Bridge from the Sky Garden
| 💷 Cost | Free, no booking needed |
| 📍 Address | 120 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 5BA |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Monument or Fenchurch Street |
| 🕐 Hours | Vary by season, check the official site |
| 🔗 Official site | 120fenchurch.com |
Another free view we like a lot is The Garden at 120. It is located right down the street from the Sky Garden at 120 Fenchurch Street, and while not as high (located on the 15th floor) as the Sky Garden it is London’s largest public rooftop space.
It really is a lovely space, with a 200-foot-long moving water display, 85 Italian wisteria trees, 30 fruit trees, and close, almost “touchable” views of some of London’s most iconic buildings.
Whereas Sky Garden’s impact comes from its high, sweeping perspective, the Garden at 120 gets its charm from its eye-level closeness.
Looking to explore the heart of Central London? Check out our post - Visiting the City of London: our favorite attractions and photo spots
Visitors enjoying the morning at the Garden at 120
We found the Garden at 120 easy to visit. There was virtually no line at all when we got there around 10am, and an elevator takes you right up to the 15th floor. It is a peaceful setting, contemplative and not overcrowded. No advance tickets are necessary.
For more free views, see our blog post about the Best Free Views of the London Skyline.
The view of Parliament and the River Thames is stunning at any time of day.
Stroll along the Thames
| 💷 Cost | Free |
| 📍 Classic stretch | Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge |
| 🚇 Start/End Tube | Westminster to Tower Hill |
| 🕐 Best time | Early morning or golden hour for photos |
| 🔗 Route info | nationaltrail.co.uk |
You can walk along the north and south banks of the River Thames along the Thames Path. Created in 1996, theThames Path National Trail is a high-quality, traffic-free walking and cycling route thatis actually the longest river walk in Europe. It would take two weeks to walk the whole trail!!
But let’s not get crazy - all you really need is the section from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge for a classic sightseeing walk through Central London.
This easy riverside walk includes the bustling South Bank neighborhood and passes contemporary structures like the London Eye, the Shard, the Tate Modern, the Millennium Footbridge and the historic landmarks Southwark Cathedral, County Hall and Shakespeare’s Globe. And let's not forget those iconic views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
For inspiration, check out John’s post A photo walk along the River Thames in London, where he shares some great photo ideas.
Tower Bridge photographed from the area by the Tower of London.
Walk across Tower Bridge (and other well known London bridges!)
| 💷 Cost | Free to cross. Tower Bridge exhibition is paid |
| 📍 Free to walk | Tower, Millennium, Westminster, London, Chelsea |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Tower Hill for Tower Bridge |
| 🕐 Access | Open 24 hours to walk across |
| 🔗 Official site | towerbridge.org.uk |
Spanning the Thames River, the iconic Tower Bridge is a well known landmark of the city of London. Did you know you could walk across it for free?
I love the Tower Bridge! To me, it’s a symbol of London and makes me happy to see it all lit up like a monument. And who doesn’t love the classic image of a double decker red bus humming across the Tower Bridge?
Here’s a little tip - Most people enter the bridge by the Tower of London and stop to take their selfies as soon as they get onto the bridge. So it gets crowded right at the beginning. Your best bet for taking your own photos is to walk a little further down to a less crowded area of the walkway. It quickly clears out as you move away from the entrance.
For a small fee, you can opt to walk up inside the bridge, where there is an interesting museum display as you walk up. Once on top, you can take in the breathtaking skyline from above and walk across the glass bottom walkway, peering down onto the busy bridge (and those iconic buses!)
There is also a great view of the bridge from the patio of the Vault Bar, which is built right into the base of the bridge. They serve beer, wine, and traditional pub food.
For more details, we have a blog post for that! - Visiting London’s Tower Bridge
Although everyone, of course, recognizes the iconic shape of Tower Bridge, there are a few other bridges spanning the Thames that make for a great walk as well:
The Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian-only walkway that was opened in 2000 - for the new millennium! - that links St Paul's Cathedral on the north bank of the Thames with Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe in Southwark.
This bridge is a great place to take photos of the river, especially for its magnificent views of St Paul’s Cathedral.
But pretty much any direction you look from Millennium Bridge, there is an iconic view to behold!
A view of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Millennium Bridge
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Westminster Bridge is the place for an iconic view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament on the north bank. This is the oldest road bridge across the Thames in central London, and is an artwork in itself, featuring Gothic revival styling and cast iron details.
Interestingly, the green color of the bridge is said to be the same color as the leather seats in the House of Commons which is on the side of the Palace of Westminster nearest to the bridge. The People’s Bridge!
You can walk across the bridge to the London Eye and look back at those great views of Parliament and Big Ben.
Westminster Bridge lit up at night.
London Bridgeis definitely not falling down but it's kind of a drab concrete structure and not as interesting in itself as the other bridges mentioned above, However, you can walk across it, as there are footpaths which are open 24 hours a day, and you can still get great views of the river, though perhaps not as iconic as the view from Westminster.
If walking across either London Bridge or Tower Bridge, why not add on a trip to Borough Market? It’s not a far walk from either bridge, and it’s also on our list of free things to do!
Chelsea Bridge connects Chelsea (north bank) to Battersea Park and the Power Station (south bank) and is fully walkable, with wide pedestrian walkways on both sides. It is a popular route for pedestrians to cross the Thames into Battersea and view the city skyline.
Pro tip- Public transportation is the best way to move around London. Check out our post: How to Use London’s Public Transportation: A Guide for Visitors
Wander around Borough Market
| 💷 Cost | Free to enter, bring cash for food |
| 📍 Address | 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | London Bridge |
| 🕐 Hours | Tue to Fri 10am to 5pm, Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 10am to 4pm. Closed Mondays. |
| 🔗 Official site | boroughmarket.org.uk |
Extend your walk to Borough Market, a lively food market that is great for grazing after all that walking. It’s only a few minutes walk from London Bridge or about 15 minutes from Tower Bridge.
There’s no charge to enter the market, but you’ll need some cash if you want a snack or two! It’s a pretty inexpensive way to eat though, with lots of choices from noodles to coffee & doughnuts, and casual seating at picnic tables. This market has gotten extremely popular, and it is unfortunately almost impossible to avoid crowds. So get there early if you can - they open at 10am.
Mid-weekdays (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) are less crowded than weekends, and they are closed on Mondays.
The only rub is that it closes surprisingly early - 5pm daily and 4pm on Sunday. So it’s a good place for lunch or teatime treats but not for dinner. We actually did pretty well there about an hour before closing time, getting a seat easily.
Shoppers walk through Borough Market.
London’s City Hall, far left, at sunset, as the Shard towers nearby.
Visit London’s City Hall
| 💷 Cost | Free, security screening at the door |
| 📍 Address | Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE (Royal Docks) |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Custom House (Elizabeth line) |
| 🕐 Hours | Public areas Mon to Thu 8:30am to 6pm, Fri to 5:30pm |
| 🔗 Official site | london.gov.uk |
That striking bubble-shaped building perched along the Thames is London City Hall. The eye-catching glass facade and spiral staircase make it one of the capital’s most distinctive modern buildings. And the public is encouraged to visit!
London City Hall is home to the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. The building also hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year. The public can visit select areas of City Hall on Mondays to Thursdays, 8:30 am to 6 pm, and on Fridays, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
There is a cafe on the ground floor with views overlooking the Royal Docks. Through the cafe, visitors can access the Chamber where debates and Assembly meetings take place. If there is a public meeting taking place, you can stay and attend the meeting in the seating gallery. If no meeting is taking place, you cannot enter the Chamber.
All visitors to London City Hall must pass through security at the entrance to the building. This includes going through a metal detector and having all bags scanned.
Bombed out during World War II, St Dunstan-in-the-East is now a romantic public garden.
Take a break at St Dunstan-in-the-East
| 💷 Cost | Free |
| 📍 Address | St Dunstan's Hill, EC3R 5DD |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Monument or Tower Hill |
| 🕐 Best time | Early morning, before the lunch crowd |
| 🔗 More info | cityoflondon.gov.uk |
London has many small public gardens squeezed gently between modern buildings and older structures, and a particularly romantic one is St Dunstan-in-the-East.
A quiet place that you may miss if not looking for it, this garden exists in the ruins of a very, very old church and is full of history.
Poignantly, St Dunstan was severely damaged beyond repair during the London Blitz of the Second World War. A garden was later laid out within the remaining walls and opened as a public space.
There had been a church on this site since Saxon times, going through multiple restorations and a rebuild by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1697. Only the tower of the Wren church survives today.
It is such a peaceful spot, meant for a pause and a thoughtful moment. Trees and flower plantings surround a small fountain and benches. The remaining walls with curvy arched windows are covered in moss and greenery.
It is a small, modest site, and doesn’t take long to look around, but do have a seat and just take it in a moment. A wonderful spot for photography, sketching, or just to savor your morning coffee.
It’s best to visit in the morning, and it is easy to stop on your way to other places, as it is located halfway between London Bridge and the Tower of London. At lunchtime, it can get a little busy, with folks settling in with their Meal Deals, so best to avoid that time of day.
It always kind of catches me in the throat when I think about the Blitz and what it must have been like living in London, with bombs dropping who-knows-where at any time, blackouts at night, barrage balloons over the city. Ruined buildings that just stayed that way for years.
St Dunstan combines that rumination with a quiet beauty and hopeful repose. Worth a stop and a thought or two. Here’s our full blog post with lots of photos and interesting information: Visiting picturesque St. Dunstan-in-the-East Church Garden in London.
Some of the many shops at Camden Market.
Explore Camden Markets
| 💷 Cost | Free to wander |
| 📍 Address | Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Camden Town |
| 🕐 Hours | Stalls generally 10am to 6pm daily |
| 🔗 Official site | camdenmarket.com |
Let’s add another market to our list - although calling any market a “free attraction” is rather relative, depending on whether you are someone who is likely to “pick up a few bargains” or not! ;)
Nonetheless, there is no cost to enter the ever popular Camden Markets, and the window shopping and people watching is an entertainment in itself. So technicallya free attraction.
The interesting setting makes for an engaging visit - located in the former Pickfords stables of the Camden Lock, a historic wharf on the Regent's Canal, and spread out along Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road.
Consisting of six distinct markets which collectively form the Camden Markets, there are lots of eclectic finds to suit any cosmopolitan taste.
This market has sometimes been criticized as being “too touristic”, and yes, lots of tourists come here. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. I think you just have to approach it with the right attitude, and know that it will be full of sightseers.
I was particularly taken by the assortment of vintage wares! Unique shops that sell clothing, accessories, handicrafts, vintage jewelry, antiques, plus a varied collection of bars, and cafes, make this funky market a fun way to spend an afternoon.
For lots more information on Camden Markets, including how to get there, check out our post about it,Camden Market: Exploring the Unique Charm.
Experience London’s Free Museums
| 💷 Cost | General admission free, some exhibitions paid |
| 📍 Includes | British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History, more |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Varies by museum |
| 🕐 Hours | Most open daily around 10am, check each site |
| 🔗 Full list | visitlondon.com |
London offers an incredible array of impressive museums and galleries. And many are free!
There is certainly enough variety to find something that interests you, including:
For paintings, cultural and decorative arts, you can enjoy the Victoria & Albert, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, (note that these are two different galleries), the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, and the Wallace Collection.
For the more scientifically-minded, check out the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum,
If history is what you love, there’s the British Museum, Imperial War Museum, and the National Maritime Museum.
Certain special exhibitions may have a cost, but general admission to these museums is free.
A full list of free London Museums can be found here.
A few thoughts on museums -
We loved the Victoria & Albert. We went there for a specific exhibit, and weren’t planning on looking around too much. But we found it a very elegantly laid out and inviting museum. It’s HUGE, so don’t expect to take it all on it a day. I would suggest you take a look at the V&A website and plan what you want to see.
We would definitely recommend having a bite at the V&A Cafe. The rooms are richly decorated in “period” designs - worth sitting down in there just to look around! The food was also very fresh and unexpectedly good. You just don’t know when you go to a museum restaurant how good it’s going to be - it can go either way. But this is a worthy experience.
Weather permitting, you can opt for the Garden Cafe, tucked into a center courtyard of the museum. It is a lovely oasis in this busy part of the city. A splash pool at it’s center was being enjoyed by younger guests who probably needed some refreshing from sightseeing with their folks.
I also loved the National Portrait Gallery; a somewhat sedate place focused on British personalities, with rooms representing different eras or themes. I found it so very engaging and had lots of opportunity to sit and admire some very well-known paintings. They always hit different in person!
We didn’t need to pre-book, and we went in August
Natural History Museum is an extremely popular one, and it is housed in quite a magnificent building, especially the hall where a giant whale skeleton is suspended from the ceiling. But it gets intensely busy with families, to a point where it may not be enjoyable. Best advice would be to find an “off-peak” time to go.
Timed ticket reservations are a must.
Unless you are looking for things to do with kids, or are very determined to commit to it, you might want to skip it. There is a charming little park outside, though, and if your tike is little enough, a photo with a dinosaur in the garden may be enough to satisfy!!!
The Changing of the Guard begins at St. James Palace and heads to Buckingham Palace.
Watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
| 💷 Cost | Free, no ticket needed |
| 📍 Where | Buckingham Palace, plus St James's Palace and Wellington Barracks |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Green Park or St James's Park |
| 🕐 When | Usually Mon, Wed, Fri around 11am, but on selected dates. Check the schedule. |
| 🔗 Schedule | householddivision.org.uk |
Whether you are interested in all things royal or not, watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is a classic London experience. It’s lively, it’s grand, the music is smashing, there are horses, and best of all - it’s free!
The Changing of the Guard is a popular event that draws crowds, so it requires a little planning. You can watch different parts of the ceremony at several locations - including St. James Palace, Wellington Barracks and of course Buckingham Palace where the main ceremony takes place at 11am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Plan to get there early for a good spot. We have a very extensive blog post with advice on the best way to experience it (and everything you ever wanted to know about it, lol) - Experiencing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, St. James’ Palace and Wellington Barracks.
The Household Division bands are exceptionally good - I’m always amazed how great they sound. So even if you don’t have the best view, you should still be able enjoy the music and the buzzy atmosphere. A great place to see the band up close and often catch a playful “pre-game” serenade is at St James Palace at about 10:30, before they begin their march to Buckingham Palace.
For an alternative, more intimate, if less elaborate Changing of the Guard ceremony, check out Horse Guards Parade, where the Household Cavalry is based. Here, a more low-key changing ceremony is performed by the King’s Life Guard - those imposing soldiers on horseback with the flashy helmets that have the personal charge of guarding the sovereign. Just as the foot soldiers have a changing ceremony at the Palaces, so do the mounted guard at Horse Guards. It’s definitely less crowded so you can get a much closer view of the action.
The changing ceremony at Horse Guards Parade takes place at 11:00 am daily and 10:00 am on Sundays. Just don’t get too close to those horses. You’ll be soundly reprimanded! ;)
If you want to avoid the crowd around Buckingham Palace, catch the beginning of the ceremony at St James Palace as described above, then walk over to Horse Guards to see their changing ceremony. You will probably see the horse guards riding up the mall on the way.
For more info, read our post Why you should visit Horse Guards Parade on your next trip to London.
The Changing of the Guard proceeds from Buckingham Palace to Wellington Barracks.
Enjoy London’s excellent Parks and Green spaces
| 💷 Cost | Free |
| 📍 Central chain | St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Green Park or Hyde Park Corner |
| 🕐 Hours | Most Royal Parks open 5am to midnight, vary by park |
| 🔗 Official site | royalparks.org.uk |
London does urban parks and green spaces particularly well - grassy sprawls interspersed with carefully cultured gardens, winding pathways, lakes, ponds and recreation areas. Most of the Royal Parks are easily reached by Tube, or on foot if you are strolling around central London.
If you have just watched the Changing on the Guard, you are already near three of the most well known royal parks:. St James Park, Green Park and Hyde Park form a chain through most of central London. So go and have a look and enjoy!
If you like to follow a formal trail, The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk passes through these three parks plus Kensington Gardens. It is charted by round plaques set in the ground.
But this is only the beginning. London has an amazing amount of urban parks!
To give you a more detailed run-down, we have a descriptive guide to London’s great parks in a separate post: A Guide to Exploring London Parks
Browse Harrods Department Store
| 💷 Cost | Free to browse |
| 📍 Address | 87 to 135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Knightsbridge |
| 🕐 Hours | Mon to Sat 10am to 9pm, Sun 11:30am to 6pm. Check for holiday changes. |
| 🔗 Official site | harrods.com |
Tired of the great outdoors? You might want to check out one of London’s most iconic department stores! You don’t have to actually buy anything to have fun at Harrods.
Harrods Department Store.
Harrods is immense and a signature image of London's luxury culture. With its upscale products and elegant displays, it feels more like an art gallery than a department store. Even riding the escalators is kind of dreamy - something of a bygone era of luxury experience. And I certainly to love the jewelry displays! Ain’t gonna lie!
It is one of the largest and most famous department stores in the world, occupying and jaw dropping 1.1 million square feet of retail space! Yowzer. And it looks pretty both inside and out.
I’ve read that they would close the store so the Queen could do her Christmas shopping there. Well, that may or may not be true, but it is certainly fun to imagine. Did she have royal credit card in that famous purse of hers, or pull out a few wrinkly bills with her own face on them? Kidding of course!
Our favorite part of Harrods is its famous Food Halls, where every tasty thing imaginable is for sale. Not cheap, but tons of fun, even just to browse. But why not pick up a few picnic items to enjoy in one of those free parks? ;)
Harrods is located in the fashionable Knightsbridge neighborhood, which is definitely an appealing place to have a look around. We particularly noticed how many luxury model cars were parked out on the streets - not something you normally see in the States.
The Tube station closest to Harrods is the Knightsbridge Station.
Explore the borough of Greenwich for Maritime History
| 💷 Cost | Several free sites. Cutty Sark and parts of the Observatory are paid |
| 📍 Free to enter | National Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Astronomy Centre |
| 🚇 Nearest stop | Cutty Sark (DLR) or North Greenwich |
| 🕐 Hours | Museums generally 10am to 5pm, check the official site |
| 🔗 Official site | rmg.co.uk |
If maritime history catches your fancy, consider spending a day in Greenwich, on the banks of the Thames in southeast London. The area is sometimes also referred to as “Royal Greenwich” and is a mix of the old and the new.
Greenwich is home to the huge National Maritime Museum, which is free to enter.
The view from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich
You can also admire the classical buildings of the Old Royal Naval College, which was originally established in 1692 as a hospital for wounded seamen. The architecture and the surrounding grounds are stunning, offering views of the river and the city beyond. Touring the College, including the famous Painted Ceiling in not free, however.
It is also home to the Cutty Sark, a restored 19th-century ship that’s pretty impressive to look at, but you do have to buy a ticket if you would like to tour it.
You can enjoy peaceful Greenwich Park, one of the oldest of the Royal Parks that boasts some very ancient trees. For an real escape into the woods, visit Croom's Hill or One Tree Hill.
Overlooking the park is the Royal Observatory, which is also home to the Prime Meridian Line - 0 degrees longitude - where the term “Greenwich Mean Time” comes from.
Admission to the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre which houses three state-of-the-art modern astronomy galleries is free, but it must be noted that not all of the observatory is free. For planetarium shows, and the more extensive galleries, you’ll need to buy a ticket.
So if you really want to stand over the Prime Meridian, one foot in the west and one foot in the east, so to speak, for your Instagram feed or just your bucket list, you will need to purchase a ticket as it is also part of the “paid part” of the observatory experience. But if you are happy just seeing the fairly nondescript metal line through the fence, then no need to have a ticket!
Another free attraction is the Queen’s House Museum, located in the garden of the National Maritime Museum and considered a true hidden gem among the Greenwich museums. It is famous for its grand, spiraling “tulip staircase” as well as some very significant paintings in its elegant art galleries and its surprising, iconic architecture.
To get to Greenwich from Central London via Tube, you can take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich Station.
You can also take a direct train via Southeastern and Thameslink from London Bridge or London Cannon Street to Greenwich or Maze Hill station.
Alternatively, for a more scenic trip, and to get into the maritime spirit, why not take an Uber boat to Greenwich Pier? It is about a 25 minute sail from London Bridge Pier.
Of course, none of these modes oftransportation are free, so in keeping with the theme of this post, it's worth mentioning that Greenwich is on the Thames River Path, so you could bike or walk as well. It’s roughly about 6 miles from London Bridge Station to Greenwich, but the path is a flat, easy walk or bike ride.
To read our full impressions of Greenwich, along with in depth details about visiting, getting tickets, etc, we have a whole blog post on Our Guide to Visiting Greenwich, London: What to See and Do.
Check out St. Pancras International train station
The iconic exterior of St. Pancras International.
| 💷 Cost | Free to wander |
| 📍 Address | Euston Road, N1C 4QP |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | King's Cross St Pancras |
| 🕐 Hours | Station open daily, shops and cafes vary, many open late |
| 🔗 Official site | stpancras.com |
Even if you aren’t taking the Eurostar, St Pancras station is fun just to see. You don’t have to be traveling through to appreciate it.
This huge railway hub in the heart of London is considered one of the most elegantly designed railway stations in the world. The immense building with its 19th-century Victorian Gothic facade is truly a stunner. Inside the station, the comfortable space is of a very modern design - bright, open and airy.
There are plenty of cafes and food shops for a quick bite at St Pancras - many open late - as well as free public toilets (which aren’t always the easiest things to find in London!)
There is also ample room for public arts installations, which is rather a nice touch. One of the more interesting bits is, rather famously, Sir Elton John's piano, which was gifted to the station (and signed) by the man himself, and invites you to pause and have a go at it yourself, or simply enjoy someone else’s music.
I also like that there are small versions of many of London’s prestige shops such as Fortnum & Mason - where you might just want to pick up a jar of their signature Wild Orange Marmalade. (It’s delicious and I don’t even generally like marmalade!)
A lot of people new to London get a little mixed up about St Pancras and Kings Cross Stations. They are NOT the same station, but they are right next to each other.
St Pancras is mostly an international train station (with a few regional trains thrown in). It is the home of the Eurostar - offering high-speed trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
King’s Cross serves a vast array of regional and intercity trains which serve UK destinations to the north of London.
What makes it confusing is that they are both served by one London Underground station: King's Cross St Pancras.
But no worries! If arriving by Underground at King’s Cross St Pancras to catch a train, just follow the signs to the station you need from there.
(BTW, if you need more information on taking trains in Britain, we have a whole post about that: Traveling by train in Britain: a guide for beginners)
Visit Battersea Power Station
Old and new architecture at Battersea Power Station.
| 💷 Cost | Free to walk through. Chimney Lift 109 is paid |
| 📍 Address | Circus Road West, SW11 8AL |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | Battersea Power Station (Northern line) |
| 🕐 Hours | Shops generally Mon to Sat 10am to 8pm, Sun 12pm to 6pm |
| 🔗 Official site | batterseapowerstation.co.uk |
Ok, it might be “cheating” in a post about “free things to do in London” to add what is basically a glorified shopping mall - and an expensive one at that - but hear me out.
There is something just enchanting about this place to me. And while you could definitely spend some cash there, you don’t have to.
It is literally an old power station - once a very major power station that supplied power to most of the city of London. It was built in the 1920s, and much care has been taken to retain its historic charm.
The behemoth building sports four looming chimney towers (one of which you can take an elevator ride up, for a price.) Like many iconic structures around the world, colored lights enhance the towers at night, for different celebrations and remembrances.
And for those “of a certain age” (ahem), you might recognize it from the iconic Pink Floyd album cover, Animals. It’s also been used as an authentic setting in several movies, including The King’s Speech.
All that is cool, but that’s not the real reason I like it. I think I just love the careful preservation of the 1920s period structures, keeping details like engine control rooms and power turbines intact. Of course, they are now bougie bars, restaurants, and entertainment spaces, but they are still fun to see. So have a walk-through and admire it all, even if you are not inclined to shop in the upscale shops.
As you probably realize by now, admiring historic and modern architecture is kind of a thing in London. And what better place for it? So much history…
But don’t forget to enjoy the outside space as well. You can take a break in Power Station Park, a comfortable area outside the station in a lovely spot along the Thames. John actually fell asleep in one of those giant chairs!
Lots of other details around the power station are interesting as well. Restaurants, shops, and various entertainment spots are literally built right into the arches of an old railway line adjacent to the station, which is a rather pleasing architectural detail. The Coaling Jetty, which was once an industrial pier, today serves as a popular picnic area for river views and as a staging area for public events, bringing in food vendors and entertainment.
If you want to learn more about Battersea Power Station, the newly revived neighborhood around it, how to get there, and all the other deets, we have a full post on it: What to do in Battersea, South London.
So get your walking shoes on and get out there! Enjoy some great experiences in London for free.
Free Things to Do in London: Your Questions Answered
Are London's museums really free?
Yes, most of London's major museums are free to enter. That includes the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, and the Natural History Museum.
You may still pay for special ticketed exhibitions, and some museums suggest a small donation. General admission to the permanent collections costs nothing.
A few of the busiest ones, like the Natural History Museum, ask you to book a free timed slot ahead. It's worth checking each museum's site before you go.
What is the best free view in London?
Our favorite free view is from the Sky Garden, on the 43rd floor of the "Walkie-Talkie" building at 20 Fenchurch Street. It's free to visit, though you'll want to reserve a slot in advance.
If you can't get a Sky Garden ticket, the Garden at 120 is a lovely backup just down the street. It sits lower, on the 15th floor, and needs no booking at all. When we went around 10am there was no line.
Both give you those close, almost touchable views of the City skyline.
You can read our post: Best Free Views of the London Skyline
Is the Changing of the Guard free?
Yes, watching the Changing of the Guard is completely free, and no ticket is needed. The main ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace, with related activity at St James's Palace and Wellington Barracks.
It usually runs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday around 11am, but it now happens on selected dates rather than a fixed weekly schedule. Check the official schedule for the day you're visiting.
Get there early for a good spot, or catch the band up close at St James's Palace around 10:30.
You can read our post: Where to Watch the Changing of the Guard in London
How do you find free things to do in London?
The easiest way is to start with the big free categories: museums, parks, markets, and skyline views. London has world-class versions of all four, and none of them cost a thing.
From there, look for free walks along the Thames and across the bridges, plus free daily events like the Changing of the Guard. The official Visit London site keeps a running list of what's on.
We've gathered our own favorites in this post, all places John and I have actually spent time.
What can you do in London for free when it rains?
London's free museums are the perfect rainy day plan. You can spend hours inside the British Museum, the V&A, or the Natural History Museum without paying or getting wet.
Grand indoor spaces like St Pancras International and the Harrods Food Halls are also fun to wander when the weather turns.
Are London's parks free to visit?
Yes, all of London's Royal Parks are free. St James's Park, Green Park, and Hyde Park run in a chain right through the center of the city, so you can walk from one to the next.
Most are easy to reach by Tube, or on foot if you're already exploring central London. They open early and stay open late, though exact hours vary by park.
You can read our guide: A Guide to Exploring London Parks
Do you have to pay for transport to reach these free attractions?
Most of these free spots sit close together, so you can walk between a lot of them. For anything farther out, London's public transport is the way to go, and it isn't free.
We'd suggest tapping a contactless card or phone to pay as you go, which caps your daily fare for you. Our guide to using London's public transportation walks you through it.
About the Authors
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John and Debbie O'Boyle are the team behind The Empty Nest Explorers. John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by The New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, and has received two New York Emmy nominations. Debbie is a writer and photographer with 30+ years of experience, formerly with The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Together, they create in-depth travel guides for couples and empty-nest travelers who want to make the most of every destination. |
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London keeps pulling us back, since our first visit 28 years ago we've covered a lot of ground.
This guide brings together the best of everything we've experienced, from royal palaces and the Changing of the Guard to funky markets, free skyline views, and the day trips we'd do again in a heartbeat.