Free

Free & cheap

London on a lighter budget

Free to enter

Museums & galleries

British Museum
Free entry

British Museum

Bloomsbury · Free timed ticket recommended

Directions →
National Gallery
Free entry

National Gallery

Trafalgar Square · Free ticket recommended

Directions →
Natural History Museum
Free entry

Natural History Museum

South Kensington · Booking recommended at busy times

Directions →
Science Museum
Free · book ahead

Science Museum

South Kensington · Pre-book a free ticket

Directions →
National Portrait Gallery
Free entry

National Portrait Gallery

St Martin’s Place · Free ticket recommended

Directions →

Parks, views & sights

Changing of the Guard
Free entry

Changing of the Guard

Buckingham Palace · Selected days at 11am; check the official calendar

Directions →

Markets

Free general admission (permanent collections). Special exhibitions, timed-entry slots and some events are ticketed, and booking may be required. The Changing of the Guard is free to watch from the pavements but is not held every day: the Household Division calendar for November 2026 lists the guard change at Buckingham Palace at 11am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the schedule can change, so check the official calendar before you go. Hours and booking can change, so check each site. Guard schedule checked 1 November 2026; other entries last checked 18 October 2026.

Cheap theatre

Official London Theatre ticket booth (TKTS)

Same-day and next-two-days tickets, Leicester Square

Day seats

Some shows release cheaper seats at the box office on the day

Ticket lotteries

A few shows run them: enter online

Standing & rush

Only at some shows, limited, sold on the day

Matinees

Afternoon shows, often easier to book

Box office direct

Check for last-minute releases

See what's on →

Eat for less

Street food

Market stalls

Lunch deals

Set menus at midday

Picnic

Grab and go to a park

Bakeries & delis

Quick bites

Cheap getting around

Contactless

Daily cap on tube and bus

Buses

Cheap, scenic and everywhere

Walk

Thames path and parks

River bus

Scenic and practical

Plan it

My plan Open the map

Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC BY / CC BY-SA)