8 Best FREE Things to Do in London in 2025

The 8 best FREE things to do in London, plus 2 bonus CHEAP activities.

Shout out to the budget backpackers, the frugal families and the cheap couples!

Did you accidentally spend all your pounds on pints at the pub crawl last night (we’ve all been there), visit the Buckingham Palace yesterday (£32 entrance fee is ROUGH), or just land all fresh-faced this morning to be hit with the dark reality that a cheese toastie costs £8 (true story)?

And now you’re wondering what the hell you can do for free in one of the world’s most expensive cities?

This post is for you; let’s get into the 8 best free things to do in London!

This blog post was created without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and all featured images are original and captured by the author unless otherwise stated to maintain an authentic and honest representation.

*Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate. I may receive a tiny commission from purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products and services that I 100% trust and believe in*

When to Visit London

London is a great city to explore any time of the year. However, the busiest travel periods are during summer (June-August) and Christmas.

If you are travelling during these times of year, make sure that you pre-book your flight and accommodation well in advance to get the best price.

How to Get To London

Unless you’re already in Great Britain, you’ll probably have to fly to London.

Before booking your flight, always check which airline is offering the best price. My favourite way to do this is with Skyscanner (not affiliated, sadly) where you can compare flights from various airlines.

I also like to use Google Flights to track flight prices over a couple months; they send you an email when the flight is the absolute cheapest it’s going to get for your desired dates!

Where to Stay

$ Hostel $

Onefam Notting Hill
63 Prince’s Square, London, United Kingdom
Honestly, London just isn’t great at hostels. Most of them are not much more than over-priced dungeons. I like Onefam Notting Hill because it is social and vibrant, with outdoor space to hang out, clean bathrooms and a variety of dorm room options. They run social events every single night. I love that it’s close to Hyde Park (love me a park) and Portobello Markets. It’s also a 7 minute walk to Bayswater station, which is part of the Circle tube line. Check it out or see other options.

$$ Hotel $$

Kensington Gardens Hotel
9 Kensington Gardens Square, Westminster Borough, London, W2 4BH, United Kingdom
This hotel is also located in the Notting Hill area, 5 minutes walk from Bayswater tube station. It has simple but clean furnishings and overlooks the gorgeous Kensington Square Gardens. This hotel is adults-only, perfect for a romantic weekend getaway. Check it out or see other options.

How to Get Cheap Accommodation in London

• Peak time to travel to London is in summer (June-August) and around Christmas. Accommodation is the most expensive during this time. To get the best deal, travel during the off season, when beds can be as low as £20. Off season includes January to early May, and September to early December.
• Book in advance, especially during the peak seasons. 
• Booking via the official hostel website can sometimes (not always) get you a better deal than booking via third-party websites. However, third party websites do sometimes provide more flexibility for cancellation or changes.

How to Get Around London

London is a HUGE city, spanning 1,500 square kilometres across 32 different boroughs.

London has such a great public transport system: an underground train system, extensive bus services and taxis. Transport for London makes it easy to plan your journeys and figure out which service, station and ticket you need.

Using the taxi service is unnecessary and expensive; I would recommend only taking a taxi if you have a large group to split the cost, it is an emergency, or it is very late at night. 

Read my blog post to learn how to use the London tube like a pro, including how to get to and from the airport for cheap (hint: it’s NOT the Heathrow Express).

Read: The Best and Most Perfect 4 Day London Itinerary!

1. Cycle around Hyde Park

5am-12am
FREE
royalparks.org/hydepark

Hyde Park is one the best free things to do in London.

It was first established by King Henry VII in 1536 as a place to hunt, but quickly became a popular meeting place for people to walk and enjoy the fresh air, row on the lake, or debate important matters in the Speaker’s Corner.

Hyde Park merges with Kensington Gardens in the west, and continues on to Green Park and St James’ Park in the east.

It features a Round Pond, the Serpentine lake, and various statues and memorials, and gorgeous natural forests and gardens; plenty to keep you busy for a morning!

At 350 acres, Hyde Park is simply too big to cover on foot, so I recommend hiring a bike.

There are at least eight locations of Santander Cycles bike rental stations situated at the various entrances to the park.

Santander Cycles provides both regular bicycles and e-bikes. To access them, you will need to download the Santander Cycles app. 

Regular Push Bikes: £1.65 every 30 minutes.
E-bikes: £3.30 every 30 minutes.
Day Pass: £3 for 24 hours of unlimited 30 minute rides.

Read: The Best 2 Day London Itinerary: Detailed & Action-Packed

2. Explore the British Museum

10am – 5pm, open until 8:30pm on Fridays
FREE (you can prebook your tickets for the time-slot you want)
britishmuseum.org

You really can’t come to London without paying a visit to the iconic British Museum.

In fact, it is one of the most visited museums in the whole world (6.2 million visitors in 2024) making it one of the best free things to do in London!

Established in 1753, the collection grew rapidly over the next 250 years as a result of British colonisation around the world. 

There are exhibitions on Africa, the Middle East, Ancient Greece and Rome, and Asia. Ownership of the iconic artefacts in the collection has long been disputed, with several repatriation claims to these items of cultural significance made in recent years. 

There are three floors to the museum; ground, upper level, and lower level. The museum is a series of connecting rooms, all stemming from the Great Court.

You will almost certainly get lost, but that’s all part of the British Museum fun, I think!

A couple objects of particular interest to most visitors include the Rosetta Stone (found immediately through the left door from the Great Court) and the Greek Parthenon sculptures (enter through the left door and head to the furthest room).

I spent about 2 hours exploring this museum, but you could honestly spend a whole day and not get bored.

This is why the British Museum is absolutely one the BEST free things to do in London.

London Travel Essentials

SIM cards: I swear by E-sims like Airalo and Gigago which you can install BEFORE travelling. This saves you the stress of running around to find one while jet-lagged or from being ripped off by local vendors. E-sims are perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.

Insurance: You should NEVER go overseas without getting travel insurance. We hope everything goes as planned, but there is always a chance you might get injured or your plans change. I personally always use Covermore, because the cover is super comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.

Banking: Free international transactions are a must when travelling. I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and payments in any currency without needing to exchange. If you’re Aussie, join Up with my QR code we both get $14! Two similar and very popular options include Wise and Revolut.

3. The National Gallery and The National Portrait Gallery

10am-6pm every day, until 9pm on Friday
FREE (you can prebook your tickets for the time-slot you want)
nationalgallery.org.uk and npg.org.uk

Here is two for the price of nothing because the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery are right next door to each other!

The National Gallery contains over 2,300 works, with fan favourites including Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck, and Doge Leonardo Loredan by Giovanni Bellini. 

The Portrait Gallery reopened in June 2023 after 3 years of renovations. 

It features over 220,000 portraits in a variety of styles and mediums.

Depending on how interested you are in art, three hours is sufficient for most people to explore both galleries.

Read: Is the Tower of London Worth It? Budget Traveller Review

Read: The Magic of the Harry Potter Studio Tour London

4. Attend Evensong at Westminster Abbey

9:30am-3:30pm Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm Saturday, closed Sunday. Services are available every day
FREE
westminster-abbey.org

Westminster Abbey has been the location of every royal coronation since William the Conqueror in 1066, as well as 16 royal weddings and various tombs and memorials to famous people including Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, and Queen Elizabeth I. 

It costs a hefty £30 to visit the Abbey during normal visiting hours. For those on a budget, services are a chance to experience the historic beauty of the Abbey without breaking the bank. 

Attending an evensong service at Westminster Abbey is one of the best free things to do in London.

Evensong takes place at 5pm each day except Wednesday, and at 3pm on Sundays. Evensong begins with prayer and is followed by choral music. 

You will not be able to roam around the church and explore as you could if you purchased an entry ticket, but it provides you an opportunity to experience the architecture and atmosphere of the Abbey.

I would just like to add that you obviously do not have to be religious to attend the service, but I understand that it may make some people uncomfortable to participate in spiritual activities they don’t align with.

Read: The Best and Most Perfect 4 Day London Itinerary!

5. Visit Westminster Cathedral

Services held at various times, visit between 8am and 6pm
FREE
westminstercathedral.org

When you think of Westminster, you probably picture the iconic Abbey, place of royal coronations and weddings, or perhaps the grand sandstone parliament building. However, just across the street is the just as beautiful and surprisingly FREE to visit Westminster Cathedral!

Although it has slightly less history than Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral is still worth a visit because it is free!

You can also attend services here if that is something you’re interested in; services are usually available between 8am and 6pm, but check on the website to be sure.

Westminster Cathedral also has a bell tower, known as The Campanile, which recently reopened on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 11am and 3pm. From the viewing gallery, you can see sweeping views of the city from all directions. Tickets cost £6 and can be bought from the cathedral gift shop.

I recommend visiting the Cathedral in the late afternoon then heading over to the Abbey for evensong.

Westminster Cathedral is so underrated, making it one of the best free things to do in London.

Read: The Best 2 Day London Itinerary: Detailed & Action-Packed

6. The Natural History Museum

Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
10am – 5:50pm
FREE (you can prebook your tickets for the time-slot you want)
nhm.ac.uk

The Natural History museum and the V&A Museum are located next door to each other in the South Kensington area. They are perfectly situated to be visited after a morning exploring Hyde Park.

The impressive Natural History Museum features a variety of dinosaur skeletons as well as plant, animal, and mineral specimens. 

When the first donation of specimens was made in the mid 1700s, natural history was initially a just department of the British Museum. However, as the department grew, a separate building was established and the department split from the British Museum to become its own independent museum as we know it today. 

Arguably the most interesting artefacts in the Natural History Museum is the huge whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling in the main hall and the T-Rex skeleton in the dinosaur gallery. 

I also loved looking at the little bugs and rocks in the ‘Earth’s Treasury’ gallery.

I recommend giving yourself about 1-2 hours to explore this museum.

This museum would be a ABSOLUTE must-see if you are travelling with kids, making it one of the best free things to do in London.

Read: How to Use the London Tube Like a PRO!

7. The Victoria and Albert Museum

Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL, United Kingdom
10am-5:45pm every day, open until 10pm on Fridays
FREE
vam.ac.uk

The V&A Museum is my favourite free museum in the whole of London.

It has basically anything and everything you could want to see, including paintings, fashion, pottery, woodwork, and jewellery.

I honestly got lost in here the first time I visited. I visited a second time and I found a whole bunch of rooms I didn’t see the first round!

There are some interactive rooms which I believe sets this museum apart from its counterparts: I found one that taught me how to draw a portrait like the famous renaissance artists (the result was questionable).

The collection is so extensive that you could visit a million times and always find something new.

I would highly recommend visiting this museum; it is definitely one of the best free things to do in London.

Read: Is the Tower of London Worth It? Budget Traveller Review

8. Visit the Word on the Water Barge

Regent’s Canal Towpath, London N1C 4LW, United Kingdom
12pm-7pm every day
wordonthewater.co.uk

Word on the Water is a floating bookshop! The Dutch-style barge floats on Regents Canal near Kings Cross.

When the bookshop was founded in 2011, the barge did not have a permanent mooring licence and had to move up and down the canal every few days. After the mooring licence was granted in 2014, the barge has been able to remain in the same position.

In recent years, Word on the Water has gained popularity on social media and visitor numbers have significantly increased.

It’s such a funky and unique way to experience book-shopping, making a visit to Word on the Water is one of the best free things to do in London.

I unfortunately did not have the chance to visit Word on the Water while I was in London, but it’s definitely on my list for next time.

Read: The Best 2 Day London Itinerary: Detailed & Action-Packed

BONUS #1: Watch a play at Shakespeare’s Globe

Performances at 2pm and 7:30pm
£5
shakespearesglobe.com

Shakespeare’s Globe is the first of 2 BONUS items I’ve added to this list of the best free things to do in London. While technically not free, they are both very affordable and time-consuming, helping you get bang for your buck.

You could tour the Globe Theatre replica for £25, or for just £5 you could just go see a play at Shakespeare’s Globe as and pretend you are a medieval peasant spending their last penny on some good old-fashioned entertainment! 

Standing tickets for performances are £5 (seated tickets are much more expensive, starting around £25) and it’s probably the most worthwhile thing you will spend 5 pounds on while in the city. 

I saw A Midsummer’s Night Dream, and it was the most incredible and memorable experience of my whole visit to London!

Please remember that it is an open air theatre, meaning you need to be prepared for all weather (we are in London after all). This means bringing a raincoat and a jumper.

I recommend wearing comfortable shoes because you will be standing for at least two hours, and bringing a drink and snacks because once you get a good spot at the front, I promise you won’t want to be giving it up in intermission.

BONUS #2: Explore Highgate Cemetery

Swain’s Ln, London N6 6PJ, United Kingdom
10am-4pm everyday
£10 or £6 to visit just the East side
highgatecemetery.org

Highgate Cemetery is the most expensive sight on this list. However, I consider it worth a visit to experience the historic architecture, nature (it is a nature reserve), and visit some famous graves.

Architecture: Victorian-era chapels, the Terrace Catacombs with views over the city, the Egyptian Avenue and the Mausoleum of Julius Beer.

Nature: The cemetery is a nature reserve and contains several acres of untouched wilderness. There is also the Circle of Lebanon with a great cedar tree in the centre.

People: Karl Marx, Charles Dickens’ family, Douglas Adams (author of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy), George Michael (singer from Wham band), Mary Ann Evans alias George Eliot (famous Victorian writer) and many more.

A visit to Highgate Cemetery is a peaceful way to spend the morning.

Afterwards if you’re not yet bored of nature, you could walk over to Hampstead Heath. This huge park that was the inspiration for C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and very likely the inspiration for some of Keats’ romantic poems.

The small entry fee for a whole morning of entertainment makes Highgate Cemetery one of the best things to do in London.

There was 8 of the best free things to do in London, plus 2 bonus cheap activities! I hope this is enough to keep you busy at least for a few days.

This article was originally posted on 20 April 2024 and has since been updated.

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