Five Free Things To Do In London

London is one of the most popular tourist cities in the world, and although it has a reputation for being expensive, one of the reasons why people return is that it’s actually surprisingly cheap, and there are great things to do for free everywhere. Even accommodation is surprisingly cheap with websites like Millennium Hotels helping people get good deals on everything from one of the swankiest Kensington hotel’s London has to offer to a budget hotel in the suburbs.

So here’s our list of five things to do for free:

Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard is one of the most famous regular events in the capital and takes place on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30am every day (during the summer) or every other day during the winter. Good advice is to get there a bit early – particularly during busy periods – so you can right up to the gates and see everything in detail.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous city squares in the world and with good reason. There’s often lots of free, impromptu entertainment to be seen (keep an eye out for activities on the famous spare plinth) and there’s always the possibility that you’ll spot a political demonstration. In any case, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is free if you’re going into worship, otherwise there’s a small admission charge for visitors who just want to look around. Evensong takes place every week day (except Wednesdays) at 5pm or at 3pm on Saturday and Sunday and the choristers are all incredibly talented.

Free Music

There’s free music to be found all over the capital if you know where to look. There are lunchtime recitals on Monday’s at the Royal Opera House, the Southbank Centre (which is worth visiting whether you like music or not) often has free performances and there’s often someone performing in the foyer of the National Theatre (which is a great place to get a coffee and relax).

The Old Bailey

Probably the most famous courthouse in Britain the Old Bailey’s public gallery is free to enter and it’s worth sticking your nose in to just have a quick look around the famous building.

There are, of course, loads of other things to do in London, we haven’t mentioned the free museums, galleries, and parks, or even the street markets. With a little bit of research you can easily find enough bits and pieces to do to fill a whole week without spending a penny (except on transport, of course).

Image: Swamibu