London is amazing but is also in the Top 10 most expensive cities to live in in the world. Finding things to do that are free helps to keep costs down while exploring this beautiful city. Luckily, there are plenty of free things to do in London from futuristic art installations to amazing rooftop gardens.
Immerse Yourself At Outernet
This immersive experience brings together art, culture and music for the whole family. It is made up of a series of spaces with wrap around screens displaying digital art in many different forms. When we visited there were a range of different art works on display, taking you under the sea, into space or into a field of butterflies. You can enjoy the show from seats that are dotted around or you can lie on the floor, completely forget that you are in central London, and immerse yourself in the world that is being presented on the screens.
We loved taking some time out from walking around sight seeing to relax and let your mind be filled with images from amazing artists.
View London From The Sky Garden
The Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden offering 360 degree views of the city’s skyline amidst the lush greenery of a tropical garden. There are cafes and restaurants, an outdoor terrace and plenty of spots to sit and admire the view.
From the Sky Garden you have views across the Thames towards Tower Bridge (including HMS Belfast), the Shard and in the opposite direction St Paul’s Cathedral. Except for the outdoor terrace, the garden is undercover which means you can visit whatever the weather (very useful in England!)
The Sky Garden is completely free but you do need to book tickets in advance, they are released every Monday 3 weeks in advance, so set that reminder as they go quickly!
The Garden at 120
The Garden at 120 is located at the top of 120 Fenchurch Street above retail outlets and restaurants. The garden is beautifully designed and offers great views out towards the iconic Gherkin building and the Walkie Talkie building (which is home to The Sky Garden). Unlike the Sky Garden there is no need to book, so great if you haven’t managed to get tickets in advance. You can use their footfall monitor, click here to find out how busy it is right now.
Learn And Be Amazed At The Natural History Museum
The Grade I listed building alone is pretty impressive, not to mention the 80 million specimens which it houses. It takes you through 4.6 billion years of the planet’s history and encourages you to think about its future too.
You will find so many fascinating exhibits from the huge blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling to ancient dinosaur bones and other creatures that are now extinct. All of this is absolutely free and there is no need to book, however if you do book you get to skip the queue. Click here to book you tickets in advance.
Appreciate Art At The Tate Modern
The Tate Modern is the largest and most famous modern art gallery in London. It is free to wander round and admire art work from Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Nan Goldin and Tracey Emin, just to mention a few. It is found on the South Bank, in a striking building that used to house Battersea Power Station and is close to other iconic buildings such as The Globe Theatre.
Lounge In London’s Parks
London has 3000 parks scattered throughout the city. Pack and enjoy a bit of peace away from the busy city. They are also a great place to find free outdoor theatre shows, live music, movie screenings, sports tournaments, festivals and more. Click here to find out what is going on in the Royal Parks of London.
Be Entertained At Covent Garden
Covent Garden is known as a place to go to shop high end brands, eat in one of the upscale restaurants and browse the covered market but if your budget doesn’t stretch to this then it is still worth visiting. You can simply grab yourself a drink and watch the circus like street artists perform death defying acts or chuckle at one of the more light hearted displays.
Watch The Sunset
There are plenty of places that you can watch the sunset in London from trendy rooftop bars and restaurants to rooftop gardens like the Sky Garden. If you want to enjoy watching golden hour in a more relaxed setting, grab a blanket and head to Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park or my personal favourite Greenwich Observatory.
Greenwich Observatory sits on top of the hill in Greenwich Park not far from the National Maritime Museum which is also free and has some fascinating exhibitions and lots of interactive activities for children. Book your free visit here.
Take A Walk Down Leake Street
Leake Street tunnel is made up of 8 former railway arches below Waterloo Station and has become the unofficial centre of South London’s graffiti culture. Every inch of space is completely covered with a forever-evolving collection of street art and anybody is free to come and leave their mark on the walls.
A community of independent restaurants and bars have developed in this area so once you are finished watching the masters of graffiti at work you can stop for refreshment nearby.
Wander Around The V & A Museum
The V & A Museum is one of the world’s leading museums of art, design and performance. It is housed in a truly beautiful building with a gorgeous cafe (which is a work of art in itself) and spills out into a lovely courtyard garden. Bliss on a summers day.
The permanent collections at the V & A include architecture, painting, sculpture, fashion, textiles, ceramics and jewellery from around the world. They often host very popular temporary exhibitions such as Christian Dior or Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, so check out their website to find out what the latest exhibitions are.