Free and cheap · Free museums, free crossings and cheap transit · Checked against operators’ pages
Free and Cheap Things to Do in London: the Tower Costs £40, Everything Else Is Free
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London travel video: a practical first-trip guide | Mubboo Flights
This 3-minute city guide connects Westminster, Big Ben, the Thames, London Eye, and Tower Bridge into a practical first-trip plan, helping travellers choose what fits instead of rushing through a checklist. English narration with reviewed English subtitles in the YouTube player.
A free day, in order
This is the free day we would walk ourselves, west to east across central London. Every stop is free, checked against each venue’s own page on 27 September 2026.
- Start early in St James’s Park, open from 5 in the morning, and walk down The Mall for the classic free view to Buckingham Palace.
- Cross to Trafalgar Square and step into the National Gallery, free every day from 10 in the morning.
- Head to the British Museum for its free galleries, open from 10; book a free timeslot ahead to skip the queue.
- Go south to Borough Market for lunch; browsing is free, but the market is closed on Mondays.
- Walk on to Tate Modern next door, free every day, open until 9 at night on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Finish at Sky Garden near Tower Bridge for a free, booked sunset view over the City and the river.
Parks and walkways
London’s Royal Parks are free, with no ticket and no booked slot.
With one free morning, walk St James’s Park down The Mall to Buckingham Palace’s gates. With a free afternoon, climb Greenwich Park’s hill for the skyline.
Good to know
- Hyde Park: pedestrian gates open 5 in the morning to midnight, free entry, home to the Serpentine and Speaker’s Corner.
- St James’s Park: pedestrian gates open 5 in the morning to midnight; the walk down The Mall gives the classic free view to Buckingham Palace.
- Greenwich Park: pedestrian gates open 6 in the morning to 8 at night. Vehicle gates run 7 to 8. Its highest hill is a free viewpoint over the city.
- The Prime Meridian line is marked in the open courtyard outside the Observatory buildings, so standing on it costs nothing; only the Observatory’s galleries are ticketed.
Museums and galleries with free entry
This is London’s real budget story. The national collections are free for every visitor, every day, with no residency test to pass. That is unlike the resident-only free windows common in New York or Paris.
Our decision: book the British Museum’s free timeslot ahead for a Saturday. Use a Friday evening for the National Gallery or V&A instead, when both stay open late and the day-trip crowds have gone.
See or book British Museum guided tours
Good to know
- Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are both free, but each asks you to book a free ticket online in advance.
- National Gallery’s general admission is free every day, though some temporary exhibitions are ticketed separately.
- In Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House are both free; only the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark charge admission.
| Standard hours | Latest late night | |
|---|---|---|
| British Museum | 10:00-17:00 daily | Fri to 20:30 |
| National Gallery | 10:00-18:00 daily | Fri to 21:00 |
| Natural History Museum | 10:00-17:50 daily | none |
| Science Museum | 10:00-18:00 daily | none |
| V&A South Kensington | 10:00-17:45 daily | Fri to 22:00 |
| Tate Modern | 10:00-18:00 Sun-Thu | Fri-Sat to 21:00 |
Water and views
Two of London’s best views cost nothing: a free ferry across the Thames, and a booked seat in a skyscraper garden.
Our call: Greenwich Park’s free hilltop and Sky Garden both give a real London skyline. Pay only for the Royal Observatory’s telescope, or for a rooftop bar you plan to linger at.
Good to know
- The Woolwich Ferry is free and carries pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles across the Thames; it is owned and run by Transport for London.
- Sky Garden is free to visit; book online up to three weeks ahead, or try a free walk-in during public hours, subject to availability.
- Greenwich Park’s highest hill is a free viewpoint over the city, right beside the ticketed Royal Observatory.
Markets worth browsing
Browsing London’s markets costs nothing; the spend is what you choose to buy.
Good to know
- Borough Market: free to enter, closed Monday, open 10 to 5 Tuesday to Friday, 9 to 5 Saturday and 10 to 4 Sunday.
- Camden Market: no entry ticket to walk the stalls, open every day including bank holidays, 10 in the morning to 7 at night.
Nearly free, and worth it
A Tube or bus fare is the cheapest way to cover ground and see the city change street by street. Our decision: travel off-peak when your plan allows it, since the same journey costs less.
Good to know
- TfL peak fares run Monday to Friday, 6:30 to 9:30am and 4 to 7pm. Evening trips into Zone 1 from outside it are off-peak, as is every other time.
- Journeys to or from Heathrow through Zone 1 are always charged at the peak rate, whatever the time of day.
Free versus paid: our verdicts
Four decisions come up on every budget trip to London, and in each one the free version is a real alternative, not a lesser one.
See or book Thames river cruises
| Option | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| The free Woolwich Ferry or a riverside walk, versus a paid Thames sightseeing cruise | The free crossing or a walk gives the same view; pay only to sit, hear commentary, or cover the whole river. |
| Walking a park or market yourself, versus a guided walking tour | Parks and markets need no guide; pay for a guided walk only where history is easy to miss, like near the Tower. |
| Greenwich Park’s free hilltop or Sky Garden, versus the Royal Observatory’s ticketed galleries | Both free spots give you the skyline. The Observatory buys the telescope and the Meridian-line exhibits, not a better view. |
| The British Museum’s free galleries, versus a paid guided tour | Free entry is the real value already; a guide is worth it for expert context and priority entry, not for access itself. |
When paying is worth it: £40 for the Tower
Paying is worth it in three cases, and all three sit in a building, not a view: the Tower of London, the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark. It is not worth paying for a park walk, a river crossing or a national gallery, because the free versions are the real thing.
Compare the guided options on the London Tours page, where Tower of London tickets and expert-led museum tours sit alongside the day trips.
See or book Tower of London tickets
Good to know
- Access and story: the Tower’s adult ticket (37 pounds, 38 from 1 October 2026) includes the Crown Jewels and a Yeoman Warder tour. Allow at least two hours.
- Science and history: the Royal Observatory (24 pounds) is the only way inside the telescope domes and the Meridian-line galleries. The hill and courtyard outside stay free.
- A preserved ship: Cutty Sark (22 pounds) puts you on the deck and in the hold of a 19th-century tea clipper docked at Greenwich.
| Item | £ per adult | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Tower of London, adult admission | £37 | ≈ US$48 |
| Royal Observatory, adult admission | £24.60 | ≈ US$32 |
| Cutty Sark, adult admission | £22.50 | ≈ US$29 |
Tower of London tickets and tours
Paying is worth it for the Tower (£40), the Observatory (£25) or Cutty Sark (£25).
Prices checked 27 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation
What it costs, and where to book
| Plan | Tickets and transport | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Tower of London | about £40 | Book Tower of London tickets |
| Royal Observatory | about £25 | Book Royal Observatory tickets |
| Cutty Sark | about £25 | Book Cutty Sark tickets |
Prices checked 27 Sep 2026 · per person, tickets and transport, excluding accommodation. Amounts over 20 are rounded up. Ticket prices are per person for the first reviewed ticket and change by date.
Explore London Before You Book
Take a virtual drive or walk, then find tours and tickets for the places you like.
Where paying is worth it, and where it is not
Spend on the Tower of London, the Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, where the ticketed building is the point. Everything else on this page is free at full strength, from the national museums to the Woolwich Ferry.
Mubboo compares flights and tours and may earn a commission when a traveller uses a partner link. Booking and payment happen with the provider.
Questions people ask
Is the British Museum really free?
Yes, every gallery in the permanent collection is free, every day. Book a free timeslot online ahead of a Saturday or school holiday, since walk-ups without one can queue.
Which London museums are free for every visitor, not just some?
The British Museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A and Tate Modern are free for everyone, every day, plus the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House in Greenwich. None of them test where you live.
Is Sky Garden actually free?
Yes. Book online up to three weeks ahead, or turn up for a free walk-in during public hours; spaces are limited and walk-ins depend on availability.
Is the Woolwich Ferry free?
Yes, it is a free Transport for London service across the Thames for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles alike.
Is the Tower of London worth the ticket price?
Yes, for history-minded visitors. The adult ticket includes the Crown Jewels and a Yeoman Warder guided tour, and Historic Royal Palaces recommends allowing at least two hours; check the last-entry time before you go.
What is the cheapest way to see London from height?
Greenwich Park’s free hilltop or a booked Sky Garden slot both give a real skyline for nothing. Pay only for the Royal Observatory’s telescope and Meridian-line galleries, which the free view outside cannot replace.
Plan deeper in London
- London guide
- London tours and activities
- London in 3 Days: Can You Do It for £95?
- Tower, Abbey & Eye Combo Tickets: £120
- London Airports to the City, from £10
- One Day in London: Can You Do It for £70?
- Day Trips from London, from About £35
- Tower of London Tickets: Crown Jewels & Beefeater Tour
- Thames River Cruise: Best Options & What to Book
- London Eye Tickets: Standard or Fast Track?
- Westminster Abbey Tickets: What to Know Before You Go
Sources (18)
Every figure above was checked on the dates shown.
- Mubboo reviewed ticket options for London (the booking platform destination 737); per-person prices read when the page is built — mubboo.flights/london/tours (checked 2026-09-17)
- The Royal Parks, Hyde Park — www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/hyde-park (checked 2026-09-27)
- The Royal Parks, St. James’s Park — www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/st-jamess-park (checked 2026-09-27)
- The Royal Parks, Greenwich Park — www.royalparks.org.uk/visit/parks/greenwich-park (checked 2026-09-27)
- National Gallery, Plan your visit — www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-09-27)
- Natural History Museum, Visit — www.nhm.ac.uk/visit.html (checked 2026-09-27)
- Science Museum, Visit us — www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visit (checked 2026-09-27)
- V&A, Visit the V&A — www.vam.ac.uk/visit (checked 2026-09-27)
- Tate, Visit Tate Modern — www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern (checked 2026-09-27)
- The British Museum, Visit — www.britishmuseum.org/visit (checked 2026-09-27)
- Royal Museums Greenwich, Tickets & Prices — www.rmg.co.uk/plan-your-visit/tickets-prices (checked 2026-09-27)
- Sky Garden, FAQs — skygarden.london/faqs-search/ (checked 2026-09-27)
- Transport for London, Woolwich Ferry — tfl.gov.uk/modes/river/woolwich-ferry (checked 2026-09-27)
- Borough Market, Visit Borough Market — boroughmarket.org.uk/visit-us/ (checked 2026-09-27)
- Camden Market, Opening Times & Map — camdenmarket.com/visit-us (checked 2026-09-27)
- Transport for London, Tube and rail fares — tfl.gov.uk/fares/find-fares/tube-and-rail-fares (checked 2026-09-27)
- Historic Royal Palaces, Visit the Tower of London — www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit/ (checked 2026-09-27)
- Mubboo Tours search, London (the booking platform destination 737) — mubboo.flights/api/tours/search?destinationId=737&mode=keyword&language=en&sort=featured&term=London (checked 2026-09-27)