First, another way to see Tower Bridge.
You may recognize this landmark. This is Tower Bridge, not London Bridge. And we love it. You’ll know it because it’s famous for splitting large merchant ships in two to go further down the Thames. Nowadays though, it’s mainly tall tourist boats that pass through.
Did you know that Tower Bridge posts its bridge lift schedule on its website?
You may recognize this landmark. This is Tower Bridge, not London Bridge. And we love it. You’ll know it because it’s famous for splitting large merchant ships in two to go further down the Thames. Nowadays though, it’s mainly tall tourist boats that pass through.
You can check it online and see if you can time the bridge lift during your trip. The website will even tell you which boats are passing under the bridge and in which direction. In my opinion, the best place to see it is here on the south-west bank, next to this building which is London’s Old City Hall, although it gets crowded in the summer.
If you’re looking for a less busy spot, the Northeast Bank just outside the Tower Hotel is great. It would be a great scene, but with fewer people.
Take yourself on a walking tour around the city. We don’t really recommend that free walking tour, but it’s a really cool hack and a unique way to see parts of the city you’d otherwise miss.
Next up, the Blue Plaques tour.
You may have seen or heard of these. These are signs on the walls of buildings managed by English Heritage and tell you about famous or important people who have lived or worked here. It is the oldest scheme of its kind. It started in 1866 and has over a thousand. You can also take yourself on an art tour of London, such as the Leake Street Arches in Waterloo, where you can see graffiti artists at work.V
Shoreditch is also a great place for this. When we get our moves, we can’t talk about London and all our green parks and spaces.
London has around 3,000 parks, including eight Royal Parks and canal footpaths.
These parks are a fantastic reminder of London’s history, as green spaces have been a priority for leaders throughout the city’s history. We also love Hampstead Heath, which is in North London, but my personal favorite has to be Richmond Park. It’s South West London, and it’s the perfect place for a picnic with your friends, especially in the summer because you can make a day of it.
You are not far from the long stretch of the Thames and Kew Gardens. If you want something more central, many of our parks are located in the middle of the city. You can do three or four a day. And while we’re talking walks, I can’t stop talking about canalside walks. You can literally walk from Paddington in the West to Victoria Park in the East and see some of London’s most spectacular sights.
Speaking of Maida Vale, Camden, King's Cross and Hackney.
It’s really impossible to talk about free things to do in London without mentioning free entry to the city’s amazing parks, National Galleries and museums. Originally, in 2001, the British government abolished entry fees to flagship galleries and museums. This was to allow greater access to UK culture and arts.
And great news, if you’re a visitor, you get free access to galleries and museums But remember, not all galleries and museums are free. For example, you still have to pay for the London Transport Museum.
But generally speaking, if it’s a big museum or gallery, you can get them for free. You could literally spend your entire trip in museums and galleries alone, so it’s best to choose your own.
This is a great accessible activity to do here in London, especially if it’s raining. Kennington alone has a whole street of galleries and museums and they are connected by a tunnel. Personally, I love tape.
There are always lots of fun pop-up exhibitions and it’s a great building to wander around. We are very fortunate that there are many music schools and institutions in London, and some of them hold free lunchtime concerts, which are open and accessible to the public.
The London Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert at a church in Farringdon, featuring musicians from Gill Hall School, Orchestral Artistry. Even the Royal Opera House has one. This feature can be their acting and occasional guest, and even some ballet.
The free concert usually lasts about 45 minutes, so it’s the perfect addition to your itinerary. Speaking of free, visiting a new city for the first time can be overwhelming. So we’ve created a free guide to help you learn everything you need to know as a first-time visitor to London.
Will you learn how to get from the airport to your hotel? How to get coins and spend ? What do you need and most importantly to use London's public transport syste ? How to prepare for British weather?
This guide is designed to take all the stress out of moving to a new city for the first time, and it’s completely free If you love history, we recommend visiting some of our historic homes while you’re in town. These houses were usually owned by the British aristocracy and their stories give a fascinating view of London at different points in history. There are some great houses, such as Kenwood House, which is on Hamptons Heath,
Another one of our favorites for a free day. It was originally built in the 17th century, but was repeatedly redesigned for the Earls who lived there.
They also display the art Richard Wallace collected throughout his life. The art is displayed here at Hertford House, Richard Wallace’s main London residence. They want afternoon tea. London is famous for being a green city, and we have a great selection of urban gardens with great views of London. You’ve probably heard us talking a lot about Sky Garden.
It’s great. We love it. It’s a garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie building with great views of the city, but it’s booked and very busy. They have slots that you can book on the day for free, but if you want free access we’d recommend booking in advance.
It is a garden with great views of the city of London. It has beautiful vegetation and is the perfect place to take a break from a busy itinerary. We don’t have an opinion on the final option, but it’s a love and London favourite. This is the Barbican Conservatory. It’s an unlikely but wonderful oasis in the brutal Barbican Center right in the heart of London. They now have three venues, some of which charge for shows. So make sure you check the website to see when the freebies are on Fair warning, it’s popular, and the room isn’t that big, so turn up early so you don’t miss out
It has over 2000 species of trees and plants and you can combine iA great way to learn more about how things are made.t with a trip to the Barbican Center and check out the Curve Gallery while you’re there. It’s also free. This is a great tip for people who want to see backstage at one of London’s best theaters without the price tag that comes with it. You may know that the National Theater does its own backstage tours, which cost per person
It’s a Londoner’s favorite because they have free comedy and improv every night of the week. It is located above, Camdenhead Pub. Free shows are new performers and sometimes well-known ones trying out new material So you might get lucky and see a celebrity comedian for free.
