Seeing London for free is okay if you have pretty sturdy walking boots
and a lot of energy – of course, it also depends on where you live. As
for me I live in the far North West and walking down to Soho would
probably take around three hours. That would be all very well if I had
that much time at my leisure.

So a bus fare to
anywhere in London costs just £1.20. If you can scrape your pennies
together to raise that amount I’d suggest it. If you can’t then I hope
you have a bike. If not, then you’re a bit buggered but there’s a handy
website at the bottom which will help you to plan a route from wherever
you live.

So… in one of the most expensive cities in the world what can you do for FREE.

Well,
to begin with a lot of the museums and art galleries let you go round
(at least a section) for free. Some people think these are a waste of
time, but a museum or gallery can be really romantic and a bit of a
laugh. (If this really isn’t how you’d want to spend a day then scroll
down a bit – there’s a lot more to come.

Check out the British Museum

There’s
some awesome stuff on show here. From ancient Egypt to the worshipping
of Greek Gods, to a massive display around Africa. It’s educational,
but more importantly it’s perfect for a date. The best time to go is
around lunchtime on a weekend, when there aren’t so many kids there.

Get there from Great Russell St WC1B 3DG – closest tube Tottenham Court Rd

Tel: 020 7323 8299


Tate Modern – free admission to selected areas

The
Turbine Hall always has something amazing in it. Whether it’s a huge
weathercock, or a giant spider along with a sack of eggs – it’s worth
seeing. Then you’re free to head around most of the building’s
collection displays, just not the selected exhibition pieces. The
building is amazing and it’s the perfect location for a stroll along
South Bank afterwards.

Bankside SE1 9TG – next to the Millennium Bridge

Tel: 020 7887 8000


Sir John Soane’s Museum

Free Tuesday – Saturday, 10-5

This
museum is unlike any you would have been to before. It’s a house. Sir
John Soane was an architect and interior designer, as well as a tutor.
His house is covered in mirrors to make the space look a million times
bigger. And the bits and bobs crammed in will keep you looking for
hours. Some of the staff blend in a bit too much with the history of
the place, but if you can avoid most of them you’ll have a great time
opening up walls finding masses of paintings and hidden passageways.

13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3BP – Holborn Station is closest.

Still,
if museums and galleries just aren’t your thing there’s plenty more.
Try out some of the markets, technically they’re free so long as you
don’t buy anything.

Camden

If you haven’t
ventured up there yet this is one the best bits of London. Okay, so the
streets are covered in grime and a lot of the people are kind of scary,
and you’re sure to be asked to buy some dope while you’re there, but
hey, Camden wouldn’t be Camden if it lost it’s dodgy atmosphere. It
doesn’t matter if you’re skint, walking round Camden’s many markets

will fill you with a sense of achievement. It’s what London is all
about: mixing with everyone and anyone, from everywhere and anywhere.
Truly awesome.

Simply turn right by Camden Tube station and you’re there.

Spitalfields

If
you want something a little less crazy on a Sunday Spitalfields Markets
are worth checking out. Again, you don’t need cash to have a good day.
It’s filled with amazing and unique designers’ work, and chatting to
the market stall-holders is great – they’re some of the most
entertaining people in London. There’s a food, clothing and flower
market to walk around. It’s all free to see so just enjoy the
atmosphere.


Old Spitalfields Market

Brushfield St E1 – close to Liverpool St station.

If you’re into exercising and can’t afford the gym try out a little of London’s finest…


The Roller Stroll

Anyone
can do this, so long as you can “stop effectively on skates”. They meet
every Sunday at 2pm on the East side of Serpentine Rd near Hyde Park
Corner. They then go for a ‘group skate’ for around 6 miles, but you
can drop out when you need to, no one counts the miles. It’s a great
laugh and if your balance isn’t very good then it’s even more
entertaining.

It’s just about opposite Hyde Park, check out their website to see the routes.

And
whilst we’re on the subject of ‘the great outdoors’, London’s parks are
always a must for a sunny day. There are loads of them, but my
favourite is…


Hyde Park

The best time to go to
one of London’s most beautiful parks is a Sunday, mid afternoon. And
why? Well, on a Sunday it’s Speakers Corner. Crazy people stand on soap
boxes, telephone books, step ladders, actually anything that’s more
than two foot off the ground, and they begin debates. You’re free to
wander round each speaker and join their argument, and you’re free to
stack up your own Yellow Pages and shout about what matters to you.
It’s a great laugh. And if you’re thinking of speaking out you’ll find
loads of people in costume to illustrate their points. Last week I saw
a rather angry, very tall and beefy black guy on top of a bucket
dressed as a Viking. Genius.

Go down Oxford Street until you get to Marble Arch tube and wander under the subway, just follow the signs.

All
that’s left is where to eat in London for free. After searching

hundreds of websites and guides I only found one place where you can
get a free meal (other than tea and toast from random Christians in odd
places).


Hare Krishna

Okay, so it sounds a bit
obscure. It is. I found out that you can go there between 12.30 and 1pm
Monday to Saturday and they’ll give you a free veggie curry. So, I went
along. With a hangover. It wasn’t the best idea but they welcomed me
in, invited me and my friends to join a reading and then to eat with
them. Unfortunately my hangover made me really paranoid (and I started
freaking out) and I felt guilty for taking food from these lovely
people just for research purposes. On all accounts the food is good.
And I will be going back sometime very soon, minus hangover state, to
check it out properly. So long as you don’t mind going with the flow
and chatting to random people it’s interesting, entertaining and free.

10 Soho St, just off Oxford Street at the Charing Cross Rd end.