Here is our list of 10 things to do in London for £10 without putting too much of a dent in your wallet – and you’ll steer clear of tourist crowds too.
Visit a Hindu temple
First up is visiting a Hindu temple. Once the biggest Hindu temple outside India, the extraordinary BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple dominates the Neasden skyline. Time Out has called it one of London’s Seven Wonders – it’s a fascinating place to visit and offers free guided tours.
Swim in the Olympic pool
Has it really been three years since London 2012? Revisit the occasion by clocking up a few lengths at the London Aquatic Centre, where everyone from Michael Phelps to Ellie Simmonds performed to capacity crowds. An adult swim starts at just £6.
Find cheap live music
Next on our list is dancing and singing the night away at a cheap gig. Away from the mega-venues, you’ll find some excellent options for quality live music without the painful ticket prices.
Learn to bell-ring
London has more than 100 churches and buildings with bells hung for group-ringing. If you’d like to be part of the city-wide chorus that breaks out each Sunday – and it’s a good keep-fit workout too!
Go to a non-league football match
Struggling to get a ticket for Arsenal or Chelsea? Enjoy 90 minutes at a non-league club instead, and experience a more authentic local atmosphere in a city that loves its football. Try Enfield Town FC, Bromley FC or the 125-year-old Corinthian-Casuals FC.
Check out old originals
The British Library is home to one of London’s least-known cultural gems. The John Ritblat Gallery, open seven days a week and free to enter, holds everything from Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook and John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics to a note penned by Henry VIII.
Eat pie and mash
London’s dining scene is hugely cosmopolitan, but there’s no more traditional meal than pie and mash, a tasty and affordable dish still served at a handful of atmospheric old outlets. The most famous, M. Manze, has three London restaurants.
Walk the Thames Path
St Paul’s, Big Ben, Tower Bridge – see it all on a walk along the Thames Path. Enjoy short stretches, or try the full 36 miles from the Thames Barrier to Hampton Court Palace.
Laugh it up
Angel Comedy has gratis stand-up comedy seven nights a week, within a reasonable travel distance of YHA London Oxford. Expect a mix of big names and new talent. Its motto? “Always Free, Always Funny”.
Wander Columbia Road flower market
Open on Sundays from 8 until 3, this weekly flower market transforms Columbia Road into a world of foliage and flowers. There’s a great atmosphere and plenty in the way of music, food and drink.
Recreate timeless London album covers
Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
This familiar cover image was shot in Berwick Street, Soho, down which there are still some great independent record stores.
Beatles – Abbey Road
Follow the Fab Four by visiting St John’s Wood, where you’ll find the famous crossing just steps away from the Abbey Road recording studio itself.
The Clash – The Clash
Mimic Joe Strummer and friends by heading to the Proud Gallery in Camden (although note: the ramp on the iconic cover is now a set of steps!)
Book your city break in London.
