Come and stay with us in one of our London hostels. The capital city has so much to offer and some of it’s for free. Here’s a collection of free things to do in London! Enjoy…
Barbician Conservatory
The Barbican centre may be famous for its brutalist style but on floor three you’ll find a tropical paradise. The Barbican Conservatory has around 1,500 species of plants and trees, with everything from palm trees to banana plants to be found within the glass walls. The fishponds are full of colourful koi carp, it really is a place to escape the hustle and bustle and imagine you’re somewhere else. Entry is free but you need a ticket which you’ll find on their website.
Tate Modern
A must see, this is the city’s leading art spot that’s housed inside the old Bankside Power station. Everything in the gallery is modern art, dating back only as far as the 1900s. The gallery is free to visit, and you can enjoy art from around the world including Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. The iconic Turbine Hall is spectacular, and we are so very lucky to access this space all for free.
The Changing of The King’s Guard
Keep people of all ages entertained by watching the traditional ceremony Changing of The King’s Guard. The soldiers gather at St James’s Palace and Wellington Barracks from 10.00am and march to Buckingham Palace accompanied by music arriving at Buckingham Palace at 10.45am. It usually takes place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The famous London guards with their traditional bear skin hats have been around for centuries, with the first ceremony taking place during the reign of King Henry VII where it was originally held at the Palace of Whitehall.
Street performers in Covent Garden
See a performance for absolutely free at London’s Covent Garden. There’s everything from mime artists to contortionists here, and what you’ll see will completely depend on when you visit. Whilst in the area, tucked away down a tiny side street in Seven Dials is the colourful Neal’s Yard, which is also worth a visit, just because it’s so pretty and you can get everything from a bakery to a coffee shop to Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Leake Street Arches
Leake Street Arches is in eight former railway arches beneath Waterloo station and is London’s longest legal graffiti wall. Initially created by Banksy in 2008, graffiti and street art are permitted, and actively encouraged, on the walls of the Leake Street Tunnels which means it’s an ever-changing canvas of art. You’ll also find a community of independent restaurants, bars and entertainment spaces celebrating the creativity of urban culture.
Crossrail Place Roof Garden
Free to visit and open daily to the public until 9pm or sunset in summer, Crossrail Place Roof Garden is an unexpected oasis where you can wander and admire the exotic plants in the financial district of London. Crossrail Place sits almost exactly on the Meridian line and the planting is arranged according to which hemisphere they are from with Asian plants such as bamboos to the east, and plants such as ferns from the Americas to the west. There are free art trails and performances in the amphitheatre too.
Horizon 22
You’ll find Horizon 22 in London’s Bishopsgate. It’s currently London’s highest free viewing platform with 300-degrees views of London and it’s most iconic landmarks. A speedy lift whizzes you up to the 58th (!!) floor and the viewing platform is split across a mezzanine level.
Platform 9¾
If you or anyone in your family is a Harry Potter fan then you must head to King’s Cross train station, Euston Road, London. As all Potter followers know, King’s Cross is where Hogwarts pupils go to catch the Hogwarts Express. Head to platform 9¾ where you’ll find a luggage trolley embedded in the wall, and you can imagine you’re off to start your wizardy journey. The trolley is accessible 24 hours a day and you don’t have to pay to take your own photographs. A perfect memento!
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Photo credit: cristianbalate / Alex Yeung / shorebrka / Jose Ruez / Jose / Abdul / rabbit75_fot / MERCURY studio / Adobe Stock
