Value Travel: Tips To Explore London On A Budget

The cheapest way to discover the city

Taxis are an expensive way to get around London. So are individual metro tickets: the cost varies per zone from 2.30 to 6.90 GBP, that is from 3.20 to 9.62 USD. The best choice is to buy an Oyster Card, from any metro station for 5 GBP (6.97 USD) and then fill it with cash depending on the routes and the lines you will use. Weekly usage costs 32 GBP (44.64 USD) for zones 1 and 2 and has unlimited use. It can be used on the subway, on buses, trams, the DLR line and many trains within London. It is the best option for getting around the city.

Another option to go on foot. London may be a big city, but most of its attractions are a short walk from each other.

Free and affordable attractions

London offers a bunch of cool stuff for free, mostly because its beauty lies around the city. Take, for example, the street art, the parks or alleys, and the bridges over Thames River. Walk and discover these places on your own or join a free walking tours provided by Sandeman’s or Undiscovered London. Tours begin in the morning and in the early afternoon. Tips for the guides are appreciated. Find detailed information in the links below.

Another nice and very English attraction to see is the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It takes place every day at 11.30 am and you can watch it for free. Make sure you get there at least half an hour early to get a good spot.

If you are a fan of street art, then walk in the East End area of London. It is one of the most interesting, culturally diverse and artsy areas of the city. Discover street art masterpieces, and surely you will recognize work by Banksy.

London is a metropolis with a fast-paced lifestyle, traffic and pollution, but it also offers amazing green spaces. Hyde Park and Regent’s Park are two oases in the heart of the city where you can go and rest, walk or just have a picnic.

Free museums and galleries

Many of the city’s museums and art galleries have free entry. You can visit the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Museum of London, Tate Modern Art Museum and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square for free. Costs apply for some special exhibitions in the museums. Take the opportunity to visit at least one of these museums while in London, and relax in the cafeteria where you can usually meet artistic people in a cultural oasis. Plus, you’ll likely have a great view of the city.

Flea markets and festivals

London is famous for its flea markets, its neighborhoods with ethnic flavors, the flower and food markets, the vintage markets, the hipster pop-up malls popping up for a few days in the city and hosting concerts, street food and second-hand shops. And all of these provide great opportunities to stroll around and enjoy the London lifestyle.

Stroll along the hip neighborhoods of Camden and Shoreditch to the famous streets of the Borough or Notting Hill. There you will find find the most interesting markets of London and the best street food markets.

In Camden Market, even if you are not a fan of goth culture, a visit to the Black Rose shop is a must. It is the biggest and best goth shop in London and is like a goth museum. You will find clothes, accessories and makeup both for men and women. It is located at Stables Market, Shop 26 and opens daily from 11 am to 6 pm.

Go to Shoreditch if you want to shop for beautiful indie clothes. Visit Aida boutique (133 Shoreditch High Street) for unique women’s t-shirts and dresses, and Denham (32 Charlotte Road) if you are a fan of denim.

In Borough Market, stop for coffee or brunch at Pavilion cafe, and in Notting Hill, at famous Portobello Road, you will find amazing antiques at prices you never imagined! Just make sure you arrive early in the morning, around 9 - 10 am would be good, as the road begins to get crowded after 11:00 am.

Buy half-price theater tickets at TKTS

A visit to the West End to watch a play or a musical is a must when you are in London. Tickets though, are expensive if you try to buy them on the spot. But there is a way to buy them at half price! Just go to the official half-price ticket booth called TKTS, located in the middle of Leicester Square, the same day that you want to watch the play. TKTS does not have pre-sale. If you have Internet access, check the availability each morning with the discounted tickets of the day on the TKTS website. If you do not have internet, go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and see the list there. Unfortunately not every theater gives half-price tickets every day. And also have in mind that the very successful plays never offer discounted tickets. The TKTS office opens every day at 10 am. Be prepared for long queues during high season. Ticket sale stops half an hour before the start of the show (2 pm for the afternoon plays, 7 pm for the evening plays). TKTS is the only official place to buy discount tickets and belongs to the Society of London Theatre. With some luck and a bit of patience, you can enjoy a London play for a great price!

Eat and drink for less

For economic food, try to avoid tourist areas such as Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Find delicious Chinese, Ethiopian, Cuban and Greek food on Brick Lane, a famous East London street, every Sunday when there is a market with live music on the street. Go to Camden Lock Market, where you can find multicultural flavors every day. In Portobello Market, you can find flavors from around the world for very low prices on Saturdays. For the tastiest and affordable burgers, visit GBK restaurants located almost everywhere around the city. There you can taste excellent burgers at the price of 8 GBP (11.16 USD). If you love Chinese cuisine, then you should definitely visit Chinatown. The restaurants there offer an unlimited buffet of Chinese food at the cost of approximately 10 GBP (13.95 USD). Try Portuguese cuisine at Nando’s. It is a self service restaurant and you can have a decent and tasty menu for 10-12 GBP (13.95 USD-16.74 USD).