One day in London on a budget
Every main stop is free. You pay for transport and food only, and most of the day is on foot.
- Length: 1 day
- Pace: balanced
- Rough cost: £15–£40 pp
- Best for: Seeing a lot without paying for tickets
The plan
Free London Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, Westminster, South Bank, City
- 10:00–12:00 British MuseumIndoors
Free. Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Sutton Hoo.
- 12:15–12:45 Covent Garden
Street performers in the West Piazza.
- 12:45–13:30 Cheap lunch around Covent Garden
Meal deals, bakeries and noodle bars on the side streets.
- 13:35–14:45 National GalleryIndoors
Free. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is in the 19th-century rooms.
- 15:00–15:40 Westminster and Parliament Square
Big Ben, the Abbey from outside, Churchill’s statue.
- 15:55–17:00 South Bank walk
London Eye, Southbank Centre book market, river views.
- 17:30–18:30 Sky GardenBook aheadIndoors
Free garden on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street. Free tickets go about three weeks ahead.
- 18:45–19:45 Dinner around Leadenhall or Liverpool Street
Pubs and chains near the station are good value.
Rough cost
Per person. Contactless Tube/bus fares (capped daily) and budget meals. All sights are free.
Prices checked November 2026 against official and widely published 2026 rates; they change, so confirm before you pay.
Book ahead
- Sky Garden — Free, but timed tickets are needed and go fast.
If it rains
- Instead of South Bank walk: Tate Modern (free) at Bankside
- Instead of Westminster and Parliament Square: National Portrait Gallery (free)
Good to know
- Bring a refillable bottle — there are free water fountains in many museums.
- If Sky Garden is full, the walkway on the Millennium Bridge is the free fallback view.
Book it
- Tickets and tours in London (GetYourGuide)
- Hotels in London (Booking.com)
- UK train times and fares (Trainline)
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