Tour London on the Cheap!

The Yeoman Warder and me at the Tower of London

With the British pound almost doubling the American dollar, London can be one of the most expensive cities in the world for visiting Americans. However, do not let this factor scare you out of visiting this wonderful metropolitan. If you do not care for staying in fancy hotels and eating at four star restaurants, one can easily do London for cheap! One of the best 

things about visiting London is that many of the main museums are the cost of my favorite four letter word; free!

British Museum

Start your day in London out by visiting the British Museum. Modeled of the Parthenon in Athens, the British Museum holds thousands ancient artifacts, including the famed Rosetta Stone. Besides the Rosetta Stone, the museum also contains many Ancient Greek artifacts, including statues from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which was known to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and also sculptures and architecture from the Parthenon. Along with Greek and Egyptian art and architectures you will also find artifacts from the Roman Empire, Iran, Japan, China, Korea, and many more. Make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time to view the galleries of the museum; at least two hours are needed. Museum hours are from 10am to 5:30pm.

 If ancient art is not your cup of tea, head across the Thames to the Tate Modern, which focuses more on modern and contemporary art.  The museum’s permanent collection includes work by artists such as Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. The Tate Modern also includes moving exhibits that change every few months to a year and also host daily events. For example, when I visited the museum there was a BMX show outside the museum doors. If you enjoy both modern and renaissance art, try checking out the Tate Britain as well, which contains many British renaissance works as well as more modern pieces as well. Both museums are open daily from 10am to 6pm, make sure you give yourself at least two hours for both museums.

A short walk from the Tate Modern you can find St. Paul’s Cathedral, whose dome is one of the highest in the world. To see great views of the city, I would suggest skipping the expensive ride on the London Eye and climb to the top of St. Paul’s dome for less money. Entrance to the cathedral is about £12.

The changing of the guards

To view more renaissance masterpieces, check out the National Gallery, which sits in front of the renowned Trafalgar Square, which you may remember from the “Feed the Birds” scene in the classic movie, Mary Poppins. The National Gallery contains works by Titan, Botticelli, Leonardo Da’Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and much more. Right next to the National Gallery, you can also find the National Portrait Gallery, where you can find the faces of important Brits. Both museums are open from 10am to 6pm daily, and open till 9pm on Fridays.

See listings of other free museums at the end of this article.

If you are tired of museums there is plenty more to do in London. One sight that is a must to see is the changing of the guards in front of Buckingham Place. The guard change ceremony takes place daily at 11:30, with the guards marching up the Mall around 11:15. A rather large crowd does gather, so make sure you arrive early to get a spot up front!

After the changing of the guards, take a walk through the St. James Park, which is directly across from the palace and offers great views. Other nearby parks that you can take a nice quiet stroll through are Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, which includes the Princess Diana Memorial.

 

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament 

If you are interested in British government, take a walk over to the Houses of 

Parliament, which is more famously known for the Big Ben. The British Parliament is open to all visitors (for free) and when in session you can watch the House of Commons and the House of Lords make laws and duke it out in a debate. You can also arrange a tour for £15 on Saturdays only. During the week you can also tour Big Ben for a fee.

After you hit up the Houses of Parliament walk across the bridge and walk towards the British Eye. Although the Eye is not worth the money, the street performers that line the walk way are very entertaining, and if you drop them a few pence they will put on quite a performance for you.

If shopping is a must for you, then I would suggest taking the metro up to Camden Market.  At Camden Market you can find souvenirs, clothing, music, food and beer all in one place. A lot of the items you can find at Camden Market are reasonably priced however, beware of pick pocketing.

Many of the attractions that London has to offer are free, but I would suggest spending the money to see both Westminster Abbey as well as the Tower of London. Both sites are worth it. If you are interesting in World War II history I would also suggest visiting the Churchill War Rooms, which served as Churchill’s and his War Cabinet’s bunker during the Nazi air raids. The war rooms are incredibly well preserved and look almost exactly as they did during Churchill’s reign.

London’s Free Museums:

British Museum

Tate Modern                                                                                   

Tate Britain

National Gallery

National Portrait gallery

Imperial War Museum

Science Museum

Natural History Museum

Museum of London

Bank of London Museum

National Maritime Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum

London Political Cartoon Gallery

Muesum of Garden History

Sir John Soane’s Museum