London has a lot to offer – everyone agrees on that! However, some people shy away from a trip to London because the city is known for its high prices. Today we share our best and most importantly free insider tips with you! Because you can discover London without spending a penny! Let's go..!
Viewpoints
To see London from above, you don't need to pay for the London Eye or The Shard. There are enough alternatives that offer incredible views of the city!
For example, the view from the Skygarden, the 35. Floor of the "Walkie Talkie" building. Since many people want to enjoy this breathtaking and above all free view, it is important to reserve a ticket in advance (on the Skygarden website), after 6 pm no reservation is necessary anymore.
Also the view from the big roof terrace of the shopping center New Change (right next to the St. Pauls Cathedral) offers a great view over the city.
If you feel like a walk through the greenery, take a look at the London skyline from Hampstead Heath Park! You can either take the tube (station: Gospel Oak) or the bus to the park.
Sightseeing
Even without the typical sightseeing bus, you have the opportunity to see London's most famous sights. These include among others: Big Ben& Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, London Eye, Royal Courts of Justice, Westminster Abbey, St. George's Church, St. Mary's Church. Pauls Cathedral, Docklands and Little Venice.
Either you go on foot with comfortable shoes (e.g.B. with the help of the "Jubilee Walkway"), or you take the bus. Lines 11 and 15 pass many sights and of course you can get off as you please! If you already have a Travel- or Oystercard, you will not have to pay any extra costs.
A very famous sight in London is Buckingham Palace. Not only the building is worth a visit, also the daily Changing of the Guard should be seen. It takes place daily at 11:30 am, lasts about 10-15 minutes and is of course free of charge. Be there an hour in advance to get a good seat. A particularly good view you have from the platform of the Victoria Memorial.
Museums& Galleries
Whether you are interested in art, history, culture, theater or seafaring, London is a paradise for museum lovers of all kinds! It's not just in bad weather that London's many museums and galleries are worth exploring; in fact, most are free of charge!
Here is a small overview of free museums and galleries:
– Museum of London
– British Museum
– National Gallery
– Tate Modern
– Tate Britain
– National Maritime Museum
– Theatre Museum
– Geffrye Museum
– Imperial War Museum
– Royal Air Force Museum
– National History Museum
– Science Museum
– Sir John Soane's Museum
– Victoria and Albert Museum
Parks
London is known as a "green metropolis" with around 1700 public green spaces. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a moment, take a walk or a picnic in one of the parks!
The most famous park is probably Hyde Park, one of the royal parks. Here you can not only go for a walk, but also row on the lake or go to the cafe and on Sundays stop by at the "Speaker's Corner". At the northeast corner of the park public speeches are held which can be quite interesting or amusing. Concerts are often held here in the summer. Hyde Park is also bordered by other royal parks, which are definitely worth seeing. For example, the Kensington Gardens, the Green Park, the St. Jame's Park and Regent's Park.
Middle of the 19th century. At the beginning of the twentieth century, many other parks were built, mainly for the physical and spiritual recreation of the people. Worth seeing are in any case Battersea Park (especially at cherry blossom time), Victoria Park and Hampstead Heath.
Of course there are many other beautiful parks that invite you to relax. The best way to find out which park is your favorite is to visit it yourself! 🙂
Markets
If you are in London, you should definitely visit some markets. There are markets all over London, both during the week and on weekends, that invite you to stroll around. Borough Market (Fridays and Saturdays), the oldest food market in the city, is especially recommendable. The Brick Lane Market (Sundays), a typical flea market with everything your heart desires, is also worth a visit. If you're in West London, it's definitely worth visiting Portobello Road Market (Fridays and Saturdays) in Notting Hill. Here you'll find stalls selling clothing, food and antiques. All this you can also find at the markets (spread over five squares) in Camden (Thursdays to Sundays). If you are looking for colorful flowers, don't miss the Columbia Road Flower Market (Sundays)!
If it's raining (and even so) it's worth to have a look at Harrods as well. The department store is one of the most famous, largest and exclusive in the world and comparable to KaDeWe in Berlin.
Again, admission is free, whether you want to spend money there is up to you. 😉
When you live as an au pair in London and the surrounding area, you will certainly discover much more as part of a host family. Also as intern or work& Travel Maker you will surely find time to explore the metropolis.