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London’s Free and Cheap Attractions

Are you planning a trip to the UK capital soon and want to see what the city has to offer without breaking the bank? Book a stay at a cheap hotel in London and enjoy some of the cheap attractions that London has to offer.

Here's our round up of cheap attractions in London as well as things to do in the capital that will cost you less than a tenner and where you can find free and cheap walks that take place across the city.

Cheap attractions

Royal Observatory Westfield Stratford Shopping centre

If you're planning a stay at a bed and breakfast in Greenwich, a great cheap attraction for you to explore is the Royal Observatory. Gain admission to this attraction for just £7.00. An admission charge now applies to parts of the Royal Observatory site at the top of the hill at Greenwich Park to ensure it stays open. For this price, you'll be able to explore the Meridian Line Courtyard and its buildings, including the horology centre, which maps the quest of astronomers who attempted to pin down the elusive concept of time. There are also parts of this attraction, which were established by King Charles II in 1675, that are free to explore.

You can explore six astronomy galleries, a science and astronomy education centre and the Peter Harrison Planetarium. At this building, you can see a 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite and a bronze cone that points to the North Star.

At Westfield Stratford Shopping centre, you can enjoy a film at the Vue cinema for around £10.00 a ticket and for under £25.00 you can also enjoy a night of tip-top entertainment thanks to the Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre. Running until February 17th 2013, there are some cheap tickets available for each performance. This musical incorporates the back-catalogue of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and tells the story of the band. It has been a popular show for the last three years so now is your chance to catch it before it ends.

Things to do in London for under £10

Wellcome CollectionWellcome Collection
Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert Hall

There are also plenty of options if you only want to spend £10.00 on a day out in London. The Wellcome Collection on Euston Road offers free entry and some of the museums temporary exhibitions charge but don't worry prices are kept below £10.00. You can also donate some money to this attraction to help it stay open and help educate and entertain other visitors. The Wellcome Collection was founded in the 19th century by pharmacist and entrepreneur Sir Henry Wellcome. It is full of implements and curios relating to the medical trade. There are also used guillotine blades, ivory carvings of pregnant women and Napoleon's toothbrush for you to see.

Sports fans may like to spend the day soaking up the atmosphere at a non-league football game as you can often buy tickets for under £10.00. You can choose from games at Clapton FC, Enfield Town FC, Bromley FC and Dulwich, Hamlet FC, to name but a few.

Another option for those of you who want to see inside one of London's most famous entertainment venues is the Royal Albert Hall tour. You'll be guided around the venue as it prepares for an evening performance by an expert on the attraction. On the one-hour tour, you'll discover its history and secrets and will see all the Front of House areas including the auditorium, the gallery and the Queen's private suite. It costs less than £10.00 but you are strongly advised to book in advance as tours are limited to 20 people. Children under the age of 16 are allowed on the tour for free if they are accompanying a paying adult.

Talking of tours, you can also explore the iconic BBC for less than £10.00 and get a behind-the-camera look at the TV studio. What you see will vary as it is a working TV studio but it is likely that you'll visit the BBC News set as well as other interactive studios. There is also a children's tour available too.

Cheap walks

City Walk

Another great way to see the city without breaking the bank is to go on a cheap walk such as the supernatural walk through Holborn and the City of London. On this walk, you'll be able to see a huge winged lion and several dragons at the Holborn Viaduct before going down Bear Alley in Farringdon where ghostly bears have been seen - this was the site of bear-biting in the past. Another option is the medical meander through Holborn and Bloomsbury led by medical historian Richard Barnett. He will take you to the Royal College of Surgeons, the Royal College of Anaesthetists as well as London's first public ambulance station.

There are plenty of walks that you can take around London that you don't need to pay for. For some ideas and routes please click here.

Other tips

London Zoo >

You can also find cheap tickets for some of London's biggest attractions by looking out for special offers. For example, if you have a train ticket you can buy two-for-one tickets at attractions such as the Tower of London and London Zoo. You can also check out voucher sites such as Groupon and Wowcher for cheap entry to other places of interest.

Please also contact us with any of your top money saving tips! Then simply enter TravelStay Promotional Code: 'Cheap Attractions in London Tip' for £3.00 instant cash-back on your booking. We now hope that you have plenty of ideas on how to spend your time in London without spending lots of money!

Free things to do
Live, outdoor theatre for free? Yes really, well of sorts! Head over to Speakers Corner and watch members of the public discuss all sorts - any subject matter goes!

Free things to do!

Speakers Corner

Live, outdoor theatre for free? Yes really, well of sorts! Head over to Speakers Corner and watch members of the public discuss all sorts - any subject matter goes!

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