Free London guides
Curated lists of free things to do in London. Each guide groups several free spots into one outing. Most are evergreen, a few are timed to the season.
Free pop-ups and events this June
The June edit of free pop-ups, giveaways and brand activations across London. Free tacos, free margs, free K-beauty samples, free coffee and matcha and a free-entry makers' market.
- Free tacos and frozen margs — Hoxton
- Free canned margaritas — Shoreditch
- Free K-beauty samples — Battersea
- Free coffee and matcha — Shoreditch
- Free entry creatives market — Bermondsey
London's best free museums
London quietly runs some of the greatest museums on earth and charges you nothing to walk in. Here are the ones worth building a day around, from the big hitters to the small obsessive gems.
- British Museum — Bloomsbury
- Natural History Museum — South Kensington
- The V&A — South Kensington
- Science Museum — South Kensington
- National Gallery — Trafalgar Square
- National Portrait Gallery — Trafalgar Square
- The Wallace Collection — Marylebone
- Sir John Soane's Museum — Holborn
- Wellcome Collection — Euston
- Imperial War Museum London — Lambeth
- National Maritime Museum — Greenwich
- Horniman Museum — Forest Hill
The best free views in London
Everyone bangs on about the paid platforms. Meanwhile the best views in London are a hill, a few rooftop gardens you can book for free and a sky garden that costs nothing if you plan ahead. No queue, no markup, just the skyline.
- Primrose Hill — Primrose Hill
- Sky Garden — The City
- Greenwich Park — Greenwich
- Horizon 22 — City of London
- The Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate — City of London
- The Garden at 120 — City of London
- One New Change Roof Terrace — City of London
- Hampstead Heath — Hampstead
A free walk along the South Bank
The South Bank is the best free walk in London. Start at the Southbank Centre and follow the river east, ducking into free galleries, a covered market and a cathedral, all the way to Tower Bridge and a hidden garden ruin on the far side.
- Southbank Centre / Royal Festival Hall — South Bank
- National Poetry Library — South Bank
- Tate Modern — Bankside
- Borough Market — London Bridge
- Southwark Cathedral — Southwark
- Golden Hinde (exterior) — Bankside
- Tower Bridge (walk across) — Tower Hill
- St Dunstan in the East — City of London
Free things to do in London when it rains
London does rain very well, so plan around it. A whole day of free museums, galleries, a covered Victorian market and a steamy glasshouse, all indoors, all free, and you barely have to step outside.
- British Museum — Bloomsbury
- National Gallery — Trafalgar Square
- Tate Modern — Bankside
- The V&A — South Kensington
- The Wallace Collection — Marylebone
- Sir John Soane's Museum — Holborn
- Wellcome Collection — Euston
- National Portrait Gallery — Trafalgar Square
- Leadenhall Market — City of London
- Barbican Conservatory — City of London
- Two Temple Place — Temple
12 free things to do this weekend
The weekend edit. 12 free things happening across London on 6 and 7 June 2026, from the Trooping the Colour rehearsal to a new Serpentine Pavilion, art trails, carnivals and vintage markets.
- Colonel's Review — St James's
- Serpentine Pavilion 2026 — Kensington Gardens
- World Ocean Day — Greenwich
- Mitcham Carnival — Mitcham
- Max in the Park — Brockley
- Walthamstow Art Trail — Walthamstow
- So Last Century vintage — Dulwich
- Capital Antique Market — Pimlico
- Little Holland House — Carshalton
- Kyotographie at Japan House — Kensington
- Royal Docks Iron Works tour — Royal Docks
- Peckham Levels — Peckham
Sandwich goes medieval + French
A free day trip to Sandwich in Kent. For one weekend the old medieval town fills with clashing knights, a proper French market straight off the Normandy boat and artists painting in the streets. Free entry all weekend, just turn up.
- Knights, archery + a mead tavern — Quay Green, Sandwich
- A proper French market — Guildhall forecourt, Sandwich
- Paint the town for free — Market Street, Sandwich