after dark, still free
Free things to do in London at night
London after dark does not have to cost a thing. Free rooftop views you book ahead, the river lit up, a graffiti tunnel that never sleeps and the bright lights of the West End. All free, all good after dark.
FREE
Free things to do in London at night
LONDON FREE GUIDEThe list
1
Sky Garden
The City · Monument
A jungle in the sky on top of the Walkie Talkie, the highest free public viewpoint in London. Book a slot and go up for nothing.
Daily, timed entry · book a free slot onlineFull details →
2
FREELONDON FREE GUIDE
South Bank Riverside
South Bank · Waterloo
The liveliest stretch of the Thames Path, free, running past the London Eye, the arts centres and the skate park with street performers, book stalls and big river views the whole way.
Always openFull details →
3
Piccadilly Circus
West End · Piccadilly Circus
London's answer to Times Square, free and always buzzing, where the great curved billboards glow over the famous winged statue everyone calls Eros.
Always openFull details →
4
Leake Street Tunnel
Waterloo · Waterloo
London's only legal graffiti tunnel, under the platforms at Waterloo. Started by Banksy, repainted constantly, and you are welcome to bring your own spray.
Open access · lit · artists about most daysFull details →
5
Millennium Bridge
City of London / Bankside · St Paul's
The slender steel footbridge that frames St Paul's at one end and Tate Modern at the other, free to cross and one of the best free views in London.
Always openFull details →
6
The Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate
City of London · Liverpool Street
A free 50th-floor viewing gallery in the City. Book a free ticket online, with new dates released on Mondays, or try a walk-in when there is space.
Mon & Fri 12pm–9pm · Tue to Thu 10:30am–5:30pm · Sat 11am–6pm · Sun & bank holidays 10am–5pm · free ticketFull details →
7
Trafalgar Square
Westminster · Charing Cross
London's great public square, free and always open, with Nelson on his column, Landseer's bronze lions, fountains and a fourth plinth that shows a new piece of contemporary art every couple of years.
Always openFull details →
8
Neal's Yard
Covent Garden · Covent Garden
A tiny, riotously colourful courtyard hidden off the streets of Covent Garden. Free to find, if you can spot the alley, and the prettiest two minutes in the West End.
Always open · cafes have their own hoursFull details →
More guides
Guide
Free
The stories hiding above Clerkenwell's pubs
A free ~45-minute walk from Angel to Farringdon past six Clerkenwell pub signs, each hiding a story you'd never guess from the street: a prince replaced by a Tamil king, a freed slave in chains, a mystery mural, the man who funded England's first atlas, and a 400-year-old typo. Every stop is free to look at, this is about the signs, not drinking.
Guide
FreeEvery weekend
Go East Vintage Flea: a free vintage market in Bermondsey
Go East Vintage runs a free vintage flea market most weekends at Maltby Street in Bermondsey, plus an indoor edition inside the railway arches on selected weekends. Free entry, no ticket, dog-friendly, just turn up. Expect 40 plus vintage sellers with furniture, vinyl, cameras, fashion, jewellery and odd little treasures, right by Maltby Street Market's food stalls. Dates move around a little, so check Go East Vintage's Instagram for the exact weekend before you go.
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