Borough Market
Borough Market is London's oldest food market, trading since the 13th century beneath the Victorian railway arches by London Bridge in London. Entry is free.
Museum in London
National Gallery
FreeCosts nothing to visit.
The National Gallery on the north side of Trafalgar Square holds one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the world, and general admission is free. Van Eyck, Leonardo, Raphael, Turner, Vermeer, Van Gogh, and Monet are all here, covering roughly seven centuries of painting from the 1200s to 1900. The collection is curated rather than encyclopedic, which is good news for budget travelers on a schedule: it is smaller and far more navigable than the British Museum, and the highlights can be seen in about two hours without paying a cent.
The gallery was founded in 1824 and has occupied its current building above Trafalgar Square since 1838, so it has been free and central for almost two centuries. Free maps point the way to the famous rooms, and only temporary special exhibitions carry a ticket price, which is easy to skip if money is tight.
It sits directly on Trafalgar Square, so the visit pairs naturally with the square itself, with Nelson’s Column and the bronze lions, all free and always busy. The National Portrait Gallery stands right behind it on the opposite side of the building, also free, which makes it simple to chain two world-class collections into a single no-cost afternoon.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN London
- Good to know
Nearby
More in London
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is the heart of London's Bangladeshi community, a curry-house spine through Shoreditch and Spitalfields that doubles as the city's loudest open-air street-art gallery. Free to walk, and one of the best-value corners of East London for a budget traveler.
British Museum
The British Museum in Bloomsbury is one of the greatest museums in the world, and entry to the permanent collection is completely free. The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles, the Egyptian mummies, and the Enlightenment Gallery are all here.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch and one of the city's signature free sights. Nobody pays to stand at the gates, photograph the famous balcony, or watch the Changing of the Guard, which makes it a reliable anchor for a no-cost day in central London.
Camden Market
Camden Market is a sprawling complex of connected markets, stalls, and food vendors around Camden Lock in Camden Town, north London. Free to enter, and one of the city's most visited attractions. For a budget traveler it is a full afternoon that costs nothing until the moment a street-food box is bought.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road Flower Market is a Sunday-only street market in Shoreditch, East London, where vendors pack a narrow Victorian street with flowers, plants, bulbs, and garden supplies. Free to walk and browse, and one of the cheaper ways to spend a Sunday morning in the East End, especially when paired with Brick Lane a short walk south.
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