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.
Park in London
St James's Park
FreeCosts nothing to visit.
St James’s Park is the oldest royal park in London, stretching from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade, free and open daily. The lake, the pelicans, and the view of Buckingham Palace from the Blue Bridge make it the most pleasant free walk in central London. The resident pelicans have been here since the 1660s and are fed daily in front of anyone who turns up, which costs nothing to watch. Budget travellers time their visit for the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, free to see from outside the gates and running more often in summer, then walk through the park afterward. Renting a deckchair on the lawns costs a small fee, but walking, sitting, and people-watching cost nothing. The park sits in the middle of a free landmark route: Westminster and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Trafalgar Square are all a short walk away, and the larger Royal Parks of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Palace, and Regent’s Park round out a day of free green space across the city.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- St. James's Park, SW1A 2BJ 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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