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.
Square in London
Trafalgar Square
FreeCosts nothing to visit.
Trafalgar Square is the open public square at the heart of London, laid out to commemorate the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson’s Column rises from the center, guarded by four bronze lions, flanked by two fountains, with the National Gallery running along the north side. The square is free to enter and free to linger in, which is exactly why budget travelers keep coming back to it.
The Fourth Plinth in the northwest corner was left empty for over a century and now displays a rotating series of contemporary artworks, so there is usually something new to look at for the price of a glance. The square has long been London’s stage for public gatherings, protests, and the New Year crowd, and the steps below the National Gallery are a popular free spot to sit and watch the city move.
For travelers counting every pound, the square works hardest as a base rather than a single stop. The National Gallery behind it is free to enter, the National Portrait Gallery sits a few steps further back and is also free, and Covent Garden is a short walk to the northeast for street performers and window shopping at no cost. Walk south down Whitehall and the square delivers you straight to Westminster and Big Ben within minutes. Pack a sandwich, claim a spot on the steps, and the most expensive part of the visit is the train fare to get there.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS 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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