London for Free
Back when I took my year-long backpacking trip around Europe, my first stop was London. Shocked by the high prices, I quickly resigned myself to dining exclusively on sandwiches of Nutella and blackcurrant jam bought at Sainsbury’s so I could afford to see the sights and eventually gave up, catching a plane for the much-cheaper city of Athens. Little did I know that there are so many things to do in the British capital city requiring not a quid, farthing, British sterling pound or whatever it is they use over there for money. Here are a few.
Free Music
There are several venues around the city that provide free concerts at various times of the week. For example, the Southbank Centre has lots of free music and other events. You can also enjoy free foyer concerts at the Southbank Centre’s neighbor, the National Theatre. This lively mix of music from around the world happens on the Djanogly Concert Pitch from Monday to Friday at 5:45 PM, Saturdays at 1:00 PM and 5:45 PM, and Sundays at 1:45 PM. Then there are the free Monday lunchtime recitals at the Royal Opera House, free lunchtime concerts at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, and Saturdays at the Notting Hill Arts Club. Free live music is also available in Covent Garden Market.
Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London
The Tower of London is one of many London sites that you have to pay to get into. Unless you sign up to see the 700 year-old Ceremony of the Keys, in which the public is allowed to escort the warden as he locks the gates at the end of the day. This formal locking of the gates has happened every night for the last seven centuries and is a hoot to watch. Understandable as they don’t want someone to run off with the Crown Jewels. Between 40 and 50 visitors are admitted to the Tower at 9:30 PM, to escort the Chief Yeoman Warder as he carries a candle lantern in one hand and the Queen’s Keys in the other hand. As he begins to lock the gate, a sentry stops him, saying, “Halt, who comes there?” to which he responds, “The Keys!” to which the sentry responds, “Whose Keys?” to which the Warder responds, “Queen Elizabeth’s Keys” and is then allowed to pass. There is obviously much more to the ceremony, involving a drummer and a bugler, and all parties are dressed in the same uniforms they’ve been wearing since the 14th century.
Walk This Way
While it’s always nice to take a guided walking tour of the city, a cheaper way to do it without compromising too much on the information provided by your guide is to take a Walk This Way Tour. Created to help the London visitor discover all the sites, Walk This Way provides downloadable PDF files of five different walks that come complete with maps and as much information about what you’re seeing as any tour guide. You can choose between Walk This Way – South Bank (From the London Eye to the Imperial War Museum), Walk This Way – Millennium Bridge (From St Paul’s Cathedral to Bankside and Borough), Walk This Way – Golden Jubilee Bridges (From Soho and Covent Garden to South Bank), Walk This Way – Riverside London (From Tate Britain to the Design Museum) and Walk This Way – A Young Persons Guide (A discovery of the Thames, especially written for young people). Or why not try them all? They are free!
Westminster Abbey
Like the Tower of London, you can enter the city’s most iconic site, Westminster Abbey, for free. All you have to do is attend one of the services, as the Abbey never charges people who want to worship. While the idea of attending mass might cause you to stifle a yawn, the fact is that some of the services can provide entertainment that the paying tourist just doesn’t get to experience. For example, attending the Evensong service, you’ll get to hear beautiful music from the Abbey Choir. The Choristers of the Choir are educated at Westminster Abbey Choir School and are as professional as any group of singers you’ll find anywhere. Evensong is at 5:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, plus 3:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. And nothing is stopping you from exploring this cultural treasure before and after the service.
Accommodation
No, I have not managed to find any place to stay for free. But London is full of hostels that provide excellent accommodation for very little money. And some of them boast some pretty spectacular locations. The London Eye Hostel at 73 Lambeth Walk SE11 6DX is located in the Southwark – Waterloo neighborhood, putting you close to Lambeth Palace, the Imperial War Museum, the Tate Britain and of course the London Eye. They also feature a complimentary continental breakfast, complimentary wireless Internet access and a pool table. Hostel 639 at 639 Harrow Road NW10 5NU is close to the Portobello Road Market, the Royal Albert Hall and the Lord’s Cricket Ground, as well as Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens. Breakfast and wireless is also free here. To experience the inside of a classic London building, the Palmers Lodge Hostel at 40 College Crescent Swiss Cottage NW3 5LB features an incredible lobby in the Hampstead – Camden Town neighborhood of London, close to the Freud Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the Portobello Road Market. They also offer a complimentary continental breakfast, along with a restaurant and a bar for your other meals.
