Everything else on this site costs nothing. These cost a little, and we list them because what you get is far bigger than the price.
£1.75An ordinary red bus is the cheapest sightseeing tour in the city. The adult pay as you go fare is £1.75, and the Hopper fare lets you change buses as often as you like within an hour for the same money.
Worth it. Take route 11 from Liverpool Street past St Paul's, Fleet Street, Trafalgar Square and Westminster, and go upstairs to the front seats. Buses take no cash, so tap a contactless card or Oyster.
Source: Transport for London
£1.65The red hire bikes docked all over central London cost £1.65 for a ride of up to 30 minutes on a standard bike. A day pass is £3.50 for unlimited rides of up to an hour each.
Worth it in the parks and along the Embankment cycle track, less fun in traffic. Hyde Park Corner to Kensington Palace along the park paths fits easily inside one 30 minute ride.
Source: Transport for London
£5Three spring-fed swimming ponds on the Heath, one mixed, one for men and one for women, with lifeguards and open all year. An adult swim is £5 and the Heath around them is free.
Worth it if you can swim well, because the water is deep and cold even in July. Walk up Parliament Hill afterwards for a skyline view that costs nothing. Summer sessions need booking online.
Source: City of London Corporation
From £5Standing places in the open yard of the Globe start at £5, for a full Shakespeare play a few metres from the stage. The outdoor season runs from spring to late October, and in 2026 the last performances are on 25 October.
The best value ticket in London theatre. You stand for up to three hours with no roof, so bring a raincoat (umbrellas are not allowed) and arrive early to lean on the stage edge.
Source: Shakespeare's Globe
Nothing free in London stands in for the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and a Yeoman Warder telling you who lost their head where. You can look at the walls from Tower Hill for nothing, but the point is inside. Go at opening time and head for the Jewel House first.
Everything above is free. This is the only paid pick on the page, chosen because no free option replaces it.
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