Visit the Great Museums: London's state museums and galleries -- including most of the big names -- are free to enter. World-class treasure troves where you can roam without charge include the British Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of London, and Sir John Soane's Museum. And don't forget the British Library with its collection of literary gems.
Watch the Changing of the Guard: The Buckingham Palace event has more pomp and circumstance than any other royal ceremony on earth, but the two daily changes at Horse Guards, Whitehall, SW1 (tel. 020/7414-2479), the headquarters of the Queen's Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, is both more accessible and more fun.
Take in Fresh Air and a City View: North of the River, Hampstead Heath, NW3 (tel. 020/7482-7073), offers miles of woodland trails and the best vistas over low-rise suburbia to the architectural icons of the center. To the south, the heights of Greenwich Park, SE10 (tel. 020/8858-2608), enjoy a panoramic sweep that takes in the royal borough's 18th-century maritime architecture and the steel-and-glass edifices of Canary Wharf. Recent cold winters have even seen the hill used by local snowboarders.
Dine on the Cheap: Away from the main tourist drag and the Michelin-starred hotspots, London is surprisingly well equipped with affordable, tasty places to enjoy a full meal for under £15. Among the best are the fiery Szechuan flavors of Gourmet San, 261 Bethnal Green Rd., E2 (tel. 020/7729-8388), and the West End's venerable budget pitstop, the Stockpot, 38 Panton St., SW1 (tel. 020/7839-5142; www.stockpotlondon.co.uk).
Go to the Library: The best and most easily accessible of London's specialist (and free) libraries is the Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Rd., NW1 (tel. 020/7611-8722; www.wellcomecollection.org), which houses a grisly cornucopia of medical materials, including books, paintings, and drawings. Staff offer free tours and workshops to help guide you through the intricacies of a unique collection.
Shop for Vintage Threads: The East End Thrift Store, Assembly Passage, E1 (tel. 020/7423-9700), has a warehouse full of vintage clothes for men and women, all at good prices if you hunt hard.
Catch a Free Event in the Center of the City: From the Lord Mayor's Show to the Notting Hill Carnival, almost every major public event in the capital costs nothing to attend. Call in at the Britain & London Visitor Centre, 1 Lower Regent St., SW1 (tel. 08701/566-366; www.visitlondon.com), and inquire about what's on while you're here.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
