Sep/100
London Guide – Free Activities And Attractions
Not many things in life are free, but it is possible to experience the sights and sounds of London without it costing a single dime.
The London museums and galleries are the places to start. The British Museum, the most visited of all is free to enter. The National Gallery and its art exhibitions don't cost a penny and the famous Tate Modern and Tate Britain are also free of charge. The wonderful National History Museum delights the young and old, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert all make up London's free museums.
London's main attractions can be seen on foot. The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, The London Eye and Tower Bridge are all within walking distance and it costs nothing to look and take photographs.
The Changing of the Guard is one of the most popular London attractions. Every day in summer and every second day in winter, hundreds of people line up at 11.30am to see the Queen's Guards perform their thirty minute ceremony. There is a good view of Buckingham Palace for those who get there early enough.
In close proximity to Buckingham Palace is St. James's Park and along with all the other London parks, it is free to enter. There are even free guided walks where visitors get to see behind the scenes of the upkeep of the park. Hyde Park has the Diana Fountain, free band concerts in summer and Speakers Corner.
Covent Garden is a must on any London itinerary and it doesn't have to cost anything. The licensed street performers put on fantastic shows and visitors can see comedians, acrobats, singers and dancers all for free.
The National Theatre is near Waterloo Bridge on Southbank and while tickets for the performances in the theatre come with a charge, the music and exhibitions held in the foyer do not. This free entertainment is put on before a show, so a quick check of the timetable reveals when to go.
It is free to worship in Westminster Abbey. Evensong is held every day at 5.00pm and tourists can join in, see the beautiful architecture and listen to the choir without having to pay an entrance fee.
TV buffs can pick up free tickets for the latest TV shows being filmed in London. Two handy websites to find out what's available are tvrecordings.com and bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets
It is easy to take in the best of London safe in the knowledge that it won't break the bank.
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