Can you visit London on a budget?
Despite the fact that the capital of Great Britain is considered one of the most expensive cities in Europe, if you prepare for the trip in advance, it will not cost you that much.
So, here are our tips for those who decided to visit London on a budget.
Where to find inexpensive accommodation in London?
Look for apartments or hostels with a kitchen. London has quite a few hotels with apartment-style rooms that have a small kitchen. Even a microwave is enough.
Book your flights and hotel in advance. There won’t be suitable options left a month before. Ideally, you should plan your trip at least 2–3 months ahead.
You can book hotels on booking.com. To find apartments (rooms with a kitchen), select “Apartments” in the “Hotel type” section in the left column. Then sort the offers by price or distance from the center.
Where to eat cheaply?
If you want to save money, you should avoid cafes and restaurants. The average price for an English breakfast is 6–7 pounds, lunch and dinner from 10 pounds per person. But why spend a minimum of 25–30 pounds per day on food if you can eat well for 10 pounds? How? It’s very simple. We looked for apartments with a kitchen for a reason:) In London supermarkets (Tesco, Marks&Spencer, etc.), most products are semi-finished. To be honest, finding something raw, without culinary processing, is problematic here, and prepared dishes are often more expensive than raw ones.
At your service is a huge selection of English, Italian, Chinese, Thai, and Indian cuisine, fruits, salads, desserts. For 3–4 pounds, you can eat quite heartily and deliciously.
Transport
Transport in London is expensive, no, very expensive. But this is only for those who constantly buy single-use tickets. If you are in London for more than 3 days, it makes sense to buy an Oyster Card + Travel Card for 1 week. The cost will depend on the zone you will be traveling in. If you do not plan to thoroughly explore the suburbs, a travel card for 1–2 zones will be enough for you. Such a card costs 30 pounds plus a 5-pound deposit for the Oyster Card. At the end of the trip, the card can be returned and the deposit will be refunded.
What to do in London?
You can walk around the main attractions of the city for a whole week and not spend a penny. London is full of free places! First of all, these are museums. Even if you don’t like visiting them — London museums are a completely different matter.
Be sure to visit:
Science Museum
Natural History Museum
British Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
Don’t forget about parks. London, unlike many other European capitals, is a very green city. In the center are Hyde Park, St. James’s Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, and a little further, on the outskirts — Greenwich Park. Parks are practically a free zoo. There are tame squirrels, ducks, swans, and many, many other birds everywhere. And in Greenwich, there is even a special area where you can see real deer.
The English are a rather conservative people. They have preserved some traditional rituals for centuries. Take, for example, the Changing of the Guard. Which takes place daily at 11:30 AM at Buckingham Palace. The Changing of the Guard also takes place at the Household Cavalry (daily at 10:00 AM and at 11:00 AM on Sundays).
Free guided tours
Yes, those exist too. By the way, they are available in many European cities. Guides work only for tips, the amount of which is not fixed. If you liked the tour, pay the guide as much as you feel is appropriate. You can find and book free tours in London here and here.
Free internet
You might encounter problems with internet access, despite it being available in almost every cafe and even on intercity buses. To log in, you need to create an account and, in some cases, receive a password via SMS, which, unfortunately, doesn’t always arrive. If you need constant access, it’s better to buy a SIM card, for example, Lyca Mobile for 10 pounds, and not deny yourself anything.
