Along with walking around london playing 'spot the landmark', travelling on the number 11 bus from fulham to liverpool street for a 'free' bus tour (assuming you've bought a one day travel card already) and using the river bus service for cheap river cruises (without the annoying commentary), there are lots of things to do in london for free.

No matter what your budget is, we think that you should do some of these things. Here we list what we consider to be the best things to do in london for free.

Museums - most of the big museums in london are now free (although most ask for an optional donation). This includes the The British Museum, Science, Natural History, Maritime and Imperial War Museums and the John Sloane Museum. Even some of the museums that do charge often have a free period or even a free day. See our london museums page for full details.

Art Galleries - virtually all of london art galleries are free, including the much of the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and both Tate galleries. Those that do charge for admission usually have a free day or a free period (e.g. the Gilbert Collection and Courtauld and Guildhall Galleries all have free periods or a free day). Full details on our london art galleries page

History / Landmarks and Buildings - there is a huge amount of history in london for free. For example, although most of the Royal Palaces have an admission charge, staring at Buckingham Palace and watching the changing of the guard is free. Plus there are plenty of historic landmarks, buildings and houses that offer free entry. Or visit some of London's rarely explored churches (you can usually visit all of them for free if you attend one of the many services at any of the churches).

If you want to spend 30 minutes in the tower of london, you can apply for tickets to the ceremony of the keys at the tower of london. This 700 year old ceremony takes place every night at 21:53. The tickets are free and the ceremony, although it only lasts 10 minutes, is something you won't forget in a hurry. Children love it.

See our london landmarks and buildings page.

(Window) Shopping - the prices in some of london designer shops and top department stores are often astronomical, but window shopping is still largely free (just don't try go to the loo in Harrods). Harvey Nic's and Harrods, Sloane Street, Hatton Garden, Bond Street and Saville Row. Some of London's markets, including Camden and Portobello Road markets, are attractions in themselves (see our london shopping page for more information)

Theatre - Life in london is a theatre! But if you want to see a show, you can do so very cheaply, although not free. Even for some of the top shows have returns and single seats for most performances. If you're prepared to chance your arm at 2 or 3 theatres (and they are all pretty close, so this is not hard), turn up late, slap down £10 and not care where you sit, you'll be surprised how often you get a seat. See our london theatre page for more information

In additional to formal theatre, on a clear day, head to Covent Garden for some street theatre and music. Street entertainers perform under the porch of the Actors' Church in Covent Garden (where Britain's first Punch & Judy show was performed). And you will usually find buskers playing different styles of music dotted around the square. Each 'show' lasts about half an hour and Covent Garden actually auditions its buskers as quality control, so you'll usually see something good. Kids love it and are often pulled in to the show.

Or head for Leicester Square (although this tends to be busier) for more street performers. The quality of regular buskers in Leicester Square is high. It needs to be, given that the local council charges £400 a week for the pitches.

Music - like theatre tickets, the price of concerts in London is, considering the quality, very reasonable. During the summer there are often free concerts in the parks, and from July to September you can see the world's best classical musicians at the BBC Proms from as little as £3 a ticket. Or head for the Royal Albert Hall in December for Christmas concerts and shows.

You can also try the Barbican and South Bank. It's not unusual for these venues to have the London Philharmonic (or another top orchestra) playing or a top jazz or folk band and their prices are very reasonable. Head to our london london theatre page to find our more.

There are plenty of good free pop / rock venues (often in pubs where the beer, unfortunately, is not free). See the Evening Standard's 'free' entertainment guide with Thursday's edition of the paper (get it on any central london street corner for 40p) for up to date information. Or head to covent garden and listen to the buskers.

Sit in the audience of a TV Show - a little known thing to in london do for free, this can be great fun. The BBC and various independent companies need audiences for their shows. Tickets are available for free for recordings of TV programs and for radio shows. Check online at the BBC website or register with Clappers Tickets.

A free Bus 'Tour' and cheap river boat service - The bus tours we detail on london sightseeing page are great, but they can cost a family £50. However by combining two london bus routes you can see many of the same sights for 'free' (assuming you have a one day travel card). And, with a one day travelcard (covering zones 1 & 2), you can hop on and hop off these busses when you see something you like, just like on the more expensive tours!

The first bus route is the number 11 bus from Fulham Broadway. On it you can see the Fulham Broadway, the Kings Road, Chelsea Physic Garden, Sloane Square, go close to New Scotland Yard and Buckingham Palace, past Westminster Cathedral and Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Horseguards, Whitehall (past the entrance to Downing Street and the Cabinet War Rooms), around Trafalgar Square and Nelsons Column (close to Piccadilly, Leicester Square and Covent Garden), up the Strand, Fleet Street, past St Paul's Cathedral and the Bank of England, finishing up at Liverpool Street.

The other route (though not quite as good) is to take the number 9 bus from Olympia towards london. It goes along Kensington High Street, past Kensington Palace and Gardens, Harrods and Knightsbridge, close to the Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park, Green Park, along Piccadilly (past the Ritz and, again, close to Buckingham Palace), though Piccadilly Circus, past Admiralty Arch, around Trafalgar Square and to the Strand.

Then cruise along the thames on the river boat service. This tends to go a bit faster than the tourist boats (especially if you get on a catamaran), but is great value. Pick up a river boat from Chelsea Harbour and take it all the way out the Canary Wharf and back again. These boats go past many of the sights of london including the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, St Paul's, The Millennium Bridge, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and much more. The same views as the tourist boats but much cheaper and without the annoying commentary.

Things to spend your money on: If your budget is tight, where should you spend your money? The tower of london is expensive, but fills most of a day, is great for kids and the Yeoman Warder 'Beefeater' tours are excellent at bringing the history to life (and free).

Hampton Court is well worth a visit, especially if you make the trip from london on the thames river boat service (start at Canary Wharf Pier and see all of London from the Thames, ending up at Hampton Court).

If you decide to go to madame tussauds check the prices in the afternoon. If you visit after 3 pm you can save 15 - 25% on your ticket prices. You can save 40 - over 50% if you go after 5 pm, but you'll only have an hour for your visit.

If you want to see a show and you don't fancy the £10 challenge described above (which really does work, especially Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings), visit the tkts booth on leicester square to buy top priced tickets at half price.

Annual events that cost nothing - there are lots of events throughout the year that cost you nothing. See the monthly lists on the London information page, or click on the links below:

Chinese New Year Celebrations in London
Clowns Service
Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
Harness Horse Parade
New Years Day Parade
Pancake Day Races