London on a shoestring

There are plenty of things to see or do either for free or on a minimal budget.

Lumiere Light Festival

If the grey days make you miss the summer sunshine or the colourful Christmas lights, get your fix of luminosity between 18 and 21 January with the return of the Lumiere Light Festival. Over 40 artists have created beautiful installations that will light up six areas of London, including the South Bank, Waterloo and the West End. It’s totally free of charge so all you’ll need is a warm coat and a comfortable pair of shoes!

Take advantage of special offers

Who doesn’t love a bargain?! To celebrate the lighting up of London, we want to lighten the load on your pockets! Between 18-21 January 2018, our sister company, Thames River Services (TRS), is offering a massive 60% discount on cruises between Westminster and Greenwich. So you can enjoy a lovely boat journey taking in the sights of London, followed by a great day out exploring Greenwich, then take the cruise back to Westminster at dusk in order to enjoy the Lumiere exhibits.

Museums and art galleries

One of the really great things about London is that the majority of the museums and art galleries are free! So it doesn’t matter if you think you’re not going to enjoy these things, give them a try! (Even if it’s just to get out of the wintery weather for a few minutes.) Why not challenge yourself by trying to get to grips with modern art at the Tate Modern (Bankside Pier); get nautical at the National Maritime Museum (take a TRS boat to Greenwich Pier); explore medicine, health and learn more about what goes on inside our bodies at the Wellcome Collection; or get nostalgic about your past at the V&A Museum of Childhood.

Self-guided walking tour

There are London walks based on a number of themes, many of which you can do yourself by printing out a self-guided walking tour. It doesn’t matter if you’re into ghosts, Jack the Ripper, the Beatles, food and drink or one of many other genres, follow the suggested itinerary to visit the locations and find out more about what went on there.

River cruise

One great value way of finding out more about the many tourist attractions that line the South Bank is to hop on a Circular Cruise boat. If the weather’s not good enough to sit outside (and let’s face it, in January that’s the most likely scenario), you can sit inside the cabin to keep warm and dry as you listen to the commentary. If you’re travelling into London by train, you can get a third off your cruise by presenting your travelcard at the ticket office. If you already live in London, you can also get a discount by showing the ticket office your Oyster card. Click here for more information.