Vagabonding in town

Over the past 40 years the cost of travelling abroad has become far cheaper, thanks to all the amazing flight and accommodation packages on offer. People that once were never able to afford holidays can experience the joys of travelling overseas to explore new cities and experience different cultures. London does have a reputation of being quite expensive but it is still possible to make the most of the city on a limited budget. Once you find out about London’s hidden gems then your holiday can be as memorable as anyone else’s. To give you a helping hand, read on to find out how to create the holiday of a lifetime without spending too much money.

Public Transport

Oyster cards are a great way to quickly travel long distances, helping your travel planning in London. Bought for a £5 deposit at any tube or rail station, you can either top these up as you pay for individual journeys, or buy daily or weekly Travelcards. The pay as you go option also has a daily cap to help you control how much you spend. An Oyster can be used on the tube, buses, overground, National Rail and trams. When you are ready to go home, you can simply hand over your Oyster card and get the £5 deposit back.

You can jump onto a Santander bike for £2, which then allows you to ride it for free for the first 30 minutes. Every half an hour after that is charged at a £2 rate.

Or, the cheapest option of all is to walk. Many of the tourist sights in central London are within walking distance of each other. Realistically, you can walk from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace, through Trafalgar Square, onto Leicester Square and Covent Garden and then to Oxford Street in one day. The distance is around 2 to 3 miles and will take anywhere between 45 minutes to a couple of hours, although probably a bit longer as you stop to take in the attractions as you go. This walking trip planner will help you see London unwrapped as you walk along.

Cost Effective Sight-seeing

The London Pass is used by over 3 million visitors and gives you access to over 70 tourist attractions in London, including museums, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. It also includes a free one-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour of the city too. Free London Walking Tours offer up to seven completely free walks around the city. This is a fantastic way to not only see the sights but also to see London revealed, making new friends with others who are experiencing the capital in the same way as you.

Visit the amazing Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, British Museum, National Gallery, Science Museum, National Maritime Museum…the list goes on. All of these are free and give you a true feel of the history in the city that is so uniquely London.

Walk into the vast park spaces like Hyde Park, St James Park or Green Park. These are always popular places to go and provide areas for you to take a break and some refreshments too. Once done you can always stroll down Bond Street to Selfridges, or see the high end shops a short walk away in Mayfair and Kensington.

Cheap Digs

Hostels are probably the best starting place to keep accommodation costs low. You can usually find one to suit group travellers who do not mind sharing utilities, or those who provide more private living spaces. The best way to check out a hostel that might work for you cost wise is to read reviews of previous people who have stayed there. You can then balance your budget against the quality of the hostel on offer.

Airbnb has become increasingly popular over the past five years and it usually offers a solid range of prices to suit most people’s budgets. Check out where the room or flat is situated so you do not have to travel too far every day (although the closer to the centre of the city you are, the more expensive it is likely to be) and do some investigating to ensure the surrounding neighbourhood is a safe place for your visit.