Free museums, enormous parks, and a different city every few Tube stops. Expensive to sleep in, and cheap to spend a whole day in.
Free things to do
Free
British Museum, first hour
Free. The Rosetta Stone before the tour groups own it.
Free
Borough Market graze
Closed Sundays. Toastie queue is worth it exactly once.
Free
South Bank: Westminster → Tower Bridge
The whole postcard in 5km, river on your left.
Where to stay
from $68
Generator London
Dorm bed · per night · Russell Square — bar, café, and half of backpacker London.
from $160
The Hoxton fallback — premier inn KX
Private room · per night · Private-room base by the Eurostar platforms.
Trips that take it in
Europe · 16 days · loop · passes through London
The Western Loop
London → Paris → Amsterdam → Berlin → Bruges → London
$1,406
plus flights · Dec 2026 dates