A Perfect Day in London – Travel Tips Without Breaking the Bank

London calling! The city of royal splendor, Big Ben and fish and chips. But London is also notorious for luxury shopping and sites with hefty admission fees. Is this overstretching your wallet? Don't ditch the dream just yet! Even in one of Europe's most expensive cities, there are still lots of fun and affordable things to do. And some of the most famous attractions are totally free. Let me show you. I'll take you to historic and cultural sites, I'll show you how to get around the British capital on a budget, where to buy affordable food, and I'll take you along on a free guided tour. My first stop is at the Houses of Parliament and the famous clock tower known as Big Ben. Big Ben is actually a nickname for the massive bell inside the clock tower. It weighs 13.7 metric tons. That's about twice the weight of a T-Rex. Speaking of which, we might come across some dinosaurs on this trip for free too. Just stay with me. Not far downstream, on the River Thames, I'm stopping at another major landmark, Tower Bridge. Instead of paying £13.40 to get inside, I am enjoying stunning views of the city from its walkways and from beside the bridge for free. A free way to travel in London is of course on foot, but the public transport system is affordable too. If you're looking for the cheapest option, get on one of those double-decker buses. They're also a sightseeing adventure in themselves. For the best views, head to the upper deck and sit in the front. Or you can take the tube or subway. It's the oldest in the world. Tap in with your credit card or smartphone at the start and tap out at the end to get charged the correct fare. All of London's public transport works with cashless payment. There are automatic price caps, so you never pay more than necessary. A day ticket for the bus and underground in the central zones 1 and 2 costs £8.10. On to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of King Charles III for the Changing of the Guard. I think I'm already too late. You really need to be here on time to get a good spot or you have to be here before it starts, probably like half an hour or an hour early. The Changing of the Guard kicks off at 10.45 am and lasts about 45 minutes. Check online beforehand on which days of the week the ceremony takes place. Elite soldiers have guarded the king or queen for over 520 years. During the ceremony, the old guard hands over the duties to the new guard. That's the part I can't see from where I'm standing. At least I managed to see a little bit of it. A more relaxing way to explore London is from the river. These Uber boats are part of the public transport system, departing every 10 to 20 minutes from over 20 piers across the city. Fares start at £4.15. Tickets are zone-based, so you can buy a single journey or a hop-on-hop-off ticket and explore at your own pace. There's no guided commentary, but the sides speak for themselves. Next, I want to explore more of London off the beaten track. I'm joining an art walk in the East End. I guess hipsters kind of move to an area, you know, because it's cheap initially. You know, artists move to an area because it's cheap. But they help to make an area desirable. And of course, land values, they shoot up. And now many of the artists who originally moved here have to move further and further afield. Here in the Shoreditch neighborhood, artists have transformed the streets into a sort of open-air gallery. There are several operators in London offering free tours, but you're encouraged to at least tip the guide. Working for free tours by foot, essentially we offer a pay what you feel. And I guess it's a sort of way of really, you know, allowing anybody to sort of come along. It's making street art and, you know, tours generally accessible. And I think that's really important. Time for lunch. This bakery, open 24-7 on brick lane, is famous with people queuing for bagels at any time of day. I got a cream cheese bagel and a tea for £3.80. That's just €4.40. Did you know London has a cable car? It's also in the east of the city and part of the public transport network. It's so cool to see London from above. You can also take a sunset or nighttime flight and no need to book tickets in advance. You can just show up. A one-way ticket across the Thames is £6. The cable car connects the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks. I'm ready to dive into the city's cultural scene. Many of the museums offer free admission. My pick is the Natural History Museum. The blue whale skeleton suspended majestically in the entrance is simply breathtaking. The Natural History Museum houses over 80 million specimens. The collection spans billions of years, from the very origins of life on earth to the present day. I'm drawn to a part of the exhibition dedicated to a certain type of extinct animal. The museum has one of the most comprehensive collections of dinosaurs in the world, including fossils and lifelike models. This is quite scary for a museum. I promised you dinosaurs, so here they are. If you're into culture, Shakespeare's Globe is a must-see. Last-minute tickets for the following week go on sale online for £5 every Friday. We're not allowed to film at a play, but here's a quick impression. This is a great entertainment option and it's even cheaper than the cinema. And this tradition dates back to Shakespeare's times. Back then, there were tickets for only one penny. If you can't get a ticket, you can book a tour of the reconstructed 1599 Playhouse. But that costs you £27. For dinner, I am going for a British classic, fish and chips. Due to inflation and rising prices, this fast food isn't as cheap as it used to be. I am paying £19, but the portion is generous and fills me up after my long day. So what's the damage to my wallet after a full day of exploring London? I spent £18 on transport, £23 on food, so a total of £41 for the day. All it takes is a little bit of planning to make the most of your trip without spending a fortune. See you next time and subscribe for more travel ideas from around Europe.