10 free things to do in the City of London

The City of London is the capital’s financial and historic heart, where the Romans established their city of Londinium. Locally known as The Square Mile, this compact business district is a mixture of medieval alleyways and cutting edge modern architecture.

It’s an affluent and more formal feel than other parts of London due to the smartly dressed “city slickers” in their suits and ties. There’s a surprising amount to see and even if your budget isn’t funded by a city salary, I found plenty of free things to do in London.

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Free things to do in London

1. The Museum of London – the story of London

This is a fantastic free museum, telling the story of London from prehistory to the present day. You can find out how London grew in Roman and Medieval times and lived through the plague in the 16th century.

The city was nearly destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. In the 16th and 17th centuries London rebuilt itself and became a thriving metropolis. By the 1850s, it was the most wealthy and populous city in the world.

In the last century London has seen the destruction of the Blitz and grown again in the post war years. Each of the ages is covered in different galleries and I particularly enjoyed finding out more about the Great Fire of London. This was a terrible disaster for the city but one that opened space for some of the great buildings that now define the City of London.

More info: Museum of London Website | Address: 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN | Nearest Tube: Barbican | Museum of London opening times: daily 10 am-6 pm

2. Roman London – The remains of London Wall and Roman amphitheatre

The City of London was built up on the old Roman city of Londinium. Despite constant building over the centuries, there are still a few places where you can see the remains of Roman London.

The Romans built a wall around their city which was 4 km long and included four city gates. Remnants of the wall are still visible today.

One of the most popular places to see what’s left of the London Wall is just opposite the Tower of London. Here there’s a more recent statue of the Emperor Trajan, with information on the English Heritage website. Other major sections of wall remain on Noble Street and close to the Museum of London where you can also visit the Roman London gallery.

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In the basement of the Guildhall Art Gallery (one of the free things in London) there’s a permanent exhibition where you can see the remains of the Roman Amphitheatre. You can also visit the site of the Temple of Mithras at the London Mithraeum (things to do for free in London).

There’s more detail on both of these coming up in the article. Pick up a leaflet for a self-guided walk around Roman London at the Tourism Office opposite St Paul’s.

3. Bank of England Museum – where all the money comes from

The classic columns and portico of the Bank of England in the heart of the City of London are designed to impress. This is as you might expect from the Government of England’s bank. But tucked around the side is the entrance to the Bank of England Museum, which is free to visit.

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Don’t be put off by the guard outside, or the airport style security to get in. This is an interesting small museum that takes you behind the scenes of the bank. There’s plenty of history here, about how the bank came to be established in 1694, and the people who have shaped it over the last 300 years.

I found it most interesting to discover how bank notes have been printed over the centuries to avoid forgery. You can also learn how leading figures from England’s history feature on our bank notes. There’s even a real gold bar (inside a secure box) that you can try to lift to see how heavy it is (I could barely lift it!)

More info: Bank of England Museum Website | Address: Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH | Nearest Tube: Bank | Free entrance Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm

4. Guildhall Art Gallery – the City of London’s art collection

The Guildhall Art Gallery houses the City of London Corporation’s art collection as well as the remains of London’s Roman Amphitheatre in its basement. The large upper floor is an open space that concentrates on Victorian and Pre-Raphelite masterpieces.

Downstairs I enjoyed the Sublime Symmetry exhibition with the decorative ceramics of William de Morgan. He was a contemporary and friend of William Morris and uses similar motifs of stylised flowers and animals.

The current gallery was completed in 1999 on the site of an earlier Victorian gallery that was destroyed by fire. During the renovations, the remains of London’s Roman amphitheatre were discovered. These have been preserved 20 feet below the current day street level.

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Next to the Guildhall Galleries is the Guildhall Great Hall which can also be visited for free. This is the home of the City of London Corporation and is the city’s only surviving secular medieval building. It dates from 1411, having survived both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz. A guided tour with more insights about the Guildhall is offered monthly and can be booked in advance at cost £10 – more information here.

More info: Guildhall Galleries | Address: Guildhall Yard London EC2V 5AE | Nearest Tube: Barbican | Guildhall Galleries Free entrance daily 10 am-5 pm | Guildhall Great hall Free entrance daily 10 am-4.30 pm when not in use for functions

5. The Sky Garden – green space and views over London

The Sky Garden is London’s highest garden and public space, with free access and three food and drink venues. It features three terraces, richly planted with trees and tropical flowers. All is enclosed in a glass dome on the upper floors of the office building at 20 Fenchurch Street.

Although entrance is free, you need to book a ticket to ensure access. Spaces are nearly always booked several days in advance. If you arrive at the Sky Garden without booking you may be in luck as a few tickets are kept aside for walk-in guests.

Once in the Sky Garden, you can wander through the landscaped gardens and visit the open air terrace. Ttake in the 360 degree views over the City of London, as well as eat and drink at the different restaurant areas. I was unfortunately not able to get a ticket when I was last in the City of London, but it’s definitely on my list for next time.

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More info: Sky Garden website | Address: 1 Sky Garden Walk London EC3M 8AF | Nearest Tube: Monument | Free entrance weekdays 10 am-6 pm weekends 11 am-9 pm

6. The Barbican Centre in London

The Barbican is an arts centre and residential complex which hosts world class music, theatre, dance and art exhibitions. The building itself evokes mixed feeling as it’s one of London’s best known examples of Brutalist architecture. Its finish of gray pitted concrete and angular structures is softened by water and planting.

The complex houses 2000 flats, two schools and the arts centre. The arts centre is comprised of a concert hall, theatre, art gallery, library and various restaurants and cafes.

The Barbican conservatory is a hidden tropical oasis in the heart of the city, with 2000 species of tropical plants. It’s open on some Sundays each month as well as for tours with the gardener and for afternoon tea.

There are numerous arts events at the Barbican. Just wandering through the foyer is an artistic experience, with sculpture and art installations on display.

More info: The Barbican website | Address: 1 Sky Garden Walk London EC3M 8AF | Nearest Tube: Barbican | Free entrance daily 9 am – 11 pm

Hotels in the City of London – The Montcalm at Brewery London City

If you like to stay in a hotel near the City of London with a bit of history, I suggest The Montcalm at Brewery London City Hotel. As the name suggests the Montcalm is the former site of a Whitbread brewery.

Close to the Barbican, this 5 star hotel is within walking distance of the major City of London sites. It’s an easy tube or taxi ride to many of London’s other attractions.

There are 235 rooms within the original brick brewery building. It’s set around the courtyard where the carts would have once arrived through the archway to transport the barrels of beer around the city.

The rooms are contemporary in design and a few have four poster beds in a nod to the hotel’s eighteenth century heritage. Adjoining the hotel you can dine in the Chiswell Street Dining Rooms with a menu of re-imagined British Classics. On the corner is The Jugged Hare, which is a traditional pub and dining room set in the brewery’s barrelling room.

More information: The Montcalm at Brewery London City Website

7. Gardens and green spaces in the City of London

For a capital city with the most expensive real estate in the world, there’s a surprising amount of green space within the City of London. Being the oldest part of London, the City is dotted with numerous churches. Many have a garden or quiet churchyard where you can sit away from the hustle and bustle. I enjoyed visiting a couple of the most popular city gardens, at St Dunstan in the East and Postman’s Park.

St Dunstan in the East dates back to the 12th century but was severely damaged in the Great Fire of London and then again during the WWII Blitz. The shell of the church and the spaces around it have now been turned into a small public park. You can walk through the archways and cloisters or sit around a babbling water feature among mature trees.

Postman’s Park acquired its name due to popularity with office workers from the nearby General Post Office, and featured as a setting for the 2004 film Closer. It encloses grassy lawns, brightly coloured borders and water features. There’s also a memorial created by Victorian philanthropist GF Watts to celebrate everyday acts of heroism.

Another garden that I didn’t manage to visit but is worth seeking out is the Inner Temple Gardens. It’s open 12.30-3 pm on weekdays with sweeping lawns and herbaceous borders situated close to the river.

8. Leadenhall Market – Victoriana and Harry Potter connections

The food market in this part of London dates back to the 14th century and was originally a market for meat, fish and poultry. After the Great Fire of London in 1666, it was repaired, and took its current form in the 1880’s with Victorian wrought iron and an arched glass roof.

Restored in the 1990’s, Leadenhall market offers a cleaned up glimpse of Victorian London. Walk cobbled streets, peruse the shops and pubs and you may spot the hooks in front of the shopfronts where game and produce would once hang.

Part of the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone was filmed in Leadenhall market. It was used to represent the The Leaky Cauldron pub and magical shopping street Diagon Alley.

The shops in the market now are boutique retailers selling upmarket clothing and unusual goods. There’s lots of restaurants and pubs where you’ll see city workers having an after hours pint in their suit and tie.

More info: Leadenhall Market website | Address: Gracechurch St London EC3V 1LT | Nearest tube: Monument or Fenchurch St train station | Market area open 24 hours but each store or restaurant keeps their own opening hours

9. London Mithraeum and Bloomberg Space

Situated within the Bloomberg’s new European Headquarters is a cultural hub with two free areas to visit. Unfortunately I ran out of time to see these but they sounded very interesting so I’ll be going back.

At the London Mithraeum you can see and experience the reconstructed remains of the Temple of Mithras. The Temple was uncovered in the 1950s during excavations following the Blitz. It has since been restored to capture the mystery and intrigue of the Roman cult of Mithras.

The cult used to meet on this site, with the sounds of footsteps, chanting and secret whispers will transport you back to London AD 240. Also on display are Roman artefacts that were uncovered during the building of the new Bloomberg Headquarters. Check out the Roman waxed writing tablets used for note-taking and accounts.

Located on the ground floor of the London Mithraeum, Bloomberg SPACE aims to showcase the best in contemporary art whilst bringing fresh perspectives to the history of this unique site. I viewed the commission London in its Original Splendour, by celebrated artist Pablo Bronstein.

This installation envelops the gallery in a 3D-rendered wallpaper inspired by historic design and architecture. The exhibitions change regularly and the Pablo Bronstein installation runs until January 2019.

Although entry is free, to guarantee your visit you may wish to book a timed entry on the London Mithraeum website.

More info: London Mithraeum website | Address: 12 Walbrook, London, EC4N 8AA | Nearest tube: Bank | Open Tues-Sat 10am-6pm Sun 12-5pm Closed Monday

10. Free concerts in the City of London

As the oldest part of London, The City of London has many medieval churches that make ideal concert venues. There are regular free classical concerts, especially at lunchtime, designed for those working in the City to enjoy.

A good place to find out what’s on is the City of London Events page. Or, you could ask for information at the City of London tourist information centre opposite St Paul’s.

The City Music Foundation curates concerts in the City of London and there are regular free lunchtime concerts at St Olave Hart Street with a retiring collection. Also check out the free lunchtime concerts at St Bride’s and St Lawrence Jewry next to the Guildhall.

St Paul’s Cathedral holds Sunday afternoon organ recitals which are free and unticketed most Sundays at 4.45pm. It’s a great way to see St Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, since entry would normally cost £16 unless you are attending one of the religious services.

11. (The bonus tip!) Free self-guided walks around the City of London

You can find more information on self-guided walks around the City of London which cover different themes such as Movie Locations, Charles Dickens London, Architecture of the City. Either download the walking guide before your visit or you may be able to pick up leaflets at the Tourist Information Centre opposite St Paul’s.

12. (Another bonus tip!) The Monument to the Great Fire of London

Not free, but relatively low cost is the Monument to the Fire of London, which you can visit and climb all 311 steps if you have the energy. Admission is £5 (cash only) and there’s a ticket booth at the base, with tickets only being available on the day.

The Monument London was designed by Sir Christopher Wren to commemorate the Great Fire of London which started on 2 September 1666 at a bakery in Pudding Lane not far from here. The fire raged for four days destroying a third of the buildings in London at the time and shaping the way London looks today since so much of the city was rebuilt. The monument stands 202 feet high and from the viewing platform at the top you can get panoramic views over London.

More info: Monument website | Location: Monument Street | Nearest tube: Monument | Open Daily 9.30-5.30 (closes 5 pm in Winter)

Hopefully you have plenty ideas on free things to do in the City of London, and of course if your budget will stretch you may want to also visit the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral, which are paid attractions but offer a fantastic London experience.

More information to plan your visit

For information about what’s on in The City of London visit the City of London Website. To find things to do in London go to the Visit London Website.

Looking for accommodations in The City of London? Check out The Montcalm at Brewery London City Hotel. Or, search for other hotels in London.

Looking for more things to do in London? Check out these London Tours.

Need a guidebook for London? We recommend the DK Eyewitness London Travel Guide.

Photo Credits: London Mithraeum by G Travels | Bloomberg Space by @BloombergDotOrg on Twitter | Sky garden London by Bex Walton on Flickr

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This article is brought to you in partnership* with the The Montcalm Brewery London City Hotel.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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