London Under £100 a Day

Updated: 20 septiembre 2021

How to spend 6 days on a £100 a day budget in London

London is notoriously expensive, but it is possible to visit the city on a budget! What follows here are a selection of 1-day itineraries that will have you seeing the best London has to offer, for well under £100 a day! Either follow our schedule, or pick and choose what looks best to you and design your own affordable London holiday!

All itineraries should START at your nearest Underground Station by getting yourself an Oystercard. For those staying only a couple days, simply load the card with around £20.00, which should be enough for your entire stay. For those staying longer, consider buying a weekly Travelcard for £32.10 – for a 7-day stay that works out to unlimited travel for around £4.50 a day. Check out our tips on how to navigate the London underground here.

Be sure to also read our Guide to London on a Budget, where you can find other budget itineraries.

Day 1 – Highlights of London - London Under £100 a Day

London Walking Tours[This itinerary is great for those who are in London for a very short time, perhaps one or two days. This will see you checking out all the ‘big’ tourist sites in town, as well as give you the most information possible in a short amount of time. Here your money will go toward a theatre ticket – which you can get at discount – as well as money for your guide and a cheap bite to eat!]

8:00  - The Breakfast Club – People queue for hours to get into this Soho hot spot, so make sure to arrive early to bag yourself a fabulous British breakfast – easy to do for around £10!

9:30 – TKTS at Leicester Square – Get to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square early, as they open at 10:00am. See what offers they have on and buy yourself a ticket for a show tonight – oftentimes it is possible to get tickets as cheap as £25!

10:30 – London All-in-One Tour starting at Green Park Station – Meet your friendly London guide just inside Green Park. This tour will show you all the highlights of London, including Buckingham Palace, the Changing of the Guard, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, giving you anecdotes, details and history that you’d never discover on your own, all at a pay-what-you-wish price. You’ll also have the opportunity to eat a traditional British pub on your lunch break, which serves up traditional British pies at £10 each.

5:00 – Tower Bridge and Southbank [FREE] – When your tour is over, walk around the Tower of London onto the world famous Tower Bridge to get an amazing view of London, and stand on one of the most famous bridges in the world! Then walk along the path running the Southern bank of the River Thames, seeing London from a new direction as well as passing popular sites such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern and the London Eye.

6:30 – Covent Garden – Cross the Thames on either Waterloo Bridge or the Hungerford Bridge and walk into Covent Garden. You’re now in the heart of London’s West End and you should be near a theatre for your show! Explore the cobbled back streets and grab a bite to eat and the best margarita in town at a London Favourite: La Perla Bar and Restaurant – with a Happy Hour running from 4pm – 7pm, margaritas are under £5 each, and nibble on delicious chips and salsa for another £3.00 – bargain!

London tower at night7:30 – The Show Goes On! – Most London West End productions begin at 7:30 in the evening.

10:00 – London At Night – [FREE] When your show is over, head to Trafalgar Square and see Nelson’s Column illuminated at night. You can also head to Whitehall to re-visit the Houses of Parliament and see Big Ben, towering over you with lights shining bright! Or even take a pay-what-you-like Night tour that starts on Westminster Bridge.

 

Day 2 – Authentic London Locations - London Under £100 a Day

London Tower[This itinerary will see you exploring “authentic” London, visiting amazing places you will never find anywhere else in the world. You’ll get to grips with London’s 2,000 years of history at the Museum and Tower, and then some of the best food in town all finished by the most LONDON tour you can take – Jack the Ripper!]

9:00am – The Tower of London – An absolute must for a visit to our capital city, the Tower of London holds 1,000 years of history…not to mention the Crown Jewels! Get their first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds and head straight to the Jewel House first thing, so you can explore before others arrive later on. Entry is pricey at £22.00 but worth it for the sheer amount that is hidden inside.

12:00 – St. Katherine’s Docks – Just behind the Tower of London lies hidden docklands, dotted with restaurants, pubs and bars, so uncover the secret and grab a bite to eat here on the water. Lunch with a drink is easy to find for well under £20.00 here!

1:30 – The Museum of London – [FREE] If there’s only time to visit one museum you visit in London, this is the one that will give you the best London-centric experience. Chronologically laid out, this Museum covers thousands of years of London History.  Be sure to check out their exhibit on Londonium and check out a piece of the Roman city wall.  For history fans, read our self-guided tour of Roman London stops.  Be sure to also check out our itinerary suggestions for London museums.

4:30 – Heron Tower – After the Museum, head to nearby Liverpool Street and one of the tallest skyscrapers in town: Heron Tower. With a bar at the top selling cocktails, wine, or non-alcoholic goodies, a drink here will provide you with one of the most stunning views of London – all for the cost of a drink! Soft drinks run around £5, and cocktails come in around £12.00, so think about treating yourself!

Brick Lane in London5:30 – Just around the corner is the East End and Brick Lane, so get yourself some delicious and authentic Indian food for dinner (easy to do for around £10.00 per person), and have a bit of a wander to take in all of the street art that decorates this eclectic part of town. Maybe even consider some East End food bites.

8:00pm – Jack the Ripper Tour – Explore the backstreets of Victorian London with our expert guide and hear the stories about the world’s most famous murder victims…and their killer! A London “must,” this tour encompasses the spirit of London’s evocative East End, all with a pay-what-you-wish price!

 

Day 3 Classic London - London Under £100 a Day

London Greenwich[This itinerary will have you traveling through town on the Thames – a classic way to view the city. You’ll also enjoy a snack at an authentic London market, followed by a British “classic” – afternoon tea!]

9:00 – Boat Trip – Catch a boat from Westminster and enjoy the river views as you travel all the way to Greenwich! Ticket prices run from around £8.00 one-way and £12.00 return. If you’ve already got yourself and Oystercard/Travelcard, you can snap up a discount!  Check out our post on London boat tours.

10:30 – Greenwich – Explore Britain’s naval history and straddle the Prime Meridian! The Old Naval College, the Royal Observatory and the Naval Museum are all worth visiting. Or perhaps you can follow our free Self-guided Greenwich Walking Tour. There is also a market for delicious snacks in the centre of town, all of which are easily affordable – think around £5.00 to satisfy your hunger (but don’t eat too much because soon you’ll be having…

3:00 – Afternoon Tea – For those on a budget, take your afternoon tea at Bea’s of Bloomsbury (either at their Bloomsbury Branch, or the City – both of which will see you spending around £10.00 for a pot of tea and cake, or add a glass of fizz for another £9) and for those wanting the full ‘silver service,’ take your tea at Fortnum & Mason’s – this is a true splash out and will set you back around £40.00 per person, but the experience is long, lingering, and delicious!

BigBen parliament6:30 – Parliament – [FREE] Whenever the House of Commons or House of Lords are in session, it is possible to go inside and sit in the public galleries! Located entirely within the Palace of Westminster, this means you can enter a royal Palace without having to pay a single penny. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays the houses tend to sit late into the night, so avoid the crowds and enjoy the Parliamentary process!

9:00 – See Soho – Soho comes alive at night (especially on the weekends) and is a great place to explore! Cobbled streets and hidden alleys hold interesting buildings, shops, restaurants and bars. Consider stopping to have a drink at a traditional British pub like the John Snow (with pints of traditional British ales, lagers and beers for under £4.00), or sip some cocktails at Milk & Honey, a classic London cocktail institution – drinks are pricey so treat yourself to just one for around £10.00!

 

Day 4 – Taste the Culinary London - London Under £100 a Day

Tour guide Margaret at Borough Market in London[This itinerary will have you exploring the best markets London has to offer, including the largest food Market in town, serving up 100% British snacks, drinks and ingredients. You’ll do some bargain hunting in Camden, stroll through a beautiful park, and get in touch with your inner-Beatle!]

10:00 – Borough Market – Get your day started with some tasty treats from Borough Market. All the goods for sale here are top-quality British specialties, from fresh produce, to wine, to hot pies, as well as desserts, fruit and nut bars, bakeries…etc. etc! It’s possible to shop cheaply here, but give yourself a budget of between £10 - £20 to ensure you can get maximum tastes and flavours!

 

London Camden Market12:00 – Camden Market – An easy ride up from Borough Market, Camden is a great place to spend the afternoon. If our Camden Tour is running, definitely book yourself a space, but if not – there is still plenty to do here! With an antiques market perfect for those who like to rummage, clothing stalls for fashionistas, and a quite exciting high street full of shops selling nearly anything you could imagine. Camden is the hot bed of counter-culture in London so anything goes here (and don’t be afraid to haggle…Camden is all about getting yourself a bargain!). It’s also a great place to people-watch, sit along Regent’s Canal, and get yourself London’s best fish and chips at Poppy’s – a massive sharing plate will set you back under £15.00 for lunch for two people!

3:00 – Regent’s Park – [FREE] Bordering Camden is one of the most beautiful, and less frequented, London parks. Regent’s Park is great for a wander, holds a beautiful rose garden, fountains, and Regent’s Canal runs alongside which means it’s possible to walk directly from Camden into the park via the 18th century waterway.  Read our summary post on London parks you need to visit.

4:00 – Baker Street – Here you can choose to either visit Madame Tussauds (book online starting from £22.50) or the Sherlock Holmes Museum (not actually located at 22B – and tickets are £10.00 for adults!). There’s also a statue of Holmes outside Baker Street Underground Station, for those who may want to get a photograph.

6:30 – Abbey Road – [FREE] One tube-stop away from Baker Street lies Abbey Road…home to the most famous street crossing in the world! Walk in the footsteps of the Fab Four, or just get a picture of the recording studio – Abbey Road is a unique London location worth making the effort to visit.  Read our post on how to get to Abbey Road.

8:00 – The Churchill Arms on Kensington Church Street – This is an enthusiastic and personal recommendation from our London guide and City Manager, Margaret. The Churchill Arms in front of a classic, cozy London pub – all kinds of curious newspaper clippings, posters and adverts covering each wooden-panel wall, the ceiling is full of hanging baskets, candles and beersteins, and the carpet is suitably thick and dark, giving the pub a cozy atmosphere. In back, however, is the real treat: the best Thai restaurant in London! The tiny restaurant is set underneath hanging baskets, flowers, and butterflies which makes it an interesting locale, and main dishes are ALL under £10.00 each – so get yourself there!

 

Day 5 – Museums, not just for rainy days - London Under £100 a Day

Self-guided Hyde Park and Kensington tour Victoria and Albert Museum[With this itinerary, the only money you spend is on your daily oystercard to get you through town, then lunch and dinner, both of which are in budget-friendly locations!]

10:00am – Victoria & Albert Museum [FREE] – This museum is one of our favorites. Its exhibits include the "Britain" gallery which has artefacts relating to the history of Britain - including an entire Jacobean room that has been rebuilt inside the Museum. It’s renowned for its decorative arts and design collection and currently holds over 4.5million objects on a rotating collection of fantastic exhibitions.

12:30pm – Have lunch at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The lovely cafe inside serves fresh food and little afternoon tea-style treats.

1:00pm – Natural History Museum [FREE] – This museum has fascinating pieces from all over the world, just to mention a few: extinct animals, a T-Rex dinosaur that moves, a piece of the largest trees in the world, as well as endless collection of spiders and butterflies. You should take a walk through the solar system or get up close to the special gemstone collection that rivals the Queen's!

3:30pm – Science Museum [FREE] – This museum is great for families. Its exhibitions are very hands-on, and therefore create an awesome interactive experience. Come and see the world’s oldest steam locomotive, the first jet engine, and even an IMAX theatre showing science and nature documentaries.

London Trafalgar square 1Read our tips on other free museums in London.

6:00pm – Once everything closes, take the opportunity to jump on a bus (Number 9) to Trafalgar Square to see the famous fountains and Nelson’s Column. Make your way down Whitehall to see Big Ben, red telephone boxes, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. In certain times of the year this will be in the dark hours, and the dim lights will create a very special atmosphere!

7:30pm – Chinatown – A great place to cheap eats, London’s Chinatown is vibrant, thriving, and delicious! Shops selling Chinese candies and treats, restaurants of various sizes and styles, as well as wonderful bakeries with tasty dessert treats – Chinatown is a gastronomic delight and it’s easy to eat yourself happy for under £20.00 a person.

 

Day 6 Get out of London for the day or walk its many streets - London Under £100 a Day

London windsor castle DAY TRIP - There are a number of London companies that offer day trips to exciting locations within driving distance of London. The most popular is the Windsor (primary home of Queen Elizabeth II and longest continually-inhabited castle in the world), Bath (home to the Roman Baths and Jane Austin) and Stonehenge (England’s best known prehistoric monument). A whirlwind day out, this tour is definitely ‘bang for your buck.’ Check out companies like: Evan Evans and Golden Tours to see which tour suits you best, and get your day-trip ticket for about £75.00 each, which will include entrance to the Queen’s Apartments at Windsor, the Roman Baths, Stonehenge AND some of them even include lunch!

London Ye olde Cheshire CheeseAlternatively, if you still haven’t gotten enough of London, consider exploring some neighborhoods with our free self-guided walking tours or check out our famous pay-what-you-like walking tours if you prefer a live tour guide.

If you’re not too tired when you get back to town, consider grabbing a cheap meal (under £10) at one of London’s oldest and best loved pubs: Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. This pub has been serving up drinks and food to Londoners since the 16th century and the current building dates all the way from 1667 – it doesn’t get more authentic than this cozy little pub, tucked away on an alley just off of Fleet Street.

 

Youtube Subscribe

About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: septiembre 20th, 2021
Back to Top
cross