London has a reputation for being an expensive city, but having fun as a student doesn’t need to break the bank. Here are some of my favourite free activities!
1. Royal College of Music concert series and walk in Kensington Gardens
I love attending the lunchtime concert series at St. Mary Abbots Parish Church in Kensington. The concerts are about 45 minutes long and feature students at the Royal College of Music, so the standard of performance is excellent. You are allowed to bring food and drinks, so one of my favourite things to do is grab a hot drink and head over to the concert as a nice midday study break. St. Mary Abbots Parish Church is also only a short walk away from Kensington Gardens, so if you’re looking to make a bit of an afternoon out of it, you can also enjoy a stroll through the park. I always try and make sure to go past the 14-metre tall Peter Pan statue.
2. St. Dunstan’s in the East Church Garden
This is one of my favourite places in London. The church was originally built around 1100, but was severely damaged in both the Great Fire of London in 1666 and World War II. After the war, the church was never rebuilt and today the remains are a public garden. It’s a beautiful and calm place to spend some time and there are some nice benches so you can sit down and read a book or just enjoy the atmosphere.
3. Museums and art galleries
Many of the world-famous museums and galleries in London offer free admission. My favourites are the Victoria & Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Natural History Museum. Typically, general entry is free and you might need to buy a ticket for special exhibits, but many museums do offer a student discount for these, so make sure to always check if that is available!
In short, there are plenty of fun and exciting things to do in London that are completely free. Don’t be discouraged by the fact that there are some expensive attractions in the city — with some research and planning, you can find plenty of inexpensive things to do to create memories and have fun!
