London Free Attractions- #4 National Gallery

Situated on the edge of Trafalgar Square is another of London's world class attractions....The National Gallery. The building houses one of the greatest collection of Western European Arts containing over 2,300 works dating back to the 13th Century. Within the collection are works from such renown artists as Rembrandt, Renoir, Leonardo da Vinci, Gainsborough, Turner and Van Gogh.

The halls within have a surreal atmosphere as through the hushed silence there is a buzz to the place particularly round the most famous paintings such as Van Goghs "Sunflowers" and Turners "Fighting Temeraire". There are paintings to cover all tastes, my particular favourite being  "The Ambassadors" (1533)  by Hans Holbein The Younger.

The large collection can take a number of hours to view but it is an experience well worth seeing. It is worth noting that attention needs to be paid to your route round the halls on each floor as there are so many it is possible to miss some without realising. Audio guides are available in most major languages giving more information on certain paintings enhancing ones appreciation of the works.

As with other museums around London, admission is free but with the opportunity to give a donation. However, special exhibitions may require an entrance fee. The opening hours are 10:00am-6:00pm daily but with a late night opening on Friday till  9:00pm.

Just round the corner from the Gallery is the National Portrait Gallery which again is a free attraction and well worth a look at the large collection of paintings and photographs of people from across the centuries  

London Free Attractions- #5 - Leicester Square

If taking a seat and watching the world pass by is your thing, then surely there is no finer location than Leicester Square in the heart of Theatreland. The square on average has 250,000 people pass through it on a daily basis. It is a hive of activity, full of hustle and bustle as it is a central point between Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Within the square itself are a large number of cinemas, Restaurants, Tourist Shops and the ever popular ticket offices offering the chance to see one of the many theatre performances taking place in the area.

The recently renovated gardens in the centre of the square has resulted in the seating capacity around the edge being dramatically increased. This was a much needed requirement which allows you the chance to take in the atmosphere of the place, as people of so many nationalities wander past having an enjoyable evening. Inside the gardens child friendly water jet fountains have been introduced, a fun place to be on a hot summer day.

One of the best free activities that Leicester Square offers are the numerous film premieres that take place there. A chance to see the stars walk down the red carpet, creating a great photo opportunity and the chance of an autograph or two. Possibly the best chance you will have of ever getting up close to the likes of Johnny Depp, Tom Crusie and Leonardo Di Caprio or even Vanessa Feltz. The crowds do get heavy and some fans resort to standing there from early morning to ensure a prime position.

There are also a number of nightclubs and casinos in the location, this together with the volume of people just mingling around leaves the place buzzing till the early hours of the morning.

London Free Attractions- #6 - Chinatown

伦敦華埠
Located just north of Leicester Square in the Soho district is the area known as "Chinatown", home, as the name suggests, to a large Chinese and East Asian community. Within this area is a number of Chinese restaurants, shops, bakeries, and other types of Chinese run businesses such as those selling traditional medicines. For lovers of Chinese food then this is the place to go to eat, with around 80 restaurants spread across the streets. A whole array of different foods are served from all you can eat buffets to more exclusive and up market eateries, meaning all budgets are accommodated for. Be warned though, at peak periods they do get very busy and despite the large choice there are still queues stretching outside the doors of the popular restaurants.

However, even if food is not on your agenda Chinatown still has a lot to offer the visitor . The area is a hive of activity and colour, particularly to be witnessed on an evening with its bright lights and it vividly coloured decorations all around. Taking a leisurely stroll round the streets is fascinating, particularly on your first visit, taking in all the smells and seeing the tradition of hanging recently cooked ducks and squid in the windows. A large section also have the chefs cooking in the front window making this an attraction in itself.  Whatever you do make sure you have your camera at hand when walking through.

For the best experience of this area the time to visit is for the Chinese New Year celebrations which occurs in January or February depending on the year. The decorations are bigger, more vibrant and the place is alive. Brightly decorated Chinese lanterns are hung round the streets, together with traditional dragon and Lion decorations, the place really is awash with colour. London hosts a special event on the weekend around the new year and although the streets are difficult to get around due to the large numbers of people it is more than compensated for by the events occurring. Most restaurants set up stalls on the path outside their shops, selling all types of food at reasonable prices.

The highlight of the occasion is the New Year Parade,  performers in bright costumes carry out traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances working their way around the area heading towards Trafalgar Square where the celebrations continue on stage with live music and dancers. In Chinatown itself the ceremonial animal icons visit each of the local establishments to bring luck for the coming year and to ward off evil spirits.

This is a fantastic event done in the true traditional Chinese way!!!

London Free Attractions- #7 - British Museum

The British Museum founded in 1753, was the first national public museum anywhere in the world.  Reported to house over 8 million items it is the largest museum in existence with it's worldwide collections demonstrating the story of human history and culture from its beginnings to the present day. However, normally only a small proportion of these items are on show at any one time, around a mere 50,000 exhibits...more than enough to keep you busy. All four corners of the globe are represented with all manner of items, sculptures, artwork, documentation, artifacts, ceramics, armoury ......the list just goes on and on. Obviously such a large collection takes a long time to view, so expect your visit to last a number of hours but it will be time very well spent.

The most popular items to be viewed within the museum are the "Rosetta Stone", The "Mummy Collection" in the ancient Egypt room and the controversial "Elgin Marbles", still demanded back by the Greek government. My personal favourite is the "Sutton Hoo Helmet" dating back to the 7th Century, excavated from a sunken Anglo Saxon ship in Suffolk, United Kingdom.


Located in the Bloomsbury area of London, this is a must see attraction and again like other museums around the city is totally free. However any voluntary donation given at the entrance would allow this site to continue educating  how civilisation has developed over the centuries. In turn there are certain specialist exhibitions where a fee is charged for entry.

Entering through the Great Russell Street entrance allows you to view the magnificent Greek Style Columned buildings and then once inside you are greeted by a more modern but no less spectacular sight of the "The Queen Elizabeth Great Court". Built in 2000, this glass roofed area houses the iconic Reading Room in its centre. This glorious room, housing rows of bounded books, makes you feel you are stepping back in time and should not be missed under any circumstances.

The museum is open daily -

Saturday – Thursday 10.00 - 17.30
Late Night opening Friday 10.00- 20.30

Free London Attractions - #8 - St James's Park

London has an abundance of glorious parks across all parts of the City, each offering ample activities to participate in or just the chance to sit and watch the world go by. The most famous is probably "Hyde Park" with "Speakers Corner" a must visit experience on a Sunday morning. The speakers range from religious zealots, those with political agendas to the downright bizarre and outrageous. The audience interaction makes this far more entertaining than it sounds as barracking and heckling make it interesting and fun.

However my favourite is the beautiful St James's park, set just off the Mall , surrounded by 3 palaces....Westminster (Houses of Parliament), St James and of course the best known, Buckingham Palace.
This is the oldest Royal park in London and although not as big as some of the others it still has plenty to offer in respect of beautiful scenery and wildlife. This makes it a perfect location for a picnic, a leisurely walk or maybe a relaxing sit on the benches listening to the soothing birdsong .


The lake and its surroundings house an abundance of wildlife particularly water birds such as Swans, Herons and Ducks. Also on the park are Pelicans which can be seen fed near Duck Island cottage at 2.30 every day.

The park is open from 5am to midnight all year round

Free London Attractions - #9 - Natural History Museum

Right in the heart of South Kensington is the Natural History Museum, the museum is home to a masive number of life and earth science specimens  within five main collections: Botany, Entomology, Mineralogy, Palaeontology and Zoology. From animal skeletons to stuffed animals, Fossils to gemstones, the museum has so much to view that a large proportion of the day should be set aside. Be warned this place gets busy particulary the Dinosaur section, however it is well worth the wait.









The Waterhouse Building which houses part of the exhibits is an attraction in itself, a magnificent structure built in 188o's containing a number of  large scale halls. Ensure you look up from the busy Central Hall in the heart of the Museum and you’ll find a wonderful spread of decorated ceiling panels .....breathtaking

Admission is free, however there are donation boxes in the foyer if you wish to donate and sometimes there is a charge for entance to a special exhibit.

Tip - if there are queues at the front entrance then try one of the side entrances which are usually much quieter.

The closest tube station is South Kensington, and within walking distance are the other free museums, the Science Museum and the V&A museum, both worth a visit.

Opening times - Monday to Sunday	10:00 - 17:50

The Museum is open every day except 24-26 December. Last admission is at 17:30.

Free London Attractions - #10 - Brick Lane

London is renown as being a city full of different cultures and diversity, a fact that a visit to the area around Brick Lane in East London would certainly demonstrate. Previously a slum area, the area become the home of a large Bangladeshi community and in turn earned the reputation of the Curry Capital of the city due to the numerous curry houses in the area. In addition a number of trendy bars, clubs and art galleries have now  turned the area in a lively spot on evenings

However for me, the best time to visit is on Sunday mornings when people flock to the many markets round the area. The variety of stalls, shops and vendors create a superb atmosphere selling fruit & veg, household goods, old bikes, antiques, brick-a-brack, vintage clothing and in some parts items most people would consider junk.



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The whole area just feels alive and the diverse characters around make it a photographers dream although one does have to be wary of taking photographs of some of the people hanging around. In turn Graffiti art is prominent across the area, again giving some great photo opportunities

The nearest tube station to Brick Lane is Aldgate East which is about a 5 minute walk away. However within the area are Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane Markets which are also worth a look if visiting on a Sunday morning.

London- 10 must do experiences for free

With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the 2012 Olympics edging ever closer, London is the place to be this summer. The normal hustle and bustle of the city will increase ten fold as tourists from all round the world flock to the various events. However if crowded streets, packed tubes and queues are not your thing then perhaps this is not the best time to go.
London though is a must visit place with a wide variety of activities to engage in regardless of your budget. Obviously there are the usual attractions that have entrance costs such as the London Eye, Tower of London, Madamme Tussards amongst many, many others but there are also a large amount of places that can be just just as rewarding which are free. From the numerous grand parks, museums, galleries, historical buildings to excellent shopping facilities there is something for everyone to ensure a memorable time is had by all.
I find London an alluring place and visit regularly attending events, sightseeing and participating in street photography....a particular favourite of mine. Despite going often, there is always something new to see, new areas to discover and with special offers on both trains and coach websites is quite cheap enough to travel if research is done to find the bargain times to travel.
Being listed over the next few days are my 10 favourite "must see" places/events that cost nothing to visit but i feel are essential to get the full experience of the great city of London.

An Introduction!!!

I have recently had the good fortune to expand my horizons and experiences by visitng a number of fantastic places around the world. Over the past couple of years i have had the chance to go to Las Vegas, Venice, South Africa and the American southern states amongst others.
These trips have been enhanced by doing research, research and more research to come up with a travel plan allowing us to ensure we get to see everything we want to at the cheapest prices possible. The sights, sounds and experiences have made the passion to travel more and more addictive and the need to visit more places, whether that be at home in the UK or further afield, so attractive.
This blog aims to help others who may wish to do the same, by giving advice and reviews on places, attractions and anything travel related such as guides, equipment, offers etc. Of course, thrown in will also be plenty of photos of the various events attended and capturing the interesting things that appear on my travels.
Please feel free to ask any questions, offer your own advice or leave comments