Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 4-10 November 2024

Things to do for a fiver or less.

Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.

Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London.

Get lunch for a fiver

Finding a decent lunch for under a fiver in London these days is a mission and a half. But did you know that all four Mercator Metropolitan branches (Elephant & Castle, Mayfair, Wood Wharf and Ilford) do a £5 lunch deal every Monday-Friday from 12pm-5pm? In all, there are over 100 dishes to choose from, spanning Japanese, Turkish, Jamaican, Ethiopian and scores more. Here's hoping you live/work within a brisk walk/bus ride.

£5, Mon-Fri, weekly.

Remember, remember, the Gunpowder Plot

Ahead of Bonfire Night, Guildhall Library offers a free Monday lunchtime talk about the failed Gunpowder Plot, including who was involved, and why they were trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Watch in person at Guildhall Library, or online via livestream.

Free, 4 November.

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Ohh and ahh at a free firework display in central London

London has plenty of fireworks displays this week, but only one (that we know of) is free — and it's on 5 November itself.

Coram's Fields in Bloomsbury is a very special park, where adults must be accompanied by a child at all times. On Bonfire Night, it opens its gates to 6,000 people for a free firework display. The 18-minute long show is accompanied by funfair rides and food and drink stalls.

Free entry, 5 November (charge for rides, food and drink).

Sup on a Pint of Archaeology

Join MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) on Tuesday evening for Pint of Archaeology, a drop-in event with experts offering an insight into the theatres of Tudor and Elizabethan London. Takes place at the Anchor on Bankside — once at the epicentre of London's theatre district.

Free, 5 November.

See London's first Christmas lights switched on

Don't shoot the messenger, but... London's first Christmas lights are switched on this week. Oxford Street leads the charge, lighting up its 300,000 glowing lights from Tuesday, followed by Regent Street, St James's, and Carnaby — all illuminated from Thursday.

All these lights are free to admire. Things tend to get busy closer to Christmas, so seeing them soon might be your best bet for swerving big crowds. We'll bring you a guide to viewing all of the festive illuminations in a couple of weeks, once more have been switched on.

Free, from 5 November.

Enjoy live music on your lunch break

Musicians from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance perform a free lunchtime concert at Queen's House in Greenwich. Exact line-up is TBC at time of writing, but it's a chance to experience live music in a relaxed setting, in an historic house and art gallery. Bolster the experience by booking a free entry ticket to explore the rest of Queen's House either before or after the performance.

Free, 6 November.

Stay out for a museum late

The Royal College of Physicians stays open late on Wednesday for an evening centred around the current Healing Words exhibition. Through free talks and activities, find out about historic 'medicines' whose dangers out-weigh any real or imagined benefits, dating back to a time when healthcare was carried out at home.

Free, 6 November.

Go for walkies in Wandsworth

Now it's darker earlier, you might feel safer walking the dog if you're with other people. Enter Walk in Packs — a new dog-walking community that helps Londoners (and their dogs) connect and enjoy evening walks together. For two hours on Wednesday (from 6.30pm), there's a chance to enjoy a routed dog walk in Wandsworth, listen to a talk from Strut Safe, and take home goodie bags. Register your interest, and meet at Meet at Café 404.

Free, 6 November.

Get the lowdown on the US election

The US election is on Tuesday, with the results expected in the following couple of days (maybe longer if 2020 was anything to go by). While we wait to find out whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump is taking the helm at the White House, gen up on the US political system.

On Wednesday, LSE hosts leading experts to discuss the potential domestic and international implications of the election, available to watch in person and online. Then on Thursday, Gresham College has Professor Clive Stafford Smith talk about how the US Constitution reflects a catalogue of colonial complaints about the British system, as well as centuries of evolution in law.

Free, 6 and 7 November.

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Explore Future Cities at Imperial Lates

Imperial College stays open late on Thursday for a 'future cities' themed evening for adults only. Head to the South Kensington campus for interactive experiences including driving in a city of AI vehicles, and testing out puddle-proof pavements that will reduce urban flooding. Improv comedy, DJs and food and drink are also part of the fun.

Free, 7 November.

Watch the Lord Mayor's Show...

The biggest annual event in the City of London, the Lord Mayor's Show, takes place on Saturday, featuring a three-mile long procession to mark Alistair King taking up the role. The whole thing is free to watch from anywhere along the route — see our guide for tips on quieter places and times to watch.

Free, 9 November.

... and visit St Paul's Cathedral for free

As is tradition on the day of the Lord Mayor's Show, St Paul's Cathedral invites people inside for free, saving you the usual admission fee. The cathedral floor area and crypt can be visited for free, or you can climb to the Dome Galleries for just £10. Dome visits can be booked in advance, but it's a case of just turning up for the freebie visits — it's open 8.30am-3.30pm but is likely to be very busy, and may close early if it reaches capacity.

Additionally, the Bank of England Museum, which is usually closed at weekends, has a special Saturday opening for the Lord Mayor's Show, with free entry and free activities.

Free, 9 November.

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