| Tired of London, tired of life, yadda-yadda, but most | | | | Canary Wharf in the Docklands, as it's free with a valid |
| people forget the second half of Samuel Johnson's | | | | Travelcard. |
| popular aphorism: 'for there is within London, all that life | | | | Markets |
| can afford.' While, no doubt referring to the | | | | Yes, they sell goods, but you don't necessarily have to |
| extraordinary diversity found in London, he also hit | | | | buy in order to have an interesting time. |
| upon another significant aspect of the Great City. It's | | | | Camden Market - is well known and worth a trip to. |
| expensive. | | | | Lots of fashion, bric-a-brac and curiosities, especially |
| There are however, numerous ways of enjoying your | | | | people watching. The Lock is a good place to rest and |
| stay on limited funds, and this will be a short primer on | | | | observe the masses drifting by. If you like walking, try |
| how to maximise your budget, while still seeing the | | | | the canal path route from Camden Lock to Little |
| significant parts on offer. | | | | Venice (just under 2 miles) to see a less well known |
| Firstly - where will you stay? Well, not only could you | | | | trail through the centre of town. You could even |
| write a book on this, there are hundreds which | | | | combine it with a cheap bus tour and take the 23 bus |
| currently exist testifying to the fact. However, some of | | | | back through town, when you reach Little Venice. |
| the cheapest rooms are located around Heathrow | | | | Leadenhall Market - worth diverting to for the |
| airport, so a quick scan of 'Laterooms.com' will return | | | | architecture and sense of history. It's architecturally |
| the day rates from all over town. You can quickly see | | | | beautiful and a short walk from the Bank of England |
| that Heathrow specialises in discount rooms, | | | | and Mansion House. Try not to miss out on the City |
| Bloomsbury: between the City and West End, has | | | | (Square Mile) as it's 'old' London and so often missed. If |
| some bargains, and Hackney on the fringes of the | | | | you fancy refreshment you can divert to a nearby |
| City, is convenient and cheaper too. In addition, you | | | | pub. On a budget, Sam Smiths pubs serve a range of |
| should also factor travel costs into your room rate. | | | | their own beers, including 'Swiss Lager' which is very |
| Use a Tube Travelcard in 1,3 or 7 day flavours. They | | | | drinkable and about 60% of the cost of a normal pint |
| rise in price dependent on how far from the centre | | | | (1990 prices!). Consequently, they're popular with |
| you are, so consider that with regard to staying near | | | | students. Princess Louise, Cittie of Yorke and The |
| Heathrow. The surrounding area is zone 4,5 and 6, | | | | Cheshire Cheese are all Sam Smiths pubs. |
| compared to Bloomsbury and Shoreditch which are | | | | Going out |
| zone 1 and 2. Travelcards offer unlimited travel, and in | | | | If you fancy a trip to the Theatre, buy from the 'tkts' |
| weekly form there are no rush-hour restrictions. So | | | | booth in Leicester Square on the day of the |
| that's your room and travel fixed, which are bare | | | | performance. You can get as low as 15% of the ticket |
| minimums: there's no way around these costs unless | | | | cover price, as long as you're flexible about what to |
| you plan to spend your visit walking, and sleeping under | | | | see. Rest assured if you appreciate your culture |
| bridges (not recommended). | | | | however, as it's often the better, 'highbrow' productions |
| Cheap Sightseeing Tour | | | | which are discounted most heavily. The mass-appeal, |
| First tip is a sightseeing tour of the city, which retail at | | | | media-buzz-shows, tend to be less available at |
| about £25-30 per person through the official | | | | discount. |
| channels. Or you can opt for the no-commentary, | | | | For a cinema visit - go to the PCC (Prince Charles |
| ordinary bus version. Go after 10am, to avoid being | | | | Cinema), just off Leicester Square, which runs |
| compressed by chubby commuters and you'll find | | | | showings for as little as £1.50. All their seats are |
| plenty of space available. The two best options are: | | | | 30-50% the cost of their nearby rivals, and you'll be |
| the RV1 bus which you can catch outside Tower | | | | watching with movie-buffs, not the herd. |
| Gateway Tube station: which passes Tower Bridge, | | | | Opera and Dance tickets can also be acquired at |
| the Tower of London, The Tate Modern, The National | | | | greatly reduced rates, by applying for 'day seats' at |
| Theatre, Waterloo, Strand, Aldwych and terminates in | | | | the box office on the day, or by booking cheap |
| Covent Garden. Not over-long or taxing and you see | | | | restricted-view seats online, before leaving for London |
| plenty along the way. A lengthier, but equally sight-filled | | | | (which can be bought for as little as £5). Also, |
| route can be experienced by catching the 23 bus from | | | | Shakespeare's Globe offers 'Groundling' tickets starting |
| Liverpool Street station. That passes the Bank of | | | | at £5, where visitors stand in front of the stage |
| England, Mansion House, St. Paul's, Fleet Street, the | | | | for the performance. (Watch 'Shakespeare in Love' |
| Royal Courts, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Pall Mall, | | | | and you'll know where I mean.) |
| Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Bond | | | | Food |
| Street, Marble Arch, Paddington and finishes near Little | | | | There are numerous ways of reducing your food |
| Venice. You can also hop on and off the service, as | | | | costs. Firstly, buy from supermarkets which are dotted |
| your travelcard allows unlimited journeys while valid. | | | | all over town, or check the web for their locations. |
| This particular route is a shopper's paradise. | | | | These are national chains such as Sainsbury's, Tesco, |
| The Best Free Sights | | | | Asda, Morrison's and Waitrose. They're often half the |
| Firstly, I should mention that the major museums and | | | | price of 'convenience supermarkets' you find all over |
| galleries in London are all free, though will always | | | | town and loss-leaders like fresh bread means you can |
| welcome a donation. Don't let that be an indication of | | | | stock up on basics, for very little outlay. Eat out less in |
| quality however. They are immensely popular, | | | | the centre of tourist London and more in the 'worker' |
| impressive and well-organised. All are worth visiting, but | | | | area of London. Chains like 'Eat' and 'Pret-a-Manger' do |
| if you had to slim the list down to required visits, | | | | good quality sandwich/soup/wrap deals and buy |
| definitely try to fit these ones in: | | | | bottled water from supermarkets. A significant part of |
| - The British Museum - big, vaulted, musty in places, but | | | | a food operation's profits will come from drinks served |
| full of more treasure and rarities than any building I've | | | | with your snack. |
| visited, anywhere. | | | | Walks |
| - The Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert | | | | Lastly, there's the walking option. London is a Roman |
| Museums, which are all next to one another. There's | | | | city, so grew while foot and river traffic were the |
| too much to see in a day, but if pushed for time, you | | | | dominant methods of getting around. You will never |
| can easily cross between them for a whirlwind tour. | | | | understand a city so well, as when you cover it on |
| Take the Tube to South Kensington and follow the | | | | foot. By linking together a series of walks you can also |
| signs. | | | | begin to visualise the layout of the city and how the |
| - The Tate Britain and National Gallery. One at Millbank, | | | | significant parts relate to one another. Also, don't |
| near the Palace of Westminster and the other in | | | | believe the hype surrounding the British being a cold |
| Trafalgar Square. They are required visiting for art | | | | and distant race. If you're lost, ask for help and you will |
| lovers and even for those expressing only a mild | | | | find it. So why not go out on a limb and wander |
| interest. The National has a peerless collection and the | | | | around, following your nose. You're never far from a |
| Tate focuses on British artists. | | | | Tube stop and there will always be someone nearby |
| - The Tate Modern and St. Paul's. You can cross | | | | to put you on track again. |
| between the two, via the Millennium Footbridge. The | | | | So, if you visit London on a budget and have heard |
| Tate Modern is free and the building is spectacularly | | | | rumours that it's one of the most expensive cities, |
| cavernous, but St. Paul's charges an entry fee. You | | | | anywhere. Then that would be mostly true. There are |
| can always walk around the outside instead, which is | | | | however, as there have always been - thrifty options. |
| after all, where most of the impressive architecture is. | | | | The city itself is the major attraction and strolling along |
| - Greenwich, is definitely worthy of a visit. The National | | | | Thames Walk in the sunshine, creeping through the |
| Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Royal Observatory | | | | backstreets of the Medieval City and contemplating |
| and parkland are all free to enter. It has interesting | | | | Art's Grand Masters, will probably form the abiding |
| shops, a market and bustling waterfront. Consider | | | | memory of your visit. And they don't cost a penny. |
| taking the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) back through | | | | |