Cheap Things to do in London at Night

This one’s somewhat dependent on the weather, and not necessarily recommended in e.g the middle of February. But time it right – on warm, clear days in spring, summer and autumn – and the rewards are immense. Arm yourself with a blanket to sit on and a classic London picnic of cheeses, cured meats, olives and – oh go on then, scotch eggs – and make for the likes of Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park or Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath to watch the heavens turn blazing orange, flamingo pink and bruised purple over the famous city skyline.

Pro-tip: the Greenwich cable car (cheap) and Sky Garden (free; booking required) are also pretty good spots from which to watch the sun go down.

Set camera phones to night mode for a self-guided photography tour of some of London’s most swoonsome illuminated landmarks. Were talking the neon-lit glamour of Soho and the theatre district, the iconic digital advertising displays on Piccadilly Circus, and the illuminated drama of Westminster Abbey. You can also snag some pretty special shots from London’s bridges. Snap Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament from Westminster Bridge, capture the bright lights of the South Bank reflecting on the Thames from Waterloo Bridge, and hit up Millennium Bridge for flashy night-time shots of riverside icons including St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern.

Fancy a cultural feeding frenzy at London’s smorgasbord of great galleries and museums? Good news: many of the biggest and best in town stay open later on select evenings, with free entry. Which means you – yes you! – could spend your Friday night ogling van Gogh, Turner and da Vinci masterpieces in the National Gallery, decoding the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, or checking out art and design through the ages at the remarkable V&A. Or, for something a little more contemporary, hit up the Whitechapel Gallery and Barbican Art Gallery, both of which open later on Thursdays.

“Halt, who comes there?” So begins the Tower of London’s nightly tradition, the Ceremony of the Keys, which has taken place here every evening since Edward III’s reign way back in the 14th Century. At precisely 9.53PM, the Chief Yeoman Warder sets out with keys and lantern, locking all the gates before retiring for the night. The cost to attend this ancient ritual? A mere five of your English pounds. And you can book your tickets here. Don’t forget: general admission to the Tower of London is included with The London Pass®. 

Meet the Tower of London’s ravens and ravenmasters here.

London’s nighttime walking tours tend to be based around the darker corners of the city’s history. So, if you fancy getting acquainted with, say, Jack the Ripper and his many victims, there will likely be a free guided tour for you (though note that tips are always appreciated!). You could also, of course, go it alone on self-guided strolls around London’s finest night-spots. We’re talking the bright lights of Soho, bustling Brick Lane, Covent Garden’s eye-popping street performers, or the stunning South Bank, which takes in Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tate Modern, the London Eye, and so much more.

The cost of eating out in London quickly adds up. Add drinks to the equation and you may find you need to remortgage a kidney before long. But it needn’t be that way. London has some of the best and most varied street food on the planet, often at prices that won’t bust your budget. Steer clear of tourist traps (pizza sold by the slice is a major red flag) and make for the likes of Brick Lane, where authentic falafel bowls and filled bagels will often cost you less than a London pint. Markets at Borough and Spitalfields are also great for nighttime snacking and people-watching. And, if you really want to sit down for dinner, Chinatown’s pocket-friendly all-you-can-eat buffets have your back.

London theatre tickets are notoriously pricey, but bagging cheap seats is possible, as long as you’re not too fussy about what you see. Last-minute vendors like the Tkts booth on Leicester Square will often have heavily discounted tickets for performances later the same day. Some venues even run ticket lotteries via their websites and apps. You might also fancy trying your luck at getting ultra-last-minute tickets. When not sold out immediately prior to a performance, some venues will offload remaining seats for less than a tenner a pop. Try the Royal Court, Donmar and Shakespeare’s Globe for the win.

Ok sure, London’s nighttime bus services have a bit of a reputation for lairy behaviour, questionable odours and seats strewn with fast-food wrappers. But hear us out, for an evening ride on the bus is also a savvy saver’s sightseeing hack par excellence. A one-way ticket costs less than £2 and get this: the price is the same whether you get off after a single stop or stay on board to the very last one. Try the no.24 from Victoria to Hampstead for lovely after-dark views of Westminster, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Camden and more. Or hop aboard the no.9 at Aldwych, which ticks off the Ritz, Harrods, Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall as it wends its way west to Hammersmith.