London is one of the priciest cities in the world but there's an impressive amount to do for under a fiver. From stunning parks to spectacular views, magnificent monuments and massive museums, you don't have to be rolling in it to enjoy the capital.

If you're staying in to try and save money it's time to get back out there and to one of these incredible experiences that won't break your bank.

In no particular order, these are 19 spectacular things to do in London for less than £5.

1. Sky Garden, The City

20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AF

You can see some of the best views of London without having to pay a penny, though booking a free slot in advance online is usually essential.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Monday to Friday (closed on bank holidays): 9.30am-5.30pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Monument (District and Circle Line) - 5 minute walk

Tower Hill (District and Circle Lines), Tower Gate (District and Circle Lines), Aldgate (Metropolitan, Hammersmith and City and Circle Lines) , Bank (Central and Northern) and Mansion House (District and Circle Lines) are less than a 10-minute walk to the Sky Garden.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

2. Brick Lane Beigel Bake, Shoreditch

159 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB

Cost

£1.10 to £1.70 per bagel (depending on filling)

Opening hours

Open 24hrs a day 7 days a week

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street (Central, Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City Lines and running National Rail Services) - 10 minute walk from market.

Shoreditch High Street Station (Overground Line) - 5 minute walk

Aldgate East station (District, Hammersmith & City Lines) - 10 minute walk

Old Street Station (Northern Line) - 15 minute walk

Buses: 8, 55, 242, 26, 48, 57, 388, 35, 47, 78, 149, 243 all stop a short distance from Brick Lane.

There are Santander Cycle docks in Chesire Street and public bike racks in Wheeler Street.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

Find more information on TripAdvisor here.

3. Crystal Palace Park Boating Lake, Crystal Palace

Thicket Rd, London, SE20 8DT

Embark on a dinosaur safari at Crystal Palace Park and rent a boat before rowing past the 1850s dinosaur sculptures that have lurked on its banks for more than century and a half. Renting a row boat at most London parks costs over a tenner but Crystal Palace is the exception.

Cost

£4 per person per 30 minutes (cash only)

Opening hours

Saturday to Sunday: 10.30am-5pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Crystal Palace (Overground and National Rail Services)

Buses: 157, 249, 358, 410, 432, N3

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

4. See the pelicans at St James's Park, Westminster

St James's Park, London SW1A 2BJ

Pelicans have lived in St James's Park since 1644 when the Russian Ambassador gifted them to King Charles II. The current residents are called Louis, Vaclav and Gargi and you can see them preening together on their favourite rocks, catching fish in the lake or being fed by the park keeper for free.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Monday to Saturday: 8am to 9pm

Sunday: 9am to 9pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: St James's Park (Circle and District Lines)

Buses: 11, 24, 148, 211, N11, N44, N136

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

5. Climb The Monument, The City

The Monument, Fish St Hill, London EC3R 8AH

You can climb the 202ft Monument to the 1666 Great Fire of London for less than a fiver. It sits in the heart of The City metres away from where the fire of London started. Enjoy panoramic views over the capital from the top.

Cost

Adults £4.50

Children (aged 5-15) £2.30

Students (with identification) £3.00

Seniors (aged 60+) £3.00

Opening hours

Winter Opening Hours: October to March 9.30am – 5.30pm daily (last admission 5pm)

Summer Opening Hours: April to September 9.30am – 6pm daily (last admission 5.30pm)

The Monument is closed from 24 to 26 December.

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Monument (District and Circle lines) or London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee lines.) London Bridge (National Rail Services).

Buses: 17, 521, 21, 43, 133, 141, 48, 149

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

6. Quiche Lorraine at Café Sou, The City

7 Poultry, EC2R 8AJ

Tuck into a tasty quiche at this Parisian-style café on the Bank of England's doorstep. A slice will set you back less than a fiver which you can enjoy in stylish settings.

Cost

£4 per slice

Opening hours

Monday to Friday: 6am to 10pm

Saturday to Sunday: Closed

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Bank (Central, Northern and Waterloo and City Lines)

Buses: 21, 43, 76, 141, 8, 11, 25, N551, N26

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

7. Borough Market, London Bridge

Southwark Street, SE1 1TL

Entrance to London's oldest food market is free. You can wander round hundreds of Borough Market's stalls touting everything from fresh fruit and veg to artisan cheeses and mouth-watering street food. To grab a proper bite at Borough will likely cost you more than £5 but you can get your caffeine fix for under £3 at one of its many cafes.

Cost

Entry to the market is free

Opening hours

Monday to Tuesday: 10am-5pm (limited market)

Wednesday to Saturday: 10am-5pm (limited market)

Sundays: closed (open in December for special Christmas extended hours)

How to get there

Nearest Tube: London Bridge (Jubilee and Northern line)

Buses: 43, 141, 149, 521

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

8. The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

The National Gallery lies in London's iconic Trafalgar Square

The National Gallery looks out onto London's iconic Trafalgar Square and is home to more than 2,000 artworks, the vast majority of which are free to see.

The gallery chronicles major traditions in western European painting dating from the 13th Century to the early 20th Century.

Entry to its permanent collection is free and it includes works by English Romantic painter, Turner, Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Velázquez’s, Rokeby Venus among other famous paintings.

9. Old Spitalfields Market, Shoreditch

16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW

Take a turn around the original East End market nestled in the heart of The City. Feast your eyes on eclectic antiques, handmade clothes and vinyls sold from hundreds of vibrant market stalls.

Cost

Entry to the market is free.

Opening hours

Monday to Friday: 9am-5.30pm

Saturday: 10am - 6pm

Sunday: 10am-5pm

How to get there

Liverpool Street Station (Zone 1, Central, Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City Lines and running National Rail Services) - 5 minute walk

Nearest Tube: Shoreditch High Street Station (Overground Line) - 7 minute walk

Aldgate East Station District and Hammersmith & City Lines) - 8 minute walk

Moorgate Station (Zone 1, Northern Line and National Rail) - 14 minute walk

Old Street Station (Zone 1, Northern Line and National Rail) - 16 minute walk

Buses: 8, 26, 35, 48, 78, 135, 149, 205 242, 388.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit the market's website here.

10. Padella, London Bridge

6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ

Padella's freshly-made pasta is so popular you'll often find a queue snaking out from its door up towards London Bridge. It's perfect for people looking for a mouth-watering carb fix for a bargain price. You can get bowls of pasta here for under £5.

Cost

£4 for a bowl of Gnocchi with nutmeg butter.

Opening hours

Monday to Saturday: 12pm to 3.45pm and 5pm to 10pm

Sunday: 12pm to 3.45pm and 5pm to 9pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: London Bridge (Jubilee and Northern line)

Buses: 43, 141, 149, 521

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

11. Natural History Museum, South Kensington

Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London SW7 5BD

The Natural History Museum is one of London's must visit attractions

From the outside London's Natural History Museum could be mistaken for a cathedral - a palace of plants, taxidermy and even dinosaur skeletons it draws millions through its doors every year. Nestled in South Kensington's bustling museum district, admission to The Natural History Museum's permanent collection is completely free.

Cost

Entry to the museum is free

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday: 10am - 5.50pm. ( Last entry is at 5.30pm.)

It's closed from December 24 to December 26.

How to get there

Nearest Tube: South Kensington (District, Piccadilly and Circle lines) - 5 minute walk from the museum's Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road entrances.

The Queen's Gate entrance is a five minute walk from Gloucester Road station (District, Piccadilly and Circle lines.)

Buses: 14, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430, C1.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

12. Hatchards Book Shop, Piccadilly

187 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LE

Hatchards claims to be the UK's oldest bookshop and has been selling books in the heart of Piccadilly since 1797. Bursting at the seams with books of all sorts, including some first editions, it's a must visit for any keen reader.

Cost

Free to visit

Opening hours

Monday to Saturday: 9.30am -8pm

Sunday: 12pm - 6.30pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines)

Buses: 6, 14, 19, 38

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

12. The Royal Academy of Arts (RA)

Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 0BD

A hop, skip and a jump away from Piccadilly Circus, The RA houses a huge variety of art. From ancient sculptures to contemporary masterpieces you can browse the museum's permanent collection without paying a thing.

Cost

Entry to the museum is free.

Opening hours

Sunday to Thursday: 10am–6pm
Friday: 10am–10pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Green Park (Victoria, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines.)

Buses: 6, 9, 14, 19, 38

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

13. Portobello Road Market

Portobello Road, London, W11

Once a year West London's beloved Portobello Road gets packed out with Notting Hill Carnival revellers. But most weekends it's filled with buzzing market stalls instead. From interesting antiques to fresh fruit and veg there's plenty to peruse as you wander down this vibrant street.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Monday to Wednesday: 9am - 6pm

Thursday: 9am - 1pm

Friday to Saturday: 9am to 7pm

Sunday: Closed

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Ladbroke Grove (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines), Notting Hill Gate (Circle, District and Central lines)

Buses: 70, 7

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit its website here.

14. Hackney City Farm

1a Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QA

See chickens, rabbits, donkeys, goats and Pepper and Pearl the ginger pigs for free at Hackney's City Farm. The farm is a much-loved community hub and has been run by enthusiastic volunteers since it opened on the site of a former lorry park in 1984.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 4.30pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green (Central line), Hoxton (Overground), Cambridge Heath (National Rail Services).

Buses: 55, 48, 26, 394

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit its website here.

15. The Tate Modern's Blavatnik Building, Southwark

Bankside, SE1 9TG

Nestled on the banks of the Thames the Tate Modern's the Blavatnik Building extension is just as spectacular from the outside as it is from within. Take a lift to its viewing platform for an awe-inspiring 360 degrees look at London's skyline including an unrivalled spot to take in St Paul's Cathedral. The views of the groundbreaking art displays within, many of which are free, aren't too bad either.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Sunday to Thursday: 10am–6pm

Friday to Saturday: 10am–10pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Southwark (Jubilee Line), Blackfriars (District and Circle Line), St Paul's (Central Line).

Buses: 45, 63, 100, RV1, 381, 344.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

Visit the Tate's website for more information here.

16. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford

London, E20 2ST

The park which hosted the London 2012 Olympics is free to visit every day of the week. It's home to the Copper Box Arena, the Zaha Hadid-designed London Aquatics Centre and Anish Kapoor's famous helter skelter sculpture slide. Just make sure to check whether West Ham are playing if you plan to visit on a Saturday!

Cost

Visiting the park is free.

Opening hours

Monday to Friday: 9.30am-5pm
Saturday: 9am-5pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Stratford (DLR, Jubilee and Central lines, Overground and National Rail services).

Buses: 388, 308, 339, 108.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit the park's website here.

17. The V&A Museum, South Kensington

Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, SW7 2RL

The Victoria and Albert Museum (The V&A) is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design and has more than 2 million objects. From ancient Chinese ceramics to cuddly toys you can check out its vast permanent collection for free.

Cost

Entrance to The V&A is free.

Opening hours

Sunday to Thursday: 10am to 5.45pm

Friday: 10am to 10pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: South Kensington (District, Piccadilly and Circle lines).

Buses: 14, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430, C1.

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit the museum's website here.

18. Primrose Hill, Regents Park

Primrose Hill Rd, London, NW3 3NA

Used in countless films, the views from Primrose Hill over London are iconic. It's a hot spot for celebrity homes and a popular place for a picnic. It's surrounded by gastropubs and quaint cafés with plenty of places to refuel after a turn in the park.

Cost

Free

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday: 5am to dusk

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Chalk Farm (Northern line), Swiss Cottage (Jubilee line).

Buses: 31, C11

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.

19. Horniman Museum, Forest Hill

100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ

A stuffed walrus, an aquarium and 16 acres of landscaped gardens are just some the things to be enjoyed at this eclectic natural history museum. From musical instruments to Brazilian art and a live beehive there's tons to whet your appetite for intrigue at the Horniman Museum and entrance to its permanent collection is free.

Cost

Entrance to permanent collection is free.

Aquarium tickets: Adults £4, Children £2.50

Opening hours

Monday to Sunday: 10am-5.30pm

How to get there

Nearest Tube: Forest Hill (National Rail Services and Overground.)

Buses: P4, 176, 185, 197

Plan your journey on TfL's website here.

For more information visit their website here.