Map of Affordable London

In the heart of Covent Garden, waiters dressed as monks scurry around the cavernous basement dining hall of Belgo Centraal serving pots of mussels, platters of spicy sausages with mashed potatoes, and halved spit-roasted chickens, accompanied by Belgian beers. Any one of those dishes, plus a drink, costs $13 until 5:30 p.m.; another (limited) menu, good between 5 and 6:30 p.m., lets you pay whatever the clock reads when you order.

Address:
50 Earlham St.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7813-2233

Quite simply, this is one of the world’s finest museums. Founded in 1753, it covers more than two million years of history from every continent, including the first known image of Christ, the oldest man-made tools on earth, and the Rosetta Stone. Two-and-a-half square miles of galleries hold more than 70,000 permanent exhibits and seven million drawings, prints, and antiquities under one roof (sculptures from the Parthenon, Egyptian mummies, and the exquisite pre-Christian Portland Vase). Wear comfy shoes and tackle its 100 rooms, 17 sections, and three floors one area at a time. (You may need to make at least one return trip.) The Greek and Roman relics are the best and most exhaustive on the globe, and the Egyptian Collection is the most significant outside of North Africa and the Middle East. Volunteers lead free, guided tours and share a huge wealth of knowledge in 40 snappy minutes. A Norman Foster-designed glass canopy and circular Reading Room make the Great Court an impressive sight.

Address:
Great Russell St.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7323-8000

It’s common knowledge that many of London’s greatest museums—the British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Tate Modern—don’t charge admission, but don’t overlook some lesser-known freebies like the free lunchtime concerts at St-Martin-in-the-Fields church or the wonderfully hodgepodge collection of art and ancient sculpture in the wildly Victorian private house-museum of Sir John Soane.

Address:
Trafalgar Sq., St. Martin’s Ln.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7766-1130

Part of London’s most reliable motel chain, with 18 locations in all, Premier Inn Southwark offers standardized (if bland) comfort. A short stroll from the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe, the well-located motel is also attached to the historic Anchor Bankside pub, where guests can enjoy full English breakfasts with a view of the Thames. Doubles from $207.

Address:
34 Park St.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-15-8256-7890

It’s common knowledge that many of London’s greatest museums—the British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Tate Modern—don’t charge admission, but don’t overlook some lesser-known freebies like the free lunchtime concerts at St-Martin-in-the-Fields church or the wonderfully hodgepodge collection of art and ancient sculpture in the wildly Victorian private house-museum of Sir John Soane.

Address:
13 Lincoln’s Inn Flds.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7405-2107

Housed in a hulking converted power station, this vast modern art showplace opened in 2000, but still breaks new ground with installations. Each year Tate Modern hosts the unique Unilever Series, where different artists are asked to create an installation for Turbine Hall. Previous works in this series have included Rachel Whiteread’s casts of 14,000 boxes stacked to form a maze of white towers, and The Weather Project by Olafur Eliasson—in which an eerie mist surrounds an immense blazing sun. Six floors of masterpieces by Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, Rothko, and Hirst (among many others) on level 3 and level 5 contrast with the soaring, industrial rooms holding permanent and rotating exhibitions on level 4. Take tea in the 7th floor café and restaurant; its Thames views are as captivating as the artwork. Insider Tip: Board the Tate boat (a ferry that Damien Hirst decorated with his signature multicolored dots; it sets sail every 40 minutes) from here to Tate Britain—just down the river at Millbank and home to works by Brits including Joseph Turner, William Blake, and John Constable along with modern British artists including Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Sarah Lucas. Admission: Free for the permanent collection; tickets required for the rotating exhibitions.

Address:
25 Sumner St.
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7887-8008

Within this labyrinthine collection of stately buildings covering 12 acres lie more than 27,000 pieces and 43,000 photographs: everything from Celtic breastplates, Asian objects, and contemporary ceramics and glass to oil paintings, playwright manuscripts, and a 1967 psychedelic striped corduroy suit—plus blockbuster exhibits on topics such as surrealism, design, and music history. “The Story of the Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection” focuses on Detroit, Motown, and the civil rights movement, but also includes costumes worn by the super trio. Insider Tip: Families can take advantage of free, interactive events (photography, dancing, singing, drumming, storytelling, puzzles) during holidays and weekends. Admission: Free.

Address:
Cromwell Road
London, England
United Kingdom

Phone:
44-20-7942-2000