Moving to any new city for university can be daunting, but moving to the country’s capital can be a stressful time for anyone – not just students!

You might be wondering, what is there to do in this big city? Or even, what are the best student bars in London?

Our guide has all the best free and cheap things to do in London for students. Plus, some more expensive options for when you’ve got a bit of money to spend.

Things to do in London 🇬🇧

No matter your interests, London is bound to have something to accommodate it.

When visiting London, many people take part in sightseeing bus tours and visit typical famous sights such as the London Eye, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, and more.

While we recommend making sure to visit these main attractions, this list will include things that may not immediately spring to mind but make a great day out!

Sky Garden 🌆

Located at the top of one of London’s tallest buildings, Sky Garden is a large indoor garden space surrounded by various bars and restaurants on the same floor.

Not only does Sky Garden provide some of the most stunning 360-degree views of London, live music can also be found here and more!

This is one of the best free things for students in London. You can book your free ticket via the Sky Garden website.

London Markets 🛍

Maltby Street Market – With more than 30 food and drinks stalls, there are various cultures, cuisines, and street foods on offer!

Greenwich Market – Located indoors in a World Heritage site, Greenwich Market has a variety of stalls from clothing and jewellery, to home decor, and food. With over 120 stalls on offer, there are plenty of bargains for uni students to claim.

Borough Market – One of the oldest markets in London, you’ll be able to see various speciality foods and drinks as well as many other handmade goods stalls.

Museums 🏛

Are you interested in history? Maybe even science? You’re in luck, Central London and the surrounding city has a wide range of free museums and galleries available for students to explore!

We recommend booking in advance to ensure you get in.

If you’re looking for exciting and free things to do in London for students, you have plenty of options. Here are just some of the many museums on offer:

Public Parks 🏞

Take a break from the buzz and business of the city with a nice walk through one of London’s many parks!

Here are some we recommend you explore:

  • Hyde Park
  • Crystal Palace Park (look out for dinosaurs)
  • Richmond Park (look at the deer!)

Musical Theatre 🎭

London is well known for its west end shows and theatre, and with many shows on there’s something for everyone!

While London has many theatre locations, it can be overwhelming keeping track of what’s on and when – luckily upcoming shows can be found all in one place online.

Check out what’s on via the London Theatre website

Special Mentions ⭐️

London Student Bars 🍸

With the capital being such a big place, it would be hard to visit all the best bars the city has to offer whilst studying here.

We’ve summarised some of the most intriguing bars London has to offer:

Ballie Ballerson Ball Pit Cocktail Bar 🍹

A unique bar found in Shoreditch, Ballie Ballerson is a cocktail bar with over one million balls! It features avaried and unique drinks menu as well as pizza!

Check out the Ballie Ballerson website here!

Zoo Bar 🦓

Open until the early hours, Zoo Bar is a popular student bar located in the city with student nights Monday to Thursday.

Check out upcoming events on the Zoo Bar website!

The Four Quarters Arcade Bar 🕹

Not your average bar, The Four Quarters is an arcade bar serving drinks such as cocktails and craft beers while giving you the opportunity to play restored genuine retro arcade games!

Check out the websites for Hackney Wick, Elephant & Castle, and Peckham!

Also, student deals can be found here!

The Doodle Bar 🎨

Featuring a large wall for, you guessed it – doodling, The Doodle Bar is an industrial style bar with signature ‘Doodle burgers’ and cocktails!

Located a 15-minute walk from London Bridge Station, it can be found in the heart of the city.

Check out upcoming events on The Doodle Bar website!

The Knights Templar – Wetherspoon 🥄

It wouldn’t be a student bar list without mentioning at least one Wetherspoon pub!

The Knights Templar is located right in the centre of the city, with its usual cheap prices and wide range of food and drink to choose from.

Take a look at this location on the Wetherspoons website.

The Roxy 🍻

A vibrant club boasting a huge drinks menu and a choice of range of events throughout the week, The Roxy also caters to students with happy hour offers and more!

Featuring both a bar and a club section, The Roxy caters to both sides of the student night out.

Check out The Roxy’s bar or club pages online.

As we mentioned, London is a vast city bursting with activities and bars, so we recommend exploring where possible.

Take a look around the city and see what catches your eye – we’d love to see your suggestions for our list! Share them with us on our Instagram page.

Want to find out more?

Interested in splitting your student household bills rather than splitting up friendships? Check out SplitTheBills now and make life easier for everyone in your shared student house.

Recent posts: