City Escape Collection

London has a reputation for being an expensive city, but I keep finding ways to enjoy it for little or nothing. The trick, I think, is to stay curious—and to accept that things won’t always go to plan.

Take the other day. I’d queued at the English National Opera for their free Live at Lunch performance, feeling quietly proud of myself for arriving early. I thought I was being clever, heading straight to the performance room, until I realised everyone else had lined up somewhere else entirely to collect little tokens for entry. By the time I worked it out, they were all gone.

I just laughed. If I were visiting for the weekend, I might have been frustrated, but I live here. I’d already saved the next dates in my calendar, so I’ll simply try again.

I had time before another appointment that afternoon, so I decided to wander. I got a coffee and strolled around Covent Garden, which is something I love to do—just walking, looking, noticing. Across the square I spotted St Paul’s Church, and on impulse I stepped inside. There happened to be a piano recital about to start, right at one o’clock—the same time as the opera. It wasn’t a grand performance, but it was relaxed and warm. People came and went; no one minded phones or footsteps. It felt like an hour borrowed from the noise outside.

Later, I went to City Lit for a £5 talk with neuroscientist Tara Swart, part of their Mental Wealth festival. She spoke about what makes people happy—nature, curiosity, connection—and although I already knew these ideas, hearing them again felt grounding. I ended up buying her two books, The Source and Signs, and she signed them. I left the talk feeling both lighter and more focused, the way you do after being reminded of something simple you’d half-forgotten.

The next morning, I used my Historic Royal Palaces membership to visit Hampton Court. I’d originally bought it because it was cheaper than single tickets for family earlier this year, but it’s become a small luxury: I can go back whenever I like. That morning I wandered through the gardens before the palace opened. The kitchen garden was full of October vegetables—pumpkins, parsnips, leeks. As someone who mostly lives among concrete, I loved seeing food in its real form, rooted in soil. Inside, the audio guide brought Henry VIII’s world to life; each of his wives felt like a separate chapter. I learned a lot, but what I enjoyed most was the pace—quiet, unhurried, my own.

There’s a kind of paradox in big cities. They’re expensive, yes, but also rich in experiences that cost almost nothing. If you pay attention, you can fill your days with art, music, learning, and beauty. You just have to look up, walk around, and let the city surprise you.

London rewards curiosity. Sometimes you miss the performance you planned for, and end up exactly where you were meant to be instead.