There’s so much going on in London, making it a great place to spend your spare time exploring. Fortunately, you wouldn’t need to go with pals or a group to enjoy all the fun London offers – there are solo acts that can keep you entertained all day long.
So whether you’re in the city for a business trip or are seeking ways to spend your free time when you’re out of the hotel, or even if you’re a resident seeking inspiration on exploring your city, we’ve got you covered.
Thankfully, only some of these ideas cost much. Enjoy your day and get some good photographs for your Insta stories without exceeding the weekly budget.
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12 Fun Things You Can Do on a London Trip Alone
Ready to explore London City? Let’s help you make your stay exciting; Here you go.
1. Get Around the City
Exploring the beautiful halls, malls, and geographical/historical landmarks to unwind might be significant. But if you’re getting your bearing or need some fantastic photos for your London visit or spare time, then ‘getting around town’ could suffice.
Different ways exist, but you could begin with a 2-day hop-on hop-off bus pass. Sightseeing buses are great for learning all about London’s most popular places, including Buckingham Palace, London Tower, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, and 10 Downing Street.
Otherwise, taking a red double-decker bus is an exciting way to soak in the crowd of commuters, sightseeing your way through the city. You can rest assured of spotting some vital landmarks when you sit in the front seat of a number 9, 11, or 72 bus – including some milestones you’d never heard of.
One way to get around all the public transport systems in London is by purchasing an Oyster Card Online or at most tube stations. Tap your contactless credit card to get around seamlessly while taking in the ambiance at Big Smoke.
What if you are okay with a bit of exercise during your travels? Hiring a bicycle tour in London might be a perfect option. Plus, cycling lets you come more ‘up and close’ to the incredible sights you find, like Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, the Thames, and more.
2. Shop on London’s Famous Streets
Going solo for any shopping expenses is one of the most exciting pleasures of spare time. You won’t have someone hanging around the door trying to hurry you up with your decision-making or a shopping partner with many contrasting ideas about where to shop or what to pay for goods.
Marble Arch is a great place, to begin with before heading to Oxford Circus and turning right to Regent Street. Then you can shop at Piccadilly Circus if you have some bucks or time left.
Per the places, how about starting with Primark, a hub for less-than-expensive fashion and accessories? Then you have Liberty, Burberry, Apple, and others while going through Oxford Circus. Remember to visit some top restaurants or boutiques for an experience you’d always remember.
Carnaby Streing, in the heart of London’s West End, is only two minutes away from Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus. The famous street has a shopping haven for everyone, with over 150 brands, boutiques, concept stores, restaurants, bars, and cafes.
3. Go to See London’s Historic Markets
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Besides the many other world-class restaurants this city offers, London’s famous historic markets are a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner and savor the class London is.
Borough Market is one of these historic trading centers. Returning to the 12th Century, Borough welcomes locals who come here in large numbers to grab a bite to eat or purchase fresh produce for the kitchen. Once it’s late afternoon every summer day, the Southwark-based market becomes a meeting place with bustling outdoor restaurants and eager customers.
Portobello Road Market is another renowned historical market for vintage clothing and other antiques. Here’s a great place to pick up a unique or quirky souvenir that can be a conversational item for several years.
Otherwise, you can get delicious street food from cafes or stalls with various continental dishes – Thai, Caribbean, Arab, and more. With its bustling atmosphere, Portobello is one of London’s best places to go solo.
Then you have Covent Garden, also located in the West End of London and renowned for its luxury fashion and beauty stores. Remember the award-winning restaurants and theatres this historic market has on display.
You may find yourself at the Convent Garden alone, but you’ll undoubtedly have a crowd of other food lovers and fashionistas browsing the world-class shopping and dining destination. Convent Garden dates back to the 13th Century.
4. Visit Any of London’s Art Galleries
London is replete with exciting art galleries, with plenty of captivating sights and souvenirs to mark your visit. Look at St Paul’s Cathedral for Christopher Wren’s outstanding architectural pieces. Remember, though, to purchase your tickets as they’re limited.
If you still got free time when you’re done at St Paul’s Cathedral, head on to the Tate Modern via the Millennium Bridge. Based in the old Bankside Power Station, Tate Modern is an excellent place to explore gallery items solo, giving you plenty of time to appreciate great art.
Then to a lesser-known London gallery – the Queen’s Gallery – located on the northwest corner of Buckingham Palace. The Queen’s Gallery dates back to 1831 and was once the private chapel of Queen Victoria. It remained a private chapel until Queen Elizabeth II commissioned it as a gallery for the Royal Collection in 1962. Going to any art gallery is one of the best things in London.
5. Get Amazing Camera Shots at Various Instagram-Worth Sites
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Photography is one of those hobbies better executed in solitude. Even without professional cameras, you could be surprised at how helpful your smartphone is. Luckily, London has some exclusively Instagrammable spots that can
The London Eye is an observation wheel South of the Thames River. It’s the tallest observation wheel of its kind on the continent and the most famous paid tourist destination in Britain.
But what’s particularly appealing about this destination spot is that getting on London Eye gives you access to the city’s best views. The gigantic Ferris wheel has air-conditioned sections that help you see the Thames and other iconic buildings and bridges. The queues here can be long, so you should purchase your London Eye tickets before your visit.
Getting onto the Tower of London is similarly excellent if you cherish the loyal history and want someone to recount tales of skullduggery and kidnapped princes or how ‘off-with-their-heads’ came about off-hand. Upon arrival at the London Tower, some beefeater or Yeoman warder will welcome you, allowing you to tour at your pace. It’s also a place to see the ravens that live here or the Crown Jewels of the British Monarchy.
As you’d find in the London Eye, lines at the Tower of London can be extended. Purchasing skip-the-line tickets ahead of time will help you save yourself some time. If you ever get on the front seat of a Big Bus open-top sightseeing tour, it’s a great time to capture the very best of London to get some of the city’s best views. End the vacation by heading somewhere for a drink or your favorite meal and relish the memories.
6. Visit the Cinema or Theater
One group of classic destination choices for solo vacays includes cinemas or theaters. How about watching a show alone without having to provide any live commentary to someone – or listen to one? Hundreds of events and screenings happen daily in London, so you won’t have to search too much to find something you love.
A great option is the retro-style Prince Charles Cinema or a longue at one of Genesis Cinema’s comfy. Electric Cinema in Shoreditch might be an excellent idea for the arty folks. The Cinema includes queen-size beds that give you a vast space to indulge yourself alone while watching your favorite movies.
Riverside Studios is cozy, with comfortable seating near the stage that lets you appreciate the on-screen action better. While you can explore reclining over a pizza and a glass of wine while watching your favorite acts at Everyman Cinemas.
Picturehouse Central, situated at the heart of London, is an excellent alternative cinema to explore London’s Cinemaworld. The list of London cinemas will only be complete with the Odeon in Leicester Square. If anything, Odeon is notable for hosting some of the city’s most showy premieres.
7. Walk Through the Victoria Embankment
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The Victoria Embankment is a road and river walk north of the Thames River. Running from the Palace of Westminster to Blackfriars Bridge in London, this road serves as a leading thoroughfare for road traffic between Westminster City and the City of London.
Here’s what this means to solo London tourists seeking to enjoy their spare time outdoors. The Victoria Embankment Gardens is a great place to relish the quaint atmosphere.
Walking along the Victoria Embankment is a great way to relish the freedom of taking a pleasant stroll on a regular afternoon along the Thames. It wasn’t always like that.
Opened in 1870, the River Thames received all waste, leading to the Great Stink. The outbreak, however, claimed the lives of 5,800 individuals and led to the total overhaul of London’s sewage system by Joseph Bazalgette, an English civil engineer.
8. Visit a Food Market
People who don’t love eating alone at restaurants can explore the abundant food markets or food halls across London and grab a bite amidst the crowd of visitors. Seven Dials food market is an excellent place to explore your palatial wishes. However, it could be busier and take some time before you get a seat.
Market Halls is another notable indoor market spot, with outlets scattered across the capital. A plus for Market Hall visitors is a speedy option available when you want a quick meal (that’s not fast food). The restaurant has assorted cuisines and snacks to treat yourself with. Not to forget the Camden food market – a favorite spot for the Yorkshire pudding wraps.
What if you need help getting a seat at these food markets? Think of eating outside at peak evening meal times and enjoy a quieter ambiance.
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9. Go Window Shopping
Here’s a favorite low-budget thing to do alone in London for many travelers and residents. How about spending an hour window shopping in the luxurious Bond Street, admiring the window displays at Fortnum & Mason, before thrifting through the city’s top charity shops?
Then you have Harrods, a great place to window-shop, with its new pop-up and events to explore. Consider visiting Harrods during your spare time to peruse the food court and possibly take a loan to purchase a single bauble at the Christmas section.
Head to Westfield or Oxford Street for some of the best retail therapy. Then you can visit all the other exciting stores and spend hours in the changing room without guilt for overspending or incurring needless debt.
10. Visit Aldwych and other Abandoned Stations
If you love exploring urban areas, consider visiting an abandoned station in London for your solo adventure. One of the most famous abandoned stations in the city is the Strand/Aldwych station, also called the ghost station.’ Aldwych served the Picadilly Line until it was closed in 1994 due to few passengers.
The Aldwych is an excellent place to explore the thrill of wandering via a mysterious underground world with pin-drop silence punctuated only by your footsteps echoing against the walls.
After its 1907 opening, the station was never busy and lasted till 1994, when it was closed down because the cost of replacing the wooden lifts wasn’t worth it. The station has also served in filming various movies, such as Darkest Hour and V for Vendetta.
Besides its historical use as a train station, Aldwych was used to shelter people during World War II, with one of the platforms partially covered to store priceless art from the palaces and museums of London.
What’s more? You could even glimpse Aldwych’s most famous resident – the ghost of an actress who reportedly haunts the station’s disused lifts.
11. Take a Street Art Tour
London is the home of some of the most renowned street artists, including the famous Banksy, whose identity remains eerily anonymous. A visit to any Street Art spot for a late evening tour should be close to the top of your vacation list if you’re an art lover.
Love for Street Art is why many people would head to Wunderlust, London, every year to view the latest addition to the galleries annually. One of the most famous art tours is at the Shoreditch Street Art. This tour takes you to the streets of East London, entertaining you with works by Invader, Bansky, or some lesser-known talents.
Thankfully, Street Art is constantly evolving, meaning no two tours are ever the same. You’d never know what new and exciting works await you on your next London visit.
Are you a Street Art lover visiting London anytime soon?
Get on with your walking shoes and explore the vibrant and ever-dynamic world of street art as you tour galleries like the Shoreditch Street Art Tour. You can rest assured of experiencing a solo adventure that’ll inspire and ignite your creative juices.
12. Visit a Comedy Club
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Every other night of the week in London, some live comedy is going on. However, tickets to most of these comedy clubs are often out on short notice. Coming to these shows could be one of the ways to entertain yourself on a solo evening.
One such comedy club is the Top Secret Comedy Club. The shows are often free; some tickets cost only a few pounds. Intriguingly, details of comedy club events are usually kept discrete, so you might never know who you’d find there.
NHS employees who don’t mind spending their spare ‘alone time’ listening to British comedy can sign up for ‘Tickets for Good.’ The platform offers full ticket sponsorship to healthcare workers attending comedy, theater, and music events.
Other notable and relatively affordable comedy clubs include 21 Soho and 99 Comedy.
Conclusion
We’ve come to the end of our list of 12 things to do in London alone. While going out with pals, colleagues, or family is great; it’s sometimes just cool to enjoy your spare time alone. This guide must have proven helpful for visitors here who wouldn’t have an option but to explore the streets of London solo.
Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, what’s excellent for your spare time is that London has ample relaxation opportunities to make the most of your free time. Do you have any other exciting thing you’d love to do alone in London? Kindly tell us in the comments section, and share your tourism delights with others.
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