There are however, numerous ways of enjoying your stay on limited funds, and this will be a short primer on how to maximise your budget, while still seeing the significant parts on offer.

Firstly – where will you stay? Well, not only could you write a book on this, there are hundreds which currently exist testifying to the fact. However, some of the cheapest rooms are located around Heathrow airport, so a quick scan of ‘Laterooms.com’ will return the day rates from all over town. You can quickly see that Heathrow specialises in discount rooms, Bloomsbury: between the City and West End, has some bargains, and Hackney on the fringes of the City, is convenient and cheaper too. In addition, you should also factor travel costs into your room rate. Use a Tube Travelcard in 1,3 or 7 day flavours. They rise in price dependent on how far from the centre you are, so consider that with regard to staying near Heathrow. The surrounding area is zone 4,5 and 6, compared to Bloomsbury and Shoreditch which are zone 1 and 2. Travelcards offer unlimited travel, and in weekly form there are no rush-hour restrictions. So that’s your room and travel fixed, which are bare minimums: there’s no way around these costs unless you plan to spend your visit walking, and sleeping under bridges (not recommended).

Cheap Sightseeing Tour
First tip is a sightseeing tour of the city, which retail at about £25-30 per person through the official channels. Or you can opt for the no-commentary, ordinary bus version. Go after 10am, to avoid being compressed by chubby commuters and you’ll find plenty of space available. The two best options are: the RV1 bus which you can catch outside Tower Gateway Tube station: which passes Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, The Tate Modern, The National Theatre, Waterloo, Strand, Aldwych and terminates in Covent Garden. Not over-long or taxing and you see plenty along the way.

A lengthier, but equally sight-filled route can be experienced by catching the 23 bus from Liverpool Street station. That passes the Bank of England, Mansion House, St. Paul’s, Fleet Street, the Royal Courts, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Pall Mall, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Bond Street, Marble Arch, Paddington and finishes near Little Venice. You can also hop on and off the service, as your travelcard allows unlimited journeys while valid. This particular route is a shopper’s paradise. You can find more here:- A cheap bus tour of London sights and attractions

The Best Free Sights
Firstly, I should mention that the major museums and galleries in London are all free, though will always welcome a donation. Don’t let that be an indication of quality however. They are immensely popular, impressive and well-organised. All are worth visiting, but if you had to slim the list down to required visits, definitely try to fit these ones in:

• The British Museum – big, vaulted, musty in places, but full of more treasure and rarities than probably any building, anywhere.
• The Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert Museums, which are all next to one another. There’s too much to see in a day, but if pushed for time, you can easily cross between them for a whirlwind tour. Take the Tube to South Kensington and follow the signs.
• The Tate Britain and National Gallery. One at Millbank, near the Palace of Westminster and the other in Trafalgar Square. They are required visiting for art lovers and even for those expressing only a mild interest. The National has a peerless collection and the Tate focuses on British artists.
• The Tate Modern and St. Paul’s. You can cross between the two, via the Millennium Footbridge. The Tate Modern is free and the building is spectacularly cavernous, but St. Paul’s charges an entry fee. You can always walk around the outside instead, which is after all, where most of the impressive architecture is.
• Greenwich, is definitely worthy of a visit. The National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and parkland are all free to enter. It has interesting shops, a market and bustling waterfront. Consider taking the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) back through Canary Wharf in the Docklands, as it’s free with a valid Travelcard.

Markets
Yes, they sell goods, but you don’t necessarily have to buy in order to have an interesting time.
Camden Market – is well known and worth a trip to. Lots of fashion, bric-a-brac and curiosities, especially people watching. The Lock is a good place to rest and observe the masses drifting by. If you like walking, try the canal path route from Camden Lock to Little Venice (just under 2 miles) to see a less well known trail through the centre of town. You could even combine it with a cheap bus tour and take the 23 bus back through town, when you reach Little Venice.
Leadenhall Market - worth diverting to for the architecture and sense of history. It’s architecturally beautiful and a short walk from the Bank of England and Mansion House. Try not to miss out on the City (Square Mile) as it’s ‘old’ London and so often missed.

If you fancy refreshment you can divert to a nearby pub. On a budget, Sam Smiths pubs serve a range of their own beers, including ‘Swiss Lager’ which is very drinkable and about 60% of the cost of a normal pint (1990 prices!). Consequently, they’re popular with students. More here:- Some of the best pubs London has to offer. Princess Louise, Cittie of Yorke and The Cheshire Cheese are all Sam Smiths pubs.

Going Out
If you fancy a trip to the Theatre, buy from the ‘tkts’ booth in Leicester Square on the day of the performance. You can get as low as 15% of the ticket cover price, as long as you’re flexible about what to see. Rest assured if you appreciate your culture however, as it’s often the better, ‘highbrow’ productions which are discounted most heavily. The mass-appeal, media-buzz-shows, tend to be less available at discount.

For a cinema visit – go to the PCC (Prince Charles Cinema), just off Leicester Square, which runs showings for as little as £1.50. All their seats are 30-50% the cost of their nearby rivals, and you’ll be watching with movie-buffs, not the herd.
Opera and Dance tickets can also be acquired at greatly reduced rates, by applying for ‘day seats’ at the box office on the day, or by booking cheap restricted-view seats online, before leaving for London (which can be bought for as little as £5). Also, Shakespeare’s Globe offers ‘Groundling’ tickets starting at £5, where visitors stand in front of the stage for the performance. (Watch ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and you’ll know where I mean.)

Food
There are numerous ways of reducing your food costs. Firstly, buy from supermarkets which are dotted all over town, or check the web for their locations. These are national chains such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s and Waitrose. They’re often half the price of ‘convenience supermarkets’ you find all over town and loss-leaders like fresh bread means you can stock up on basics, for very little outlay. Eat out less in the centre of tourist London and more in the ‘worker’ area of London. Chains like ‘Eat’ and ‘Pret-a-Manger’ do good quality sandwich/soup/wrap deals and buy bottled water from supermarkets. A significant part of a food operation’s profits will come from drinks served with your snack. There are numerous tips on reasonable places to eat here:- Top dining tips and suggestions in London.

Walks
Lastly, there’s the walking option. London is a Roman city, so grew while foot and river traffic were the dominant methods of getting around. You will never understand a city so well, as when you cover it on foot. By linking together a series of walks you can also begin to visualise the layout of the city and how the significant parts relate to one another. Also, don’t believe the hype surrounding the British being a cold and distant race. If you’re lost, ask for help and you will find it. So why not go out on a limb and wander around, following your nose. You’re never far from a Tube stop and there will always be someone nearby to put you on track again. For a series of walks which brush past sights – look here:- Walking routes in London – see the sights for free.

So, if you visit London on a budget and have heard rumours that it’s one of the most expensive cities, anywhere. Then that would be mostly true. There are however, as there have always been – thrifty options. The city itself is the major attraction and strolling along Thames Walk in the sunshine, creeping through the backstreets of the medieval City and contemplating Art’s Grand Masters, will probably form the abiding memory of your visit. And they don’t cost a penny.

• The Olympic Stadium – where the main athletic events will be held.
• The Aquatics Centre – where the swimming events will take place
• The Olympic Village – where competitors will be staying during the event
• The Velodrome – where the cycling events are scheduled
• The IBC/MPC – a media centre to house the international TV crews, journalists and photographers.

All ‘Big Five’ venues are currently ‘on track’, though there is wide acknowledgement amongst development engineers that 2010 will be the ‘toughest’ year for development contractors, as the build cycle is now at its busiest phase.

Existing Venues
The following is a list of existing sites which will be modified to host a variety of sporting events:

Earls Court in West London – usually stages exhibitions and A-list Pop/Rock star gigs, it will be hosting the Olympic Volleyball events.
ExCeL – is another large exhibition space, located east of the Docklands and will be home to a range of sports including: Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Powerlifting and other less well-known events (such as Taekwondo) for both able-bodied athletes and Paralympians.
Greenwich Park – south of the Docklands is hosting the Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events, with the cross country course running across the parkland.
Horseguards Parade – it sounds unlikely, but true: the Beach Volleyball will be held on the space normally reserved for ‘Trooping the Colour’. The ball could bounce across into the Prime Minister’s garden from there.
The Dome – in North Greenwich, will host the Basketball and artistic gymnastics. The ill-fated Millennium Dome has been successfully hosting gigs and basketball events for years now and has turned its ‘White Elephant’ status around completely, usually selling out in minutes.
The Royal Artillery Barracks – a spectacular setting for the shooting events in Woolwich, South-east London. Built in 1776, the buildings are steeped in military history. Arsenal football club began nearby, using their original name: ‘The Woolwich Arsenal’.
Wembley Stadium – will host the football. Recently rebuilt at eye-watering expense, this venue is the traditional home of English football.
Wimbledon – unsurprisingly, will host the tennis competition.

In addition Hyde Park and Regent’s Park will host the Triathlon and Cycling events, respectively.

The main stadium roof was successfully raised on the 15th December 2009, prompting Lord Coe (London 2012 Committee Chair) and Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell to confirm their confidence in building contractors hitting their key targets. It appears that the 2012 Olympic preparations are on schedule and confidence is high, despite the global recession, that the Games will achieve the high standards promised, when London won the bid in July 2005.

The Temple Church and Inns of Court – for history

Start By catching the Tube to ‘Temple’ on the district line. Head North up Arundel Street and turn right onto the Strand. Here you’ll pass the church ‘St. Clement Danes’ (from the nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons – say the bells of St. Clement’s”) and the Royal Courts of Justice – a Gothic wonder and home to the British Civil Courts.

The Royal Courts of Justice - (rear).

If you fancy a look round – walk in – it’s open to the public and so are the courtrooms. Continuing along the Strand into Fleet Street, there is a large gatehouse on the Southside (it looks like a building) with a large black central gate, with two smaller doors each side – one of which will be ajar. Walk through into Middle Temple Lane and enter ‘Middle Temple’ on the left – one of the four ‘Inns of Court’. They were established as training precincts for Barristers in the 15th century. Although private, they are open to the public and are some of the most idyllic and tranquil spots to be found in any major city in the world. The Temple Church is maintained in perpetuity by Inner and Middle Temple, and was established by the Knights Templar in the 11th century. It features extensively in the Dan Brown book ‘The Da Vinci Code’, and as such, attracts a number of avid fans. Take some time to stroll around the gardens, which are tasteful and award-winning. Cross over the Strand, up Chancery Lane and

The Temple Church in the City of London - Built by the Knights Templar in the 12th Century

into Lincoln’s Inn Fields – the largest green space in the City and very quiet (there are no ‘through’ routes, so traffic is non-existent). On the North side you will find.

The Sir John Soane Museum – for eccentricity

The building housing the Sir John Soane Museum was the home of the infamous architect and is filled from floor to ceiling with interesting architectural artifacts, books and works of art. Entry is on a limited basis (some have to be let out, before you’re let in), but go during the day and you’re likely to walk straight in. There’s nowhere else like it. Candlelit tours on select evenings, are held once a month – but the queues tend to stretch around the block. Leaving Lincoln’s Inn Fields to the North, leads into Holborn. Time to stop off for a drink (pubs also serve coffee during the day) at.

The Cittie of Yorke – for a pint

The Cittie of York pub was originally a coffee house in the 17th century, built on the site of earlier public houses which existed in the same location. The bar at the rear has an enormous vaulted ceiling, huge wooden vats and booths where early financial transactions were conducted. Stock exchanges grew directly from their coffee house origins, in both London and Amsterdam, so it’s not hard to imagine some of the be-wigged negotiators who may have sat in these booths. Take the Tube from Chancery Lane (Central Line – Red) Westbound to Bond Street. Head North up Duke Street to Manchester Square, where Hertford House is located, home of.

The Wallace Collection – for art

A private collection bequeathed to the nation, it includes exceptional furniture, decorative fabrics, ceramics and paintings. There really is no other gallery like The Wallace Collection.

The Wallace Collection in London - Fine art and fine furniture.

It houses a fascinating collection of paintings, including works by Titian, Canaletto, Boucher, Rubens, Van Dycke and Gainsborough, to name a few – but it’s the intimacy and freedom that you’re given, which make it stand out. The staff are friendly, informative and just pleased to have you there. I believe it experienced the highest rise in visitors numbers (percentage-wise) of any attraction in 2009, so people are beginning to catch on. If you love art, especially decorative interiors – seek it out. Heading back towards Oxford Street and down Bond Street, you can buy the finest clothing and jewellery in the land, or just window shop like the rest of us. Head along Albemarle Street to discover.

Afternoon Tea at Browns – for refreshment

Most automatically consider the Ritz for afternoon tea, because fame precedes it. Go to Browns Hotel however, if you want an authentic, timeless and unhurried experience. The Tea Guild awards it their highest honour, for good reason – it’s a taste sensation, wrapped in opulent surroundings and stamped through with professional service. A tinkling piano, freshly baked cakes and a choice of 17 teas – I’m not advocating it as a daily regime, by any stretch. However, after a day of authentic sight-seeing, explorers deserve to rest-up and reflect on the small slice of authentic London, that they can take home with them.

For further information, ideas and maps – visit: ‘The Inside Guide to London‘.