Discover 20 Romantic Things to Do in London under £10

Last updated: 15 July 2023

Updated April 2023. There’s no denying that things have become a lot more expensive in the UK and the around the world at the moment with soaring global inflation having an impact on everyone’s personal finances. If you’re starting to look at cutting costs and spending less for the foreseeable future then you might be happy to know that there are still plenty of cheap romantic things to do in London which means you can still enjoy date nights, anniversaries, special holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day), and important birthdays without breaking the bank. 

Now might be a great time to focus on giving a special experience to your friends and family instead of spending a lot of money on large and/or multiple gifts. If this is something that you’ve thinking about then we really hope that this post, and these romantic things to do in London under £10, might be especially helpful in planning your special occasion.

Below is a list of places and experiences that we’ve enjoyed in and around London on various days out and date nights which have all been a lovely way to spend some time together, discover new and interesting parts of London, and add to our growing list of the most romantic things to do in London. 

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Read More: Have You Visited These 18 Iconic Landmarks in London?

If you’re based in London or perhaps planning a visit soon then the following romantic gift ideas can be incorporated into date nights, birthdays, anniversaries, or a nice thoughtful surprise to make up for forgetting Valentine’s Day. And best of all, they don’t cost the Earth. All these ideas are either free or available in London’s many romantic places for under £10 (practically free in London!)

Here’s our list of 20 Romantic Things to Do in London

#1 – Picnic in the Park

A classic idea. And one which remains popular for people of all ages.  Make a DIY picnic (or you can grab one from M&S if you prefer but these will be over £10) and head for one of the high points of London.  Primrose Hill (NW3) or Parliament Hill at Hampstead Heath will provide far-reaching city views from the comfort of your picnic blanket. Pop the champagne and watch the city come to life at dusk.

#2 – Explore Richmond Park

Take a walk through London’s largest park, Richmond Park. Famous for the deer that roam freely there, depending on the time of year.  

One great addition to our list of romantic places in London is King Henry’s Mound. The view of St. Paul’s Cathedral has been preserved by generations of landscapers who have created a tree-framed sightline from the mound to the dome. The view is now protected and no new building is allowed to impede it.

#3 – London Instagram Walk

Fancy sprucing up your Instagram feed with all things British? Why not take an Instagram walking route around London’s best sights.  This one you can explore on your own terms.  Here’s a suggested route around the Square mile.

#4 – Hire a Bike and Go Explore

Hire bikes and cycle through one of London’s royal parks. Regent’s Park and Hyde Park are both good options for zone 1. A bit further East consider Victoria Park.  Remember that bike hire isn’t available everywhere throughout the city so be sure to know where the docking stations are near your destination.  

One of the world’s best known board games is on your doorstep. Use this handy map and make the most of your Oyster Card daily cap to explore the entire Monopoly board.  Everything from Leicester Square to Old Kent Road is ready for purchase.  Can you afford it?

#5 – Visit a City Farm

Feeling out of touch a need a little bit of some country goodness? Forget the horrific rail fares and get your farm fix in the city.  Try out one of London’s City Farms.

This is the time to leave the stilettos at home and put on your wellies to muck in. Most farms allow you to feed the animals so take along some lettuce or carrots and be prepared to be licked.  It’s a good idea to ensure your date is an animal lover beforehand! 

Read More: Exploring London’s City Farms

#6 – A Different View of London

Jump on a Thames Clipper to see London from the water.  Use your Oyster Card to get the cheapest fare as you cruise along one of the great waterways.  Want some tourist information? There’s a free app you can download to your phone to give you historical facts and details about each landmark along the route.  

Embrace romance akin to The Notebook and take a boat ride! Many of London’s royal parks have lakes which you can boat, for a fee.  Hyde Park and it’s famous Serpentine have row and pedal boats you can hire.  £9.25 for 30 mins, nawww how romantic!  Battersea Park is another option with row or pedal boats around the lake in the summer, July to September, £8 for one hour.

#7 – Everyone Loves the Markets

Explore one of the many markets in London, one of our favourite romantic things to do in London. Head to Camden Lock to explore one of the most diverse neighbourhoods in London. While you’re there take in the street art in the area.  East London more your style?

Continue to embrace the ever-changing landscape of London’s street art scene in the hipster haven of Shoreditch which is home to the largest collection of street art in London.

Read More: Camden Street Art

#8 – The Tunnel

Heading into Central London? Aim for The Tunnel, Leake St (just off York Street) near Waterloo. Here you’ll find a large authorised graffiti tunnel filled with ongoing and ever changing pieces to fill your Instagram account.  

#9 – Borough Market

Keen to grab a lunch on the run or sample a few dishes? If so then you should definitely head to Borough Market. As London’s oldest food market, it has been serving the people of Southwark for 1,000 years and as you can imagine, it gets REALLY busy. We love visiting and it remains a yummy and romantic thing to do in London. 

If the weekend crowds from Borough Market get too much, take a one mile stroll down Southwark to Maltby Street Market.  Pop up restaurants tables spill out onto the pavement and an array of smells will tempt your taste buds.

#10 – The Monument

In 1666, a small fire at a bakery on Pudding Lane was the catalyst for the Great Fire of London which saw most of the wooden Medieval city of London burn to the ground.

Read More: Climbing The Monument

The Monument, commemorates the Great Fire of London and celebrates the rebuilding of the City. It’s said if you lay The Monument down it reaches the starting point of this historic blaze.  

Take your date to The Monument for a workout like no other. 311 steps in a spiral-shaped staircase inside the column lead you to the top of The Monument. A slightly claustrophobic experience so you might want to check how your date feels about confined spaces.
Avoid peak times like school holidays otherwise you might find yourselves enduring the great British pastime of queuing.  Visitor numbers are restricted to 33 at a time due to the limited space in the viewing gallery. Entry is £5.80 pp  (cash only). 

#11 – The British Museum

Any one of London’s incredible museums can be learning an excellent experience.  If you want more, many offer tours which you can join for free.  The British Museum, a perennial favourite for many Londoners, houses a wealth of priceless artifacts. Share ooo’s and ahh’s as you discover Egyptian mummies, Assyrian lions, The Rosetta Stone, Parthenon Marble (Elgin Marbles) and so much more.  

Read More: Best Museums in London

#12 – Museum Lates

Should you time it right, you could experience ‘Lates’.  One night a month many museums in London open in the evening.  At the Science Museum in South Kensington, the museum is opened as an adults-only, after-hours theme night.  Inspiring, enlightening and unbelievably good fun, stroll the Science Museum while sipping wine. Amazing!

#13 – The British Library

The British Library hosts more than 200 beautiful and fascinating items. Unless you’re a bookworm, perhaps a library isn’t the first choice for a date but it’s certainly somewhere you could spend a few hours. And full disclosure, we absolutely LOVED exploring the British Library!

Wander through the ever-changing collections and appreciate, the literary treasures including Gutenberg’s Bible of 1455, letters from English royalty, the Magna Carta, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook. Don’t miss the handwritten scribblings of the fab four, the Beatles.

#14 – St Paul’s Cathedral

Many of London’s famous landmarks cost more than £10 to visit unless you can score a good 2 for 1 deal. St Paul’s Cathedral is worth a visit although a hefty admission fee applies unless you enter as a worshipper.  However, with views like these it’s an absolutely mesmerising experience so perhaps this one is worth paying a little more for. 

However, if you’re looking to save a some money at the moment and the entry fee is a little too expensive then there’s good news, try the rooftop of One New Change Shopping Centre for unrivalled views of the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral.  Best of all? Its free! Turn up the heat and splash out on a cocktail at the rooftop bar Madison, there are a couple which just scrape in on budget (others are just over).  

Read More: Discovering London – St Paul’s Cathedral

#15 – Sky Garden

If you’re organised, book you and your date into the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch St. Entry is free and the price of drinks does depend on what you order. Virgin cocktails are on budget but boozy ones will cost between £13-16 each). Expect plenty of seating and superb views over London’s sprawling metropolis.  

#16 – IFS Cloud Cable Car

Formerly the Emirates Cable Car, the IFS Cloud Cable Car spans the Thames near North Greenwich to Royal Victoria DLR station. As you pay each way and you can use your Oyster card to it make it an easy joyride across the Thames for a bird’s eye view of the city and the O2 arena.

#17 – Get a Curry

Go for a curry. Alongside fish and chips, a curry is a London staple. The go-to dish for many Londoners after a boozy late night. The home of curry is on Brick Lane in East London.

#18 – Be a Kid Again

Remember the days when you were a kid and you jumped into a ball pit and it was the most amazing thing ever? Well, you can live the fun and excitement again with a visit to Ballie Ballerson in Shoreditch, East London! And if you’ve never had the opportunity to spend time in a ball pit then you’re in for an absolute treat because it’s so much fun. 

Now, the tickets for the ball pit do vary from £4.00 up to £17.50 depending on the date and time of your visit so it’s worth taking your time on the Ballie Ballerson booking page to find a session that works for you and your budget. Ballie Ballerson is a licenced cocktail bar that serves food too if you’re looking to widen your night out.  

#19 – Experience the West End

Ever thought you could go to the theatre for less than £10? Several theatres offer very cheap standing tickets, for as little as £5 but you will need to check with the individual theatres as they can be difficult to come by. If this is a special date you might want to fork out a bit more an actual seat as availability of standing tickets can’t always be guaranteed.

Are you aged between 16 and 25? If so, we have a good news for you, The National offers £5 tickets on selected shows if you’re between 16-18 and £10 tickets if you’re between 19-25. Here’s where you can get more details about these £5-£10 tickets. 

And speaking of The National, have you heard about Friday Rush? At 1pm every Friday, on this National Theatre website, the countdown timer reveals a button which will place you into a queue for £10 Friday Rush tickets. Add this one into your calendar! 

Need some Bard in your life? Shakespeare’s Globe offers 700 standing tickets for every performance. Standing offers the best view of the stage for the low low price of £5. 

#20 – Crazy Golf

Putt Putt Golf, aka Crazy-Golf, has made a resurgence in recent years.  Modernised by adding a splash of hip with some recycled goodies from council pick-ups and charity shops plus some black lighting and fluro paint and you’ve got Junkyard Golf.  Add cocktails into the mix and you’ve got the beginnings of a fun date night. 

Heads up, prices at Junkyard Golf London have unfortunately increased so it’s no longer £9.50 for an off-peak ticket but £11.00 (including booking fee) which is above our £10 limit. If the small increase doesn’t change your mind then it’s still a fun night out.  

Final Thoughts

Forget looking for the perfect present for that special someone and instead focus on choosing from this list of romantic things to do in London. There are so many amazing experiences on offer that you are almost guaranteed to surprise and delight, all without needing to break the bank. If you choose one of the above suggestions or go visit one of the many romantic places in London then we’d love to hear about it. Drop us a line and let us know how it went, you ol’ romantic you.

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