A Cheapskate in London: Travel on a Budget

Jet lag can be so demanding. Within an hour of arriving in London, my case led me to a 5.50 pound (about $7) slice of lemon, raspberry and pistachio cake at the cafe in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum itself was free and included the unquantifiable payoff of dining in opulent 1868-vintage rooms with arches, stained glass and William Morris wallpaper.

It fit my bottom line on travel in London: Free museums, priceless surroundings and slightly expensive food that together deliver a net gain.

Though London often winds up on lists of the world’s most expensive cities, travelers will find free attractions and arresting architecture linked by easy-to-navigate public transportation.

Hotel prices often seem high. But unlike rates in the United States, they generally include taxes and extras like breakfast — and no surprise $30 amenity fees at check out. And tipping is not standard, saving 15 to 20 percent on each meal.

There are many worthy ways to splurge in London, including visiting landmarks like the Tower of London (£35), Westminster Abbey (£30) and St. Paul’s Cathedral (£26).

I took a wide-angle approach over a recent four-day, budget-stretching trip, staying in three neighborhoods, one central and two more outlying, to assess what’s gained and lost by chasing bargains. A combination of free art, attractions and £4 lunches, with some minor splurges on entertainment kept my expenses to about $200 a day.

Secrets and Salt Beef

To reach the V&A from the airport, I took the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station (£25) in 15 minutes, which saved me more than half an hour on the Tube underground train (£5.60). (The airport is distant, but most bus and subway rides within central London cost £2.80 to £2.90 and are capped at £8.90 a day when you use the same credit card or electronic payment method each time.)

In addition to cake, jet lag led me to a Secret London Tour from Fun London Tours (£18). I hoped the 90-minute walk would keep me moving despite exhaustion.

In Trafalgar Square, I met Joe Brown, a former London cabby — “I quit because people were talking behind my back all the time,” he quipped — who guided our group of 15 to “secrets” that were hidden in plain sight. They included a Trafalgar Square police station disguised as a light fixture; Goodwin’s Court, a Covent Garden alley lined with 17th-century buildings; and the last street lamp lit by sewer gas located, ironically, near the high-end Savoy hotel.

My cheaper…