The best free things to do in North London — Kenwood's Old Masters, the Heath, a free zoo, museums, markets and views, all for nothing. A complete free itinerary.
A Free Day in North London: The Best Things to Do for Nothing
London has a reputation for being eye-wateringly expensive — but North London is one of the best places in the entire city for a genuinely free day out. In a single day, and without spending a penny on attractions, you can stand in front of a Rembrandt and a Vermeer, visit a free zoo, walk a wild 790-acre park, enjoy the best free skyline view in London, and watch the sun set over the city. This itinerary strings the very best free experiences into one full, rich day, with timings and the few small optional costs flagged so you can keep it as cheap as you like.
At a glance: Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill's view in the morning, free Old Masters at Kenwood, a picnic, Golders Hill Park's free zoo in the afternoon, the Pergola or a free museum, and a free sunset to finish. Bring a picnic and the whole day costs little more than your travel.
Before You Go: The Essentials
- Truly free: The Heath, Kenwood House (and its art), Golders Hill Park's zoo, the Pergola, Burgh House and wandering the villages all cost nothing.
- Small optional costs: Café food (bring a picnic to avoid it), the swimming ponds or Lido if you swim, and the tube between points (a contactless daily cap limits this).
- Getting there: Hampstead and Belsize Park (Northern line), Hampstead Heath and Gospel Oak (Overground), Golders Green (Northern line) for the western park.
- The £0 version: Walk in from a tube-edge entrance, bring a picnic and water, and you can do the entire day for just the cost of getting there.
Morning: Hampstead Heath and the Free View (9am–11:30am)
Start on Hampstead Heath — 790 acres of free, wild landscape. Climb Parliament Hill for the protected skyline view (St Paul's, the Shard, the City, Canary Wharf) that costs nothing and genuinely rivals any paid viewpoint in London — no £30 ticket, no lift queue.
Wander the woods, the meadows and the ponds. The Heath alone could fill a free day: it's one of the finest wild green spaces in any world city, and entirely free.
Late Morning: Kenwood House — Free Old Masters (11:30am–1pm)
Walk to Kenwood House at the Heath's northern edge. Entry is completely free to one of Britain's great art collections, the Iveagh Bequest:
- A late Rembrandt self-portrait — one of his finest.
- Vermeer's *The Guitar Player* — one of only a handful of Vermeers in Britain.
- Works by Gainsborough, Turner and Van Dyck, in Robert Adam's exquisite neoclassical interiors.
The landscaped grounds — the lake, the sham bridge, the rhododendron walk — are free too. That you can see a Vermeer for nothing, in a stately home on the edge of a wild park, is one of London's great underrated facts.
Lunch: A Free Heath Picnic (1pm–2pm)
Bring food and picnic on the Heath or in Kenwood's grounds — the most scenic free lunch in North London, with the skyline or the lake for a view. (Or budget a few pounds for Kenwood's Brew House café if you'd rather not carry lunch.)
Afternoon: Golders Hill Park's Free Zoo (2pm–3:30pm)
Walk to Golders Hill Park on the Heath's western edge for its free zoo — fallow deer, wallabies, ring-tailed lemurs, exotic birds and a summer butterfly house, all free to see. Plus a walled flower garden, duck ponds and open lawns. It's a delight for all ages and, again, costs nothing.
Late Afternoon: A Free Museum or the Pergola (3:30pm–5pm)
Choose a free finish:
- The Hill Garden and Pergola — a free Edwardian raised walkway draped in wisteria, with formal gardens below; one of the Heath's most beautiful and least-known corners.
- Burgh House (Hampstead village) — free entry to the local history museum and art gallery (a small donation is appreciated), in a 1704 Queen Anne house with a basement café.
- A free village wander through Hampstead or Highgate — the Georgian architecture, the blue plaques, the hidden alleys, all free to explore at your own pace.
Evening: A Free Sunset (5pm onwards)
End with the best no-cost finale in the city — a free sunset over the skyline from Parliament Hill, or a short tube to Primrose Hill (Chalk Farm) for its even more famous viewpoint. Watching the city light up and turn gold, for free, is the perfect close to a day that cost almost nothing.
The Genuinely £0 Day
For a day that costs literally nothing beyond getting there: walk onto the Heath, see Kenwood (free), the Pergola (free) and Golders Hill's zoo (free), bring a picnic and water (the Heath has fountains), and finish with a free sunset on Parliament Hill. No tickets, no café, no spend.
Rainy-Day Free Alternatives
If the weather turns, North London still has free indoor options: Kenwood House (free, indoors), Burgh House (free), and the British Library at King's Cross (free, with the Treasures gallery — Magna Carta, Beatles manuscripts). See our wet weather guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you do for free in North London?
See Old Masters at Kenwood House, walk Hampstead Heath, visit Golders Hill Park's free zoo, enjoy Parliament Hill's skyline view, explore the Pergola and Burgh House, and wander the historic villages — all completely free.
Is Kenwood House really free?
Yes — entry to Kenwood House, its art collection (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gainsborough, Turner) and its grounds is free, run by English Heritage. It's one of the best free experiences in London.
Where is the best free view in London?
Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath and the summit of Primrose Hill both offer free, protected views of the London skyline that rival any paid viewpoint in the city.
Is there a free zoo in North London?
Yes — Golders Hill Park, on the western edge of Hampstead Heath, has a free zoo with deer, wallabies, lemurs, exotic birds and a summer butterfly house.
Can you have a completely free day in North London?
Yes — with a picnic, the Heath, Kenwood, the Pergola, Golders Hill Park's zoo and a sunset on Parliament Hill make a full day for just the cost of getting there. North London is one of the cheapest places in the city for a great day out.
What free museums are there in North London?
Kenwood House (free art collection), Burgh House (free local history museum), and the Camden Arts Centre (free contemporary gallery). The British Library at King's Cross is also free.
Is North London good for a budget day out?
Excellent — the headline experiences (the Heath, Kenwood, the views, the free zoo, the villages) are all free, so a great day costs little more than travel and a picnic. See our North London on a budget guide.
What's the best free thing to do in Hampstead?
Walking Hampstead Heath and seeing the free Old Master collection at Kenwood House — together they're one of London's best free half-days, capped by Parliament Hill's free skyline view.
