In addition to the more common free newspapers handed out on the tube, Cheapos can now get their hands on all sorts of other literature without spending a penny. It’s common knowledge for Londoners, but visitors to the city are often none the wiser. So here’s a quick run down of the city’s free publications available to you:

Daily Newspapers

Metro and City AM are free morning newspapers handed out at Tube stations from Monday to Friday. Metro is available nationwide, while City AM is London only and has more of a financial and city focus.

The Evening Standard accompanies most Londoners home in the evenings and is handed out at tube stations from 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Look out for the ES Magazine, which comes with the paper on a Friday and contains lots of London-centric weekend lifestyle reading.

Magazines

Tuesday: Time Out

The absolute staple for Londoners, Time Out has been going since 1968 and its success has been such that you can now find it in other destinations such as New York, Barcelona and Melbourne. It started out life as a paid for publication, but in September 2012 became free. A bitter sign of the times for the publishing industry, but on the plus side – great news for Cheapos!

The magazine is totally London-centric, including everything from features with musicians, book reviews, neighborhood focuses and, of course, extensive entertainment listings for the week ahead. Pick one up at tube and rail stations in zones 1 and 2 on Tuesday mornings, or at museums, cinemas and theaters across the city – see a full list of distribution points here.

Wednesday: Stylist

One for the ladies – Stylist is the hugely successful younger sister to Shortlist Magazine (see below). Distributed at tube stations on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings, pick up a copy to get your weekly fill of beauty, fashion, travel and lifestyle news for free.

Thursday: Shortlist

The original publication from award-winning publisher Shortlist Media, this weekly mag is aimed at a predominantly male audience, with the latest gadgets, health, tech, sport, fashion and grooming advice, but the excellent journalism and quirky features make it a good read for women as well. Pick up your copy on Thursday mornings at tube stations.

Friday: Sport

Sport-lovers can get their fill of news, interviews and analysis, as well as a look at upcoming events with this free sport-themed publication. Distributed at tube stations every Friday morning, it’s an informative and lighthearted read to welcome in the weekend.

Monthly magazines

Escapism

A relatively new kid on the block, Escapism is the UK’s first free glossy travel magazine and it’s doing a good job of rivaling the more established paid-for titles. While the content mainly serves as inspiration for your next trip, UK-based exhibitions and news are also featured in the magazine and accompanying website. The features are well written and the photography is great; a nice little pick-me-up on a drizzly London morning. Find Escapism at most zone 1 and 2 tube stations, as well as at UK airports and Eurostar terminals on the first Wednesday of every month.

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While Parisians may pity their British neighbors having to pay for a toilet trip (why do you think Brits term it “spending a penny”?), or for bread at meals, Londoners rightly still feel smug about the host of freebies their city has to offer.

Here are my seven favorite things that will never cost you a penny:

1. Culture

This is the big one for anyone who has baulked at the entrance fee to the Louvre or the Prado: national museums in the UK are all free. That means there’s nothing to pay for getting into some of London’s – and the world’s – best museums, including Tate, British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Science Museum and so on. (Here’s a list of free museums in London.)

There’s plenty of culture available for free outside of the museum world as well. Cinephiles, for example, can book a session at the Mediatheque at the British Film Institute (BFI) on the South Bank, where thousands of films can be watched at no cost to the viewer, or music lovers can take in one of the free classical concerts at St-Martin-in-the-Fields.

2. Wi-Fi

Another good thing about these free cultural institutions? Many (although, annoyingly, not all) offer free Wi-Fi. The South Bank is a particularly good bet because, alongside stunning views over the river, there’s free Wi-Fi available at most of its major attractions including the Southbank Centre, the National Theatre, the BFI and Tate Modern.

Couple that with the huge number of chains offering free Wi-Fi, such as cheap pub chain, Wetherspoons, popular lunchtime sandwich spot, Pret a Manger, or – as in Paris – McDonald’s, and you should always be able to avoid paying for Wi-Fi in the city.

3. Tap water

Paris, London has got your back on water, too. It’s a legal requirement for British pubs and licensed clubs to make tap water available for free. If you ask politely, you’ll normally also get it without a charge in the vast majority of restaurants.

However, the best free drink in London has to be the green tea available at favorite cheapo noodle chain Wagamama (who kindly also offer free Wi-Fi).

Bank of America client? Use Barclays ATM machines for free! Photo: Garryknight

4. ATM withdrawals (for Bank of America clients)

The Global ATM Alliance applies in the UK as well. To make cash withdrawals from ATMs without incurring a charge, Bank of America customers should seek out Barclays Bank cash machines (Their logo is an easy-to-spot blue eagle). You’ll need the four-digit pin for your card to get cash out. (Read our guide to ATM bank fees for Americans abroad.)

5. Tax

Well, kind of. Visitors from outside the European Union can claim back the Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods they have purchased. You’ll need to be leaving the EU in less than three months after making your purchase and – perhaps the biggest catch – you need to have bought it in a store signed up to the VAT Retail Export Scheme to obtain the correct customs forms (look out for the “Tax Free Shopping” signs).

There are various exceptions and complications to work through but, with VAT charged at up to 20% of cost of goods, it’s well worth the hassle if you are making substantial purchases. Check out the UK Revenues and Customs website for full details of how to claim.

6. Exercise

Given the city’s reputation both for inclement weather and an over-fondness for pints, London’s excellent free fitness events may come as a bit of a surprise. We’ve mentioned the weekly free Park Run before, which takes place at parks all over the capital each Saturday morning.

The London Cycling Campaign lists equivalent events for cyclists, or you could – literally – get your skates on to take part in the Friday Night Skate, a marshaled street skate which sets off from Hyde Park Corner each week.

Finally, for something really different, get a workout in exchange for helping with outdoor conservation projects at one of London’s 15 free Green Gyms.

7. Reading material

The Tube groans under the weight of reading matter that’s given out for free in London each day. Weekday travelers get offered Metro in the morning and the Evening Standard in the evening, both great sources of listings and, especially in the latter, reliable reviews.

A recent addition to the selection of freebie reads is Time Out which, since last year, has been given away every Tuesday and is an invaluable way to find out what’s going on and where.

Stylist, pitched at professional women, comes out on Wednesdays, while its male equivalent, Shortlist, is given away every Thursday. Both are more engaging reads than many charging magazines. Finally, the world of sport gets its own dedicated magazine on Fridays.

These publications almost (but not quite) make the astronomical cost of travel in London worthwhile.

Your favorite freebies?

Did we miss anything? Tell us about your favorite London freebie in the comments below!

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This weekend’s New York Times features an excellent round-up of last-minute advice for would-be Olympic attendees, including some thoughts on hotels provided by EuroCheapo! The piece, part of the Practical Traveler series written by Michelle Higgins, includes advice covering all aspects of visiting the world’s largest sporting event. It includes:

Hotels

EuroCheapo’s editor Tom Meyers explains that it’s not hard to find a hotel in London during the Games, “it’s just hard to find a deal.” ‘Tis true — most hotel rates double during the Games.

However, cheaper options exist, including hostels, apartments and even camping.

Flights

Direct flights into London are still available, although expensive, running about 13% above last year. Fly.com suggests flying into another hub from the States, such as Berlin, and then catching a flight on a budget airline from there.

Tickets to the Games

A limited number of tickets are still available for certain events (including volleyball and gymnastics). However, budget travelers should consider the “freebies,” such as the marathon, which will pass through central London. Without tickets, you can still attend free screenings throughout town.

Read more in the New York Time’s article, “Last-Minute Tips for Traveling to London for the Olympics.”

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Luckily, plenty of other local sources can fill you in on what’s happening. When in Barcelona, check out these magazines, mini-guides, and Web sites for what is going down while you’re in the Catalan capital.

LeCool

This magazine and website used to annoy me because it is so last minute (it comes out once a week), making it a difficult source to use to plan ahead. However, I now see its virtues. If you are looking for something to do NOW, then this is the place to check. LeCool features music, theater, art, fashion, clubs, parties, and many other quirky underground events. (No flamenco here.)

Barcelona Metropolitan Magazine

The Barcelona Metropolitan Magazine maintains a good online presence, with daily updates on what is happening in the city. There is also a wide array of very useful articles pertaining to Barcelona. Finding the print magazine is harder and harder these days, but is still found at some English-speaking pubs and restaurants in the center of the city.

Mini-Guide

Available online,  Mini-guide is also found at bars and restaurants around the city. This small guide comes out monthly and highlights the best of the city’s cinema, theater, dance, club, party, concert, museum, and fashion scene. It also lists restaurants and bars (as does the Metropolitan).

Time Out Barcelona

Well, this one may be a stretch because it is in either Catalan or Spanish. But if you are up to the challenge, then buy a Time Out at any newsstand around town. Time Out gives the heads-up on new restaurants and bars in town, along with a very complete listing of entertainment options. It comes out every week.

Catalonia Today Newspaper

This paper covers all of Catalonia. Take a look if you are curious about politics, economy, news, and culture in this region of Spain. The paper comes out once a month and can be purchased at any newsstand. Catalonia Today often has cultural listings and reviews. The paper will give you a more local perspective, as it is meant for people living in Catalonia who have not bothered to learn Catalan (or don’t care to read the news in a language other than English).

Other sources

Other than these options, you can also always consult the daily paper (El Periodico, La Vanguardia, El Pais). Thursday’s papers are generally the best for listing what is happening over the weekend. Ask at the tourist information office for what’s on at Barcelona’s many theaters and concert halls and see if there are any discounts to be had (there usually are).

You can also ask at the tourist information office for information on festivals and holidays that might be going on while you are in town—in Spain, there’s a good chance something will be celebrated, and checking out a traditional festival is a unique experience.

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Florence’s English-language bookstore

Located at Vialle delle Oche 4R, this little shop of treasures has been pushing books to Florence’s Anglo community since 1979 and some of their prices haven’t changed since! They carry a large selection of new and (not so) used books which enable paperback pick-ups for as little as 3 euros. They’ve got everything from travel to textbooks to poetry in a clean, cozy interior where Ikea meets the “New Hampshire cottage” feel. The staff is friendly, helpful and willing to special-order any books not found on their shelves. (This is a fast and convenient “no-access-to-Amazon” arrangement convenient when traveling or living under a bridge. Ahem.)

The Paperback Exchange lets you trade in your used books for credit towards purchases, which will chop down the cost even more! (My cheapo sense has just exploded from the double savings!)

But best of all, the store is reader-friendly, meaning you can peruse, sit and read before leaving with your golden nugget find. It’s also a good place to meet travelers or members of the local English-speaking community.

The Paperback Exchange is open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Florence’s free English-language newspaper

Make sure to also pick up a copy of “The Florentine” while you’re at the bookstore. “The Florentine” is Florence’s free bi-weekly English newspaper which is loaded with news, sports, travel, and cultural events going on in the city.

Finally, check the store’s bulletin board for all things Anglo-related. It’s a mini carousel of information for courses, services, and social groups.

Other bookstores in Florence

Other bookstores scattered in the downtown core include Feltrinelli and Mel Bookstore on the nearby via Cerretani. They carry mostly Italian titles and don’t sell secondhand books, but their international sections are peppered with pretty good stuff.

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