West London has a rich sporting culture as it is home to a number of football clubs including three in the Premier League: Chelsea, Fulham, and QPR. The national football stadium, Wembley arena, which is the venue used for music and football events alike, is also located in West London.

If you’re looking to travel to West London, there are excellent transport links including Heathrow Airport, buses and the Tube. Follow our guide to West London on a shoestring, to take advantage of what the area has to offer without costing you a packet.

Secret Shopping Havens

Everything in West London can be notoriously expensive, and the shops are no different. However, there are some great unique stores and markets where you can make the most of your money. Perhaps, the most famous street market in the world is Portobello Market, which is located in Notting Hill, which has just about everything you may want, from antiques, clothing, fruit and vegetable stalls, through to second-hand goods.

Another one of London’s fantastic markets is Shepherds Bush market, a traditional street market, which offers a wide range of cuisines, clothing, fabrics, music, carpets, and much more. If you are looking to try some new foods, there is no better place to come, as Shepherds Bush has everything from eastern European to African. Even if you are not looking to spend a lot of money, this is one of West London’s markets, which is perfect for an afternoon stroll.

Best Eats & Drinks

Dining out in West London can put a serious dent in your wallet if you’re not careful, but we have selected some of the best places to eat on a budget. A meal on a shoestring doesn’t have to involve a burger and chips out of a van; if you find the right place, you can enjoy quality food without the hefty price tag.

Your first stop could be Orange Pekoe in Barnes, which is a modern tearoom and the perfect place to stop for a relaxing breakfast. Don’t expect to stuff your face with a bacon butty and ketchup in here, the menu has all sorts of delights from salmon and cream cheese muffins to pastries. If you’re looking for lunch you can either opt for something from the daytime menu or grab a sandwich to go for just £3.90. You can enjoy breakfast for as little as £1.30 or as much as £8, and lunch meals don’t stretch above £8.50 either.

If you enjoy chatting with friends over a spot of non-pretentious lunch, then the Santa Maria Pizzeria is the perfect place to go. The atmosphere is warm and the pizza delicious. Santa Maria’s pizzas are a tribute to Italian pizza and are cooked in a handcrafted wood-fired pizza oven making these super-thin pizzas heavenly. When you can enjoy food for less than £5, you know you’re onto a winner.

For something a little healthier, try out Mr Falafel, operating from a unit near the entrance to Shepherds Bush. Here you can try out delicious falafel accompanied by hummus, tahini, cucumbers, fried cauliflower, pickled turnips, and fried potatoes. Wash it all down with an orange blossom tea for a delicious accompaniment. Falafel wraps start from just £3.

Arts & Attractions

A trip to West London isn’t complete without visiting one of its famous parks. Hammersmith Park is just behind the BBC studios and has a number of attractions including playgrounds, bowling green, football pitches, tennis courts, and Japanese Gardens. Hyde Park is much larger than Hammersmith, covering 350 acres of greenery! It also has many things to do such as boating, cycling, tennis, horse riding, and swimming, as well as some stunning architecture.

There is no better way to discover West London than on one of the free monthly cultural walking tours. These tours are fantastic way to learn about the local area and its heritage, and are even suitable for people with accessibility requirements! Forget the tour bus, explore West London by foot.

Visiting West London doesn’t have to be as expensive as you originally thought; by planning ahead you could save a significant amount of money. The restaurants mentioned above are just a few in the area, but they prove that you can dine out for less than £10 per person. Depending on what your idea of fun is, you could spend an entire weekend in West London, sightseeing, visiting attractions, and soaking up the culture without spending a penny.

	Written by :
	Jemma is a news & research reporter for compareandsave.com.Having worked as a journalist on a number of personal finance websites; she now spends time researching and commenting on UK personal finance stories and investigating new ways to help our readers save money.For press enquiries, please visit our Media Centre page.