Olympics: How to visit games without going broke

LONDON – No tickets for the 2012 Olympics? Don’t despair: You
don’t need one to enjoy the games and the party atmosphere in
London this summer.

Although most sporting events take place in ticketed Olympic
venues, there is plenty to see and do elsewhere in the run-up to
the games and during them.

From live Olympic screenings in Hyde Park to world-music
performances by the River Thames, a huge list of free and
affordable events promises that visitors – sports fans or not – can
get a taste of Olympic excitement without spending a fortune.

The festivities kick off months ahead of the July 27 start of
the games, as soon as the Olympic torch arrives in Britain from
Greece in mid-May. Street parties are expected across the nation to
cheer on the torchbearers, who will make a 70-day relay through
hundreds of towns before reaching the Olympic Stadium in east
London.

As for watching the sporting events themselves, London offers
several ways to take part on the cheap. The Olympic marathons,
which take place in early August, and road cycling races do not
require a ticket and can be watched in the streets for free -
provided you arrive early to find a good vantage point. Both begin
and finish on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, a spectacular
backdrop that’s sure to attract thousands of spectators.

Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park and Victoria Park are the other key
spots to go to find lively crowds to watch the games with. Big
screens will be set up with live coverage of all medal events, and
live music and other entertainment will be provided for free as
well.

One way to set foot in an Olympic venue without a ticket – and
even burn some calories – is to visit the Lee Valley White Water
Center, which is open for the public to canoe and raft until April
and then again after the games.

The structure, about 12 miles north of the Olympic Park, will
host the canoe slalom events during the games, but visitors are
welcome to ride the Olympic-standard rapids before the athletes
arrive to battle for gold. Be warned that it’s not exactly a budget
option, though – a ticket to a session of rafting costs $77 (49
pounds).

If that sounds too extreme, or if you fancy a break from all
that adrenaline, tourism officials have planned dozens of free arts
and culture events to coincide with the Olympics. The London 2012
Festival – the official arts festival complementing the games – has
music, plays, and carnivals galore, and it promises to let 10
million people attend events for free.

One of the highlights of the festival, which opens June 21, is
the “River of Music” on July 21-22. It’s a weekend of free music
performances representing all 205 participating Olympic nations at
iconic landmarks along the Thames. Expect to see the Americas
represented at the Tower of London, and musicians from Asia taking
the stage at Battersea Park.

The other major arts event of the year is the World Shakespeare
Festival, which begins on the Bard’s birthday, April 23. Its large
program features a major exhibition at the British Museum and
productions by companies from Brazil to Russia, including an
interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet” set in contemporary Iraq. The
productions will be shown across the U.K., and some of the tickets
are priced at as low as $4.70 (3 pounds).

Special programs aside, visitors on a budget who want to make
the most out of their trip to London should consider the many free
arts and cultural offerings regularly available in the city.

Most of London’s top museums have free permanent collections to
suit all interests, while many historic churches around London
organize free lunchtime concerts on a weekly basis.

Finally, there will probably come a point in your trip when you
yearn for a moment of quiet away from all the activity. To escape
the madding crowd (and save on eating out), pack a picnic and enjoy
London’s superb green spaces.

Buy lunch at supermarkets or Borough Market, the city’s biggest
food market, and head to one of London’s many centrally located
parks. Relax amid the rose gardens, picturesque ponds and manicured
gardens of Regent’s Park, or venture a little farther out – about
half an hour by tube – to north London’s vast Hampstead Heath for
longer walks, kite-flying or even outdoor swimming in its
ponds.

Once at the heath, hike up a gentle slope up to Parliament Hill
for a breathtaking view of the entire city.

It’s possibly the best vantage point for London – and there are
no lines or entrance fees.