Southbank Centre Book Market

The lowdown

Tucked under the arches of Waterloo Bridge, sheltered from the rain, is a secondhand book market that has been part of the South Bank for decades. Browsing the trestle tables is completely free, and you never quite know what you will find, old Penguins, art books, maps, prints and battered paperbacks all jumbled together.

It runs every single day, which makes it a reliable free pleasure on a walk along the river, and the setting under the bridge with the Thames a few steps away is half the charm. Even if you buy nothing, a slow rummage here is one of the nicest free things on the South Bank.