free culture, free river views
Europe's largest arts centre on the South Bank, with free foyers, free gigs and exhibitions, sofas to work on and balconies with a sweeping free view over the Thames.
Free to visit · South Bank · Waterloo · SE1 8XX
Opening: Daily · foyers roughly 10am to 11pm
The Southbank Centre grew out of the 1951 Festival of Britain, and its Royal Festival Hall is the great survivor of that optimistic moment. The concert halls are ticketed, but the vast foyers are free and open to all, one of the most generous public spaces in London.
You can walk in off the riverside and use it like a living room, sofas and tables to read or work at, a free programme of foyer gigs, talks and pop-up performances, and regular free exhibitions dotted through the building. The huge Clore Ballroom hosts free dance classes and concerts that anyone can wander into.
Head up through the levels to the balconies and terraces for a free, wide view over the Thames to the City and Westminster, with the whole buzz of the South Bank below. Few free spaces in London give you this much for the price of nothing at all.
Getting there: A few minutes walk from Waterloo, right on the river between the Hungerford and Waterloo bridges.
Best time to go: A wet afternoon, when the free foyers are the best shelter on the South Bank, or an evening for the free foyer performances and the lit-up river view.
Insider tip: Take the lift or stairs up to the upper-level terraces of the Royal Festival Hall for a free river view most people miss, then grab a sofa in the foyer. Check the free events listings, there is usually something on for nothing.
Official site: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide