1. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown: $28) A lifelong letter writer reckons with a painful past.
2. Brimstone by Callie Hart (Forever: $33) The deluxe limited edition continues the fantasy adventure begun in “Quicksilver.”
3. Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press: $28) A woman reflects on a youthful love triangle and its consequences.
4. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
5. Queen Esther by John Irving (Simon & Schuster: $30) The novelist revisits his bestselling “The Cider House Rules.”
6. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
7. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Riverhead Books: $28) An accomplished actor grapples with the varied roles she plays in her personal life.
8. Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon (Penguin Press: $30) A private eye in 1932 Milwaukee is hired to find a missing dairy heiress.
9. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books: $30) The latest mystery in the Armand Gamache series.
10. Dog Show by Billy Collins, Pamela Sztybel (illustrator) (Random House: $20) The former U.S. poet laureate captures the essence of dogs in a collection of poems that includes watercolor canine portraits.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Viking: $35) An exploration of the most infamous stock market crash in history.
2. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith (Random House: $30) A new memoir from the legendary writer and artist.
3. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Knopf: $35) A posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim.
4. Something From Nothing by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter: $38) More than 100 recipes that make the most of a well-stocked pantry.
5. The Uncool by Cameron Crowe (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $35) The filmmaker recounts his experiences as a teenage music journalist.
6. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
7. Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy (Penguin Life: $27) Revisiting the world of “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”
8. Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood (Doubleday: $35) The author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” tells her story.
9. Good Things by Samin Nosrat (Random House: $45) The celebrated chef shares 125 meticulously tested recipes.
10. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
…
Paperback fiction
1. On the Calculation of Volume (Book III) by Solvej Balle (New Directions: $16)
2. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $22)
3. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (Vintage: $19)
4. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
6. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
7. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
8. On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) by Solvej Balle, Barbara J. Haveland (translator) (New Directions: $16)
9. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Harper Perennial: $22)
10. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Vintage: $19)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. Fight Oligarchy by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Crown: $15)
2. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $24)
3. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18)
4. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
5. Just Kids by Patti Smith (Ecco: $19)
6. The Most Human by Adam Nimoy (Chicago Review Press: $20)
7. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
8. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
9. The Best American Essays 2025 by Jia Tolentino and Kim Dana Kupperman (editors) (Mariner Books: $19)
10. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (Picador: $19)
1. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books: $30) The latest mystery in the Armand Gamache series.
2. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown: $28) A lifelong letter writer reckons with a painful past.
3. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (Knopf: $30) A genre-bending love story about people and the words they leave behind.
4. The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co.: $32) The Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company for its role in a girl’s killing.
5. The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $38) Symbologist Robert Langdon takes on a mystery involving human consciousness and ancient mythology.
6. Alchemised by SenLinYu (Del Rey: $35) A woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy.
7. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hogarth: $32) The fates of two young people intersect and diverge across continents and years.
8. Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press: $28) A woman reflects on a youthful love triangle and its consequences.
9. Queen Esther by John Irving (Simon & Schuster: $30) The novelist revisits the world of his bestselling “The Cider House Rules.”
10. The Widow by John Grisham (Doubleday: $32) A small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.
…
Hardcover nonfiction
1. Bread of Angels by Patti Smith (Random House: $30) A new memoir from the legendary writer and artist.
2. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Viking: $35) An exploration of the most infamous stock market crash in history.
3. Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Knopf: $35) A posthumous memoir by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim.
4. Lessons From Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds (Grand Central Publishing: $13) A guide to channeling feline wisdom in the face of authoritarian nonsense.
5. Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood (Doubleday: $35) The author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” tells her story.
6. Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy (Penguin Life: $27) Revisiting the world of “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”
7. The Uncool by Cameron Crowe (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $35) The filmmaker recounts his experiences as a teenage music journalist.
8. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins, Sawyer Robbins (Hay House: $30) The podcast host explains how to stop wasting energy on things you can’t control.
9. Giving Up Is Unforgivable by Joyce Vance (Dutton: $28) A rallying cry for citizen engagement to preserve American democracy.
10. Notes on Being a Man by Scott Galloway (Simon & Schuster: $29) The NYU professor and podcaster explores what it means to be a man in modern America.
…
Paperback fiction
1. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $19)
2. How About Now by Kate Baer (Harper Perennial: $18)
3. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18)
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $22)
5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17)
6. The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami (Vintage: $19)
7. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18)
8. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20)
9. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Grand Central: $19)
10. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Harper Perennial Modern Classics: $18)
…
Paperback nonfiction
1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12)
2. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21)
3. Fight Oligarchy by Sen. Bernie Sanders (Crown: $15)
4. How to Know a Person by David Brooks (Random House Trade Paperbacks: $20)
5. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22)
6. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (Picador: $19)
7. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18)
8. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17)
9. Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson (Dial Press Trade Paperback: $22)
10. The Best American Essays 2025 by Jia Tolentino and Kim Dana Kupperman (editors) (Mariner Books: $19)
A city as celebrated for its quirkiness as Berlin is almost duty-bound to deliver on the flea market front – plus, many of its shops close on Sundays, making market browsing the natural retail fix.
Although Mauerparkin the Prenzlauer Bergdistrict is well known for its flea market and sells good stuff, if you have the patience to rummage through the inevitable piles of tat, smaller markets tend to have more interesting one-off finds. A favourite is Arkonaplatz in the Mitte district, which is especially alluring in autumn when the light and surrounding trees take on golden shades. There’s old film and camera equipment to be had here, as well as industrial furniture. My favourite buy is a huge, hand-crocheted blanket in shades of lapis and rust.
The Rathaus Schöneberg flea market in Tempelhof-Schöneberg is one of Berlin’s oldest, and is located where John F Kennedy made his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. It’s mostly the wares of people having a clear-out, as opposed to professional dealers, and is affordable.
Lesser known to non-Berliners, Neukölln’s Kranoldplatz Flohmarkt – in one of the city’s most vibrant alternative neighbourhoods – is a good choice for cool castoffs. Strict regulations limit what vendors can sell, too, so you’re spared much of the new, mass-produced junk you might find elsewhere.
For the most beautiful setting, though, the Bode antique and book market on Museum Island is pure romance. I can’t read any of the books I’ve bought there, nor have I ever served cake with the silver-plated slice I found there, but who cares?
Secondhand stores can be found all over the city – but it’s worth homing in on Friedrichshain. It’s home to Europe’s biggest Humana store (five floors of vintage treasure, including a selection of lederhosen) and there are several smaller outfits here, too. V Vintage (Kopernikusstraße 18 and Grünberger Straße 50) has a great range of pieces, from vintage denim to retro après-ski, while Soul and Style (Krossener Straße 24 and Frankfurter Allee 35-37) serves up fashion with a distinctly 80s flair, complete with band T-shirts, glitter and lurid shell suits. For more insider tips, check out @ezcape, @jessica.miusha
Athens
Antique objects for sale at a shop in Monastiraki, central Athens. Photograph: Simon RB Brown/Alamy
Who wouldn’t have old things on their mind when visiting the cradle of western civilisation? Once you’ve taken in the Acropolis and Parthenon, swerve the stalls selling fridge magnets of ancient ruins and head to the port city of Piraeus. About 5 miles south-west of Athens, it’s where the ferries depart for hundreds of Greek islands and a Sunday flea market takes place, alongside the railway tracks, until 2pm-ish. There’s often good retro clothing and vintage homewares – be prepared to rummage, sometimes at ground level, as not all vendors set up on tables. Then head for lunch at one of the many waterfront restaurants.
Another Sunday option is Pazari Rakosyllekton, or Scavengers’ Fleamarket (the name alone gets my treasure-hunt heart racing), a few minutes’ walk from Eleonas station, selling everything from furniture and homewares to books and records. Having found Olivia Newton-John’s Xanadu here, I feel I’ve peaked.
Elsewhere, curated vintage stores include Kilo Shop (Ermou 120), where finds are charged by weight and rails restocked every second day. Higher-end options include Anthophile Vintage(Zoodochou Pigis 55), where florals and whimsy reign, and Handpicked Cherries(Frinis 51) for vintage leather and Y2K treats. For more insider tips, check out@athens_thrifts, @posh.vintage
Stockholm
A loppis is a ‘particularly Swedish experience – not quite a garage sale, not quite a flea market’ Photograph: Berndt-Joel Gunnarsson/Alamy
Sweden and its Scandi neighbours are known for being savagely pricey, so balance the books with a touch of secondhand shopping. Stockholm has two stores from the popular European chain Humana – one in the Norrmalm district and another in Södermalm – good for clothing and accessories. With several locations around the city, Myrorna – owned by the Swedish arm of the Salvation Army – is more for your home than wardrobe. Gustavsberg porcelain and stylish glassware by Kosta Boda pop up frequently, as do pieces by other Nordic brands, such as Marimekko.
Södermalm is also home to a branch of the UK chain Beyond Retro and Judits Second Hand (Hornsgatan 75), which operates partly on a consignment basis, selling unwanted garments of local people for a split.
For a particularly Swedish experience, seek out a loppis. Not quite a garage sale, not quite a flea market, it’s an immensely popular way to socialise on a weekend, while unearthing the treasure that is someone else’s trash. Some are spontaneous, others semi-permanent with on-site refreshment and music. Spring and summer are prime times for loppisrunda (loppis-hopping), especially in the countryside, but they can be found year-round (check loppiskartan.se). A vintage Swedish Christmas tablecloth with matching fabric napkins and a pair of sleek brass reindeer, all from Uppsala, a 40-minute train journey north of Stockholm, remain beloved finds. For more insider tips, check out@modernretrostockholm, @vintageretrosimonand @myrornaopsten
On Sundays, Madrid’s El Rastro market bursts into life. Photograph: Peter Eastland/Alamy
Fast-fashion behemoth Zara was born in Spain, and although its largest retail store worldwide is in Madrid, the capital isn’t enslaved to high-street dressing. As well as its 29 Humana shops, where you might stumble upon anything from 90s streetwear to 50s corsetry, those with a yen for designer labels should check out the city’s many upmarket secondhand boutiques, which are more akin to concept stores than thrift shops.
Try Second Chancein the city centre (Calle de la Virgen de los Peligros 11) for lightly used clothes by names such as Loewe, Dolce & Gabbana and Yves Saint Laurent. While not exactly bargains, they are far more affordable than they would be new.
Denim is the staple at Friperie(Calle Rodriguez San Pedro 2), which has been name-checked by Vogue; and for those who consider Y2K to be vintage (rude) then Nearein the centre(Corre Alta de San Pablo 21)has a varied selection of clothing and accessories.
At Piel de Mariposa (Calle Embajadores 35)there are books, vinyl and homewares, as well as a good range of fashion and accessories, many for under €10 apiece.
The traditional flea market experience is also readily available in Madrid: El Rastro, home to many restaurants and bars, bursts into life on Sundays, when the flea market takes over the neighbourhood. Be prepared to wade through lots of rubbish, but when you do strike gold (for me, the vintage ceramics are particularly beguiling) it glitters for real. For more insider tips, check out @rastro_madrid, @matiz.life
Amiens
A makeshift stall at Amiens’ biannual market. Photograph: Clémence Millet
There are plenty of reasons to visit Amiens, the capital of the Picardy region: France’s largest Gothic cathedral, the country’s first purpose-built museum (with displays covering everything from Egyptian artefacts to Francis Bacon), and for Channel-hoppers it’s only a 90-minute drive from Calais. Plus, twice a year it hosts the Réderie, one of the largest flea markets in France. On the second last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in October, 2,000-plus vendors spread over 50-odd streets in the town centre.
Aim to arrive on the Saturday, as many of the vendors start setting up the night before. So wrap up warmly, wear comfortable shoes and a head torch, and maybe you’ll bag an early bargain. Take a camping trolley for your finds: some of my favourites have included framed floral needlepoints, heavy brass swans and acrylic candleholders.
While the biannual market is the big draw, the town has plenty to keep vintage lovers happy year-round. Fripes et Merveilles (151 Rue Gaulthier de Rumilly) is a time capsule of well-priced finds, from bric-a-brac to jewellery. Prices are far higher at Silk & Roses (18 Rue Saint-Martin aux Waides), but expect to find the likes of Kenzo, Moschino and Yves Saint Laurent. Meanwhile, Icône Friperie (21 Rue du Général Leclerc) charges by the kilo – €30 a haul. For more insider tips, check out #grandrederieamiens, @se_souvenir_des_belles_choses
WArmstrong in Edinburgh is a true institution. There are several locations, but the Grassmarket spot is a treasure trove. Frequented by locals, students and tourists alike, there is a price point for all. Whether I’ve been on the hunt for vintage cashmere, denim, fabulous 1950s dresses, garb for a fancy dress party or even a kilt, this store has sorted me out. It is always a favourite for when friends visit the city, and whether you are looking to buy or not, it is worth a visit just to see its eclectic collection. Amy
Photograph: Pascal Boegli/Alamy
An Erasmus exchange took me to Budapest, where I discovered a city full of vintage shops and flea markets. The city is dotted with Humana shops for staple wardrobe finds; there’s the Ecseri flea market for the more unusual (interspersed with the occasional plastic Stalin bust); plus chic, rambling stores like Szputnyik and Retrock Vintage – think racks of leather jackets and tulle tops among giant monstera plants. Antiques shops are also found tucked away, their contents spilling on to the pavements outside. A particularly favourite find was a set of intricate hand-painted embroidery layouts on kraft paper from the 1930s, each signed by the artist. Katie
Lyon’s canalside treasure trove
The Les Puces du Canal flea market, in the Villeurbanne suburb on the Canal de Jonage, is a treasure trove for reasonably priced vintage clothes, 1960s paraphernalia and vintage furniture (much of the latter still falling in the sub-€150 category). Sunday is the day to go; get there early and have a glass of white wine and a few oysters while you admire your haul. Rebecca
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Guardian Travel readers’ tips
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Stockport is well stocked
Pear Mill Vintage Emporium in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has a dizzying array of vintage and antique goods to browse, plus a cafe if you need a stop-off mid-shop. Prices are very reasonable and you can easily spend most of a day there. There’s even a hot yoga studio, climbing wall and pole-dancing classes in the same building if you want to throw some extra physical activity into your visit. Nearby Stockport town centre has lots of great indie restaurants, museums and shops to make a day of it. Lauren
Being thrifty in Oslo
In Oslo, Uff is a lovely family-owned chain of secondhand clothing stores. The price is cheap for Norway and it often has big sales and amazing high quality, unique, handpicked vintage items. There are several all over the city, but my favourite one is at Lille Grensen 5. You can get tops from about 100 Norwegian krone (£7.50). Sasha
A Parisian haven of heritage clothing
I was browsing in an Oxfam bookstore in Paris’s 11th arrondissement when a flyer fell out of a book I’d picked up. It promised the best secondhand clothing place in the city and it was nearby on Rue Saint-Maur. I bought the book I’d been looking at and headed straight there. La Frange à l’Envers is a haven for pre-loved clothing: it has a huge range, of colours and sizes, everything is in fabulous condition and the sales team are the perfect Parisian mix of complimentary-yet-honest. Emily
Bargains galore in southern Denmark
Photograph: Ian Hubball/Alamy
Danish charity shops are fab. Last summer in Vejle, while meeting up with family, I found some amazing bargains in charity shops: Georg Jensen candlesticks for £5; an amber necklace for one-fifth the price of the new ones in Skagen (£8); and a silver-plated Easter egg for £1. The shops are so well laid out, showing off Danish design. Simple, functional and so well made. Gabrielle Wyn
Rummaging around in Prague
I really enjoyed Prague for its cheap, vintage secondhand shopping. I found an abundance of 1980s and 90s clothes, with lots of pop-up style shops to rummage around. I was there in June, and bought a fun shirt, and a pair of gorgeous hand-painted, Czech plates at Restart Shop. Bellitex Fashion, just south of Prague’s Old Town, also had a large, well-organised selection, and I was pleasantly surprised to find some other cool, vintage clothing shops in the same street. Perfect area to explore for an afternoon … and all at low prices. Tom
Trondheim is a vintage dream
Arven Vintage in the heart of Trondheim is a dream for anyone who loves clothes with a bit of history. The rails are packed with denim classics such as Levi’s, Lee and Wrangler, plus soft wool jumpers, blouses and beautifully made jackets. Everything’s from the 1990s or earlier, and the focus on natural fabrics like wool, linen and silk makes it feel special. I picked up a gorgeous Italian wool blazer there, and people always ask where it’s from. Arven has that rare mix of quality, character and charm that makes vintage shopping such a joy. The staff are lovely too – knowledgable and clearly passionate about what they do. A true gem for vintage lovers. Sabine
Winning tip: rural French oasis of thrift shops
Lectoure, between Toulouse and Bordeaux in south-west France, is a little oasis of vintage shops and a fantastic, large brocante (flea market). Set in an old hospital, Village de Brocante Antiquitiés is an atmospheric place, where the wards now spill out with furniture, household sculptures and objets d’art – plus things that will perplex and fascinate even the most picky of magpies. I came away with a stunning set of 1960s glasses that I kept safely wrapped in my handbag all the way home. Liz
