Travel Features

My Top Ten Flea Markets

For the ardent shopper, flea markets are true hunting grounds for great bargains. Not only can you find funky and affordable items, you may spot some rare finds as well. From books to pots to vintage clothing, it’s possible you can find them all at one place.

I couldn’t help but wonder, from the scores of flea markets out there, how do you choose? Well I did some digging and decide to put up a list- here’s my top ten list of flea markets from around the world.

10. Les Puces de Saint-Ouen
Location: Paris, France


“Market of the Fleas”, or the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris, is made up of 12 separate markets that merge to form a labyrinth of over 2000 boutiques selling anything from antiques to junk to vintage clothing. The flea market is also one of the largest antique markets in the world.

It sounds pretty daunting, and to conquer the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, I recommend starting your flea market escapade before crowds gather, as early as nine, and preferably after breakfast. You’ll need the energy. Each market specializes in one category and has its own personality. For those who with limited time to spare in Paris, the flea market is an ideal hunting ground for some pretty nifty yet affordable stuff. Find anything from vintage French postcards to intriguing antiques to brand new pots and pans.

While the official closing time for the stalls is around six in the evening, stalls wrap for up for the day only when the crowd starts dwindling. Sundays are usually the best day for bargain hunters but you gotta fight the crowds. And if you’re well versed in French, it makes bargaining all the easier. When you’re done, hop into one of the many cafes dotting the surrounding to rest your poor soles.

Tip: Avoid going on Mondays, especially if you are looking for antiques. Dealers are usually out buying then and hire people without antique knowlege to run their stalls.
9. New Caledonian Market
Location: London, England
Image source: Decorati Access

One of London’s main antique markets, the New Caledonian,  sprung up in the 1960s and attracts dealers and travelers all over the world with good bargains and great buys. It’s even been called the Mecca for serious antique collectors.

Also known as the Bermondsey Market, this Antique and Flea Market opens at 6am and it’s a common sight for bargain hunters to camp out at the market at 5am. Sometimes, the best deals are snapped up even before 9am. There are as many as 500 traders in this flea market, hawking diverse items. From ancient binoculars, to precious porcelain figures, to old magnifying glass, the New Caladonian has everything you need and want. The most common items found here are silverware, paintings, and furniture.

The place is packed all the time because it only opens one day per week, on Fridays, from 6am to possibly, around 3 or 4pm, but it’s normal for the market to close earlier because of extremely good business. To avoid disappointment, be there early!

Tip: The tube doesn’t run that early. If you want to stake out at the market as early as possible, take the bus. London Bridge, buses 47, 343 and 381 will take you Tower Bridge Road and you can walk to the market.
8. Monastiraki Flea Market
Location: Athens, Greece

The Monastiraki Flea Market, instead of spotting a bunch of makeshift stores, houses numerable small shops instead. Six days a week, these shops sell common touristy stuff, but come Sunday, the place undergoes a total transformation and turns into a bustling flea market where you can find antiques, quirky knick-knacks, jewelery, and much, much more.

It’s wise to visit before it hits 11am, where the place will be too crowded to shop comfortably. And with the diverse range of items sold here, you’d need to take quite bit of time to browse. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants erected in the area so that you can take short rests when the flea market becomes a tad overwhelming.

If you wish to find something unusual, then the Monastiraki Flea Market, nestled in the old part of Athens, is your best bet.

Tip: Avoid going there in the afternoons. Some guide books suggest that but the truth is, some stalls already start packing at around 1pm.
7. San Jose Flea Market
Location: San Jose California, USA


Founded in 1960, the San Jose Flea Market is one of the largest flea markets in the world. Located in San Jose, California, this open-air flea market is approximately eight miles along with over 2000 vendors, so you can be sure to come across some pretty interesting finds.

There are corridors displaying various arts and crafts, booths stocked up with comic books, stalls sprawled with jewellery and accessories, shoes, furniture, antiques and more. There are also many stalls hawking fresh produce and carts selling food and snacks. For entertainment, there are rides catered for the kids and Mariachi bands and singers handy to provide some live music.

Stall owners here are old hands at their craft, and are very reliable. You can be sure that they give the best prices.  The flea market is well structured and very organized, so you’ll not be meandering aimlessly.

Weekends are terribly crowded at the San Jose Flea Market, so be prepared for some jostling around.

Tip: Visit the flea market during weekends if you’re up for some entertainment. There are two stages on the flea market grounds, where one features a Mexican Mariachi band on a regular basis. There are plenty of  entertainment options for kids too, in the form of A vintage carousel, an arcade, three playgrounds, and carnival rides.
6. Panjiayuan Market
Location: Beijing, China
Source: The China Guide

The Panjiayuan Market, or the Pan Family Square, earns the title of being Beijing’s infamous “dirt” market, thanks to its initial location on a dirt field, and ranks amongst the best in China. This is where flea market enthusiasts gather to admire the latest village handicrafts, the handmade Tibetan artworks, old Mao Zedong memorabilia, or the newest batch of Jade.

In the early 1990s, Panjiayuan was a local market, catered only to locals, but today this active flea market exudes more of a festive atmosphere than a flea market with constant chattering, coupled with the eye-boggling variety of colourful items on display. You can find things you need, things you want, things you wish for and things you’ve never known to exist, in Panjiayuan. From accessories like beads, bangles, jade and jewellery to handicrafts, musical instruments and antiques, the place is just stuffed with goodies.

While almost all the items are being sold on makeshift stores, antiques are displayed in proper buildings, after a phase-by-phase remodeling done by the government through a period of time.

Open from seven in the morning to five in the evening, word is that towards the end of the day is where you find your best bargains.

Tip: Just be careful where you walk. The locals spit a lot; don’t get in their line of fire.
5. The All Night Flea Market
Location: Wheaton, Illinois, USA

There’s a place in Illinois where there’s a special flea market that only happens once a year- the third Sunday of August, where the flea market opens at night. Shoppers only have until the morning to plow through the crowd and make their purchases before The All Night Flea Market closes its business for the night and you’ll have to wait for another year before it opens again.

But it’s not just this rare occurrence that makes this Wheaton Night Market so special; it’s the ambiance and the items sold there as well. When the market springs into operation at 5pm, Tiki string lights are lit, illuminating the shimmering wares and rare collectibles on sale. There are vintage wares, exotic rattan furniture, Hawaiian hoop skirts, Tiki mugs, and countless items from yesteryears.

This all night flea market is an annual Wheaton tradition and always attracts a large crowd; therefore, early shoppers get the best deals. Once the market opens,it’s bustling with activity till dawn, and at 9am, all booths will close and it’s “see you next year!”

Tip: Get a flashlight. It might get too dark sometimes to check your finds properly. Tiki lights may be fun but won’t cut it when you’re hunting for good stuff.
4.127 Corridor
Location: Jamestown, Tennessee, USA

127 Corridor may be an unusual name for a flea Market, but fitting because there’s nothing usual about this Market, which is more of a Yard Sale. What began modestly in 1987 has grown to be known as the world’s largest yard sale. The 127 Corridor begins on a highway in Jamestown Tennessee, and stretches hundreds of miles through the state through to Kentucky, and then to Alabama, where it finally ends.

Every year, for three weeks or so, as many as over 2000 vendors will join this “tour”, with caravans carrying people and stocks for sale. There are collectibles, furniture, crafts, antiques, homemade products and lots more. Don’t be too surprised to see farm machinery on sale as well. Along the way, there are stalls selling food and people providing live entertainment, adding merriment to this interesting event.

The joy in visiting the 127 Corridor isn’t about finding that hidden gem or scoring a great bargain, but in experiencing the atmosphere of this unusual event and take in the raw, scenic beauty of rural America, which serves as the backdrop of this yard sale.

Tip: If you wish to drive, remember to drive with caution and be alert of the others around you, and drink plenty of water. August is a hot, hot month!
3. Ecseri Piac
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Source: http://visitbudapest.travel

In recent years, Central Europe has become a popular place for scouring treasures. You’d be able to find anything from medieval gems to exotic collectibles, and one hot location is the Ecseri Piac, in Budapest, Hungary.

Funky and non-commercial, the flea market greets you with rows of wooden tables, all filled with items ranging from toys, linens, old dishes, antiques and more, with good prices. You can even try bargaining here. Items spotted here include Eastern and Central European knick knacks, each unique in their art and design, evident in the various glass, crystal, porcelain, pottery and even dolls.

You can also find some exotic antiques at the Ecseri Piac as well, and for the serious buyers, you can hit upon some decent Herend and Zsolnay Hungarian porcelain here too.

The market is open from Mondays through Fridays from eight in the morning to four in the afternoon, and on Saturday, it opens as early as six, but closes at three. On Sundays, the market operates from eight to three.

Tip: The flea market is a tad far from the city. Renting a car might be a good idea, especially if you’re thinking of doing a lot of shopping.
2. Chatuchak Weekend Market
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is often described as a shopper’s paradise, where you can find all sorts of things at affordable prices. There are endless flea markets in the city, but the Chatuchak Weekend Market is the undeniable King of all flea markets here.

The sheer size of the market is enough to set you reeling, with an area of around 35 acres, housing more than 15 000 shops and stalls. It easily attracts over 200 000 visitors in just one day, with a diverse and attractive range of products. You can buy exquisite Thai silk, finely crafted Thai handicraft to table clothes, linen, furniture to sunglasses, household products and even pets.

Bargaining is almost a necessity here, because you’d be certain to score a great price if you negotiate with the stall holders, but do avoid getting hostile towards them. The market operates on Saturdays and Sundays. To get the best bargains, go early in the morning, when the market is not so crowded and wearing and carrying light is a must, because the weather is usually very hot and you’d be worn down by additional weight from shopping if you don’t travel light.

If there’s one place you have to visit while holidaying in Bangkok, it will have to be Chatuchak, even if you’re a non-shopper. The place is so appealing that it will suck you right in.

Tip: Wear very light clothing, and have plenty of water. It could get really hot and humid.
1. Rose Bowl Flea Market
Location: Pasadena, California, USA
Source: Rose Bowl General Information

Most flea markets are held at open spaces but what sets the Rose Bowl Flea Market apart from the rest is its location- at the UCLA Bruins football stadium, where vendors and buyers are filled to the stadium’s capacity.

Officially known as the “Rose Bowl Swap Meet”, the stadium is jam-packed every second Sunday of the month, with a sea of treasures ranging from small gift items to precious antiques to bulky surfboards. Although the official opening hour is at 9am, the flea market is known to unofficially open its doors to hardcore bargain hunters willing to get to the market at the crack of dawn. While the usual admission fee to the flea market is at USD5, these early birds will need to pay USD10-15 to enter early to get a head start on their bargain hunting.

The stadium can house as many as over 2000 vendors, and you can easily find what you want as the vendors are separated into categories. There’s the antique and collectibles section, where you can find funky vintage items like lunch boxes or movie posters, most of which you’re not able to find in shops. Then there’s the section selling new merchandise, where you can get diverse items like beauty products, office furniture and even animal feed.

The sight of the stadium swamped with people may be initially overwhelming, once you start your hunt, it’s easy to forget how massive the place is. And really, how often do you get to see a stadium being turn into a giant flea market? Just remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Tip: If you see something you like, grab it. Don’t count on coming back later to buy. You might never find your way back; the stadium is too big for you to even finish, let alone make a second round or backtrack.

 

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