Explore the city,
September 28 2023
For vintage markets, London is a treasure trove if you like your home brimming with mid-century curios, a wardrobe filled with fashion spanning the decades or a jewellery box glistening with antique rings and costume necklaces. There’s no shortage of markets, stalls and fairs to find your new favourite. Vintage markets are the perfect antidote to high street shopping. So, get ready for a bit of bargain hunting, treasure seeking and price haggling with our guide to London’s best flea markets.
This is the capital’s biggest vintage clothing market. Brick Lane Vintage Market in London’s trendy Spitalfields is inside the Truman Brewery. Its 40 specialist vintage clothing traders sell clothes from decades past, think 1980’s shell suits and 1920’s flapper dresses. Find glamorous winter coats, vintage denim, unique bridal wear and your new favourite going-out top.
Stallholders each have their own unique style, with some recycling and upcycling goods and others selling original items. There’s also old vinyl to flick through too. It’s on-trend, there are thrifty bargains and it’s a fun place to wander around.
Brick Lane Vintage Market is open from 11am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday. 11am to 6pm on Saturdays, and 10am to 6pm on Sundays. Head to the Truman Brewery, 85 Brick Lane.
This Notting Hill favourite is probably the most famous vintage market in London. The vibrant stalls and chatty vendors attract locals and visitors from across the globe. It’s an outdoor emporium of antique treasures stretching a mile down Portobello Road and around the corner into Golborne Road on Fridays and Saturdays. Wander along the market stalls of antique collectibles, freshly baked bread and pastries, centuries-old books and lots of cool vinyl.
To the sounds of talented buskers, check out delicious street food stalls and meet traders who have been selling on this road for generations – market traders have been selling here for over 150 years.
Portobello Road Market is open Monday to Saturdays from 8am to 7pm in the summer, with traders operating from 8:30am to 6pm. Trading hours are shorter in winter. Fridays and Saturdays are busiest when the full street market is open. The market closes on Sundays.
On the edge of Marylebone, this is London’s largest indoor antiques and vintage market. The market began in the 1970s, bringing new life and a bohemian twist to a former haberdashery department store when it closed. Today, Alfie’s Antique Market is a favourite for interior trendsetters on the hunt for unique homeware and antique furniture in London.
Its myriad stalls display true antique collectibles, shared by knowledgeable dealers. There’s also plenty of gorgeous mid-century furniture for sale here. And you can take a break from treasure hunting and browsing to soak up the antique market’s atmosphere at the rooftop café.
Alfie’s Antique Market is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. A five-minute stroll from Marylebone tube station, it’s at NW8 8DT.
In Cutty Sark Gardens every weekend, Greenwich Market is a delightful 19th-century covered vintage market. Spend an afternoon wandering the arts and crafts stalls showcasing unique designs and gifts, from Thai silk scarfs to jewellery personalised as you wait. There’s a good line in gifts for kids and teens too.
There’s also an abundance of independent shops, cafés and delicious food stalls surrounding the market. Plus, you’re close to the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Pier and the Royal Observatory. Keep an eye out for one-off events and late-night openings.
Greenwich Market is open 7 days a week, from 10am to 5:30pm. The vintage market specialises in designer-made arts and crafts Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends. London’s finest antiques and collectibles fill the stalls on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This fashion fair was the brainchild of Matthew Adams, who has over 40 years’ experience running some of London’s best flea markets and vintage fairs. He studied theatre and costume design at the Central School of Art & Design, and his creative flair and love of collectible clothing has made this a vintage clothing a real treat. Hunt around for beautiful costume jewellery, rare Biba dresses and Chanel accessories alongside vintage French textiles. With many traders from the costumery world, this clothing vintage market has a distinctly theatrical vibe.
Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair is on Sundays from 11am to 5:30pm at either Chelsea Old Town Hall on the King’s Road or at Kensington Town Hall. It’s wise to book tickets online to secure entry, but the market does have some walk-in tickets.
This is a traditional antiques market where modern-day treasure seekers find unique silver, gold, china and glassware. There are 300 indoor and outdoor stalls, with traders selling genuine antiques rather than retro versions. And among the antiquities are delicious food stalls, cafés and bars.
Stallholders start packing up by early afternoon, so it’s worth arriving early for the best deals. If you’re hunting for something truly unusual, a dawn visit could land you a real bargain.
Bermondsey Antique Market runs every Friday from 6am to 2pm in Bermondsey Square, close to the Shard.
Expect retro treats, bric-à-brac bargains and vintage clothing galore! In Camden Passage Market, Pierpoint Arcade Market and Charlton Place Market, this cobbled car-free street off the main Angel High Street in Islington is bustling with people rifling through vintage clothes stalls, antique bargains and independent shops. There are also cool cafés, bars and restaurants.
Not to be confused with Camden Market, Camden Passage is popular for locals looking for an eclectic mix of fashionable antiques and flea market bargains – and excellent contemporary jewellery and accessories. There are also delicious handmade chocolates to take home with you. It’s a delightful spot for a browse and a coffee as you sit and watch the world go by.
Camden Passage hosts vintage market days on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm. There are occasionally stalls here on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays too.
This historic indoor Covent Garden market has a little of everything. Serious antique collectors and traders can arrive at the Monday antiques market from 5am. But more casual antiques shoppers arrive around 9am.
From Tuesday to Friday, Jubilee Market is a general market with anything from old stamps to new souvenirs. On weekends, it becomes an arts and crafts market where you could pick up collectible dolls, oil paintings, comic book prints – even fashion clothing for pets! Whatever day of the week, it’s worth popping in to pick up an unusual souvenir to take home.
Jubilee Market’s antiques fair is open Mondays from 5am to 5pm. The general market is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 10.30am to 7pm and the arts and crafts market is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 6pm. It is next to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.
Spend an afternoon browsing this quirky weekend vintage and makers market. This is the best flea market for ethically sourced, handmade gifts. Stalls are filled with statement necklaces, ceramics, art prints, vintage medicine bottles and a colourful collection of hats and kimonos. There’s also fresh produce, street food stalls and a bar on site. It’s a lovely dog-friendly garden space, making it a great place to spend a weekend afternoon.
Vinegar Yard Flea Market is open 11am to 5pm every weekend. Head to the Vinegar Yard Garden opposite London Bridge Station.
An abundance of creative new artists, lifelong traders, small producers and exceptional cooks create the warren of stalls in this covered daily market. Under a Victorian market hall, traders have sold wares on this site since the 17th century. Today, the stallholders and boutique shops give you a little of everything, from expensive one-offs to budget bargains.
In the centre of the market hall, 10 kitchens showcase talented chefs preparing authentic dishes from around the world. In each corner of the market is an anchor stall, with market essentials such as fresh produce, coffee and juices.
Old Spitalfields Market is open 7 days a week from 8am on Thursdays and from 10am the rest of the week. On Wednesdays, the Urban Makers Collective displays handmade designs. Every Thursday is the antique and vintage market, where you can pick up rare vinyl, every first and second Friday of the month.
With a choice of Thistle Hotels in central London just a short walk or tube trip away from London’s best vintage markets, we can ensure you get the most out of your treasure hunting. You can also find fantastic street food markets in London too, for when you’re feeling peckish.
