London: 'Quirky' Markets of Commercial Metropolis

Portobello Road Market, located in west London's Notting Hill and provided the setting for the 1999 movie Notting Hill, is one of London’s oldest and best-known street markets, with a history that could be traced back to the 19th century. Renowned for its antique and bric-a-brac stalls and shops, the market offers a variety of selections including London fruit and vegetable, street food, jewelry, artworks, vintage and new clothes, household goods, books, and music. On Friday and Saturday, when the market is in full swing on main trading days, more than 1,500 stalls are available for choice from 9 am to 7 pm.

(Source: quanjing.com)

Columbia Road Flower Market, located in East London, consists of sixty or so stalls and shops, covering freshly cut flowers, dried flowers, succulents, house plants, herbs and many more plants at affordable prices with variations in species throughout the seasons. Besides, there are also small art galleries, vintage clothes stores, artifacts shops, cupcake shops, foods and delis, and antique shops available, along with pubs, cafes and restaurants. Currently, the Columbia Road Flower Market opens every Sunday from 8 am to 3 pm. Many of the cupcakeries have worked on the market all their lives and are now selling there for the second or third generation of their families.

(Source: quanjing.com)

For those who are interested in punk culture, Camden market is the best choice to feel the wildness of London. Camden and its market are famous for the fundamental role that Camden played in London's punk culture. A great number of the UK’s most iconic rock stars and rock bands started out in Camden, such as the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, the Stranglers. Camden Market is a perfect place for bands to sell their T-shirts, and for punk-loving vendors to sell fashionable creations and clothing to other hardcore punk fans.

(Source: quanjing.com)

Currently, Camden market has more than 1,000 stalls offering shopping, eating, drinking and dancing. It opens seven days a week from 10 am to 6 pm, including all bank holidays.