. These markets combine shopping for antiques, browsing for crafts or hunting for vintage treasures with picking up a coffee, shopping for groceries or grabbing lunch en route. There are some markets dedicated to a certain niche – think Columbia Road Flower Market, where each Sunday hundreds of locals descend in search of fresh blooms and fragrant bouquets, or the thrilling search for the best antiques at Sunbury Antiques Market. Most take place on a weekend, but there are some listed below that run all week, if you find yourself on a sunny Tuesday afternoon with time to kill. If you'd rather be tucking into street food than collecting antiques, then we recommend checking out our list of the best food markets in London.

The options are endless, but we've narrowed it down to three London markets: Portobello Road, Columbia Road Flower Market and Camden Market. Each market is special not only for its offerings, but also for its place in London's history. If you're searching for unique, vintage clothing, then Portobello Road is for you; it's also used as the filming location for none other than Notting Hill. Columbia Road Flower Market is synonymous with East London, with colourful blooms and fragrant lemon trees lining the streets of this quaint road. If you find yourself perusing the flowers, stop for a pint at The Royal Oak, famously used in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. And while Camden Market has transformed over the years, it remains on the map for its contribution to counter-culture, and if you're a music lover, visiting this market and part of London is a must.