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London’s Hidden MarketsOxford Street may be the main shopping street in central London, but it can get too much with its crowds of tourists and multiple chain stores. For that gentler and more eclectic shopping trip, the many and varied markets across London are awash with everything a discerning shopper could ever want, and are a great place to experience the real Londoners’ London. Columbia Road Flower Market Arguably the prettiest of all London’s Markets, nestled between trendy Shoreditch and the more down-to-earth Hackney, Columbia Road Flower Market is a true East End gem. Think market holders flogging the wares of the Chelsea flower show – an experience not to be missed. This bustling market is open every Sunday from 8am until 2pm, selling everything from cut flowers and flowering plants to shrubs, trees and herbs. If it’s best produce you want, come early for the pick of the bunch, or if you are looking for a bargain the stall holders tend to drop their prices towards the end of trading so hold off parting with your cash until then. The boutiques along Columbia Road itself are a great compliment to the flower stalls, selling an assortment of items from trinkets and jewellery to pottery and furniture. There are also plenty of chic cafés along the street, but don’t miss the bagels sold out of the rickety snack bar, or the fresh oysters from the hole in the wall. Broadway Market Another East End treasure is the Saturday farmer’s style market held on Hackney’s Broadway Market from 9am until 5pm. The market, sitting between Regents Canal and London Fields, is having something of a revival, and sells a variety of quality products including organic meat, sea food and fresh fish, organic fruit and vegetables, handmade cheeses, olives, and organic bread and cakes. Alongside the food produce, there are stalls selling vintage clothing, handmade bags, jewellery and health products amongst other items. There are, of course, also an abundance of snack stalls – the hog roast is particularly popular – and organic coffee on offer to keep you going as you browse the market. But don’t limit your self to the market stalls, the shops lining Broadway Market offer much choice and variety too – there are galleries, a plant shop, an independent bookshop and a ceramics shop, to mention a few, alongside many restaurants, cafes and pubs. If you want to see the trendy and sophisticated side of the East End, this is the place to go. Borough Market This well-known and long-standing Market is said to be London’s oldest food market having been located at its current site for 250 years. During the week, Borough Market is open for wholesale trading, but come Thursdays (11am - 5pm), Fridays (12pm - 6pm) and Saturdays (9am - 4pm) the Market is the place to go for fine foods. It has a great atmosphere, and is full of Londoners and tourists alike, buying some of the best produce available in London. From fruit and vegetables to cheese, cakes, bread and meat, the mix of the colours and smells of the food, and the sounds of the Market are delightful. And the traders are more than happy to give you tips on how to cook their produce if you’re not sure or want to try something new. Cheap hotels in London can be found online through Last Minute.com, who at the time of writing offered the Ibis London Wembley at £52 for one night. You can gage the kind of area you may want to reside in by looking at the website Street Sensation, who pools all the worthwhile markets of London together too, so you can see how and where they relate to each other. 
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