The most-loved shops in London

  What is it?  One of London’s best-known and prettiest markets, Columbia Road Flower Market is a bustling botanical paradise in London’s East End.  It takes place each Sunday, when market traders line the narrow Victorian street selling flowers, houseplants, herbs, bulbs and shrubs.  A hugely popular destination for weekend jaunts, it draws large crowds of tourists and locals alike. But it’s not just the market itself that draws crowds; the quaint little street is home to over 60 independent businesses, many of which follow the market’s opening hours. Why go? To soak up the atmosphere at one of the city’s longest-running markets, dating all the way back to 1869. And to pick up some colourful buds to brighten up your living room.  Don’t miss: When you’ve bought your blooms, head behind the stalls and down side streets for a good browse around the surrounding indie shops, which range from cafés, restaurants and delis to homeware shops, antique dealers, vintage stalls and small galleries. Pop into Jones Dairy Cafe for organic and local produce or go crate-digging at Idle Moments before heading to cosy boozer The Nelson’s for a locally-brewed pint.  When to visit:  The market opens at 8am and officially closes at 3pm, though it tends to start winding down an hour or so before that. During the midday rush you may well find yourself being jostled by the waves of visitors shuffling down the narrow street. If you can’t bear crowds or just want to guarantee the pick of the crop,...

What is it? This beautiful Edwardian building, that is now home to Daunt Books has always had a literary history. Before James Daunt took over the premise in 1990, it was home to antiquarian booksellers, Francis Edwards - which claims to be the first custom-built bookshop in the world. Edwards' legacy can still be felt inside today and Daunt Books still keeps many of its original, gorgeous features. What does it sell? Though not strictly a travel bookshop, this beautiful store will always be seen first and foremost as a travel specialist thanks to its elegant three-level back room complete with oak balconies, viridian-green walls, conservatory ceiling and stained-glass window – home to row upon row of guide books, maps, language reference, history, politics, travelogue and related fiction organised by country. France, Britain, Italy and the United States are particularly well represented; go downstairs to find more far-flung destinations. Travel aside, Daunt is also a first-rate stop for literary fiction, biography, gardening and much more. Opening times: Monday-Saturday 9am-7.30pm; Sunday 11am-6pm Time Out tip: James Daunt’s commitment to providing proper careers for his workers ensures an informed and keen team of staff - so we recommend asking them questions! They'll be sure to find the right book for your next read. Branches: Cheapside, Chelsea, Hampstead, Holland Park. As featured in the 100 best shops in London

What is it? London's largest antiques market occupies a prime, colourful stretch of Notting Hill, an area that manages to feel diverse and surprising despite heavy gentrification (how Hugh Grant in that movie could afford a one-person flatshare while working in a bookshop is well beyond us) in the ’90s. Portobello Road Market is really five markets in one, with different sections dedicated to secondhand goods; clothing and fashion; household essentials; fruit, veg and other food; and the main event: antiques. Why go? To sift through thousands of one-off treasures and haggle for bargains on pieces that you’ll get compliments on for the rest of time.  Don’t miss  Under the Westway and along the walkway to Ladbroke Grove, second-hand clothes sit next to the wares of up-and-coming fashion designers. Fridays are a little less hectic here, and you’ll be able to explore fashion-focused Portobello Green Market, which comprises more than 800 stalls. When to visit Portobello Road is worth exploring any day of the week, but Friday and Saturday are by far the busiest.  The market itself is open Monday-Wednesday 9am-6pm; Thursday 9am-1pm; Friday-Sat 9am-7pm and closed on Sundays. The antiques stalls are open Friday and Saturday 9am-7pm.  Ticket info No tickets needed. Just turn up and enjoy!  Time Out tip For a sweet mid-shopping treat, walk a little further down the street to Golbourne Road, where the crowd thins out substantially. There you’ll find the no fuss, no frills Lisboa...

Situated on the mezzanine level of the five-star Corinthia Hotel, just off Trafalgar Square, is the ESPA Life day spa. A shiny, monochrome labyrinth of treatment rooms, steam rooms, saunas and thermal pools, the spa is thoroughly lavish, modern, low-lit and windowless. It's the ideal place to shut the door on reality – there's absolutely no chance of spotting the 388 shuttling down Victoria Embankment or tuning into the sound of protesters underneath Nelson's Column. Through the elegant reception, which opens on to small but stylish cream-washed restaurant, filled with white leather furniture and warmed by a roaring fireplace you'd only see in the lair of James Bond villain, visitors weave their way through corridors of pearly cream and slate paneling to find the luxurious changing rooms (the term 'changing rooms' seems an insult) and a room of 'Sleeping Pods'. Downstairs, the spa's main area, the Thermal Suite, is a black-marbled oasis which houses a large steam room, swimming pool, jet pool, ice fountain, heated loungers and, most stunning of all, a glass-walled sauna amphitheatre as its centre piece. If you can tear yourself away from the Thermal Suite for longer than just a toilet break, one floor up ESPA relaxation treatments on offer include personalised massages (£160), body wrap packages (£220) and facials (£170). If it's more than indulgent respite from your emails that you're after, specialist skills from the crème de la crème of naturopaths, traditional Chinese...

Now far more than just a string of stalls selling bric-à-brac and fruit and veg, Brick Lane Market, in the heart of Shoreditch, has grown and mutated over the years to incorporate five different markets known as The Truman Markets. Operating at its fullest on Sundays, Brick Lane and its surrounding streets come alive, teeming with sellers shifting their wares. Outside the bagel bars, curry houses and vintage shops, people without proper stalls set up shop on carpets and tables, selling old electrical equipment, toys, records, broken musical instruments, furniture and everything else under the sun. Down one side street you’ll come across Backyard Market, a covered, warehouse-sized space with stalls focused on arts and crafts. Pop in for clothes, cards and wrapping paper, one-of-a-kind jewellery and tote bags, all from up-and-coming designers and creatives. The Sunday Upmarket is a food hall brimming with street food vendors selling a global smorgasbord of cuisine. There are also more than 200 market stalls here selling vintage clothing, fashion by new and established designers, jewellery and homewares. The Vintage Market does what it says on the tin, with stalls selling clothing, accessories and retro memorabilia from the 1920s to the 1990s. If you’re into chintz,, The Tea Rooms host charming stalls selling things like typewriters, taxidermy and vintage maps. If you need to fuel up, there’s the Boiler House Food Hall, which has around 30 stalls selling culinary delights...

Broadway Market continues to thrive following its clever makeover nearly 15 years ago. This compact Hackney street, which neatly connects London Fields to the Regent’s Canal, has had a traditional fruit and veg market since the 1890s. But it went into steep decline in the ‘80s, and trade had all but petered out before the community relaunched it in 2004. Now taking place on Saturdays from 9am-5pm (with a pared back edition on Sundays from 10am-5pm) Broadway Market is a bustling hub for the Hackney hipsters and East End creatives who have settled down and started families. It now welcomes around 135 stalls selling a fabulous array of fresh produce, vintage clothes, flowers, coffee, books and groceries. There’s also plenty of delectable street food, including Deeney’s toasted sandwiches, Crosstown’s vegan doughnits, Fin and Flounder’s crab-cake burgers, Floris Bakery’s chocolate eclairs and fried chicken from Lord of the Wings. Although there are no stalls during the week, Broadway Market is still worth visiting for its cute coffee shops, one-off restaurants and chic boutiques. Gentrification has more than crept in, but it still feels like a local high street complete with a kebab shop, post office, Costcutter, old-school barber shop and excellent hardware store. Even outside market day, you’ll find it buzzing with people pottering about, nattering over coffee and doing their weekly shop. Top Tip: Broadway Market can get very busy, especially when the weather’s good, so it’s...

More than two decades since its original branch of Beyond Retro opened in a former dairy factory on Brick Lane, London’s favourite vintage brand is the largest retailer of vintage clothing in the country. Opened in 2011, this superstore at the top of Kingsland High Street houses a vast but fastidiously curated stock of around 12,000 items of pre-loved clothing encompassing the widest possible range of styles ranging, from dazzling sequined party dresses and mid-century tailoring to vintage military jackets and retro sportswear.  You could easily spend hours rummaging through the racks to discover its hidden gems.  Beyond Retro is in our list of the 100 best shops in London.

If you’re into crystals, tarot and astrology (and who isn’t these days?), you need to pay a visit to She’s Lost Control on Broadway Market. Aesthetically pleasing sets of tarot cards sit next to books about waking your inner witch, as well as stylish jewellery, natural skincare and gifty bits and bobs for the horoscope obsessive in your life. But if you’re considering a visit, plan ahead and book in to have your aura photographed. At the back of the shop, you and your aura get snapped and then you’re guided through what the different colours could mean. Once you’re happy with the interpretation, you get a nice printed out polaroid of yourself surrounded by a cloud of colour, which is a pretty cool souvenir even for non-believers.

What is it? Located in increasingly lively Bermondsey, Maltby Street Market is a bit like a calmer, more curated version of Borough Market. It’s only been going since 2010, doesn’t open during the week and the tourists haven’t quite cottoned on yet.  Nestled in and around the atmospheric Victorian rail arches of the Ropewalk you’ll find around 30 artisan food and drink traders. The stalls are always being switched up, but in the past there’s been everything from vegan bakes and bahn mi to empanadas, gyozas and oysters. And in the unlikely event that your stomach’s still not fully satisfied, just saunter half a mile down the road to Spa Terminus, where around 25 food producers sell top-notch cheese, spices wine, ice cream, honey and coffee every Friday and Saturday.  Why go? Head to Maltby Street Market when your eyes are bigger than your belly and you want a less cramped but equally vibrant alternative to Borough Market.  Don’t miss For a pit stop and some hydration, look out for Malt Bar, a craft beer bar at the heart of the market.  When to visit   Maltby Market comes alive every weekend. It’s open Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 11am-4pm.  Ticket info No ticket needed!  Time Out tip If there’s one thing to know about Maltby Street Market, it’s that the earlier you go, the better. Also, if you’re going there for one particular vendor, keep in mind that not all of them are around on Sundays.  RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

What is it? Housed in a huge Egyptian-style art-deco building that used to be Jordan’s department store, Alfies Antiques Market, which was founded more than 40 years ago by Bennie Gray of Gray’s Antiques Market in Mayfair, has been one of London’s premier destinations for collectors, dealers, celebs and bargain hunters on a mission to uncover unique and genuine antiques and vintage items. Across 35,000 sq ft and four floors, this Marylebone establishment is home to around 100 dealers selling antique furniture, retro clothing,  jewellery, memorabilia, homeware and decorations. Dodo Posters, run by Liz Farrow since the 1960s, sells vintage advertising and movie posters, while Diplomat Treasures International offers a mix of twentieth-century furniture, African carvings, Chinese vases and modern art. Everything feels carefully curated, and this is reflected in the prices, but if you’re serious about picking up a one-of-a-kind item, this huge antiques arcade is hard to beat. Why go? As London's largest indoor market, there is plenty to see and do. Have a mooch around the stalls for antique gems and treasures. Want to get your suit tailored? Here's the place. Need some jewellery repaired? There's somewhere to do that too. Need a picture framed? There's a stall at Alfies Antiques Market for you. Don't miss: Alfies Antiques Market also has a rooftop kitchen and café – a hidden oasis that basks in sunlight for most of the day. Pop up for brunch, a burger, afternoon tea or a...