The best art markets in London, from someone who stands in one every weekend

I'm biased, obviously. I'm at Jubilee Market Hall in Covent Garden every Saturday and Sunday, and I think it's the best place in London to buy art. But I also spend my weekdays wandering other markets, partly for research and mostly for snacks. Here's my honest list.

A quick note: markets change their days, times and traders, so always check each market's own website before you go.

1. Covent Garden: Jubilee Market Hall and the Apple Market

The most central art market in London. Jubilee Market Hall sits on the south side of the Piazza and is given over to arts and crafts at the weekend. The Apple Market in the main Market Building has makers and crafts too.

Best for: tourists, gift shopping, meeting artists, combining art with a show or dinner. Nearest Tube: Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Holborn.

You'll find me there with a wall of hand-painted slogans on antique book pages. I wrote a full guide to the Covent Garden art market.

2. Old Spitalfields Market

A big covered market in East London with fashion, food and independent makers. There's often art and design in the mix, plus plenty of vintage.

Best for: a long browse, prints and design pieces, lunch. Nearest stations: Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street.

3. Greenwich Market

A covered market in the middle of historic Greenwich, with arts and crafts, makers and food. Pair it with a walk in Greenwich Park and a view of the whole city.

Best for: a day out, handmade gifts, small art. Nearest stations: Cutty Sark (DLR), Greenwich.

4. Camden Market

Huge, loud and a bit chaotic, in the best way. Art, prints, vintage, street food and every kind of T-shirt you can imagine.

Best for: alternative art, posters, a lively day. Nearest Tube: Camden Town, Chalk Farm.

5. Portobello Road

Famous for antiques, especially on Saturdays, with vintage, prints and curiosities along the length of the road.

Best for: antique prints, old maps, collectables, people-watching in Notting Hill. Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove.

6. Bayswater Road art railings

On Sundays, artists hang their work along the railings of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens on Bayswater Road. It's been a London tradition for decades and it's lovely on a sunny morning.

Best for: paintings direct from the artist, a Sunday stroll. Nearest Tube: Queensway, Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch.

7. Broadway Market

A Saturday market in Hackney with food, makers and independent shops, near London Fields and the canal.

Best for: independent makers, a slow Saturday in East London. Nearest stations: London Fields, Cambridge Heath.

8. Columbia Road

Famous for the Sunday flower market, but the street is lined with independent shops and small galleries that open around it. Go for the flowers, stay for the shops.

Best for: independent shops, small galleries, prints. Nearest stations: Hoxton, Bethnal Green.

Don't forget the art fairs

Markets are the everyday option. London also has big art fairs through the year, including affordable art fairs where you can browse hundreds of artists in one go. They're ticketed and busier, and prices run higher than a market stall, but they're a brilliant way to see what you like before you buy.

How to buy art at a London market

1. Bring a bag, and a plan for big pieces. Many artists ship, so you don't have to carry a framed piece on the Tube.
2. Ask questions. Artists love talking about the work. That story is part of what you're buying.
3. Take a photo and think about it. If it's still on your mind after lunch, go back.
4. Check if they're online. Most artists have a website, so you can buy later. My whole stall is at luisalvarezarts.com.
5. Pay how you like. Most stalls take card these days, but carrying a little cash never hurts.

Which market should you visit first?

If you've only got one day and you want art, start in Covent Garden. It's central, it's easy to reach, it has two market halls full of makers, and you can walk to Soho, the theatres and the river afterwards. My Covent Garden shopping guide has the rest of the day planned for you.

London art market questions