We love this market - one of the largest in Europe - for the sheer eclecticism of products that turn up on its stalls. Vendors sprawl across 200 acres and, weaving through them, you'll find professional buyers on the prowl for fine antiques as well as hobbyists and here-for-a-good-time browsers rummaging through more, ahem, rustic items. It's held every other month in line with the nearby Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair (see below) - so if you're in the market for a treasure-hunting road trip, this is a great choice.

When: At the moment, sporadic. It's best to check their calendar here.

Entry: From £5

Perhaps the UK's most famous fair and flea market, Newark draws dealers from across the world. Under normal circumstances, more than 2,000 stalls squeeze into its 80-acre site, meaning that the atmosphere here is very crowded and very buzzy (think: Columbia Road on a Sunday, except with antiques rather than flowers). Vendors here really know their stuff - whether you're browsing old porcelain, industrial lighting or reclaimed windows, it's almost guaranteed to be of good quality.

When: Up to six times a year, Thursday and Friday

Entry: From £5

For more than 25 years, the Great Hall of this 1870s, Grade II-listed pile has hosted this fair specialising in antiques and collectables. Trappings from the 20th century make up most of the goods here, with an especially strong art-deco contingent, as well as vintage clothing and that nostalgic kind of kitchenware that makes home-cooked meals taste better.

When: Quarterly, Sunday

Entry: £6

Think of London's antiques markets and you think: Portobello Road, Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields. Yet there's something about the dulled roar of the A1 as you slip into this car-free street that makes it one of our favourite spots for retro hunting. Camden Passage (and the adjoining Pierrepont Arcade and Charlton Place) is lined with small businesses peddling collectables, including Chris Tapsell's Oriental antiques, Annie's vintage costumes and Caroline Carrier's delicate 20th-century porcelain. Head here on market day when extra street stalls peddle kitsch clothing, bric-a-brac and rare trinkets.

When: Weekly, Wednesday and Saturday

Entry: Free

Thanks to its proximity to the Channel, this market soaks up a good deal of influence that washes over from continental Europe. As well as ornamental antiques, coin collections and the like, you'll find the sort of quirky accent pieces and rustic, everyday objects that attract a younger, vintage-loving crowd. Better yet, the market's within easy reach of London: take the 45-minute train from London Victoria to Haywards Heath station - from here, a regular coach service runs to the showground.

When: Up to seven times a year, Tuesday and Wednesday

Entry: From £5

Set aside a full day for this mammoth fair; it's one of the largest in England, with 1,700 stallholders drawing upwards of 15,000 visitors every spring and autumn. Furniture and fine art fill the NatWest Building, but if you're after a memento that's easier to tote home, we recommend snooping through the pretty porcelain, retro jewellery, garden tools, books and all manner of knick-knacks in the main arena and marquee village. Wear comfy shoes; this show spreads across many acres.

When: Twice yearly: end of March, early October

Entry: From £5, early trade £15

There's a certain sense of place at the Great Wetherby Racecourse Antiques Fair; traders (mostly from the north east) tend to be more down to Earth than hellbent on driving a hard bargain, while agricultural regalia, railway memorabilia and kitsch-utilitarian homewares feature heavily on the stalls. York, Leeds and Harrogate are about an hour by car, making this a great pit stop on a northern mini-break.

When: Saturday and Sunday

Entry: From £4

You'll want to set your early-morning alarm for this antiques market at Kempton Park Racecourse; it winds up not long after midday and, in all likelihood, the best finds will have been snapped up a few hours prior. It's one of the UK's longest-running of its kind and perhaps the most diverse too, with worldly antiques, 20th-century paraphernalia and offerings from stallholders that hail from Europe, America and the Far East. Like this? Check out sister even Sandown Antiques Home & Interiors Fairs.

When: Twice monthly, every second and last Tuesday (except December)

Entry: Free