Spring has sprung here in Bavaria, the weather is warming, the sun is shining, and the Trödel Markts (flea markets) are at their prime. Every Sunday afternoon that we can find a market nearby my husband and I spend it shopping for goodies. Don’t get me wrong, in the winter we bundle up and shop anyway but Spring means more vendors and better shopping.
Chuck and I are on our shopping trip this weekend.
I have people ask me all the time what these markets are like so I thought I would share some details. This weekend we went to a market in Spalt which happens only once a year. This market took up several fields and continued down the streets of the Altstadt (old town.) Now I will admit this is quite a large market with a mix of antiques, junk, and vendors selling new items. Many of the markets happen regularly once a month at the same location and will generally have many of the same vendors of goods. Others happen sporadically and are more like a group garage sale. They range in size from entire town like the one this weekend to a small grocery store parking lot with 20-30 vendors. After a year of regular Trödel-ing we have definitely found our favorites.
My personal favorites are the ones that bring in more antiques and fewer garage sale “junk” type vendors. These will sometimes be advertised as antique markets. I admit these markets tend to be a little more expensive but the quality of the goods is much higher. You can find some great stuff at smaller “junk” markets too, but you have to do a bit more digging but you may also get a much better price.
They often have vendors selling plants and farmers market-type items at the larger markets and they always have at least one food booth selling coffee, baked goods, crepes or grilled sausage.
Have a look at some of the vendor’s ware.
When we first started shopping the Trodel Markts we would buy all kinds of stuff mostly because we found so many amazing things that we would never have found or would have been crazy expensive in the U.S. We were also still getting our house in order and still had some spaces to fill. This week we didn’t buy much just a little lithograph to add to my collection and a beautiful antique mirror for my entry hall, but we still had a great time.
Have a look at the “must-have” items. I actually bought this tiara a few months ago, I couldn’t help myself, you never know when a girl is gonna need a tiara. For Chuck, the “must-haves” go in the opposite direction. I am constantly having to steer him away from German taxidermy. This is a marder I saw a few weeks back but what he really has his eye on is a stuffed fox that we have seen circulating the markets. Lord help us!
If you live in Germany you can go to Marktcom to find a market near you!
