Sydney has several markets that are only open on Fridays or the weekends. They have different things available depending on the market and the area. Some are more like flea markets selling mainly used clothing or other secondhand goods, some are more artist-focused with original artwork for sale, some are touristy with mostly souvenirs available, and others are primarily food markets. You can be sure that a market is happening somewhere every weekend, so it’s nice to know you can just show up at one without much of a plan at all.
Take clothing, for example. When I first got to Australia, I wandered around the shopping malls and clothing stores in town, but I didn’t really find any designs that I liked—nor did anything seem like a great deal. I ended up buying some things I wasn’t sure about, but the cheap things were of low quality, and the things I liked were expensive. I eventually realized that I wasn’t getting much for all the time I put in.
Around that time, I went to a market that had a lot of used clothing for sale, and figured I might find some treasures there. I didn’t come to Australia with much in the way of clothing. Two T-shirts, a pair of jeans, and a pair of shoes—nothing I could wear out or wear when the seasons changed. I had to bring a lot of calligraphy tools with me for work when I came here, so there wasn’t much room left for clothes.
My favorite market is the Glebe Market, which has a lot of used clothing, jewelry from local artists, food, and music. It’s held every Saturday on a huge lawn, in beautiful green surroundings. There are fancy restaurants and cafés nearby too, so you can drop in after you’ve finished shopping. I’ve bought summer, spring, and winter clothing there, shoes, bags… They have one-of-a-kind artistic pieces too—not just used clothing. I once bought a jacket that had a design I really liked. I have to be careful because I’ll see something that’s a dollar and get excited (prices are so high in Australia), and buy something I don’t need just because it’s cheap. I’ll end up not using it and giving it to a friend, or just causing problems for myself because I have to throw it out when I move house and can’t take much with me. If I ever settle down, my house will probably get filled with adorable decorative objects.
If you’re looking for souvenirs or something fancier, visit The Rocks Market. It’s in a high-end part of town and it’s exciting to walk around and look at all the luxury shops there.
There are also popular night markets, like the one they have in Chinatown every Friday. It’s mostly food with lots of Asian food stalls. Eating is definitely the main draw, and it’s always packed. I ended up buying some takoyaki when I was there, and it was delicious!
The local markets are also a great place to chat with the local people, so I definitely recommend them if you’re visiting Syndey!
