The Best Flea Markets of Berlin

You can visit the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and Museum Island, but to find the heart of Berlin, you should stroll its flea markets. Mingling with Berliners, soaking up the atmosphere, and hunting for some vintage treasures at a Flohmarkt makes for a relaxed Sunday morning in Berlin.

Here’s where to find the best flea markets in Berlin. And remember, in this late-night Mecca you don't need to come early for the best treasures.

01 of 06

Flea Market Mauerpark

Mauerpark Flea Market in Berlin — GettyImages / Richard Baker

It's not a flea market, it’s a happening. Tens of thousands of locals (and now more tourists) descend every Sunday on this sprawling flea market at the edge of Mauerpark, not far from where the Berlin Wall once stood.

Berliners sell vintage clothes, books, toys, furniture, and household goods, right next to local designers who offer hand-printed T-Shirts with the Berlin TV Tower and jewelry. You'll find music, food stands, street artists - it’s chaotic, it’s crowded, it’s fun.

Topping this trendy event is Bearpit karaoke most summer Sundays. Who doesn't want to put themselves on display in front of thousands of strangers in a gladiator-like popularity contest?

If you need some quiet time after all that hustle and bustle, check out the Berlin Wall Memorial Site just down the street, with its superb Documentation Center (Bernauer Strasse).

When: Sunday, 10:00 – 17:00
Where: Bernauer Straße 63-64, 13355 Berlin

02 of 06

Flea Market Boxhagener Platz

Boxhagner flea market in Berlin — der_scholt https://www.flickr.com/photos/der_scholt/13357301613/in/photolist-9VdAf3-9Vdzk9-9VaKdg-9VaHFc-etATLu-etEN3u-mmkEpF-etEKtN-ettqSz-etvGnh-etwLWJ-etvMdq-etES3J-ettDYM-etvyUw-7QMvkC-bCZzAs-etB3YN-bRUjq2-etwSgY-etwYhS-bRTtUk-9VaJq6-etsg9T-9VaHov-ettuQg-ett8x8-etxKVV-etvvbU-ettxre-ett4Xi-4oU9Q-etsrRz-etAZiQ-etB6fQ-etBDYv

A ramshackle jewel of a flea market set around a small park in Friedrichshain affectionately nicknamed Boxi. You can find great treasures here, whether it’s a nostalgic tea set, a leather bag from the GDR, or a unique watch.

For an after-flea market treat, check out the surrounding streets, where you’ll find plenty of cute cafes and ethnic restaurants.

When: Sundays, 10:00 – 18:00
Where: Gärtnerstraße 25 10245, Berlin

03 of 06

Turkish Market

Several times a week this lovely section along the canal turns into a bustling goods and food market. Originally a gathering of the city's Turkish residents with staples like cheese, spreads, fast meals, and fabrics, it has proved so popular that the entire city now has it on their must-visit list.

Add vintage posters and one-of-a-kind jewelry to your aesthetic and fresh fruit and spices to your life. The center aisle can be quite crowded, but there is plenty of room to duck out and enjoy the musicians free-form jamming at the end.

In winter, there is also a special Christmas Flea market.

When: Food on Tuesdays & Fridays 11:00 – 18:30; Goods on First and third Sunday in the summer; 10:00 – 18:00
Where: Maybachufer, 10999 Berlin

04 of 06

Flea Market Strasse des 17. Juni

One of Berlin’s oldest flea markets, this is also one of the most popular markets and gets mentioned in most Berlin guide books – no wonder that prices here are higher than anywhere else. But the items are also some of the most beautiful.

The market along Strasse des 17. Juni specializes in antiques, art, and handicrafts. Visitors love the high-quality selection of furniture, paintings, jewelry, and porcelain, but you can also find books, vinyl, clothes, and shoes.

Plus, you can squeeze in some sightseeing. Berlin's Tiergarten, the city’s largest park, is just around the corner, and the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Columns are at the end of the street. Famished after shopping? Try Tiergarten Quelle for massive German dishes at a steal of a price.

When: Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 – 17:00
Where: Straße des 17. Juni, 10623 Berlin

Continue to 5 of 6 below.

05 of 06

Flea Market Arkonaplatz

Berlin Arkonaplatz Flohmarkt — Andreas Praefcke

Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s a treat to stroll through this neighborhood flea market. Set under trees on the cobble-stoned Arkonaplatz, this flea markets is a little more upscale and there is always something to buy. If you love vintage designer items from the 60s and 70s, you’ll be in bargain heaven.

Plus, there are plenty of charming cafes and breakfast places around the corner as well as a generous playground.

When: Sunday, 10:00 – 16:00
Where: Arkonaplatz 10435 Berlin

06 of 06

Hallenflohmarkt an der Arena

Treptow Flohmarkt — Andreas Lehner / CC BY 2.0 / Flickr

This indoor market takes place in a huge warehouse and at first sight, there seems to be a lot of junk. Mountains of remote controls, heaps of old tires, chandeliers covering every inch of ceiling. But if you have a little time and patience, you can score real treasures for absolute bargain prices. And if it rains on market day, this is your go-to.

For a nice stroll afterward, head down to the river Spree, and if you walk east, you can discover the extraordinary Soviet War Memorial, a monument with gigantic dimensions.

When: Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 – 18:00
Where: Eichenstrasse 4, 12435 Berlin