The Bleší Trh Prague Flea Market
If you fancy browsing a little Prague flea market then check the Saturday-only Naplavka street market page and moored just upriver is the “A-void” moored flea market boat but, if you fancy a weekend trip to Europe’s largest flea market then read on. The Bleší Trh (Bleší is a play on the Czech word “Blecha” which means flea so Bleší Trh means “the flea’s market”) covers 50,000 square metres and is located in an old railway siding.
When IS IT OPEN?
The Bleší Trh Prague Flea Market is open every Saturday and Sunday. For sellers it’s open from 4am. For buyers it’s open from 6am. Pedestrian entrance fee is CZK50 (under 13 free) and there’s a car park if you are driving. If you are a seller then there are different prices based on the pitch and you do not need a trading licence to sell. The whole area is shut by 4pm.
How to Get To This Prague Flea Market?
The location of the Prague flea market is Prague 9 which looks like a long way out but you’ll find that if you can get to the Hloubetin metro station there’ll be a FREE 2 minute bus transfer to the market (look for an orange bus with BLESI TRH). Click on this link, scroll down the page and click the picture of the bus to see the current bus timetable. IMPORTANT NOTE: the market shuts at 1-30pm but the last bus will have already departed back to the metro so aim to be back at the bus stop by 1pm to be sure (especially on Saturday afternoon). Miss the free bus and you’ll need to take tram number 25 back to the metro. So if you are coming by public transport then buy tickets for the return journey as the tram stop does not have a ticket machine.
What’s to See?
If you are into Bric’a’Brac and house clearances of the last 50 years then this is worth a morning trip to browse literally hundreds of stalls. It’s like a regular car boot sale with options for selling direct from a car, from a van/trailer or from different “shop” pitches. I can’t even begin to describe the range of content that will be on offer, just imagine that you took everything from your house/apartment and tried to sell it, then add any industrial or transport parts used in the same period or older and you’ll have an idea of what to expect.
Tips and Tricks
You do get the odd private seller trying to make a bit of cash especially in the main season but largely you will be dealing with market traders or people that own shops and do the markets to get extra business. Any real antique bargains will usually be gone by 7am and the next time to get a deal will be after 12 because they know most of the tourists will soon be gone for the bus. Some things are priced and others are not so haggling is expected but it has to be “fun” haggling or the trader will tell you where to go. And you must absolutely have the cash in hand as many a deal has been secured by having your banknote in plain site of the trader. Don’t haggle down to CZK200 and then ask him to change a CZK1000 note.
You can read more about the Prague flea market on the Bleší Trh website. It’s in Czech but Google translate does a pretty good job. Like I said earlier, just watch the time if you want to get the bus back. If you are looking for a shop in the centre of town for trinkets then try Bric a Brac.
Photo Credits: http://blesitrhy.cz