FOR the bargain connoisseur, the true art of shopping is to be honed and tested in London's myriad markets. Here are some of the best.

PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET

Yes, it's famous. Yes, it's absolutely massive. Yes, it's full of tourists. Go anyway.

If you have time for only one market, make it Notting Hill's Portobello Road antiques and flea market. Where else can you get blissfully lost among 2,000-odd stalls offering everything from vintage jewellery to trendy street fashion to classic records?

PLAYING DRESS UP: Sorry girls, this white floral skirt is taken up by a three-legged pooch (top) but there are plenty of other party frocks for sale at Petticoat Lane market (above).

While there are some shops open from Mondays to Fridays, the buzz and scale truly swirl to a heady brew on Saturdays (the only day for antiques).

Get some fuel into your tummy by eating your way through the food stalls. You will need that elbow strength as crowds swell by noon.

Portobello deserves its reputation as the place to find antiques, and the best news is you don't have to sell your firstborn to get something good. There is such a wide range that both hardcore collectors and those who simply regret chucking out their pulse-dialling Bakelite and want to find a replacement phone will be satiated.

How to get there: Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove Tube
For more information: www.portobelloroad.co.uk

CAMDEN MARKET

For sheer scale, only Camden Market comes close to rivalling Portobello. Strictly speaking though, Camden is made up of several markets - that is, Camden Lock, Stables, Buck Street and Inverness Street.

The market, opened in the 1970s, is today a sprawling labyrinth of stalls, workshops, studios and cafes that attracts 500,000 visitors each week. The main buys here are clothes, crafts, handmade jewellery and antiques. So, for sheer variety and cheap stuff (which, when you get to the core of it, is the real attraction of markets), Camden is the runner-up.

Even a recent fire at Camden Lock, which saw 30m-high flames that required some 100 firefighters to put out, has not deterred visitors from this worldfamous market.

If you've been to Chatuchak in Bangkok, bits of Camden might come across as similar. The same cheap T-shirts (instead of Bangkok, you get English graffiti artist Banksy), the same fakes... If so, turn your attention to the crowd, especially the weird and wonderful goths. For me, this human kaleidoscope is the real attraction. London's cultural melting pot smells its best here.

How to get there: Camden Town or Chalk Farm Tube
For more information: www.camdenlock.net

BOROUGH MARKET

If you are a foodie, then you will love Borough Market. It is one big mouth-watering treat that will leave you hungry for more. Carry wads of cash, a sturdy shopping bag and a healthy appetite.

This is London's oldest food market and it enjoys a distinguished history as a wholesale fruit and vegetable market. It's not cheap by any means but, boy, is it heaps of fun.

Fridays and Saturdays are the best days for a global food scan, including French cheeses, English pork pies, Italian sausages and Belgian beer. Don't miss the coconut drops and hog roast sandwiches as you chomp your way through.

The fresh produce is equally irresistible - Naked Chef Jamie Oliver gets some of his ingredients here - and game and meat rank among the best in the country. Pheasant? Guinea fowl? Rabbit? Coming right up.

If you're not absolutely stuffed by the end, be sure to plant yourself at the atmospheric Tapas Brindisa, where you will need willpower to resist every item on the menu. The restaurant's ham croquettes and Leon beef slices are stand-outs, and the garlic prawns are so good I pop anti-histamines so I can enjoy several plates at one go. Life's too short for a seafood allergy to stand in the way.

If God ran a gourmand's paradise, I'd bet it would look something like Borough.

How to get there: London Bridge or Borough Tube
For more information: www.boroughmarket. org.uk

GREENWICH MARKET

A delightful market with a wonderful collection of handcrafted goods, clothing and food stalls. It also has an antiques market - while not on the scale of Portobello, it makes for easy browsing and the prices are often easier on the pocket.

Some 700 small businesses trade here on a rotation basis, so no single visit to Greenwich Market is the same: It hovers around 120 to 150 arts and crafts stalls and 15 to 25 food stalls on a typical weekend.

TAKE YOUR PICK: At Greenwich Market (above), foodies will find a spread of Turkish sweets, Italian delicacies, Portugese pastries, local meats, organic vegetables and flavoured olive oil.

The mood is decidedly relaxed - meander through, and be sure to try the Turkish sweets and organic vegetable spread. There's also a store selling flavoured coffee.

A visit to Greenwich is not just about the market. You can spend an entire day just exploring the streets of this historic town, full of specialist shops selling everything from second-hand books to maritime souvenirs to homeware.

Grab some grub from the market and hang out in Greenwich Park, possibly London's most dog-friendly park. Within walking distance are the Royal Observatory, the Queen's House and the National Maritime Museum. These are all world-class attractions and, best of all, admission is free.

How to get there: Cutty Sark DLR
For more information: www.greenwichmarket.net

PETTICOAT LANE

The ultimate pasar malam. As the name suggests, the Sunday market sells mainly clothes, including street and clubwear, designer overruns and past season's fashion gems. Haggling and bargaining is highly encouraged here and leather wear is the top draw. Definitely not the street for Peta and animal rights campaigners to be caught on.

On a less touristy note, there's a huge spread of bric-a-brac and household goods that attracts budgetconscious Londoners.

By the way, Petticoat Lane doesn't actually exist any more - the market is around Middlesex Street. In 1846, the Victorians decided the reference to undergarments was unacceptable and changed the name to Middlesex Street (I can think of far ruder street names in London but that's another story altogether).

If you think your dollar should be spent on more upmarket stuff, hop on over to Brushfield Street to the Spitalfields Market. Chi-chi cafes and overpriced spa outlets dot the area, alongside smaller stalls offering cool fashionwear, retro furniture and designer organic food.

How to get there: Aldgate or Aldgate East Tube
For more information: www.petticoatlanerentals. co.uk

BRICK LANE MARKET

This is London's East End at its best, so chilli-hot that it has been made into a movie. The area teems with Jewish bagel shops, Indian convenience stores and boutiques offering the latest sari trends. Brick Lane is also home to several of London's coolest nightclubs, notably 93 Feet East and The Vibe Bar, on the site of The Old Truman Brewery.

On Sundays, young Londoners and trendy tourists flock here for unusual clothes, second-hand furniture and exotic staples. But if you're a Little India regular, you might wonder what the big deal is about. Still, it's worth at least one visit to soak in the atmosphere.

The climax is typically a curry lunch, although quality varies. Most of the restaurants have won at least one Restaurant of the Year award from some magazine or other; but I think it's best to simply stick your head in, look at what folks are having and decide if they look like they're actually enjoying it. Then follow your gut (instincts).

How to get there: Whitechapel or Aldgate East Tube
For more information: www.visitbricklane.com

LEADENHALL MARKET

If you are in the Bank area, be sure to drop by Leadenhall Market. It's not an outdoor market teaming with cheap fakes, this is London's most gloriously restored Victorian covered market.

There are a few budget food stalls, and arts and crafts in the central foyer, but you should just admire the beautiful wrought iron and glass building, and fine food stores and pubs with period-style decor to match. There has been a market on this site since the Roman days, the current design by Sir Horace Jones came into being in 1881.

Fans of Harry Potter should definitely make a pilgrimage - Leadenhall Market served as Diagon Alley in the movie.

How to get there: Monument Tube, Bank Tube and DLR
For more information: www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk

Photos by Jessica Leow

Jessica Leow is a freelance writer based in London.

This article was first published in Life!, The Straits Times on April 15, 2008.