Every large city or little town has its local flower markets or the large wholesale type of flower markets which have become part of the grocery shopping for locals. Although these tend to not be included in travel guides or travel itineraries, as they are least of a priority in comparison to the landmarks or the hot list of restaurants, we thought it’s worth sharing some of the most beautiful flower shops or flower markets we have handpicked during our trips and explain the reasons why, in our view, the flower market visit should be added to your next trip’s plan.
We will begin this blooming journey from the flower market in Amsterdam, the well-known Bloemenmarkt, which can be found on the Singel canal between Muntplein and Koningsplein in the city’s southern canal belt. Bloemenmarkt is a small but beautiful flower market which has a really local sense to it and is surrounded by souvenir shops and just a few shops which are still selling fresh flowers. It is one of Europe’s first flower markets as it was founded in 1862 and was the world’s only floating flower market, so in honour of its history and virtue we would definitely recommend a visit.
Moving on to a unique fleury place in London and the shop of the ‘Petals at Bibendum’ on Fulham road, which we would recommend it as the perfect place to spend an afternoon or walk by to enjoy some of the the most superlative flowers from the Netherlands, Italy, Ecuador and of course, the UK. The shop itself is located in the iconic Michelin House in Chelsea, which was the first permanent UK headquarters of the Michelin Tyre Company Ltd. The building was built by one of Michelin’s employees, Francois Espinasse, and has three large stained-glass windows which were there to accommodate their advertising needs at the time, all featuring the Michelin Man “Bibendum”. ‘Petals at Bibendum’ made their first, humble appearance in 1982 but they have now expanded to more places around London and they have some of the most beautiful seasonal fresh flower collections available. Definitely a fantastic spot for a picture as well as flower shopping and Oysters at Claude Bosi’s Oyster Bar at Bibendum. For more variety and a longer walk in a proper flower market, Columbia Road Flower Market in Bethnal Green, which is open only on Sundays, is the place to be while the New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms provides a wholesale type of shopping experience for veggies, flowers and fruits but is definitely not a priority for a traveller, unless you are specifically looking for a wide selection of products at wholesale prices.
Of course, Campo de’ Fiori in Rome could not be excluded from our list, as it is one of the most traditional urban open-air markets where flowers have a special place among vegetables and other goods. The market itself is found on a rectangular square south of Piazza Navona in Rome and it has never been architecturally formalised. Interesting fact about it is that executions used to be held publicly in Campo de’ Fiori. In fact, on 17 February 1600, the philosopher Giordano Bruno was burnt alive for heresy, as is made evident by the monument that sits on that exact spot where the execution happened. Even if you are not a big flower fan, visiting Campo de’ Fiori will give you an idea of the real Roman lifestyle and you will see a wide variety of types of people doing their grocery shopping there; some of them dressed in high fashion outfits and others in their low-key casual style, all very authentic and passionate, as Italians tend to be.
