Pontcanna Flea Market is the real deal. You are guaranteed to find a really good selection of…read morequality Kitsch, both for the home and garden, as well as loads of classic and retro clothing, antiques, electrical goods, records, books, and furniture... essentially all the kind of stuff that you'd expect at a flea market, but with the added bonus of this one being a particularly good one. I don't know where the traders get their stock from, but some of them must have an incredible address book! A lot of them seemingly have endless access to the most incredibly desirable objects. Their lives must be heavenly! I considered becoming a trader myself a few years back, but decided that it would be an overtly dangerous career choice. I'd be great at scouting out my stock, and have fairly well tuned haggling skills. So far, so good! But, the problems would arise when it came to selling any of it on. I know I'd want to keep everything! Those confounded attachment issues! They also hold regular auctions at the King's Road site. I've not been to one, but I hear that they are as much fun as the flea markets, and just as well stocked with eminently buyable stuff.

The Cardiff Antique Centre doesn't exactly sell antiques to the exclusion of all else, and would…read moreprobably be more appropriately named if it carried the title of 'Cardiff Collectibles' or something of that ilk... and then this would even be stretching the description a bit. (A 1970's vinyl LP going by the name of Tango Time wouldn't be found anywhere near my record collection, I can tell you that!) The quality of stock varies considerably, and to my mind, quite a lot of it would be better suited to a specialist flea market, more than an antiques shop. But in its defense, housing several traders under one roof, and finding a name that fits all, is never going to be an easy balancing act. However, the stock tends to be a little bit pricey, and I feel this is more reflective of the prestigious location and the branding, and has less to do with the actual inherent value of the goods in question. But when all is said and done, it's a great curiosity shop, that makes for pretty interesting, (and often entertaining), browsing. Some things are just so naff that they'll prompt an episode of incredulous giggling. And of course, it is more than possible that you'll find many tasteful genuine articles. If the truth be known, I could actually spend a fair amount of money in here... if I had it! The stalls occupy two floors, with specialists in military memorabilia, jewellery, bone china, toys, autographed collectibles etc.

I love browsing around antique shops and that's pretty much all I do - I hardly ever buy with the…read moreone exception of when I went into Cardiff Antique Centre. I bought a little silver lighter for £30 - I don't know why it just appealed to me. But there are loads of stuff to look around - signed celeb pictures - star wars memorabilia, jewellery etc etc. It's pointless me listing what they sell as its anything and everything - pop in and see what I mean it won't be a wasted time in fact once you go in once I pretty much guarantee you'll pop in again and again. And if you do fancy buying something don't be scared to haggle.

I was enamoured with this antiques shop the moment I walked in. I'm sceptical of any shop selling…read more"antiques", as I'm a firm believer that most of these so-called treasures are just overpriced junk. But I think this one is different. Avalon offers a wide selection of interesting items, from Georgian furniture to unique jewellery. They also carry a range of porcelain and glass figures, as well as books, stamps, pictures and toys. I'm a bit of a history buff, so I really enjoyed browsing the extensive ranges of military medals, which would make a nice gift for my WWII-obsessed Dad. I'm quite picky with jewellery - I hardly wear any, ever. My fingers are like sausages, so it's difficult to find rings that are both big and beautiful. I was astonished when I slipped on an amazing Art Deco silver ring to find it actually fit my massive middle finger perfectly. Priced at a reasonable £35, this ring was coming home with me. I met one-half of the husband and wife team who run this shop, and he is absolutely lovely, chatty and helpful, suggesting I leave my bags at the front so it's easier to manoeuvre around the shop. Definitely coming back here as the antiques are remarkable and the prices are reasonable!

What a fantastic place. It's just brimming with real antiques, vintage, retro and modern…read moreitems...certainly not what the name suggests. The market is spread out over 3 halls, so make sure you visit them all coz there's there are some great stalls offering all sorts of items. Everyone is really friendly and helpful and if a stall holders is not at their stall you can ask another stall holder and they will do all they can to help you. Parking is good; there are toilets on site and a really nice cafe serving hot and cold drinks and snacks and light meals. It is housed in a very big industrial unit though so there is no heating. You will need to wrap up warm, but well worth it...it is great. a must visit.

Wyatt's Home and Garden is just around the corner from Flowers With A Twist and Over The Rainbow…read moreGifts, making this area a very attractive proposition to prospective gift buyers of discernment! It is a pretty little shop offering everything for the country style home and garden, particularly retro reproductions of time honoured favourites like roll top baths and iron bed frames. Yes, despite having limited floor space, it manages to pack in some pretty hefty items! Like Flowers With A Twist this is a relatively new business in the area. Jane, who also owns another shop of the same name in Ledbury, this one's predecessor, opened the Pontcanna branch about three years ago. (Jane wasn't about when I called in recently to take some pictures... that's Jan in the pictures!) During my recent visit I managed to keep my purse in my bag... I'm always overcome by an incredible urge to spend money when I walk into this shop, and could quite easily spend a small fortune! I love everything from the pretty floral doormats, as well as the multi-coloured wavy modern ones, to the garden furniture, crockery and kitchenware and the beautiful iron beds. They intersperse the retro reproductions with the genuine articles. A sign out front invites you to come in and browse, and makes the distinction between antiques and second-hand items, both of which they stock. They also offer an interior design service.

This is a relatively new addition to the shops in the Pontcanna area, and it's been a long time…read morecoming if you ask me! A home and garden shop is exactly the kind of thing that Pontcanna-ites are into, and this shop is flourishing. For anyone who is a fan of the traditional country home feel, this shop is a must, and offers an excellent range of homely items and gifts. A very tempting little place indeed. This is the kind of shop that does well because the products on sale turn a house into a home. With the classic type of resident in the area being arty, Welsh-speaking and middle class, I really am surprised that we've not seen something of this ilk sooner. Although I'm personally more of a fan of collecting items that are personal to you, rather than mass produced items which you are told are personal to you, I can certainly still see and understand the appeal of this shop.

This place should be in every guide book and on every website of Cardiff…read more The Pumping Station is a densely packed building filled with antiques and collectibles. So densely packed in fact, that a supernova of flying Hornby trains and silver spoons can be expected any day now. The drive up to this place is full of statues and garden sculpture, and always reminds me of the Narnian statues in the White Witch's palace in 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe'. The main hall is a Victorian building full of old fireplaces and interiors. Everywhere you look there is something new to catch your eye. With around 40 individual stalls, there is a downstairs area with sections made to resemble old-fashioned shop fronts, each with their own speciality. You might find anything from old comics to fine bone china. There is also a small cafe at the back, which, although not wonderful, is friendly and very reasonably priced. They make a good cup of tea. If you have something very specific in mind then you may need to enlist the help of a member of staff, but otherwise the main joy of this place is the browsing and discovering.

This is very recognisable and icon building thats easy to spot from the Cardiff Bay link road. I…read morefirst went when i was a child and easily bored, especially by antiques. Now as a grown up looking for unique artifacts to decorate my own place with I really love the place. It really is a treasure trove of everything that you want, from vintage clothes to reclaimed tiles. It really has the most massive selection of really unusual stuff and the old building that houses it all really adds to the atmosphere of the place. I'd probably say that because its so well known, you maybe won't get boots sale bargain finds but its a definite must visit.

Only open between Thursday and Saturday, Jacob's Market (aka Jacob's Antiques) is a collection of…read morevery small specialist collectors' shops under one roof. Mostly it's second-hand stuff though there is also brand new furniture to be had. There's a certain novelty to it- such as the stuffed badgers in the entrance (will anyone ever buy those?) and the sci-fi stall upstairs with its sort-of-full-sized TARDIS. All kinds and eras of 'retro' are covered, old clothes (a bit dusty), old signs, old kitchen appliances, old military memorabilia (there's quite a bit of this and some of it's quite scary). It's worth a browse round, though I would say you could have done it all in less than 2 hours, it won't take all day. Prices vary but some things are not as cheap as you'd like them to be, as some sellers are adamant that there is an 'antique' value. The cafe is a small anteroom, seating about 20 people, where one person will knock up cooked brunches on demand using a little oven and grill. The prices are dirt-cheap and the portions very very generous, the only problem is that since it's cooked from scratch when you order you may have to wait a while, not too good if you've just popped there for lunch.

This indoor market sprawls across several floors in an old red brick building at West Canal Wharf,…read morenear Cardiff Central Station, and for the last couple of decades it has been creating a welcome distraction for Cardiff's lovers of antiques, vintage and novelty goods. It is a great place to spend a lazy few hours browsing around aimlessly. The 50 or so different stalls sell a huge array of different wares, including antiques and collectors' items, vintage household goods, second hand clothes and books, jewellery, and all sorts of other knick knacks. When you walk in through the entrance, for example, you're faced with some rather alarming and fusty-looking stuffed badgers; carry on and you might stumble across vintage Bakelite phones, military memorabilia, or leather jackets - while an exploration upstairs will offer you an encounter with a full-sized Dr Who tardis. Some stalls have more reasonable prices than others, but for vintage and antique items with a higher price tag you really need a bit of knowledge to know whether it's good value. The café, on the other hand, has very reasonably priced food and HUGE portions!

Jacobs is great and has been around for years. I remember coming here when I was about 5 and loving…read moreit even then. It's absolutely massive and has 3 floors packed with different stalls. It looks totally out of place as one ancient building surrounded by modern developments. It's a good thing though as even the shop itself is like an antique. There's loads of Elvis memorabilia which is what I spent the most time checking out and all the stuff from the 50s and 60s especially along with some items to do with aviation such as breathing masks from WWII planes. I wanted it all. There's such a great old, smell about the place aswell which I love. Words can't decribe the feeling you get inside Jacobs. You don't feel like you're in the middle of Cardiff. Alot of people seem to just walk right by without checking out what's inside. If you're visiting the area, I implore you to put the time aside and pay it a visit.

I find it strange more people aren't aware of this place. Just the other day, I was explaining this…read moreantiques market's location to a friend of mine who's lived in Cardiff his entire life. A Cardiff institution, Jacob's is a four-floor antiques centre in massive , with pretty much anything you can imagine for sale - you name it, you can probably find it here. Judging by the size of Jacob's, you'd be forgiven for thinking a centre this size would take all day to tackle, but I think a few hours should be enough time to browse everything on offer. Vintage clothing (YES), memorabilia, furniture, home wares, and even instruments (my mate found a wicked Spanish guitar for about £40) are just some of the many items for sale here. Fridays and Saturdays are the best days to visit, as nearly all of the 50 or so vendors are open for business.

If you're lucky enough to ever catch Crwys Antiques when they're open, you'll be privy to a secret…read morethat few people in Cardiff ever get to witness. From the outside, the store is a largely empty affair, looking like it hasn't been occupied in months, with the occasional circus flyer being posted up on the window which is, as everyone knows, the universal signal for "THIS PLACE IS UNOCCUPIED! SQUATTERS WELCOME!" However, this is due to the shop being used primarily for the refitting and repair of the antiques brought to the owners. On the few times that it is open, the shop is made mostly to cater for the repair of old furniture and you can watch as the owners go about sloughing off the damage and making the old furniture look as good as new (or as good as old... I never really understood antiquing). It's clear that the owners know exactly what they are doing, but apart from the odd days when you amble passed and discover the store open and waiting for you to peer inside, it's largely down to luck when you'll be able to catch them. They are the mythical leprechauns of Cardiff. Catch one, and it's your lucky day. But you've got to be lucky to catch them.