Once a week, before the sun rises over the plastic palm trees in the parking lot of Linz's Industriezeile, hundreds of dealers and vendors gather to do what they love best: haggling. No wonder the Interspar Linz Megaflohmarkt is the largest flea market in Upper Austria, with more than 400 stalls each week.
Thousands of visitors stroll through the rows of exhibitors from 2:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., looking for hidden gems, finding a little bit of everything, buying useful gadgets or simply spending an entertaining morning. From old and new car parts, second-hand clothes, and other bric-a-brac, to paintings, crockery, trinkets, traditional Austrian furniture, 19th-century weapons, militaria, and other collectibles, the Interspar Linz Megaflohmarkt is a true haven for bargain hunters. And it is not unusual to find high-quality antiques that are later auctioned off at the Dorotheum in Vienna!
Visitors and exhibitors come from all over the country, even from Germany and the Czech Republic - sometimes by bus. At dawn, the marketplace is already in full swing: Flea market professionals arrive as early as 4 a.m., turn off their cars, and walk through the illuminated shops among the other exhibitors before setting up their own stalls. About 40 percent are repeat customers, while the rest are casual visitors who are clearing out their basements or attics, selling collections or simply getting rid of unwanted items.
Together with the Interspar flea market across the street, the flea market under the palm trees is probably the largest Sunday flea market in Austria (next to Vienna's Naschmarkt).
The infrastructure of the flea market is exemplary. Free parking in the Cineplexx parking lot (in case of bad weather, the flea market takes place in the parking garage instead), six staff members on-site, clean toilets, and from 3 o'clock in the morning hot snacks, coffee, and other drinks are available to regain strength and fight the cold in winter.
The crowd and the vendors are as colorful as life itself. On both sides of the flea market, you will find exhibitors and customers of all ages and income levels, from shopkeepers to senior citizens, from children to retirees. Prices range from 20 cents for toys, clothes, books, and bags to 300 euros or more for exclusive antiques or taxidermied animals.
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