Guadalajara, Mexico - Antique markets afford a window into the lives of each treasure’s original owner, and Guadalajara’s antique flea market is loaded with artifacts that look like they once graced the drawing rooms of the gentrified west side neighborhoods built around the turn of the 20th century.

Held on Sundays from 9 am-5 pm at the intersection of the Avenida Mexico and Chapultepec Norte, this outdoor market unwinds over several blocks and the scope of the collection is mind-boggling. The stalls are chock full of collectibles from statuary to silver and crystal, furniture, and books and records. There are also plenty of personal items and memorabilia that often leave the shopper with the sense that the aura of their original owners is somehow still present among them.

If you’re expecting a flea market that requires you to sort through a ton of junk to find a few gems, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this place. Much of the merchandise appears to be in museum piece condition, and it’s clear that the vendors know their artifacts intimately and take great pride in their displays.

Here you’re stopped by an item caught out of the corner of an eye and find yourself still browsing the same stall half an hour later, unraveling threads into the past.

This market, though, is not just a window into Guadalajara’s past, but also a snapshot of its present. The vendors are of all ages, and it’s clear that these folks have come to know each other well over years of Sundays spent here together.

The shoppers are also diverse, but the crowd includes a healthy mix of young urban professionals that the visitor is unlikely to encounter at the city’s more classic tourist sites. You don’t have to be a collector to appreciate this place, and you don’t have to buy a thing to have an enjoyable day here.

Afterwards, take a walk down Chapultepec and join the Sunday promenade always in progress on a traffic-free Avenida Vallarta.