MNN - Mother Nature Network

Street markets have been centers of commerce for centuries. Even in the age of Wal-Mart and Amazon.com, these casual retail spaces, usually populated by small, independent vendors, are thriving in some parts of the world and are being revisited as viable places to shop in others. For tourists, cities with bustling market scenes are great destinations. If you want to toss out the guidebook and really see what locals are eating, buying, and — if you know the language — talking about, all you have to do is hit the local market. Of course, bargain hunting and eating always seem to end up on market visitors' agendas, even if the outing began as a sightseeing-only exercise. Virtually every major metro area on the planet has at least some sort of market that can give visitors an authentic experience. However, the following 10 markets are not to be missed and worthy of a spot on anyone's itinerary.