Start with a conversation at reception

Your hotel reception team is the single best source of market intelligence you will find, and most guests never think to ask. Rather than reaching for a search engine, lean on the people who live there. They know which market runs on which day, which one is worth the bus fare, and which one is a tourist trap selling the same imported trinkets you could buy at the airport.

Ask specific questions rather than a vague "is there a market nearby?". Try: which day does it run, what time does it start, and what time do the stalls pack up? Then follow up with the practical details — whether they take card or cash only, whether there is parking, and how long it takes to get there on foot or by bus. A receptionist who has shopped there for years will tell you things no guidebook will, such as the fact that the fishmonger only appears on Saturdays, or that the cheese stall sells out by half past nine.

If you are staying somewhere with a concierge, ask them too. They often hear feedback from departing guests about which markets were a highlight and which were a disappointment.

Pack like someone who means business

Markets reward a little forward planning. A few items in your day bag will make the whole morning smoother:

• A reusable bag or two — something sturdy with handles. Many markets have moved away from single-use carriers, and a flimsy plastic bag will not survive a heavy haul of potatoes and a jar of chutney.
• Cash in small denominations — a handful of notes and coins. Even where card readers are common, cash still moves faster at a busy stall and is often the only option for the smallest traders.
• A cool bag or insulated pouch if you plan to buy cheese, meat or fish and have a wander ahead of you.
• Comfortable shoes — cobbles, uneven ground and a fair amount of standing around.
• A rain jacket, because this is the UK and market days are not exempt from the weather.

Leave the suitcase-sized rucksack at the hotel. Narrow aisles and crowded stalls are no place for a bag that swings into other shoppers.

Arrive early and watch the market wake up

The single best piece of advice for any British market is simple: go early. Traders start setting up well before the official opening time, and the first hour is when the atmosphere is at its best. You will see boxes being unloaded, awnings being cranked into place, and the good stuff being laid out in neat rows before the day wears it down.

Early arrival also means first pick of the best produce. The finest tomatoes, the last of the season's asparagus, the loaf with the proper crust — these go to the people who turn up before the crowds. By eleven o'clock on a Saturday, popular stalls can look picked over, and the queue for a well-known pie van can stretch halfway down the street.

There is a quieter benefit too. Traders have time to talk in the early hours. Ask where the honey comes from, how to cook the unusual-looking green vegetable, or which of the two similar cheeses they would choose. You will get a proper answer rather than a hurried nod.

What to look for, stall by stall

A good market is a snapshot of the region around it, so let your eyes guide you towards things you cannot easily find at home.

• Fresh produce — seasonal vegetables and fruit grown within a few miles. Look for slightly imperfect shapes; they usually taste better and cost less.
• Regional specialities — local cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, preserves, chutneys, honey from a nearby heath or hedgerow, and baked goods made that morning.
• Crafts — pottery, woven textiles, leatherwork, woodturning and jewellery made by the person standing in front of you. Buying directly from a maker is one of the great pleasures of a market morning.
• Street food — a hot bacon roll, a pasty, or a bowl of something hearty is breakfast and entertainment in one.
• Flowers and plants — often far cheaper and fresher than a florist, and a lovely thing to take back to your room.

If you are unsure whether something is genuinely local, just ask. Traders are usually proud to explain, and the answer tells you a great deal about what you are buying.

Mind your manners and enjoy the hospitality

Market etiquette is mostly common sense, but a few small courtesies go a long way. Do not handle produce you are not going to buy; ask the stallholder to select items for you. Queue properly, and do not block an aisle while you decide. If you taste a sample, it is polite to buy something, even a small item.

Chatting is encouraged. A comment about the weather, a question about provenance, or genuine thanks for a recommendation will often be met with warmth, a free extra item, or a tip about a market on the other side of town. This is the local hospitality that makes a short break memorable — not the hotel lobby, but the stallholder who remembers your face on the second visit.

Finally, ask your reception team to write down the market name and its nearest landmark on a piece of paper or in your phone. Local names can be tricky to pronounce and even trickier for a taxi driver to decipher. With the details in hand, a reusable bag on your shoulder and an early start, you have everything you need for a properly good morning out.