City street markets with treasures worth seeking out

Under $100 a day

Where
Jaipur, India

Why
The interconnected street markets of the "Pink City," in the state of Rajasthan, bulge with bangles, painted miniatures, and hand-block-print clothes. At the Johari Bazaar's Roop Sagar, designers such as Roberta Freymann source flowing silks by digging through high piles and bargaining hard (156 Johari Bazaar; 91-141-256-6518). At the Bapu Bazaar, just inside the traffic-clogged Sanganeri Gate, look for camel leather juti moccasins and sandals at Deepak Foot Wear (Shop 112-A; no phone).

Room
Narain Niwas, a nineteenth-century palace in Kanota Bagh, hosts European diplomats and designers in its peacock-filled gardens (91-141-256-1291; hotelnarainniwas.com; doubles, $74). The equally regal Samode Haveli, in Gangapole, is just inside the city walls (91-141-263-2370; samode.com; doubles, $200–$290).

Lunch/Dinner
With street-food-style dishes in a modest restaurant, LMB, at the Johari Bazaar, is renowned for onion- and garlic-free fare and sweetmeats such as paneer ghewar (91-141-256-5844; dishes, $1–$5). Manhole-sized dosas and fluffy South Indian idlis make Dasaprakash a local favorite (5 Kamal Mansions, Mirza Ismail Rd.; 91-141-237-1313; dishes, $1–$4).

Tip
At the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, in Amber, you'll learn about the unique hand-block-print fabrics found throughout the street markets. These designs celebrate Rajasthan's vibrant heritage as recorded on cotton and silk (Anokhi Haveli, Kheri Gate; 91-141-253-0226; anokhi.com).

Under $325 a day

Where
Seattle, Washington

Why
Apples, salmon, and coffee still abound at the Pike Place Market, which turns 100 on August 17, but today there are also spices from India, leather lamps from Morocco, ceramics from Poland. Don't bother with a map; just wander through the main arcade and neighboring historic buildings, especially along Post Alley. Revisionist history puts the original Starbucks in the market, but in fact the shop opened a few blocks away and moved to its current Pike Place spot.

Room
Those halibut-tossing fishmongers in the main arcade are within throwing distance of the Inn at the Market. Book room 310 for extra space and a slice of water at the standard city-view price. The fifth-floor terrace lets you take in Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains (206-443-3600; innatthemarket.com; doubles, $220–$285).