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Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

Home → Istanbul, Turkey → Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

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The largest and oldest covered markets in the world Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarşı), 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 350,000 and 600,000 visitors daily‘ should be any dedicated shopper’s first port of call in Istanbul. Crammed in among chaotic covered streets and alleys, its thousands of stalls hold all manner of items, such as carpets and kilims, leather, suede and denim clothes and accessories, ceramic tiles, bowls and vases, hand-beaten copper and brass lamps, coffee-grinders and samovars, gold and silver jewellery (beware imitations) and much more.

Much of the current prosperity comes from gold (of which nearly 100 tons is sold in the Grand Bazaar each year), coachloads of ‘black bag’ shoppers.(so called because of their habit of filling bin sacks with cheap clothing) and tourism. But, among t he sea of mantlepiece trinkets, nasty leather jackets, no-label jeans and hippie-wear, there • ire attractive quality goods to be had. To take time out I rom the constant hard sell, head for the Şark Kahvesi, a fine old-style coffee house on the prominent Yağlıkçılar Caddesi.

A paradise for some, the crowds and hawkers, and indeed the sheer size of the bazaar, can render the experience quite nightmarish for others. As a result, some shoppers prefer the smaller Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) in Eminönü. As well as offering the typical souvenirs found in its larger cousin, the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) also sells vast quantities of herbs and spices, as well as delicious candies and mixed nuts. It’s also a good place to buy a nargile (water pipe) and accompanying fruit-flavoured molasses.

Although the shops are now mainly geared towards tourists, the Grand Bazaar still retains a great deal of its oriental flavour in the blackened corners and arched courtyards of its bans (merchants’ inns), as well as in the workshops and stalls of traditional blacksmiths and bronzesmiths, jewellers and fabric merchants, miniature painters and antiques dealers.

Istanbul was always one of the world’s most important trading centres, with extensive open markets in Byzantine times. The Ottomans ushered in a new economic era, with the city at the) centre of an empire that stretched from the Arabian deserts almost to the European Alps. In 1461 Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the construction of a bedesten, a great lock-up with thick stone walls, massive iron gates and space for several dozen shops. This survives in modified form as the Old Bedesten (If Bedesten), at the very heart of the bazaar. It remains a place where the most precious items are sold, including the best old silver and antiques. The Sandal Bedesten was added later, named after a fine Bursan silk and filled with textile traders. It now hosts a carpet auction at 1pm every Wednesday, well worth attending as an audience spectacle.

It is as easy to lose track of time in this covered labyrinth as it is to lose oneself in its hectic, meandering alleyways. Don’t be afraid to put the map away here, as part of the fun is getting lost, although making your way through the crowds amid the persistent cajoling of shopkeepers can certainly take its toll.

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Istanbul Travel Guide

  • Bosphorus, Istanbul
  • Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora
  • Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul
  • Etz Ahayim Synagogue
  • Galata Tower, Istanbul
  • Golden Horn
  • Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
  • Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
  • Hippodrome, Istanbul
  • Istanbul Archaeology Museum
  • Istanbul Jewish Cemetery
  • Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Spice Bazaar, Istanbul
  • Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul
  • Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
  • Underground Cistern, Istanbul
  • Zulfaris Synagogue
  • Beylerbeyi Palace
  • Rumelihisari (Fortress)
  • Camlica Hill
  • Bosphorus Bridge
  • Istanbul Mosaic Museum
  • Church of the Holy Apostles
  • Eyup Mosque and Mausoleum
  • Beyazit Camii
  • Fatih Camii
  • Fethiye Camii “Pammakaristos Church”
  • Hagia Eirene
  • Orthodox Patriarchate and Cathedral
  • Sts Sergius and Bacchus
  • Yeni Camii
  • Zeyrek Camii “Church of the Pantocrator”
  • Prince’s Islands
  • Mosque of Rustem Pasha
  • Galata Bridge
  • Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
  • Miniatürk
  • Istanbul Modern Museum
  • Galata Mevlevihanesi
  • Pierre Loti
  • Istanbul, Turkish Baths
  • Walk through Istiklal Street
  • Tunnel
  • Military Museum
  • Port of Istanbul
  • City Walls of Istanbul
  • Maiden’s Tower
  • Harem
  • Tofre Begadim Synagogue
  • Yıldız Park
  • Bulgarian St. Stephen Church
  • Ahrida (Ohrid) Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Ashkenazi Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Balat, Istanbul
  • Blue Mosque, Istanbul
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Rating: +8996 (from 8996 votes)
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, 100% based on 8996 ratings
148 Reviews
  1. A.Raleigh
    6:19 am on June 22, 2008

    This bazaar has been open for 500 years. Just the history alone drew me in. You can spend an entire day there, but I only spent 2-3 hours since I'm not big into shopping. You can find everything from food, antiques, scarves, art, miniatures, and anything else you can imagine.

    Reply
  2. Ezlin123
    9:01 pm on July 2, 2008

    We went to the Grand Bazaar and bought table cloths, mosaic lamps and carpet I thought it was reasonable price after we negotiate for a discount.

    Reply
  3. C.Coetzee
    5:09 am on July 20, 2008

    It is easy to get in because one the gates is just next to the tram line. But once you get in, it is very difficult to come out… its easy to get lost becos all shops look the same and the direction signs on top are not everywhere. But no worries Turkish people are very nice and helpful…

    Reply
  4. George C
    9:41 pm on November 11, 2008

    Crowded. Noisy. Sensory overdose. Loved it. Everything one sees from travel programs. Feel it. Merchants do negotiate. Buyers beware for sure. But what fun. We bought inexpensive stuff. So if got taken, so what. Just enjoy. Sit for tea and watch fellow tourists go by. Seems like a lot of locals as well. We went on a Saturday. Very crowded….

    Reply
  5. steve m
    11:36 am on December 6, 2008

    An overrated experience this maze of stores offers most people the same thing in nearly every store, knock off products were heavily over priced, souvenirs were a dime a dozen repeated in every second store. Clothing was limited to branded shirts. Apart from the leather goods area I personally found these markets overwhelming and under delivering on any worthwhile products….

    Reply
  6. kenkeh
    12:07 am on March 29, 2009

    I'm sure it's part of most tourist itinerary to go to the Grand Bazaar for shopping . I'm glad that it's open cuz I heard it's close for few days during it's Eid which is their Muslim celebration . Came here to buy T-shirts, Souvenirs and Turkish Delights . You got to bargain for sure and there's no price tag…

    Reply
  7. marilyn_katherine
    8:27 pm on June 4, 2009

    So interesting and so much fun if you go with a sense of humour and adventure! Very busy, noisy and you'll be constantly enticed to stop and look and buy. Do stop and look! Beautiful things to select, some great bargains but take time to look around and compare.

    Reply
  8. Mel-2009
    4:34 pm on June 5, 2009

    Great prices! Some shop keepers are way too pushy, however, well worth looking around. I could definately get lost (which I guess I did) and spend a week just looking around.

    Reply
  9. David_2009
    7:40 pm on June 7, 2009

    You have probably heard about the world famous Bazaar – one of the oldest continuously running institutions on earth. You've probably heard that it's a bit of a never ending nightmare, which is true, but in reality I expected far worse.
    True – you do get hassled all of the time. You do get jostled by pick pockets.

    Reply
  10. Sal-ly
    2:27 pm on July 23, 2009

    The bazaar is clean and vendors are nice and not too pushy. They were very kind to our young boys. We felt safe too the prices are really high though.

    Reply
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The big tip is to try and go completely private. Many of the large tour companies offer private tour and they are going to charge a significant amount of money for the tour guide. However, many locations offer self-guided tours and therefore you have the ability to supply your own tour guide. Easily Book your guided private Ephesus tours, to see all the treasures of Ephesus Turkey. It's often said that Turkey has more ancient cities and classical ruins than does Greece. Well, it's true, and the Aegean coast holds a great number of sites, including Ephesus, the grandest and best-preserved of them all.

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