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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The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 3,000 shops. It was constructed between 1455 & 1461, immediately after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. By 17th century the bazaar had become the commercial hub of the trade between Asia & Europe and it remained so till mid-19th century.
Millions of shops with owners badgering you to take a look inside. I'm not much of a shopper but it just looked like a giant collection of every tourist shop you've seen in turkey selling copper pots, carpets, evil eye protectors, post cards and whirling dervish statues.
Lot of different spices, and hand made jewellery, carpets, silver, soaps, sauces. Lots of people everywhere.
This is just like any other market except that if you take a moment to ponder the architecture and history here you'll be blown away. This place is literally oozing history, but it takes a few seconds to see past the numerous unauthentic shops and pushy hawkers.
I felt like it was the same crap you see every where else. Fake purses, fake watches, fake shoes, fake wallets, fake suglasses, and more fake things. I don't know if anything in there is the real deal. I was expecting something totally different and this was commercialized conterfiet shopping. Save your time and money and go where the locals…
The Grand Bazaar is only really good for the atmosphere. It is, as promised, a buzzing indoor market offering a multitude of tourist-trap items.
Once you're here you should either bargain or be bargained! Visited the place twice in one day; morning and afternoon. Once you start bargaining, prices start to fall like nothing you've seen! Never give in until you reach the price that satisfies you. I was surprised to see that this ancient place comes with disabled toilets for wheelchair users!
Ok, everybody knows what the grand bazar is so just some hints and tips. For orientation: Up is always south and west.
1. Avoid the "main" entrance from the tram station if possible, the most aggressive vendors wait just outside.
2. Whatever you see there it is on sale and unique and can only be bought in this shop. Wrong…
Its a huge market with all the nice turkish items from cloths and textiles to antiques and souvoniers. But you have to bare in mind the rip offs. Bargaining is essential here, the fair price would be at least a 30% off the initial price.
Bargain, bargain, and bargain
If you love to shop, this is the one place you must visit while in Istanbul. The number of shops and stalls is staggering. Prices are higher than we found in Ephesus Selcuk but you have a much wider range of products to choose from.