Bored of walking in the boring analogous malls? We are going to take you to an entirely new world of trading that can work as a time machine and take you back to the old times of the Ottoman empire and give you a chance to wander through all the colors and smells merchants offer you. Being one of the largest and the oldest covered markets globally, Istanbul Grand Bazaar in Turkey has so much mysterious beauty to offer to the curious exploring eyes. Smells of spices, coffee, and tea are like sirens singing to attract young sailors. Fingers can slide on soft textiles and explore rough bricks, searching for the imprint of the forgotten people of old times. Istanbul Grand Bazaar may please your different senses and feelings.
History of Grand Bazaar
Being one of the children of Constantinople’s conquest, Istanbul Grand Bazaar has a long story to tell you. This Bazaar was the heart of the Ottoman Empire. But contrary to most of its brothers and sisters, here you can face a living historical tale in which you can participate in making and narrating it with many other people. There is no single hero here, but a symphony of many with all their singularities, just waiting there to be heard and sung with.
Istanbul Grand Bazaar
Location details and Best time to Visit
Except for Sundays and bank holidays, you can visit the Grand Istanbul bazaar on any day. Remember to visit between 8:30 am and 7 pm. Schedule for not missing the daylight slithering from the clefts in walls and ceilings and colorful windows. Located near some of its family, places like Hagia Sofia, Blue, Beyazit, and Nuruosmaniye mosques, you can plan to visit them all in a day. The best way to get there is by the city’s tram. But the best way to find ways and shops is the maps you can buy before going into the Bazaar or get them online. Don’t forget to get off at the Beyazit-Kapalicarsi stop!
Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
What to shop in Grand Bazar
Istanbul Grand Bazaar sparkles in Istanbul city because of its glorious jewelry. From antique ones to ones with modern designs, you can choose something unique for yourself. Even if you have the time, you can order your one and only design! Some other Beauties that the Grand Bazaar can offer are cloth and textiles with an excellent global reputation. You can use them to customize scarves, gloves, stockings, blankets, etc. You can buy anything with your own custom-made design and use the material you like with workshops that have been working on these peculiar items for years. They will even make the craziest design you can think of, so choose wisely! You can check out Sivaslı Istanbul Yazmacısı for custom-made scarves and a big collection of them.
It is highly recommended to look for hand-made plates or some Calligraphy and even buy them. They show the beauty of Turkish history, and its Art at different times. Istanbul Grand Bazaar also provides a lot of breathtaking stuff to design your house. You can enjoy having praiseworthy antiques shining under the mysterious light of colorful Turkish lamps while you walk elegantly on your handmade Kilims. Want to double your joy and take more of Istanbul’s atmosphere to your house? Consider the smell of Turkish coffee or tasteful spices.
Spices, Istanbul Grand Bazaar
Etiquette and Behaviors
Just like any other place on earth, this Bazaar has its own culture and behaviors. The first thing that will get your attention is the people constantly bargaining with shop owners and people who are looking to buy something from them. These bargainings are mostly done calmly, but sometimes they can get a little aggressive. If you get uncomfortable, you can leave at any moment. But we can assure you that these incidents are rare. After all, you can easily see how hospitable people are in general. Don’t forget to check out other shops when you get the price of a product, this way you might find a better product or a cheaper one, this isn’t a disrespect but a normal etiquette. It’s completely alright to bargain about prices.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey
Dining and Coffee
After a long day of shopping and roaming in the Grand Bazaar, nothing but a hot cup of Turkish tea can’t refresh your body and mind. If you look around in the Bazaar, you can see different places for drinking tea or eating a meal. You should definitely buy some Turkish food. It is worth a try. You can check out Şark Kahvesi for some traditional coffee and tea. The Turkish Kebab is also a famous meal to try. You should check Gaziantep Burc Kebap for this amazing recipe. As there is an old saying that to understand a culture, you should try the food first!
Tours
There are many tours in Turkey you can get into and have an amazing experience with the help of the experts on The Grand Bazaar. Don’t forget to look up tours or find them near the Bazaar. And don’t hesitate to ask the tour leaders about everything that you are curious about.
A Place to Rest
Usually, Hotels that are near the Bazaar are great for your journey. They have different rooms with different styles and a large variety of Customer services like food and such. For example, The Magnaura palace hotel is highly recommended. Also, don’t forget to check in early, even way before you travel to Turkey. There are some more traditional hotels in the city if you really want to get Turkey’s full experience.
Grand Bazaar Entrance, Istanbul
Souvenirs
As we all know, souvenirs are essential, and here are some of the best you can find and buy for your family, friends, or loved ones. Nazar Buncugu or the evil eye is an oval-shaped blue, a shape of an eye in the middle which is used to ward off bad luck in Turkish culture, is a great choice as a cheap souvenir.
Now let’s look at Turkish coffee. By drinking a cup of this coffee, you can say that this is one of the best coffees in the world. This would make a perfect gift to a friend who constantly drinks coffee. Baklava is the best sweet in Turkey. But don’t forget to pack them carefully because they can easily get out of their place. Turkish Carpets can easily pursue you to buy them. These Carpets are absolutely perfect for your house or your loved ones’ house. You can buy a thousand more things as souvenirs like jewelry and gold, Nargile pipes, ceramics, and coppers.
