Get Lost in the Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, in business since the 15th century. It covers some 60 streets and holds around 3,000 to 4,000 shops selling carpets, ceramics, jewelry, spices, leather, and antiques. It is easy to get lost, and getting lost is half the point. Prices are rarely fixed, so expect to haggle; the shopkeepers certainly will. The bazaar is also a good place to eat. The döner at Dönerci Şahin Usta near the Nuruosmaniye Gate has a serious local following and usually sells out by early afternoon. Come in the morning for quieter aisles, or at midday if you want the market at full volume.

What to see and buy

• Carpets and kilims: from small rugs to antiques. Ask about the origin and whether it is hand-knotted.
• Lamps and ceramics: the glowing mosaic lamps and hand-painted İznik-style bowls make favourite souvenirs.
• Jewellery: whole streets of gold and silver shops, especially around the old inner bazaar (Cevahir Bedesteni).
• Leather and textiles: jackets, bags, peştemal hammam towels and silk scarves.
• The hans: old caravanserai courtyards around the bazaar where craftsmen still work.

The bazaar grew from a small covered market built in the 1450s under Sultan Mehmed II into a city of its own, with around sixty streets and thousands of shops under its painted vaults.

Shopping tips

• Look around before buying: the same item can be found in many shops at different prices.
• Agree the price (and the currency) before paying, and ask for a receipt for expensive items.
• Keep your bag in front of you; the main streets are very crowded.
• Go in the morning for a calmer visit; afternoons and Saturdays are the busiest.
• Get a little lost: the side streets and hans are where you find the workshops and better prices.

What’s nearby

The Süleymaniye Mosque, Sinan’s masterpiece, is a short walk up the hill, and a lane of shops leads down to the Spice Bazaar by the Golden Horn. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are about fifteen minutes away on foot or two tram stops.

What visitors say

Recent visitors to the Grand Bazaar share the same handful of tips:

• It is closed on Sundays and on the first day of religious holidays. If Sunday is your only free day, visit the Spice Bazaar instead.
• Go early or late. The main streets are calmest soon after opening; tour groups fill the busiest lanes by midday, and Friday afternoons are the most crowded.
• Bargain with a smile for carpets, lamps, leather, ceramics and souvenirs, but not for food, for gold sold by weight, or in shops with fixed prices.
• Compare and take your time. Look at several shops before buying, and never feel obliged to buy after a glass of tea.
• Ask about card fees, and compare the price in lira with the price in euros or dollars before you pay.
• Use the gates as landmarks. It is easy to get lost; note the name of the gate you came in through so you can find your way back.

Photos: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons