The Grand Bazaar

One of my absolute favorite places in the world is the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I know that some of us don’t rate “shopping” as a pleasurable experience, especially when we find ourselves in a place where language and culture are foreign to us. However, to refer the Grand Bazaar as merely a place to shop would be insulting this centuries old cornucopia of cultural fusion.

Legend has it that the Grand Bazaar is the largest covered market in the world and was a hub for products of all kinds since the 15th century. Situated close to the tourist hot spots of Sultan Ahmet (The Blue Mosque) and Taksim, the Grand Bazaar is an absolute must for the visitor to Istanbul.

Adjacent to the Grand bazaar is the Egypt Bazaar or Spice Bazaar. The bazaars run into each other and you may not know when you enter one and leave the other.

The culture, the colours, the people, the shopkeepers and their wares are a visual treat for the most discerning of travelers.

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest indoor markets in the world.  Here you can find a slew of tiny shops selling everything from tourist tchotckes to 24 karat gold.  Hundreds of thousands of people visit every day, so if you're in town and have a fondness for shopping, you should definitely give it a look.

When compared to the Spice Bazaar, also in Istanbul, the Grand Bazaar is arguably more visitor-friendly thanks to the variety of items being sold and a preponderance of multilingual shopkeepers.  That said, there are things to buy in the Bazaar and things to avoid.  For example, if you're looking for high-quality Turkish carpets or very expensive jewelry I recommend one of the state-sanctioned shops located throughout Istanbul.  These include customs and shipping fees in the price.  If you're going to drop several thousand on a purchase, why mess around?

But if you just want to get a taste of the local flavor and maybe something to bring back for your friends, the Grand Bazaar is a great choice.  The main north-south street of the Bazaar is the Yaglikcilar Caddesi.  If you follow this or one of the other major corridors you can be assured of not getting lost.  Some of the streets farther off the beaten track can be somewhat narrow and intimidating for visitors, so keep that in mind when you branch off to explore.

Haggling is the rule at the Grand Bazaar!  Be sure to bring plenty of cash as many sellers do not take credit cards or can be coaxed into giving a discount if you pay in cash.  I found that euros and U.S. dollars were preferred over Turkish lira, but all three are accepted.  Make sure to establish what currency you will be paying in up front, because messing around with an exchange rate is a surefire way to turn your spectacular deal into a merely so-so one.  Things to look for in the Bazaar: leather items, pashmina, Turkish candies, jewelry of all price ranges, ceramics, evil eye charms (incredibly ubiquitous in Turkey!) and on and on.  If you're in search of spices, dried fruits or tea, try the Spice Bazaar (also known as the Egyptian Bazaar).  Saffron!  Cinnamon!

As in most other tourist-frequented places in Turkey, the sellers can be quite persistent... and utterly hilarious.  "For your angel eyes, 4 lira!"  "A beautiful woman should have this beautiful necklace!"  If you visit the Bazaar, you'll definitely come away with some amazing memories.