When I arrived in Istanbul I was on a mission. There were a handful of things that I new I couldn’t miss seeing and doing, but roaming the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı in Turkish) was number one on my list. A trip to Istanbul just isn’t complete without a visit to this legendary shopping mecca. In the Grand Bazaar, similar to the souks in Marrakech, you can find all types of art, antiques, carpets, and jewelry. The size of this bazaar is AMAZING– it covers 60 different covered streets and has over 5,000 individual stalls!
As you wind your way through the bazaar, you will find groupings of vendors selling everything from leather goods to gold jewelry. My current addiction at the moment is rugs and I found the most fantastic shop named Bellihan not long into my first day there (more to come on this great shop in a future post). You could spend an entire week (and an entire paycheck!) shopping these one of a kind items. The Grand Bazaar dates back to 1461, where it was (and still is) a trading center. There have been several iterations of the bazaar, with the last being a major renovation following an earthquake in 1984.
While the bazaar can seem labyrinthine and somewhat overwhelming, it’s loosely organized by type of wares. For example, you will find stalls selling carpets along Sahaflar Caddesi and those selling leather goods along Perdahçılar Caddesi. Not only is the size of the bazaar impressive, but the number of daily visitors is also staggering. Each day between 250,000 and 400,000 visit the Grand Bazaar!
With my friend and the greatest guide in Istanbul Julide.
After a visit to the Grand Bazaar, you are sure to have many treasures to take home with you!
For more information on guiding services in istanbul with Julide Acikgoz click here.
Photographs shot by Cevat Duygun Photography
