The Grand Bazaar, the centre of Istanbul’s Old City for centuries, is lively and bustling. It began as a small vaulted bedesten (warehouse) built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1461. It expanded to cover a large area when lanes linking the bedesten, neighbouring shops, and hans (caravanserais) were roofed. The market took on the expansive, chaotic shape that it has today.

Shopping in Grand Bazaar should be a must activity during your Turkey trip. This crowded market, with its many covered streets and various stalls, has everything you need. If you have 30 Days tourist turkey e visa, then Istanbul is a holiday destination in Turkey because of the experiences one may have when shopping at the Grand Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered shopping malls in the world. It offers several lovely shops to visit for local and luxury shopping – Turkish sweets and spices, kilim carpets, silver, and gold jewellery – with more than 60 streets and 5000 shops. You’ll be loaded with choice, and you may visit whatever appeals to your preferences and budget. With vivid colours and herbal fragrances, the walking tour is a visually attractive and aromatically charged experience.

This market has restaurants, hammams, tea shops, and a mosque in addition to shopping. Grand Bazaar now incorporates a police station, post offices, a medical clinic, significant banks, and a tourist information centre. It’s no surprise that it’s on most tourist itineraries as one of the must-do activities.  

Today’s Grand Bazaar

When visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the level of security is high. One of the key motives for developing the Grand Bazaar was to keep trade in one area to offer maximum protection against political turmoil, natural disasters like fires, and theft.

The Grand Bazaar now has a variety of food and drink options, but before the western influence of Ottoman culture, the concept of restaurants was unheard of. This is generally attributed to the region’s lack of women in social situations, jobs, and traditional views. Merchants brought simple, traditional Turkish foods to work in a box similar to a lunch pail, which was served at one of two stalls within the Bazaar, which remains but is no longer in use.

The Grand Bazaar is a one-of-a-kind building rooted in Turkish culture and rich in history. Even if you had planned to avoid buying during your vacation to Turkey if some days remain in your tourist Turkish visa, shopping at the Grand Bazaar is a must-do! Don’t miss out on one of Istanbul’s oldest cultural events.

Here’s a complete guide to shopping at the Grand Bazaar, which will make your shopping in Istanbul even more enjoyable! So, what are you waiting for? Apply for a turkey visa online right away and comment us your shopping experience?

How to Reach?

Grand Bazaar is in the Faith – Beyazit Mh. area, Kalpakcilar Cd no. 22, 34126. It extends along Istanbul’s main roads, making it easy to access by tram, taxi, or Uber.

Entry Fee and Timings

Except on Sundays, all shops in Grand Bazaar are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and there is no entry fee to enter the market.

Things to buy

When it comes to shopping in Grand Bazaar, you can be sure that you’ll find a wide choice of items to suit your budget!

Jewellery: Glistening diamonds, shiny silver, and glimmering gold are a sight to behold at the market. Topkapi Ozvar is a well-known place to buy a broad range of coloured diamonds in unique vintage styles.

Fine arts and antiques: Although the market is flooded with antique shops, it is critical to know how much an item is worth.

Mirrors, crockery, globes, scent boxes, paintings, and other items may be found at Salabi Antiques, Eski Fine Arts & Antiques, Sait Asil, and Epoque. 

Carpets & Kilims: Ethinicon, Dhoku, Sisko Osman, and Recep Karaduman have a stunning, wide variety of rug patterns if you wish to decorate your house with a creative Turkey carpet.

Textiles: Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisi, Tick off Abdulla, and Ottaomano off your bucket list if you want to buy traditional and classic goods. Scarves, shawls, silk and cashmere, and other ethnic products may be found here.

If you want to buy high-quality goods, you should go to Oruculer Gate.

In addition to customised products, Spices, Turkish delights, scents, ceramics, and magnificent shopping streets, the Grand Bazaar includes many different businesses.

If you want to stroll around these bustling markets, apply for a turkey visa online and book your trip to Turkey now! So, travel light and bring massive chunks of Turkey back home with you!