Grand Bazaar Tours in Istanbul

The figures of the Grand Bazaar leave everyone's eyes wide open. You will find around 4,000 stores in this market, where 20,000 people work every day. And if that's not enough, 300,000 to 500,000 people visit it every day.

The dimensions and the great offer of the Grand Bazaar may confuse you a bit when it comes to visit it. Therefore, here is a detailed guide on what to consider when visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

If you are thinking of touring the Grand Bazaar and don't know where to start, don't hesitate to book a guided tour of Istanbul. There is nothing better than visiting tourist attractions with expert guides who know where to go and how to get around. The Grand Bazaar is very large and finding what you are looking for can be difficult.

Hiring a guided tour will give you the peace of mind to optimize your time to the maximum, as the guides will tell you where to find what you are looking for and, in addition, they will tell you the history of this world famous market that everyone wants to visit at least once in their life.

When you enter the bazaar all your senses are sharpened as the stimuli are many. You will have merchants in every store trying to offer their wares. But if you visit with a guided tour you don't have to worry about anything. Just relax and enjoy the walk through the largest market in the East.

The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is located near the Fatih district, one of Istanbul's must-see neighborhoods, between the Beyazit and Nuruosmaniye mosques. The exact location is Beyazıt, Kalpakçılar Cd. No:22, 34126 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey.

If you are staying in the S ultanahmet area you can simply walk there, as it is only a 15 minute walk away. And if you are in any other area of the city, you can take the T1 streetcar line and get off at the Beyazit-Kapali Çarsi stop.

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, but if you arrive later than 6 pm you will see only a small part of all it has to offer, so I recommend you to dedicate at least 2 hours of your itinerary to it.

Remember that it is closed all day on Sundays. Remember this when planning your trip and booking a guided tour of Istanbul.

The Grand Bazaar has about 22 gates around the grounds. Each of them accesses a different area of the market that specializes in a particular product. The division is not so linear or perfect, but there is a general logic of products by zone.

My advice is to look for Gate 1, as it is the main and most important entrance. It is located right next to the Nuruosma-niye Mosque and is easily identifiable, as you will see an old sign with the date the Grand Bazaar was built.

When you enter here, you will have to pass through the police checkpoint and security arch, but it is a simple and quick process. Don't try not to get lost in its endless streets as this is part of the magic of visiting the Grand Bazaar. If you are looking for some indication to guide you, you will find a central core with the two original covered markets. Around this area called Bedesten is a network of covered streets, and the two areas together form the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

The truth is that the Grand Bazaar is so famous because you can find anything you can imagine. But if you want to take advantage to find unique opportunities, you should pay timely attention to this kind of products:

• Turkish lamps: they are very famous and you have them in every color you can imagine, standing, hanging and at very good prices.
• Turkish charms: do you know the famous disc with a blue eye in the center? Well, they are originally from the Turkish culture and are used to fight against the evil eye and bad energies.
• Turkish tea: Turkish black tea is one of the most famous in the world, but I recommend you also explore other varieties that you can find in the Grand Bazaar.
• Narghile pipes: also known as shisha or water pipe, you will see them in almost every bar of Muslim culture. They are used to smoke tobacco with different flavors. You may not be a smoker, but it is also a great decorative object.
• Kilim carpets: they are handmade using traditional Turkish techniques. They are unique and a high quality product. Do not worry about their transportation as they are delivered to you rolled up ready for the plane.
• Turkish ceramics: the most popular ceramic objects are iznik bowls and colorful plates. The designs are really a complete beauty.
• Turkish spices: you will have all the spices you can imagine and they are bought by weight vacuum packed.
• Turkish silver and gold jewelry: it is recommended to ask for a proof of the karat of the jewelry and the details of the seller. In the Grand Bazaar there are also fake merchandise, so I suggest you check very well.
• Hamman Soap: the famous soap is of Turkish origin and is made from pure olive oil.
• Turkish delicacies: they are in every corner of the bazaar.

You may not like this kind of dynamic when it comes to shopping, but in the Grand Bazaar prices are always haggled over. When you ask for a price, the merchant will be waiting for you to make your offer, so those figures are higher than what they actually expect.

This game may be a bit tiring, but if you don't want to pay too much you should be encouraged to make your own offer. Usually start with a low offer, so that the merchant will propose you a higher figure and you will find a break-even point where both parties agree. When booking a tour of Istanbul, your guide is sure to give you some tips.

The Grand Bazaar area has several attractions that you can see on the same day, before or after your visit.

• Mahmut Pasha Mosque: it was the first mosque built inside the city walls of Istanbul. It is a very busy place, especially at prayer time. You will hear the call of the Mosque's loudspeakers.
• Nuruosmaniye Mosque and Atik Ali Pasha Mosque: they are particularly beautiful and different from the rest of the mosques in the city.
• The Burnt Column (Çemberlitas): a pillar that was built around the year 300 and the incredible fact is that it was embedded with small fragments of the nails of the Passion of Christ and even a piece of the original cross.
• Beyazit Square: where a market is held every day of the week with many people and a lot of stores of different styles.
• Beyazit Tower: an ancient structure created for surveillance, offering magnificent views of the city.

The Grand Bazaar is a place you can visit if you go to Istanbul with children. They will love to see so many colors and colorful objects around.

In addition, there are always tastings in almost every store and they will be able to try different local products and drink different kinds of tea. Of course, if with these snacks you just open your stomachs, keep in mind that you can book a gastronomic tour of Istanbul.

What you should keep in mind is that it is a place where a lot of people concur, and you must be careful not to get lost. But if you handle it carefully it becomes a great family walk. You can arrange a meeting point at the entrance to the site, in case of any eventuality.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the best things to see and do in Istanbul. This iconic site is full of secrets, legends and curiosities. Surely when you book a guided tour of Istanbul your guide will tell you a lot of them, but do you want me to give you a preview:

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• In the beginning, this market was created only to trade fabrics and silks. But over time and with the large influx of customers, new workshops began to open. These were covered by vaults and the enclosure was walled, giving it the structure that we can visit today.
• The Grand Bazaar has suffered a lot over the years. There have been earthquakes, fires, many renovations. But none of this has made it lose its popularity.
• You will also see that in the Muslim culture men are in charge. It is very strange to see women attending the stores.
• In addition to the regular stores, the Grand Bazaar houses a post office, two small mosques, cafes, several restaurants, banks and exchange houses.
• There are never any empty stores or stores waiting to be rented, because, if so, there is a long waiting list.
• Finally, in its early days, all the streets around the Grand Bazaar were places where merchants left their horses to come to work.

Many times, the Grand Bazaar turns out to be the favorite place to buy souvenirs and travel souvenirs. Keep in mind that if you buy several units of a product in the same store, the discount will be greater. Therefore, plan your shopping if you want to save money.

The Grand Bazaar is also a place to get fakes, especially in the surrounding streets. Beware mainly of jewelry and antique sites. Sometimes the low prices are due to this. It is preferable to pay a little more to ensure its authenticity.

On the other hand, traders tend to invite you for a cup of tea in order to approach you and make a sale. This is very common in the market. But fear not, especially if you go with a guide when booking an Istanbul tour.