Half Day Shopping Tour

Shopping tour in Istanbul

Tour Price : $200 Duration : 4 hours Languages: English, Turkish

A must for shoppers

The  is one of the largest covered markets in the world, with 60 streets and around 5,000 shops. It attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily and is especially famous for jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices, and antiques.

Many stalls are grouped by type of goods, with dedicated areas for leather, gold, and other specialties. The bazaar has been a major trading hub since 1461. Its labyrinthine vaults include two bedestens (domed buildings). The first was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.

The bazaar was greatly expanded in the 16th century under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and later restored after the earthquake of 1894. Today, the complex houses two mosques, four fountains, two hamams, and several cafés and restaurants.

At the centre lies the high domed hall of the Cevahir Bedesten, where the most valuable antiques and treasures are still found. Here you can see furniture, copperware, amber prayer beads, inlaid weapons, icons, mother-of-pearl mirrors, water pipes, watches, candlesticks, coins, and exquisite jewellery.

Spending an afternoon wandering through the bazaar, bargaining with shopkeepers, and enjoying tea at a café is one of the best ways to experience the romantic atmosphere of old Istanbul.

The Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) is another must-see. Located in Eminönü, it is the second largest covered shopping complex in Istanbul. Originally known as the “New Bazaar,” it became popularly called the Egyptian Bazaar because many of its spices were imported through Egypt during the Ottoman period.

The bazaar was, and still remains, the heart of the spice trade in Istanbul. The building itself was part of the New Mosque complex, with shop rents contributing to the mosque’s upkeep. It was designed by court architect Koca Kasım Ağa and completed in 1663 by architect Dalgıç Mustafa.

The market is an L-shaped building with 88 vaulted rooms, many of which are now divided into two levels. Monumental gateways mark the ends of each hall, and chambers rise above the entrances. The main entrance, located at the southwest corner, faces the New Mosque.

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