Small cool intimate venue for unique art pieces. Just saw the opening of 'all we ever wanted was…read moreeverything' on 6 May 2016. New art shows there regularly. A great neighborhood, not gentrified. Museum of Innocence is a few blocks away. Get some wine and then let your mind expand with some contemporary art.

Love this place. The people are so nice and helpful, and they have so many awesome towels,…read moreblankets, robes, etc to choose from at really reasonable prices. I knew I wanted Turkish towels, so I shopped here based on the reviews, and I'm so glad I did. I walked out with a LOT more than towels, and I didn't break the bank. Also, sometimes it's the little things. They wrap everyone up nicely with an evil eye, so it's so ready to give as a gift.

A blog directed us to Pera Family near Galata Tower as a shop that sells quality towels, robes,…read moreetc. v. shops that sell mass produced products. Service was impeccable and the prices were very good for towels and wash clothes. Blankets were a little more, but still worth it.

This historical bazaar is well known all over the world for her massive stores to shop. Bargaining…read moreis a must! Due to the large amount of people it is wise to watch your belongings while shopping. I love to go off the tourist beaten path, and I found a gem in this place. Being a foodies, i follow my nose & instinct alot of the times. I found the oldest restaurant in Grand Bazaar, first open in 1959, called Havuzlu Restaurant. When shopping for Turkish lamps and carpets becareful as some are from China. Before shopping is good to do some reseach ahead of time how to detect the difference.

I did a walking tour in Istanbul. Our last stop was at the Grand Bazaar. I have been told that it…read moreis the largest market in the city. It's huge! You can easily get lost looking at a ton of merchandise. I bought M&M's cell phone cases. I also got Turkish tea. You can score pretty decent deals. If you need to bring back gifts, this place is for you. It does get busy. Pack patience with you! (106)

A Hit of 90s for high school students but now despite the renovations a shopping center without a…read morecrowd (which may be a good thing actually). Poor food court, usual brands hideous hospital-like interiors.

This is a Fan of Besiktas's gift store…read more They are selling standard jerseys and t-shirts, shirts, balls, shorts and more made for Besiktas Fans. When I visited them on 11/10/2016 first thing they suggest me was Founding Father Mustafa Kemal's Shirts. I hate being told what is the best sellers in a shop and especially when I was directed to buy ideological Figure's T-shirts. I got 2 shirts for me 1 for my son and 1 for my nephew. Verity of the products were good but I hated what they told me about T-shirts "This one is our favorite one" and I said "if this is the best seller than I am not getting that one". I don't think they got what said but thats ok. a I got What I like but I will go to Besiktas Branch.

While the Grand Bazar was incredibly smokey to the point it was difficult to be within it, Misir is…read moreits much younger more comfortable cousin. The air quality is much much better and it's also easier to navigate. If you struggle with air quality issues but want a Grand Bazar like experience I'd recommend stopping in here as it's quite similar but a smaller less busy scale. All in all, I was able to purchase the mini fez I wanted here, so I would definitely come back.

I mean, you have to visit here, right?! The sights. The sounds. The smells. The haggling…read more Plenty of selection to choose from, whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else. Prices seemed fairly reasonable, even with it being a high tourist area. You definitely shouldn't lack for a helpful guide to assist you with your purchases. Fun to try the samples they are giving out also. Turkish treats and teas a plenty.

We stumbled into this shop because they had a nice cat inside and there was no aggressive bulky…read moreoutside insisting we go in. Two parts, we got a smaller Turkish mosaic lamp that may or may not make it back packed in bubble wrap and clothes, and a little rug for one of our cats, and a pillow case for our cat sitter, and a scarf for a Philosopher friend. In the ceramics part of the shop we got some pretty bowls which also might not survive the ride in luggage but they did wrap them up well and they are embedded in clothes and yarn. The Chief of Staff is in to knitting and bought yarn in Turkiye, which makes for good packing. None of this was expensive and the attempts to upset weren't overbearing.

I astonished by the beauty and quality of the mosaics Sinan showed me. He was patient and educated…read moreme in the tradition of his craft. After three visits I decided to buy one large plate and a mosaic. They both arrived via UPS a week later in perfect conditions. (He sent them hand-made in crates!) I believe I got an incredible deal for museum quality art, and I can't wait to return and have tea and be educated by gracious Sinan and his brother about Turkish craft. Thank you Sinan!

Tourist trap or not, I was ready to explore the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. This bazaar is massive…read moreand amazing, so be prepared to walk around. I ended up going multiple times to this bazaar while I was vacationing. The second or third time I visited, my hubby and I got many things from one particular shop. The shop owner wanted to show us more of his merchandise which was not in his store. The best part was that he took us thru a narrow staircase which opened to the factory part of the grand bazaar. Many shop owners have storage units and working areas on the second floor of the grand bazaar. It was a great experience checking out the working place with pots, pans, ceramics etc. Back to the buying part: I bought several goodies such as silk scarfs, jewelry specially rings and other treasures. It was fun walking around the many shops. There are around 3,000 small shops connected to each other. Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Many of the vendors sell similar items. If you feel like your getting ripped off, just walk to the next shop. Bargain like a pro, use sign language, or any other sneaky methods. Some of my recommendations: You want to get the best deals? Do not wear expensive jewelry or clothes. The prices are not set so when the employees see you they can make the price higher or lower. Try not to say your from the U.S, say any other country. U.S is considered a rich country, therefore they will try to sell you everything double the price. Have fun, and definitely buy some items to remember your trip by. I loved the grand bazaar, wish I could shop there every week.~

Tourist Trap? For sure! The Grand Bazaar is a maze you'll get lost!…read more Oldest market, and for me the biggest I have ever been to. It has several entrances and exits, thousands of merchants (no exaggeration) and you'll find everything in here from souvenirs, teas, Turkish delight, spices, fake branded clothes and so on. Higher prices than anywhere else. Beautiful decor, prepare to face the crowds and the maze. You'll be trapped and get lost, so bring your patience along. But when in Istanbul, you have to visit!