Tourist trap or not, I was ready to explore the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. This bazaar is massive and 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.~ read more

Tourist Trap? For sure! The Grand Bazaar is a maze you'll get lost! 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! read more

Kapalıçarşı - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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The Grand Bazaar has been around since the 1400s and is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. It is worth a look just for the experience. There are several gates to enter and it is easy to get lost if you are not paying attention. You will find all kinds of stores here: clothing, jewelry, shoes, souvenirs, teas, spices, carpets and more. In terms of actual shopping though, you can find cheaper prices outside. Because their rent is higher and because they know they can ripoff many tourists, the prices here are inflated even after bartering. read more

Kapalıçarşı - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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If you've come to Istanbul then you have to visit the Grand Bazaar but be warned: It's nuts in here. Lots of traffic, lots of confusion, lots of vendors and lots of walking. One thing they don't have? Lots of prices. As with many things in this part of the world, you're expected to haggle. Pick a shop, pick your item and decide how much you'd like to pay for it. Me? I like knowing how much something costs. I don't want a conversation. I want to browse and look and try to figure out if the items I see are something I might be interested in purchasing. And so I found the Kapalıçarşı to be very hard for me to shop. I ended up buying nothing. Way too much going on here for me. The Grand Bazaar is historic. Gate number 1 (there are some 19 "official" gates) dates back to 1461. Yeah, that's seriously old! read more

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The Grand Bazaar was a blast. I've never seen anything like it. Thousands of storefronts selling just about anything you could possibly want. The art of bartering is something you will want to understand well before you decide on making a purchase. We were easy marks as American tourists wandering the endless corridors of this covered mall. Any store owner that spoke English was on us telling us of the great merchandise and deals he would give us. I couldn't shake my suspiscion that many of the goods were fakes and knock offs. The cheap football kits were easy to spot and you've got yourself to blame if you think you are going to walk away with a deal on some Beats headphones. Buyer Beware. We mostly just wandered around and browsed. This is not quite so easy here as peddlers pounce on you even if you slow up. That pushiness made it a bit difficult. My wife wanted a beach cover up and walked into a shop. I knew this guy was going to have his work cut out for him as my lil lady is a picky type. He must have showed her two dozen tops before she found the one she liked. Now on to the bartering. I told my wife he would start high and she should start low. After all, you can always walk away and you are the one who eventually sets the selling price by agreeing to what you will pay. Once that has been agreed, you need to pay. My wife only went back and forth twice before lamely caving in on the seller's quote. She was happy, although she surely could have paid less had she proposed a lower price. Only after we left did we realize that the locals were buying the exact same stuff on the surrounding streets at a fraction of the price. Should have known better, follow the locals. read more

Kapalıçarşı - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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The Grand Bazar, i guess a must do while in Istanbul. Is it a tourist trap? Yes, but you have to experience it. Im sure you can find lots of the same things at each vendor so just find one that you like. The price is definitely not set so never settle for full price. Some of them are pushy and you definitely have to have your haggling skills on. Expect to pay half of what they first offer and never offer up a price first, unless its a ridiculous one, be sure you have exact change if you ask for change you'll get stuck haggling for more because he has your money. And if you buy something, put it in your back pack. one guys ploy was to put the items you were thinking about in your bag of things that you already bought from another vendor then hold id till you hashed out a price. FUCKER! I found it better to haggle here than the spice market, they seemed not willing to bargain in the spice market. You should also get your baklava and turkish delights from one of the shops where you can taste and pick the pieces and fill the box yourself. Those pre packaged ones that you see in the convenience stores for cheap are just that, super crappy and look nothing like whats on the box. Yeah i know the turkish delights and baklava shops are more but trust me i was kinda embarrassed when i brought back the baklava to work and opened it up, so crappy! read more

Kapalıçarşı - The Grand Bazar - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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Don't go in if you have an upcoming appointment. You will be lost in the wonderful labyrinth, and you will not want to leave the maze early even if you knew the way out once you are entranced by the many marvels within. Older than even the conception of many nations including the US, Kapalicarsi ("Covered Bazaar" - Grand Bazaar) is undoubtedly one of the world's oldest markets. Even with modern additions like lights and AC, the history of the market remains to be seen from the countless frescoes on the many ceiling arches and ancient columns that held this establishment for centuries. However, I believe the main charm of Kapalicarsi is its chaotic organization. With the exception of the main Kaplakcilar Caddesi, every street or alley is narrow and possesses many offshoots, so every turn may take you to a detour to somewhere else. Exacerbated by the enchanting lights from the shops especially those that sell lanterns, the market is particularly disorienting and makes you lose any sense of direction. You may think you can make a straight run through the bazaar, but the reality is that you will be making many turns before you can find a single exit. That is what made Kapalicarsi particularly charming! Every turn is full of unexpected surprises. Maybe you will find a row of colorful spice shops, a dark corner selling antiquities, or a pseudo museum of Turkish carpets. A stroll through this market is like a box of chocolate - you will never know what you will find. You will certainly wonder how some like the tea deliverymen can skillfully navigate through these confusing corridors. Do these people still find Kapalicarsi charming now that they knew all the nooks and turns? Your wallet* may hate you if you try to buy something here because the local advice is that prices here are inflated even with skilled bartering. Your legs may hate you because you will wander forever and ever without a guaranteed end to rest. However, your eyes and your mind would thank you if you step into this trove of wonders, because they would be indulged in this perpetually dynamic and splendidly beautiful festivity of people and merchandises. No purchase is necessary to join this festivity. --- *One exception to this is the amazing exchange rates you will find in the many exchange offices here! I found the exchange rates here and near Misir Carsisi to be the best in Sultanahmet. Sometimes, the rates are even more favorable than Google! If you are in need of Turkish lira cash, Grand Bazaar is an excellent place to exchange. Don't worry about finding a particular office to exchange and feel free to stroll around until you find a satisfactory rate, but do be weary about potential pickpocket. read more

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Lots of people - and even more cigarette smoke After seeing the outdoor attractions we went indoor that afternoon ... to the Grand Bazaar (which is closed on sundays btw). The Bazaar is a labyrinth of bigger and smaller lanes. On the main drag are the most gold and jewelery shops. Other sections offer pillows and scarfs, an other one leather and fur, others bags and purses. And a good amount offer souvenirs and knock-off products (be careful what you buy, depending on what country you come from you might get in trouble). Some lanes are almost impossible to walk through....it's just packed. But that's not the biggest downside. The biggest issue for us was the horrible cigarette smoke everywhere. Yes, there are lots of No-Smoking signs....but the vendors do not care....at all! For us as non-smokers it was hell.... Yes, there are some good products and bargains to be found. And most vendors are not that pushy....but it's just too busy and smokey to fully enjoy. Some might like this kinda thing. And it was fun to see....once....for a little while. But Istanbul has so much more to offer and most products you find elsewhere anyways....cheaper. read more

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It's one of the oldest covered markets in the world and probably the largest. It's massive and you need time to walk around here. It's an ecosystem in itself and easy to get lost in what seems like hundreds of isles in the market. The entrance says it's been here since the mid 1400's and it's beautiful inside. Be prepared for the onslaught from shop owners trying to flog you everything from glass to carpets. Be prepared to bargain if you want to buy. It's expected here :-) I could roam this market for days. It's a very cool place to visit when in town. It's tourist prices and if you are prepared to go the distance you can buy some good things here to take home at a decent price. read more

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Tourist trap or not, I was ready to explore the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. This bazaar is massive and 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.~ read more

It's one of the oldest covered markets in the world and probably the largest. It's massive and you need time to walk around here. It's an ecosystem in itself and easy to get lost in what seems like hundreds of isles in the market. The entrance says it's been here since the mid 1400's and it's beautiful inside. Be prepared for the onslaught from shop owners trying to flog you everything from glass to carpets. Be prepared to bargain if you want to buy. It's expected here :-) I could roam this market for days. It's a very cool place to visit when in town. It's tourist prices and if you are prepared to go the distance you can buy some good things here to take home at a decent price. read more

This is certainly the largest and the best Bazaar west of India that I have been to, with the only ones even coming close being the Casbah in Tangier, and the central Bazaar in Marrakesh. It has multiple grand entrances and it is very easy to get lost here. The shopping areas are divided into sections for the most part: like gold, carpets, glassware, ceramics, art... I bought 3 carpets here once. It took an hour of haggling and 10 glasses of tea to get my price. I also bought a lot of caviar here from Azerbaijan. Very little haggling there. Be prepared to spend time with most of the better vendors drinking tea and talking about life before even mentioning money. It is the Turkish way. Also, bring a map, but be prepared to "hire" a guide if you get lost. read more

All of the salespersons in the building are men. They are extremely pushy and rude. They don't seem to respect women. Also, if you are Asian, they may call you a chink or chinaman (really). It's just the culture. 30 minutes is more than enough here and I'd rather buy my stuff at the airport or at a less busy area. 3!stars for the beautiful lamps, spices and delights. read more

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The grand bazaar is large and in charge. Covered with shops upon shops that just won't quit. The store owners are all very nice, but be warned that the initial price they give u is not the final price and, in most cases, double what u actually will end up having to pay. There are so many different stores that specialize in jewelry, shoes, watches, purses, clothes, rugs, knickknacks, etc. Don't just buy at the first shop you see, since most products are repeated from store to store. First get a feeling of what the asking price is between spots and then let the person know ur absolute top price u are willing to pay and walk away. If he takes it then it's yours, if not u can just up your price a bit for the same product at the next store. If you are into fake high end products, they have it all. Any and every brand you can think of is represented with a fairly high quality fake version, if you are into that stuff. Although the quality is high, someone that truly knows their products will be able to spot the fake, so don't get embarrassed if you get called out for it back home, ha. While you are there eat at the Burc Kabob shop. It is a small little whole in wall restaurant in the bazaar with amazing lamb kabob at great prices. read more

Kapalıçarşı - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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I love markets, so it only seems reasonable to give the Grand Bazaar a five star rating. This is one of the most visited attractions in the world for a plethora of reasons. Yes, the salespeople are very aggressive. However, there is so much to see and explore that you sometimes forget you are in a place that has existed for hundreds of years. I particularly loved seeing the runners carry trays of apple tea, which is amazing and a must try. The food at any stall or restaurant is top notch. And, who could forget Turkish Delight. I love that stuff! It's been since 2010 when I was here, but I reminisce about the past sometimes. read more

Honestly, I didn't like The Grand Bazaar so much. It's just one huge shopping mecca for stuff I wouldn't buy. I'm not going to get fake designer clothes or purses. Or rugs. Or trinkets. And I don't like all the pushy salesmen. And too many guys lurking about. You have to pay to use the restroom. But hopefully that keeps them cleaner? I didn't have to go, so I don't know what it was like inside. But interesting to walk through this massive place just to check out once. read more

I feel that the Grand Bazaar is worth a short visit. It's not that romantic; more of a flea market feel (but a Turkish flea market!). Unless you're willing to spend days in there, I wouldn't recommend it for shopping for special items. Maybe a few touristy trinkets or scarves or whatever, but items of surpassing beauty and quality can be tough to find. As usual with bazaars of this type, there's a lot of tourist junk, and then some medium-quality things that might be unique to that region or city, and then a few beautiful items, and sometimes hard to tell the difference unless you're a very savvy shopper. Also common for these bazaars: The layout is very confusing and hard to navigate. This makes it hard to comparison shop because your odds of finding a shop later is low, unless it's very near one of the many numbered entry gates. The shopkeepers know this and can use that against you in negotiations. One thing that pleasantly surprised me is how respectful the shopkeepers are. There are some very aggressive ones, but, on average, they are not as bad as ones I've seen in Morocco or other similar places. To most Americans, all of these people seem aggressive, but since I've been to some other worse places, I find myself pleasantly surprised at how much Turkish people respect boundaries when they're firmly set. read more

"Overwhelmingly fun but Bizarre Bazaar." This is a must-see If you are in Istanbul - even if you don't plan on buying anything. You can buy any & everything here and you WILL get completely overwhelmed at some point. Note the gate # that you entered through if you want to exit the same way. Everything starts to look the same once you walk through all of the aisles. It is a fun experience - just know that you can bargain and haggle the price down. If not - walk away - there are literally hundreds of other vendors that will carry the same item/s. Important to note - none of the designers or brands (shoes, handbags, jewelry, watches, etc.) are authentic. Just know that you are paying for a counterfeit item. I was impressed with the counterfeits in China, however, some of these are the best I've seen. read more

It has been a while since I visited the Grand Bazaar, but the memory has stood the test of time over the last year. It was an experience like no other - pushy salespeople (but no more than you'll find in London or any other major city), and sometimes repetitive items plus of course the notorious haggling that you'd expect. Two parts that I liked the most were the runners dashing around with trays of hot tea, and the more unique and antique area of the market where there was a lot more variety than just the usual pashminas etc. I particularly enjoyed one nautical themed shop, although we only looked through the windows. Go in expecting a unique experience, but don't forget to visit the shops outside where you'll find people just as willing to haggle but from lower starting prices. Just keep an eye on the quality and don't think that you'll automatically get a bargain - be fully aware that you can just walk away. read more

I totally support Saam T.'s review! The place is huge and it's easy to lose track of where you are. There is a wide array of stores and most of the goods, from lanterns, to jeans, to spices, to knick-knacks overlap in selection. I don't know how much negotiate, but some crazy store owner got mad at me and viciously grabbed my arm upon deciding to leave. He said I spent 50 minutes in there, which was more than twice reality. I never even started negotiating prices as there wasn't something I wanted. I think this experience was unusual, but the shopkeepers are often a little abrasive when you don't buy something. I'll come back as it's an interesting place with a variety of things I can't get at home. read more

Kapalıçarşı - Entrance! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

I was looking forward to the grand bazaar but apprehensive at the same time. I don't like crowds or haggling, or pushy salespeople. Luckily I was there in the off season (mid December) so it wasn't busy, really. It was still impossible to find our way around. Also, they really only have a few stalls, which just repeat: Pashminas Jewellery Lamps Leather Turkish delight We did find a section of antiques in the middle which was the best part! Throughout the bazaar, things were absurdly overpriced. Even with haggling, people in our group paid 90TRL for a kilo of Turkish delight. I couldn't find anyone in the bazaar who'd sell less than half a kilo. (Better luck outside, see my other review!) I got a nice silk/cashmere pashmina for £25 in the end. The starting price was double. I still overpaid but it was my Istanbul souvenir! Go, but without expectations! read more

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The first time I went to Istanbul it was on the Orient Express. Ok it didn't exist really except the first train..we had to frequently change trains and it was 3 1/2 days from Weisbaden. It truly was like a James Bond experience but that's another story. Istanbul had so much to see that is wonderful but go to the Grand Bazzar first in case you want to have something made. There are supposedly 4000 shops and restraunts and it could take you all day to go round. it is big! It has 64 streets,25.000 employees, 4 fountains, 2 mosques and 22 gates. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by type of good, with regions for leather coats, gold jewelry and the like. Sometimes you don't have to leave a shop. You will be looking at say shoes and they give you refreshments..turkish coffee, chai, shertbert.. and ask what you are buying today. The always have an uncles, cousins, brothers friend..and as you drink your coffee they will start turning up. One unrolled a carpet containing gold jewellery. Now jewellery oh yes. You can buy beautiful stuff (cheaper if you pay in dollars) but beware. The gold is 24ct (very soft but lovely red gold) and the stones are NOT real. They are lab created. They look real and only a jeweller will know. If you buy an Alexandrite ring know that in reality the stone alone would be 14K on the open market so for £20 haha! (jeweller talking here). You see kids scurrying around the bazzar, not only with trays of drinks, carrying bars of gold! I bought heeled Turkish slippers for peanuts and I wear them as evening shoes..they are so beautiful. Go for the leather goods..so cheap! I wanted a blue suede coat. I ordered it. Drew my own design on a piece of paper, they measured me, and paid. They promised to bring it to my hotel. The day came to leave and it had not arrived. We got on the train and I said well I lost nothing much paying for it. Suddenly I saw a guy runninglike crazy along the platform and as the train pulled out he handed me my coat. It was perfect! Istanbul's Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi, or Covered Market) is Turkey's largest covered market offering excellent shopping: beautiful Turkish carpets, glazed tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, apparel made of leather, cotton and wool, meerschaum pipes, alabaster bookends and ashtrays, and all sorts of other things. BUT, if you want respect, you must haggle down the price! Go from shop to shop..say they said it costs..get the price down. You can always go back to the first and say I can get it atfor History: the number of visitors each day probably more than 250.000. The first part of the bazaar was constructed in 1461 under Mehmet The Conqueror. It was apparently a harem and a stable. read more

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I take everyone here who tours with me through Istanbul. It's a must-experience place, the sights and smells and sounds and crowdedness, the haggling and the history. You can get almost anything that's sold here at other bazaars in Turkey, and honestly most of the time when I take people here for the first time they rarely buy anything because they're quite overwhelmed... But if you come prepared knowing what you want to buy, you'll have a good shot. Some ideas: -spices -dried fruits -t-shirts -jerseys -pashminas -antiques -backgammon sets -kilim bags -ceramics -tiles -lamps -tea -coffee -Turkish coffee sets -knives/daggers -jewelry (gold/silver/amber/turquoise) -evil eye paraphernalia read more

We spent ALL DAY at the Grand Bazaar and I was in my element bargaining with the shopkeepers. The market has over 3000 shops selling everything from rugs, ottomans (or poufs, footstools), scarves, pashminas, jewellery, knock-off brand clothing, tea sets, and Turkish Delight. Men of all ages from teenagers to the grey haired and stooping stand outside their shops calling out to get your attention and go and buy their wares. Most would just say Hello lovely ladies Aussie Aussie good price for We got lost in the maze of shops looking for a particular shop (the bazaar actually has streets and shop numbers because it's so big!) but I got the few things I wanted - such a feeling of triumph not only am I getting something practical and beautiful, but it's at a bargain price. read more

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A must see! Bucket list must have! It is one of the most visited markets in the world, but yet doesn't really get too crowded or loud as some world markets do. Vendors are really friendly and most had a great sense of humor. Be careful though, they'll hike the prices if they think/know you are American lol! I bargained for allll items and got some pretty good prices. I bought some well made and good quality handbags and scarves for a great price. This bazaar has EVERYTHING, so you know you'll be spoiled for choice and confused because everything looks so good. You haven't been to Istanbul if you haven't gone to the Grand Bazaar, it's like a rite of passage for tourists in the area. read more

With over 4000 shops, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the world's largest covered markets. Eat a big breakfast, but on your haggling hat, be prepared to spend hours, stop frequently for tea and to calm your nerves, and don't forget your baggage allowance for your flight home! Yes, it's one massive tourist trap, but it's a fun one. And you don't have to buy anything (but this is not a safe place for compulsive shoppers). You'll find all sorts of arty-crafty stuff: leather goods, copperware, silverware, costumes, textiles, carpets, clothes, shoes, lamps, ceramics, books, food: it goes on and on. Luckily it's completely covered, so you can shop whatever the weather. read more

Kapalıçarşı - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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It is one of the most visited landmarks of the peninsula... You should definitely see the milieu, taste delicates and smell it inside... You will encounter the fusion of old and new thereinside... read more

Totally love this place. Make sure you remember where you see things you like or where is the entrance, this can be a maze. Lots of shops that sell and definitely represent Turkey. I would have loved a lamp from here!! How do you carry it though and make sure it's intact? oh well... one of those things that you gotta live with. As other reviewers say, salespeople and owners are men, no women on sight. Make sure you bargain for your stuff, if not, it's probably a rip off. Salespeople rude... they are rude, a bit aggressive. But I also think that it is a combination of street smart and business acumen. Salespeople DO want to sell, so they are definitely well versed in English and Spanish. To my surprise, they spoke spanish.. fluently!! It's one of those things that you try to speak in another language to your family while trying to get the best deal...! ha!! Luckily they do not speak cantonese!!!... Try to walk through several streets, much things to see, buy, taste, and be amazed at such culture! read more

The rule of thumb in old large bazaars -- especially in the Middle East or nearby countries like Turkey -- is this: the further you go into the bazaar (all those alleys or narrow streets), the better deals you may find. That's just how it works as shops closer to the main openings are more accessible, have more customers, and pay a higher rent. So if you're one to look for more affordable prices or even bargain, take your time and keep window-shopping until you're familiar enough with the rates. And I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that for the exact same item, you may be charged at strikingly different rates. Other than that, this can be a beautiful cultural experience besides shopping. read more

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Love how the shops are and the essence of the Bazaar and the fact your able to bargain for anything. The architecture is absolutely gorgeous. I will say the workers from all the shops can get pretty annoying trying to get you into every shop as you walk by. The shops are mostly covered by a beautiful roof that your walking under as you go from shop to shop. Here you are finding everything from jewelry, clothes, rugs, linens, home decor, you name it and you will find it. Also you will find knocks-off of every kind here also. The place is so big you can easily get lost but not mind it because of all the wonderful things around you that will catch your eye! read more

I had lots of fun at the Grand Bazaar. Be prepared for friendly but somewhat aggressive salespeople. If you plan to shop, come ready to bargain! If you're not really shopping, the old maze-like bazaar is a great place to visit, take photos and chat. I also enjoyed letting the salespeople try to guess where I'm from, which seems to be their #1 hobby outside of selling. read more

If there are two quintessential tips for anyone visiting the Grand Bazaar or Kapalı Çarşı (kah-pah-luh char-shuh), it would be to (1) Master the art of price haggling, and (2) Be prepared to walk away if the seller does not agree with your asking price (and watch what will happen next!). One of the world's oldest and largest covered bazaar, there are over 4000 shops selling items you would possibly want to take home with so that you have a piece of Istanbul or Turkey with you. Touristy? Yes. But locals frequent this place too. Lest someone thinks the Grand Bazaar is difficult to navigate with thousands of small stores closely packed together-- lucky us-- stores selling the same or similar items are grouped together. Silver, gold, leatherware, pashmina scarves, carpets, ceramics, watches. Right before our eyes. Before I could even decide how many pashmina scarves and in what colors I wanted to buy, the decision was to pick the store I wanted to spend my money at. Eager sellers wished us friendly hellos and touted their items with the invitation to "come in and just take a look". Choices. Decisions. Decisions. Choices. Haggling for price is common at the bazaar. In fact, it is expected. When a seller gives you an opening price, it is set high as bargaining is expected. We have been to markets in Asia where there is a similar culture of price haggling that is expected from both the seller and buyer. This is the fun part. If your final price to the seller hovers around 40-50% of the originally quoted price by the seller, that is about right. If you are suave in haggling the price, I'd say more power to you. Generally, the seller is more willing to lower their prices if you buy more than 2 pieces of items from them. Cash gives you greater power over credit card. We have to pay the credit card fee, the seller will tell you. If the seller does not agree to your price, be ready to walk away. After all, there are plenty of other shops selling what you want. And yes, the seller knows that indeed there are many other shops selling what you want. When you start to walk away, the seller will magically agree to your price or at least agree to a price that is pretty darn close to how much you are willing to pay for. Oh the fun of the trade. read more

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Of course I recommend the Grand Bazaar to many a tourist passing through these parts, but to be perfectly honest, shopping here is a hassle. The sales people are aggressive and can't respect the decisions you as a shopper may make. If you're like me, and you just like to browse and move on, expect to feel very stressed out in this hot mess. If you need to see cool covered market architecture but want it to be over in 15-30 mins max, skip the Grand Bazaar and just head on over to the Spice Bazaar instead. Same architecture, same stuff, same prices, same ridiculous sales guys. Not the best example of shopping in Istanbul... and not the best prices either. You'll have better luck on the back streets. If you crave the "Middle Eastern" haggling and crowd battling, maybe you belong in Morocco! :) Also, be warned: if you are not with a Turkish-speaking person, and don't know any Turkish yourself, you will be quoted dramatically different prices. read more

The Grand Bazaar is totally a no miss. I wouldn't buy anything here, but it sure is fun to haggle. With all the warnings in the tourist books (and from other travelers) I dreaded coming here but we had tons of fun and managed to snag some jewelry and tapestry before heading out. The people watching is fun and the restroom (you have to pay) are surprisingly very clean for such a busy huge place. read more

I think this place kind of sucks. Believe me I'm all for dirty, chaotic places of ridiculous amounts of commerce but the stuff here just isn't very good. The spice market on the other hand is awesome. You can get such amazing fruits, nuts, coffee, pickles, etc. Maybe I'm just a sucker for food over other stuff but the other stuff (clothes, lights, electronics, other junk) just isn't that great in my opinion. read more

The Kapalı Çarşı (which translates to closed Bazar, cause there is a roof and it's not open air) is a must-see! Even if it doesnt seem like it at first there is a logical structure to it there is a district for silver and gold, one for cloths and fabrics (mostly pashminas and scarves), pottery with handmade decoration and paintings, shisha (turkish nagile) and backgommon is very famous there (Tavla). No matter what you do, hold on to your wallet/purse tight as thiefs often look there for careless tourists. And also never pay the first price (or second for that matter) you hear and alway compare! There on The pashmina-scarves I bought for example when I asked how much they were (in English) he said 35 TL (about 15EUR). When I asked the same man again in turkish the next day he ask me if I was a Turk, I said half and he split the price in half right away without any further negotiation. In the end I bought three, 15 TL each which I tought was fair enough (outside the center you might get if even cheaper I suppose). Some useful tips if you like something, dont show interest right away. If you like a small silver ring for example, ask for the price of a bigger one first. We will tell you, you can haggle him down a bit and then, you go for the smaller one you really want. That they weight the silver doesnt mean too much. You can see the weight but you still dont know in what relation it stands to the price. If you can learn a few things in turkish in advance you will be well off! But all in all remember to stay friendly, if you get harsh they wont sell you anything anymore and the word will spread quickly among them. Just to get an idea what things cost there (well or at least how much I paid) - A large wooden Tavla-Game: 60 TL (plastic is lot cheaper) - Pashmina-scarve (made in turkey, silk): 15 TL - Pottery bowls with complicated hand-painting (there are different one): 3TL, soup-sizes 6 TL and a large one 12. read more

Not a fan, however I would not say "meh.. skip it" because the building is beautiful and there is some history there. Comparing markets I like the Spice Market in another part of town much better than this, and I like the markets in Bursa much better as well. I would recommend coming here and doing a couple of rapid loops around and then doing actual shopping somewhere else. What don't I like about this place? For one, the salespeople are some of the more aggressive I have seen - I am not used to having my arms grabbed by multiple people at once yelling and trying to drag me into their stores - and this is not an exaggeration - it made it unpleasant because I did not want to stop and look at anything because then I would get constantly pestered by the shopowner as well as other sellers in the vicinity who want to take his business. It just made the whole experience not fun. Also, I noticed that the quality of some of the items, such as scarves, was much higher at other places I went. Many of the ones here were cheaply made and not that unique. I would recommend stopping in Bursa if you are traveling around and want to pick up nice textiles. It is about a 3 hour ferry ride or you can take the bus. Despite the unpleasant experience of actually shopping here, I do recommend visiting just once and walking through to enjoy being in an historic place. There are lots of "streets" within there and it is very easy to get lost so I would just walk around, stay away from the shop owners and enjoy watching the chaos! read more

The time we spent at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey was a cool experience. We spent a couple of hours here browsing and people watching. It came as advertised. It truly is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world! There are so many shops here! They sell so much stuff! The day we were there, there was plenty of people here. I don't know if that's normal, but it was nice to just find a spot away from the crowds and just watch the people! Normally, we love to haggle for the best bargains. Because we were not as familiar with the culture in Turkey, we did not haggle. We already knew what we wanted before coming here, and (from researching) we knew the price we were willing to pay. Suffice it to say, we found what we wanted and bought those items at an awesome price which was lower than our researched price!! The Grand Bazaar is a cool touristy place to visit while in Istanbul! Check it out for yourself! read more

Before I say anything I gotta tell you that this review is coming from a non-Turkish person who's got a tattoo of the Turkish flag on her arm, which probably means I'm very biased when it comes to anything related to this country I love so much! That being said, the Grand Bazaar is amazing! I just love that it is so huge and full of interesting, curious people working there and I also love that you get a feeling of what ancient Istanbul, meaning Constantinopla, must have been like back in the day. It is huge, full of corridors (getting lost is very, very easy), where you can find almost anything, from a bunch of souvenirs to expensive jewelry, really nice tapestry and super colorful decorative objects. Oh, and of course, the amazing and totally tasty turkish delights (you have to take a box of one of those home, trust me). The owners of the stores are pretty funny and peculiar, with their super unique life stories and their way to get you to sit down and have a tea before you move on to the next place. Obviously, a bunch of them can also be very annoying, and you just have to sort of ignore the talk and move on once they start to make you feel uncomfortable. Also, do not expect things to be too cheap here (it is a touristic site, after all) and do not forget to bargain, as this is a place where this is definitely a must. It is definitely a must in Istanbul, but be aware you will need to be a little patient and chilled while strolling around here. read more

I guess this is a Yelp listing for the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. I have visited cities like Hong Kong and western European cities like London, Paris, Rome, etc. There's lots of shopping to do. I hadn't heard of the Grand Bazaar before visiting Istanbul, but someone was talking about it, so I got my hopes up. It sounded interesting. However, it seems to have about 10 shops with the same merchandise repeated over and over again in a shopping mall space. I bought a souvenir t-shirt from a stand. There's a lot of funky stuff, but if you bring it home to America, it turns to junk. It was not that thrilling after all. But, this is how people are trying to make money, so if you feel like spending, go right ahead. read more