Deep Dive: Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
A practical—and philosophical—primer to making your way through endless shops full of hand-knotted rugs and kilims, Turkish tea glasses, slippers, pillows, kaftans, hamam towels, and on and on
With more than 4,000 shops and what seems like just as many streets, the Grand Bazaar can appear a daunting destination for the uninitiated. Built in the 1400s, the covered bazaar is a virtual city in itself with bustling main thoroughfares crisscrossed by smaller streets, which branch off into even tinier alleyways, all filled with endless piles of merchandise. It’s a dizzying melting pot of old and new where burqa-clad women and teenage influencers jostle for hamam cloths and boxes of rose-flavored Turkish Delight, and 19th century prayer rugs vie for attention next to the latest fake Celine bag.
You can spend a lifetime exploring every hidden crevice and still never fully master it, but on a recent trip with repeated forays into the beautiful chaos, we picked up a few tips and tricks that helped us find our flow. Beyond the basics of navigating the bazaar, it’s equally, if not more, important to understand its essential guiding philosophy. Approach it with a Western linear goal-oriented attitude and it will be a stressful experience; stroll through it with a more patient Eastern come-what-may adventurer’s attitude, and everything will be revealed in time.
Do I need a guide?
No, you honestly don’t. Do take a photo of the gate you enter by (there are 21 in all), so you can remember its name and number; everyone is extremely friendly and will help you find your way back to it should you become a bit turned around.
Will I get lost?
If you’re lucky, yes; getting lost is a chief part of the fun. Wandering up and down the ever-narrowing streets, allowing yourself be led by curiosity and pleasure alone, losing your bearings entirely—where else can you do something like this? The farther in you go toward the nucleus—or nuclei, as the bazaar is a multi-celled creature with many different anchor points—you will find charming centuries-old restaurants and alleys full of strange treasures.
Such as?
The lane we turned into that sold only vintage military watches. Or the cluster of shops that sold only braided yurt trim. At one point, we ducked into a tiny café that opened into a two-story stone caravanserai from the 1600s. Where was it? No idea. Could I find it again? Probably not. And therein lies the charm. I’m going to give you a few of my favorite picks below, but know that you will discover your own little Aladdin’s cave of treasures. If you are a person like me whose voracious need to know requires you to pre-plan everything, then by all means Google “where to buy xx in the Grand Bazaar.” But know this: I came armed with a list of shops to see, and after 20 minutes, I stuffed it into my bag, and we set about choosing our own adventure.
Biggest revelation?
Discovering the centuries-old hans hidden like tiny oases throughout the enormity of the bazaar. These two-story open-air fountained courtyards were originally medieval motels for traveling merchants to rest and sell their wares; some also were dedicated to specific crafts. Tucked away down tiny alleys, they are still a bit of a secret to most tourists visiting the bazaar, kind of an IYKYK type of thing. Yes, some of them are a bit run-down but these little pockets of tranquility offer an authentic respite from the crowds and are where you’ll find elderly gentlemen playing backgammon, shopkeepers taking a tea break, and craftspeople working away at their trades. Check out Zincirli Han (near the Mercan Gate) for its photogenic pink ground floor shops and upstairs artisan ateliers. We hear Kurkçu Han and Ic Cebeci Han are also worth exploring.
Getting a good price?
Two principles we discovered during our three visits there: The farther you go off the main streets, the better the prices; and whatever you do, do not ever accept the first price you are given (of course you know that, but it bears repeating!). Even if you’re nervous about bargaining (and it’s a muscle that gets stronger every time you use it), force yourself to do it. The shop owners expect it and will toss out an initial price that’s higher than they expect to get.
The Shops
We loved popping into Lonca for luxury bath products and hamam-related essentials, Recep Karaduman, Umut Haliçilik, and Sengor for carpets and kilims, and Eski for their fascinating selection of art and antiques. In the nearby Spice Bazaar, there’s a perfumery called Bosphorus (from the main entrance, it’s two stores in on the right) that sells very high-quality attar oils made from flowers, herbs, wood and spices. My traveling companion, an avowed scent connoisseur, bought six small vials and declares them even purer than those at Gulab Singh Jhorimal, her longstanding favorite in New Delhi.
Countless articles and travel sites mention Cashmere House for kaftans, kurtas, and jackets, so we headed there first, but we found their prices slightly alarming. That said, sometimes it just depends on who is manning the store that day. At their sister store, Yazzma, for example, which specializes in ikat textiles and cushions, we were initially quoted $125 for an ikat pillow, but on our second visit, there was a different salesman working and my friend was able to snag ten of the very same pillows for $400. What changed? Well, we were armed with charm on our return trip, and had a bit more confidence in bargaining, so that definitely helped. Also, my friend needed pillows for her entire house, and there’s no denying that one’s bargaining power increases if you’re buying in bulk.
Final words of advice?
Sybille Bedford said, “A large part of traveling is the engagement of the ego vs the world.” In other words, we want our adventures, but we want them wrapped up neatly and for them not to make us late. Ahh, so true, right? Getting lost is something we humans rarely do anymore, what with Siri telling us which way to turn, and our iPhones showing us exactly where our loved ones are at all times. But a little bit of disorientation is good for the soul. So if you visit the Grand Bazaar, dial down your brain, tune into the sights and sounds around you, and let yourself be led by the excited thumps of your heart. You’ll be okay.
For Your Notes:
We lodged at the iconic Pera Palace Hotel—my friend and I had both stayed here years ago when it was a bit tatty and enveloped in centuries of dust (not kidding; it was like Miss Havisham Opens a Hotel in Istanbul) and wanted to experience it post-renovation. Don’t fret, the renovation was a sensitive one, and it’s still lovely (Agatha Christie, Greta Garbo and Ernest Hemingway were fans) but be prepared for a crowded lobby and a line out the door on the days that the Kemal Ataturk Museum, located in one of the hotel rooms, is open. Also, the gorgeous vaulted public rooms are often booked for parties on weekends, so you may not be able to linger over that cup of Turkish coffee as long as you’d hoped. Overall, it ticked a lot of our boxes (historic, celebrated, a slightly haunted atmosphere) and we would recommend it with the above caveats.
Tulu Textiles Thanks to a tip from Elle Decor editor Ingrid Abramovitch, we visited Tulu Textiles fabric designer Elizabeth Hewitt at her showroom in Sultanahmet and we’re so thankful we did. Not only did we snap up many of her beautiful wares (purses, trinkets, trays, antique kînîk pottery, we wanted everything!), we also visited Karavan, her husband’s eye-popping rug store upstairs. Sultanahmet is walking distance from the Grand Bazaar, and is home to other great boutiques like Yoruk, Jennifer’s Hamam, and Seref Ozen, all worth a visit. Tulu Textiles is in Sultanahmet at Binbirdirek Mah, Peykhane Sokak, No. 38, third floor
Lucy Scovell of The Istanbulist, who gave us a generous list of recommendations, told us we had to visit Turkish Modern on Bogazkesen Street for their handmade rafik slippers, and she was right, they were the best ones we’d seen. This little street is a goldmine when it comes to shops specializing in Turkish-made wares—two other boutiques we loved were Cicekisleri and Tom Tom Textiles. Near Istlikal Street, in Begoglu
When it comes to sights, Topkapi Palace is a must-see for the sultan’s quarters, the harems, the costume hall, and the circumcision room. The spookily lit, incredibly atmospheric Underground Cisterns are also mandatory (don’t miss the stone Medusa heads). If seafaring history is your thing, the enormous gilded Ottoman caiques at the Naval Museum are jaw-dropping. But (Istanbul insider secret) skip the soul-deadening line at the Blue Mosque and go to Rustem Pasha Mosque instead. It’s even bluer—with prettier Iznik tiles—and small and intimate with zero crowds.
Our favorite restaurant by far was Pandeli, one of Istanbul’s culinary institutions since 1891 and a favorite of luminaries such as Audrey Hepburn and Queen Elizabeth II. Located on the second floor of the Spice Bazaar, the domed ceilings, turquoise tiles and white-jacket service are chic as all-get-out, and the smoked eggplant puree, fried zucchini, and warm cherry cake with cream were so delicious we returned for round two the very next day. (At only about $25 a head too.)
— Lisa Borgnes Giramonti
I've only just seen this — no idea how!! Thank you so much for the mention. I'd love to cross-post this feature on The Istanbulist in the New Year? Would that be ok?
What a great article - very useful tips and loving the kindred spirit of travel:
"Will I get lost?
If you’re lucky, yes; getting lost is a chief part of the fun."
Will share on my facebook page for Istanbul Place Apartments.