Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world: around 4,000 shops, 61 covered streets, 18 gates, some 30,000 people working inside and more than 550 years of history. It’s much more than a market — it’s a city within the city.
History of the Grand Bazaar
It was built on the orders of Sultan Mehmed II in 1461, shortly after the conquest of Constantinople. It began as a small bedesten (a vaulted stone warehouse) and grew into the commercial heart of the Ottoman Empire. Each guild had its own street: jewellers, carpet dealers, shoemakers, dyers. It has survived earthquakes, fires and centuries of change, and is still one of the most visited places in the world.
What to buy in the Grand Bazaar
- Carpets and kilims: wool, silk and cotton from every region of Anatolia, from around €50 for small pieces to thousands for antique silks. Learn to tell hand-knotted from machine-made (the knots show on the back).
- Iznik ceramics: plates, bowls and tiles with Ottoman floral motifs — tulips, carnations and saz leaves. Genuine Iznik pieces are expensive; Kütahya ware is more affordable and just as pretty.
- Mosaic lamps: colourful and handmade, the most iconic souvenir of Türkiye. Small ones from around €15–20.
- Leather: bags, jackets, belts. Türkiye is a major producer of quality leather (haggling expected).
- Jewellery: worked gold and silver at good prices. Kalpakçılar Street is the bazaar’s “street of gold”.
- Spices and tea: better bought at the nearby Spice Bazaar.
How to haggle
Haggling is part of bazaar culture — the first price is never the real price. Start by offering 40–50% of the asking price. The seller comes down, you go up a little. If you can’t agree, make as if to leave: it’s the most effective technique. A few unwritten rules: never buy in the first shop, compare several shops before you buy, keep your sense of humour and don’t be in a hurry. And if the seller offers you tea, accept! It doesn’t commit you to anything and it’s part of the Turkish social ritual. Gold shops have smaller margins, so expect less room to haggle there.
The Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar)
Smaller but just as fascinating. The Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı), completed in the 1660s, specialises in spices, teas, dried fruit and nuts, Turkish delight and natural products. It’s easier to handle than the Grand Bazaar, and it smells incredible.
Opening hours
At the time of writing (2026): Grand Bazaar, Monday to Saturday, 09:00–19:00 (closed on Sundays and religious holidays). Spice Bazaar, daily, 08:00–19:30.
A local’s tip
If you want to experience the bazaar without the tourist pressure, join my Istanbul shopping tour. I take you to shops I trust and help you get fair prices. Hungry afterwards? Here’s what to eat in Istanbul.