i was told before going to istanbul there is loads to buy there...i was so excited about visitin the bazaar as i am a shopoholic and love shopping but what can i say ...such a major disappointment. same old stuff carpets, expensive silver, cermaic plates , tiles and then other tourist orientated stuff! i did not buy one thing from... more

After several false starts bought my daughter a beautiful large antique Ottoman rug in the grand bazaar for about a third of the cost in Houston. The shop Turkosan is located directly across from the entrance to the tourist bus drop off, up a visible small alley. The owner Seyfi is a legend in this country for his knowledge of... more

It's huge, colourful and full of life and characters. It's worth a visit but don't expect too many great bargains. Top tip - if you want a tea or coffee at a cafe in the market see the menu first or agree a price. We got badly stung at one such venue! We prefered the Spice Market where there were... more

A large warren of market stalls that you are likely to get lost in but that is half the fun. Sells mainly silver products, leather products, carpets and fake designer clothes. Be warned that you will have to haggle hard to get a bargain - even 50% off the sellers original price may still be overpriced! One stallowner became verbally... more

Don't forget to get the Turkish tea, they're excellent! The harem tea, love tea and apple tea are superb! Now I regret not buying enough... http://cctravelblog.com/2009/01/27/2008-turkey-grand-bazaar-istanbul/ more

My favorite thing about the Grand Bazaar was the array of things from the sub-continent. I found it bizarre that these items were even there, and while I know that it's a very small subset of us India-lovers that go to Istanbul, I thought a few things were worth sharing... In the grand bazaar, I found everything from Rajasthani puppets... more

I went to Grand Bazaar with some expectations and i left this market very disappointed. What's the big deal about it? It claims that has more than 3000 shops but we can divided all of them in 4 types: the gold/ silver stores, the fake bags and clothes, the colourful lamps and the leather goods stores. If you see an... more

The Grand Bazaar is an enclosed warren of some 4000 shops. An easy place to get lost in. By all means, see the Grand Bazaar, it is remarkable. My advice would be to avoid purchasing there. The mark-up on goods is high and the shopkeepers are expert at bargaining with tourists. Tourists do not have an edge at the Grand... more

Not hard to find, there are helpful signs along the way, although some say “Grand Bazaar” and others say “Kapalicarsi”, so be alert for both. It was only about a 15 minute walk from the Aya Sofya area. The Grand Bazaar is almost overwhelming in its size and density. Fortunately, although some of the corridors were jam-packed, there were others... more