Arasta Bazaar
Arasta Bazaar
4
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Sultanahmet
With so many unmissable attractions within a mere stroll of each other – and all set around the site of an ancient Byzantine hippodrome – Sultanahmet is an overwhelmingly popular tourist destination, and a prime location for visitors to be wowed on a truly epic scale. Beyond the wonders of the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and more, this relatively small area of Istanbul somehow manages to retain an air of peace and calm. It offers visitors a significantly less celebrated but nonetheless pleasant network of quaint lanes and side streets, majestic panoramas of the Bosphorus, and an impressive assortment of accommodation options for all budgets and tastes.
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
4,614 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,181 within 6 miles
See what travellers are saying
- TraveltoendofearthUnited States54 contributionsClean, quiet and right next to the Blue Mosque.Quiet bazaar right next to the Blue Mosque. Didnt encounter pushy salespeople at all. They were open late (many sites were open till 9pm) on Sunday even though the internet says they close at 7pm. If you have a rental car, there is plenty of parking nearby.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 November 2023
- Dirk WAlexandra Headland, Australia10,147 contributionsSurprise findTo be honest, I just stumbled on this bazaar by walking around the Blue Mosque. Not as well known as Grand and Egyptian Bazaars, Arasta is 1 long street of well presented shops selling good quality stuff. Nice, quiet and very pleasant.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 30 November 2023
- DrArunAgrawalNoida, India758 contributionsNice place to shop for Turkish productsVeey nice place to shop for the best of Turkish products at afforrdable prices located right at the entrance to the famed Sultanahmet Square . Not so crowded as Grand Bazar is, and much smaller in size . Visit highly recommended .Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 February 2024
- Ronen DasChennai (Madras), India350 contributionsCosy and relaxed bazaarMy wife and I spent a couple of hours at Arasta Bazaar just before we did a tour of Topkapi Museum which is a few 100 meters away. The bazaar is compact and has nice shops. The shopkeepers are very friendly and not as sales-aggressive as we encountered at Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Bazaar. We especially loved the time we spent at Jennifer's Hamam which has some exquisite, truly Turkish towels. We picked up quite a few souvenirs from Ask Jewellery and highly recommend them for the range and quality of products.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 May 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
890 reviews
Excellent
355
Very good
373
Average
130
Poor
15
Terrible
17
Passenger26916268725
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • Couples
Overall Istanbul is beautiful and great people.
However, beware of Arasta Bazar turkish delight shop which is opposite of Cafe Mesale (i believe it is called Mesale Spice). People at this place will scam and trick you into buying expensive turkish delights. We ended up paying for supposedly $250 worth of turkish delights at the end. The person at the shop would not tell us the price and started packing the boxes of turkish delights (Packed it to the point that you can't fit anymore into the box). we asked how much was the price and said it is by weight but still would not tell the price and we ended up paying $250. I would recommend if you want to go there, get the price in advance or avoid going that turkish delights from this shop.
However, beware of Arasta Bazar turkish delight shop which is opposite of Cafe Mesale (i believe it is called Mesale Spice). People at this place will scam and trick you into buying expensive turkish delights. We ended up paying for supposedly $250 worth of turkish delights at the end. The person at the shop would not tell us the price and started packing the boxes of turkish delights (Packed it to the point that you can't fit anymore into the box). we asked how much was the price and said it is by weight but still would not tell the price and we ended up paying $250. I would recommend if you want to go there, get the price in advance or avoid going that turkish delights from this shop.
Written 12 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ronen Das
Chennai (Madras), India350 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
My wife and I spent a couple of hours at Arasta Bazaar just before we did a tour of Topkapi Museum which is a few 100 meters away. The bazaar is compact and has nice shops. The shopkeepers are very friendly and not as sales-aggressive as we encountered at Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Bazaar. We especially loved the time we spent at Jennifer's Hamam which has some exquisite, truly Turkish towels. We picked up quite a few souvenirs from Ask Jewellery and highly recommend them for the range and quality of products.
Written 25 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katja K
14 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
Be careful of the first spice shop on the left, when you enter from south. They are very polite, gives you tea to taste and make nice small talk. And they are very eager for you to pay with card. When you pay with card you may not understand how much you really are paying. We almost ended up paying 180 euros for our tea. But when you start counting the cash, you understand you are beeing "robbed"
Overpriced, beautiful things in many shops.
Overpriced, beautiful things in many shops.
Written 12 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara R
New York City, NY14 contributions
Mar 2023
I really like buying things at Arasta Bazaar because it's calmer, smaller and more premium than the Grand Bazaar. It’s a curated set of about 80 shops with the types of things I like to buy, including flat-weave Turkish towels & blankets in a range of pretty colors, pillow covers, tiles & ceramics, handbags and jewelry. The setting in the old stables is very pretty. As a bonus, while shopping here, we stumbled upon the lovely Museum of Great Palace Mosaics which is located underground from the bazaar.
Written 18 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Indiana_Jonesse
San Francisco, CA7,050 contributions
Jan 2020
This bazar is a stone throw away from my hotel so I passed it daily. I purposely walked through here instead of the streets to look in case I overlooked something. All the merchandise sold are the same where you can get elsewhere. But this place is very accessible with an excellent location.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca F
Alabama40 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
We shopped a number of carpet and kilim shops in the Sultan Ahmet area but returned to Gallery Desen in the Arasta Bazaar to make our purchases. Desen had the most attractive, uninflated, prices; their selection was ample and of good quality; and, most pleasantly, the staff was low key. Desen's knowledgeable and cordial staff member,Loai, gave us comfortable space to browse while also being helpful to answer questions or point us in the right direction. He very kindly held several pieces for us overnight while we made our decision. We quickly agreed on a price. The entire experience was first rate and we are happy with our purchases. Highly recommend Loai and Gallery Desen.
Written 21 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan D
Cairo, Egypt150 contributions
Mar 2022
Much better than the aggressiveness at the Grand Bazaar. I went back again and again for gifts. The prices are good and some shops even have fixed prices and others you can bargain. It's a nice stroll close to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DeeteeLDN
London, UK1,917 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
Smaller and more premium than the Grand Bazaar, this bazaar lies just behind the Sultan Ahmet mosque and is a bit more relaxed though more expensive. It’s pretty much the same sort of things on offer, plus a few slightly more prestigious boutiques and cafes. A nice place to walk through, but the bargains and excitement are in the Grand Bazaar
Written 21 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TS71
London, UK7 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Beautiful Bazaar… I got some Turkish Delights from Arasta Bazaar (Pasalar Diamond) and ended up not being such a delight after all. Who charges £255 for a box of them and a box of baclavas and four little bags of tea? Well a shop at the Arasta Bazaar does and who pays fo it? I did… 😔
Written 18 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrValeria
25 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We ended up in this bazaar by chance as we were taking a short cut. What a clean and beautiful place. All the vendors are very nice and helpful. They all have a variety of things that you can find in the grand bazaar but in a more open space and less crazy full crowd of tourists. At the end of it there is even a few places to eat and have coffee. Highly recommend and also a must!!!!! Plus I even saw a greater variety of things.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you barter at most shops or are they fixed prices.
Thanks.
Regards.
Written 14 October 2019
Definitely bartering is the way to go. It’s expected and an insult if you do not. It’s actually a lovely cultural exchange starting out with tea being offered and some small talk before the discussion of price begins. I purchased spices and raw teas (which were carefully packaged and sealed for international travel), Turkish lamps, beautiful soaps and towels. All were priced much, much higher than what was actually settled upon. Each vendor added in extra things at no charge. And very true about understanding that if you’ve paid half of the asking price, you have overpaid. The prices were great to begin with before bartering, it all depends upon what value the item is to you...
Written 15 October 2019
Where, in stanbul , is the best place to buy authentic Turkish towels?
Written 1 August 2019
Jennifer's Hammam,Kucukayasofya Caddesi 158
or Dervis in Halicilar Street in the Grand Bazaar.
Written 3 August 2019
I was in Arasta Bazar three days ago.
I bought some Iznik pottery bowls in the shop by Ramazan Eginci, Sultanahmet 5B .
I would like to contact the shop to order others objects.
My I have the e mail and if possible the web site adress.
Thank you
Barbara
Written 25 April 2019
Quem são os HELAL Iranian Saffrons No 76 que vendem temperos?
Fiz-lhes uma reclamação por mail e não respondem...
Written 31 August 2018
Hi, I visited Istanbul 2 years ago and went to the Arasta bazaar. There was a lovely leather bag shop opposite Kahraman Silver shop which I can't remember the name of. Does anyone know if it's still there and the name of it please.
Kind regards
Written 26 September 2017
I was there in September 2017 and went to that shop. It's very much there and I was trying to find the receipt which had the name of the shop but couldn't find it. There are in fact two leather bag shops which sell high quality Copy bags. If I find the receipt, I'll post the name of the shop here.
Written 29 September 2017
My bride and I will be in Istanbul on an overnite with Holland America. My plan is the spice bazaar for dinner and getting a lay of the land. The next day, we plan to use local cabs the regular tourist spots and the spice bazaar the next day. Suggestions welcomed!
Written 10 January 2016
I will be traveling through Istanbul with a group of students. I would prefer taking them here to the larger bazaars. Can you tell me what time the shops open?
Written 7 January 2016
hola! que buenos comentarios! queria saber en que horario abria este bazar? ya que solo estare en estambul de 7 a 11,30 hs de la mañana y veo que es mas chico que el gran bazar para dar una vueltita. muchas gracias!
Written 11 August 2015
Can anyone recommend a good/stylish/reasonably priced hotel near the carpet bazaar? Many thanks
Written 23 February 2015
Hiya, We stayed in Hippodrome, very close to blue mosque and tram lines.
Nice little hotel , reasonable price.
Location - Amazing, You just literally walk to Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern from here.
Cleanliness - Rooms are cleaned daily, fresh towels & the hotel is neat
Size - The hotel is very small consiste only 26 rooms, but the room we stayed was quite nice and spacious , we requested for a double bed , but on the first night we were given a twin bed (R. No 303) and the next day we were moved to a room with double bed (R. No 203).
Facilities : Tea , Coffee in the lounge - 24 hours with some nice sofas to sit and relax , Wifi (works well in lounge , but slow in rooms), Rooms have chairs and table to sit , tea/coffee maker, mini fridge , shelf and hangers for clothes, side tables.
Bathroom - Hair dryer, towels , Bath with Jacuzzi
Though the bath was very small , I am 6feet tall and struggle to fit in the bath , but Jacuzzi was good , nice to have after a long day sight seeing.
Breakfast - It's not in this hotel - You need to go to another hotel (Azad suites - Sister hotel) , just across the road...
Same options daily, but it's good..
The hotel is also located near to tram, so you dont need to take any taxi , you can just walk from the tram to hotel.
Tram to Hotel :
Get down at Sultanahampet tram station, Exit towards the mask side.. walk down and on your right you can see blue mosque towards your left you can see hagia sophia.
you need to walk down the lane and at the end turn right (you will pass cafe mesele) then take first left and walk straight.. hippodrome will be on your right.
A good hotel to stay.. One disadvantage - There seems to be no generator, so if there is a powercut , there is no alternate options, but we dint mind...
Staffs(Reception,Cleaning & Lobby) are friendly and helpful.. they dint ask for any tip at all , which was quite surprising.
Also this hotel is close to Arasta Bazaar (Mini version of Grand & Spice Bazzzar)
Room Tip: Go for a doube room and the bed is really big..
Written 3 March 2015
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