English
Being in Istanbul is essential these days; especially to understand the great changes that are happening at all levels in terms of flows and crossings between East and West. The city itself has immense dimensions, however walking from side to side through Istanbul is possible if you spend long hours, exploring its ancient streets, visit its shops, cafes, bars and mosques, and close encounters that are one step east closer than you think. With a highly cosmopolitan population, people from all over the world gather in Istanbul to learn about their ancient culture, the beauty of its buildings and its old quarters filled with shops and antiques.
With over 500 years, the Grand Bazaar is the largest in the city and probably the oldest. It is located in the old side of Istanbul and has thousands of stores at your disposal. In this fabulous bazaar you can find carpets, jewelry, jewelry for a really impressive level and fabulous desserts, spices, and infinite number of products for all needs. The prices are relative depending on your interest of course. Vendors in the bazaar, with both eyes open for tourists. However, do not hesitate to haggle when you find a product in the Grand Bazaar, and to bargain prices is part of the custom in Turkey in general. Until you get to a price as you do not buy anything yet.
This incredible bazaar is the father of what we now call “mall” at first scale. It´s that simple. However, in the bazaar you can find even the warmth of a market and the movement and curiosity of both, sellers and buyers. The offer and the demand is equally big, but the transactions become human to discover small gifts, candy, food or exotic and beautiful clothing, for which it´s worth asking and explore a bit more. The number of people visiting the bazaar is always relative. Keep in mind that the early morning hours are best to explore it, while the afternoon, especially during lunch hours or after work, are the busiest. During the weekends, the number of visitors in turn increases considerably.
While this bazaar is an essential attraction for all tourists, still retains the warmth of Turkish people, and just as many locals come to this fabulous building to find beauty items, household, clothing, etc.. The cultural exchange is more than this. The shops are clearly ready for the merchandise they offer, so it´s not hard to find what you´re looking for, if you pay attention to the various sections and entries that the bazaar offers.
You can find more information about the Grand Bazaar in its official website. Although the page is submitted in Turkish, see flashbacks and some data that may serve you to get a better perspective of this legendary market: http://www.kapalicarsitarihi.com/index.php
Get apartments in Istanbul and learn about the Grand Bazaar.
Translated by: Hans
