Istanbul Things to Do Tips by FletteMette

You really can't go to Istanbul without getting lost in the Grand Bazaar at least once - it is such a colourful, busy (and at first slightly overwhelming) place - I loved it!:o)

The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world - an amazing labyrinth with almost 4000 small shops, selling pretty much everything you can imagine - and then some. You'll find a huge selection of carpets and leather goods, sweets, dried fruit and spices, jewelry, glassware, pottery, fabrics, belly dancing costumes, t-shirts and all sorts of souvenirs. It is not *quite* as chaotic as it sounds, most of the shops are (sort of) grouped by the type of goods they sell: there's one area for carpets, one for gold & silver, and so on.

The locals *do* shop here too, it's not all just for tourists - but of course, as a tourist you're the prime target for most of the somewhat aggressive salesmen here... :o) (A tip: I quite like to visit shops where there already are other customers, that way I get a chance to look around while the shopkeeper is busy with the others;o) And of course: always, *always* bargain.

The Grand Bazaar is almost a small town in itself, in addition to all the shops you'll find a few restaurants - as well as workshops, mosques, money changing booths - and a police station. The bazaar can be very crowded, and you should of course keep an eye on your belongings. Oh, and don't forget to look up when you're wandering around the bazaar - the architecture here is really interesting.

The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

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Directions: From Sultanahmet, walk up Divan Yolu Cad - it is a 15-20 minute walk from the Blue Mosque. The Grand Bazaar has *many* entrances and is quite impossible to miss.

The Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, is the second largest covered market in Istanbul. (After the Grand Bazaar, of course..:o) This bazaar was built in the early 17th century, and I was told that it is called the Egyptian Bazaar because taxes on imports from Egypt paid for its construction..

Earlier, the bazaar specialised in spices - and the selection of colourful, aromatic spices and herbs, nuts, honey, dried fruits, sweets and other foods is still very good, but nowadays you'll find all sorts of products here, much like in the Grand Bazaar. (But the Spice Bazaar is much smaller than the Grand Bazaar, and not nearly as chaotic.) An excellent place to shop for souvenirs or gifts - and the vendors are happy to let you taste some of the goodies before you buy.

The Spice Bazaar is located in Eminönü, near the ferry docks - and there are also loads of stalls and shops in the streets surrounding the market - selling everything from vegetables to underwear... These shops and stalls are mainly geared towards locals, whereas you'll find more touristy stuff inside the bazaar. The Spice Bazaar is L-shaped, and in the square between the two "arms" of the market there are stalls selling pets, as well as plants, seeds, garden supplies - and leeches used for medicinal purposes! (See my local customs tip for more about the leeches;o)

The Spice Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

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Directions: Eminönü, next to the New Mosque. (Yeni Camii)

The Arasta bazaar (also known as the Cavalry bazaar), built in what was once the stable yard of the cavalry, is situated in Sultanahmet, a couple of minutes walk from the Blue Mosque. The converted Ottoman stables house a quite large number of small shops, lining either side of a long alley. This market is much smaller and quieter than the Grand bazaar, and Arasta bazaar was far from crowded even though it is situated right in the middle of the most touristy area of Istanbul.

There are, like everywhere in Sultanahmet, quite a few carpet shops here - but also shops offering jewelry and all sorts of handicrafts, textiles, leather goods, ceramics, scarves and other souvenirs.

Arasta bazaar is a very good place to shop if you're not up to tackling the far more overwhelming labyrinths of the Grand bazaar. I found the shopkeepers at Arasta bazaar to be less pushy - and I've also been told that the prices at Arasta bazaar are often quite a bit better than at the Grand bazaar. (But that will of course depend on your bargaining skills!;o)

The rent from the shops at Arasta bazaar goes towards funding the restoration works of the Blue mosque.

Note that Arasta bazaar is open daily - both the Grand bazaar and the Spice bazaar are closed on Sundays!

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Directions: Arasta bazaar is situated in Sultanahmet, below the Blue mosque - running parallel to Torun Sok.

The Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) and the Blue Mosque are the buildings most people will immediately think of when someone mentions Istanbul.

The Hagia Sophia - the "church of Holy Wisdom" - was completed in 537. The church was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, on a site where two earlier churches had stood. Hagia Sophia was the world's largest and grandest Christian church until it was converted into a mosque by the Ottomans in the 15th century - the minarets, tombs and fountains date from this period. In 1935 the mosque was turned into a museum. Some of the original mosaics in the church were plastered over during its time as a mosque, but many have later been uncovered - and today you can see both Christian mosaics and Islamic art inside Hagia Sophia. Fascinating. Also, when you are up on the galleries, remember to look out the windows in between admiring the mosaics - nice views...!

I have heard many people say that the Hagia Sophia gets *extremely* crowded, and to avoid the worst crowds it is a good idea to visit early in the morning, right after the museum opens. We visited in October, outside of the peak tourist season, and even though there were *long* queues to get in, it didn't seem that crowded inside the museum.

Please have a look at my travelogue if you want to see more photos of the interior of Hagia Sophia.

Entrance fee: 10 YTL
The Hagia Sophia is open every day except Mondays, from 0930 until 1630.

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Directions: Sultanahmet