The egyptian Bazar is more little than the grand bazar and u don't get lost for sure. However, you will enjoy the smells of spices, tea and sweets and the wonderful colours which emerges at the first glance! sellers are funny and they always try and stop you and to sell something.
The Egyptian Bazaar used to be called as the “New Bazaar” and “Valide Bazaar” by the historiographers of the 17th century. However it later earned reputation in mid-18th century with the name of “Egyptian Bazaar” as the spices and goods that were sold in the bazaar were mostly coming from Egypt.
No visit to Istanbul is complete without stopping by the atmospheric Spice Bazaar. While the Grand Bazaar may be the largest and most famous of Istanbul's covered bazaars, this spice market wins the prize for being the most colorful, fragrant, and often the most fun – as visitors can taste the goods on offer.
Built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, one of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Bazaar is a shopping market covered with domes. Two bedestens form the backbone of this historical area, which was also known as "Çarsu-yı Kebir" in the past.
Today the Grand Bazaar is a thriving complex, employing 26,000 people visited by between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily, and one of the major landmarks of Istanbul.
Is Istanbul Spice market better than Grand Bazaar?
The Grand Bazaar is fun, but I wouldn't shop there without being willing to spend money. The prices there aren't good, but it is fun to look around. The Spice Bazaar is even more fun and the prices there aren't as bad. I picked up some Persian saffron (well...
Known locally as Kapalı Çarşı (kah-pah-luh chahr-shuh; "covered market"), the Grand Bazaar sprawls over a huge area in Istanbul's historic city center. This labyrinthine warren of shops and pushy merchants is a unique Istanbul experience that shouldn't be missed, even if you're not a shopper.
Istanbul has always been known for its silk and leather products. There is also a traditional felt-making tradition, which today produces many highly contemporary fashion items, particularly slippers and hats.
Grand Bazaar is actually the first MALL that was ever built. It has 61 streets totally covered and 4000 shops. It is big. Since Istanbul was a trades center, the Grand Bazaar serves as a trade center since 1460 ( Almost since Istanbul was conquered by Turks ).
Haggling for a better price is expected in the Spice Bazaar. Decide in advance what you would like to pay and suggest a price that is lower than that, as the vendor will try to haggle it up. Always be willing to walk away from a purchase. Often the vendor will bring down the price as you are leaving.
The Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı), otherwise known as the Spice Bazaar, is the place to be to lay in a fresh supply of spices, nuts, honeycomb, Turkish delight, dried figs, caviar and mature hard Turkish cheese.
TL 100 can only get you 1 bottle of milk, a bag of chips, and medium-size bags of Nescafe and Coffee-Mate if you like this waker-upper combo like many do. If you earn your money in Dollars, you're one of the lucky few. Average salaries in Turkey for mid-level jobs are at 7k to 8k per month. That's around $500.
- Your first offer should be around 50–60% of the initial asking price. The shopkeeper will laugh, look offended or profess to be puzzled – this is all part of the ritual. - The shopkeeper will then make a counter offer of 80–90%.
Turkey's textile industry is well known, and many brands manufacture their clothing, accessories, and leather goods in Turkey. Therefore, there is knowledge in the country on how to create high-quality fakes. In the past, most fakes were associated with poor quality. This is not necessarily true anymore.
The most famous street market in Turkey is the Grand Covered Bazaar. This Bazaar has 65 streets with close to 3300 shops, a mosque, 7 fountains and 21 inns. The shops located from Kapalicarsi Caddesi to Nuruosmaniye entrance are worth visiting.
A good rule of thumb to start with is to subtract 30-40 percent of the stated price. Open negotiations by asking the vendor what the price is, and then come up with a counter-offer. If you're not sure, just say you think the item is too expensive and wait for the vendor to offer an alternative price.
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Hours needed: Allow at least three hours for your visit; some travellers spend three days here!
Is luxury shopping cheaper in Istanbul? No, luxury shopping in Istanbul is generally not cheaper anymore compared to other global shopping destinations, because of the Turkish inflation.
