ShoppingThe Covered Bazaar

out of 100 points
based on 85 reviews
No. 2 out of 14 Shopping in Istanbul

Overview Reviews Photos Web links

Close to a hotel that is good value for money. Deals Hotel Niles Istanbul Double Room (per night) 10.03. - 11.03.

onhotels rate

£53

View Deal »

RatesToGo rate

£84

View Deal »

Hotels.com rate

£84

View Deal »

Photos Shopping The Covered Bazaar All photos

ReviewAll reviews

out of 100
Overall rating includes:
95
Accessibility
97
"Must See"-Factor
84
Budget Friendliness
94
Cult Factor

Address Capali Carsi Beyazit
Istanbul

Telephone: +90(212)5224902

Websites

Official Homepage
Hotels nearby

Surroundings

Magnaura Cafe
(0.1 miles)
Feriye Lokantasi
(0.1 miles)
Nuruosmaniye Camii
(0.1 miles)
Sahaflar Çarşısı
(0.1 miles)
Sinan Paşa Türbesi
(0.1 miles)
Atik Alí Pasa Camii
(0.2 miles)
Çemberlitas
(0.2 miles)
Beyazit Tower
(0.2 miles)
Havuzlu Restaurant
(0.2 miles)
Rumeli Cafe and Restaurant
(0.3 miles)

Reviews Shopping The Covered Bazaar All reviews

sameh111(32)
Cairo, Egypt

90%

very good

[sameh111, 14/07/2011] Of the finest places I visited in Turkey .it is a huge bazaar has many rare items from jewelry and goods one day not enough to shop in the bazaar It is a very large, but tha thing I did not like was the high prices, the price is very expensive and there is the treatment of vendors they were telling us to buy goods . I like a lot handbags, scarves, shirts, toys, carpets, watches and jewelry, but I did not buy anything Because of rising costs.

Dalka(29)

87%

pretty good

[Dalka, 13/07/2009] Me and my boyfriend visited Istanbul last November. So we decided that we would like to see the grand bazaar, because it was a great attraction. Well, it was really a great attraction, but nothing special for me, since I am from Bulgaria and I get to see such bazaars almost in every town in my country. Now on the bazaar. When you first ener the bazaar, you feel as if you are in a different universe. You see colours everywhere around you. You feel all kinds of smells, and you can experience all kinds of feelings. You see mostly red and blue, as I believe they are the leading colors of this coun [more]

Fritzthecat(44)
Essex, United Kingdom

99%

perfection!

[Fritzthecat, 04/04/2009] The Covered Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi in Turkish), also known as Grand Bazaar, is one of my favourite attractions in Istanbul and a place I always make sure to visit when I'm in the city.

Write a Review

more

1 to 3 out of 6 Reviews

External reviews Shopping The Covered Bazaar All external reviews

Frommers.com

100%

excellent

Frommers rates a visit to the "mother of all tourist traps" as exceptional. The author describes it as a "vast collection of over 2600 shops". These are strewn over "65 streets" that also offer "24 hans ", which are "privately owned inns or marketplaces", "2 bedestens (covered markets)" and a number of "restaurants, mosques, fountains, and teahouses". He notes that the market is home to "over 500 goldsmiths" and explains their "aggressive" selling tactics with the high monthly rent they have to pay. He states that the bazaar, as one of the "world's major commercial centers", unfortunately also [more]

Private website

72%

very good

The author begins with information about "one of the "largest" and "oldest" "covered markets in the world", it is situated in the center of Istanbul. The article informs us that the bazaar looks like a "giant labyrinth with approximately sixty lanes and more than three thousand shops". We are told how it is "fun" to walk around exploring the "small and humble" shops selling gifts. Be warned about the "commission-men" who can sometimes "seem insistent" on taking you to certain shops, just ignore them if your not interested and they will leave you alone. Potential buyers learn that carpe [more]

Timesonline.co. uk

100%

excellent

The writer starts her article by comparing a visit to the Covered Bazaar to "stepping into a turbo-powered pinball machine" and states that it is "fast-paced" and "noisy" and will "set your senses spinning". She recommends to "Let your scent guide you" if you want to enjoy the culinary delights that can be found here, but adds that you will probably be " bumped, tossed and swept into a few people" while exploring the market along with the other "up to 300,000 daily visitors". We are told to expect vendors with "sophisticated sales pitches" and to "enjoy, the delightful bait" as there will [more]