Shopping in Istanbul

I arrived in Istanbul with the smallest carry on suitcase in tow. This meant I couldn’t go wild shopping in the grand bazaars as much as I would love to. What’s more, Istanbul was my first stop in a four-country tour. There was simply no room for stuff in my Lipault. Fortunately, I only had three items on my list of things to absolutely buy in Türkiye; a nazar, a refrigerator magnet and baklava pistachio pastry.

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is a maze of shops selling everything you can think of. Shop windows with jewelry, pottery, Turkish Delights, spices, clothes, souvenirs, colorful lamps, household goods, candy, designer knock-offs and the list seems endless. That may be an exaggeration but as I was walking along the main corridor, I found many side corridors which branched out to many more aisles which then led me to the outdoor stalls surrounding the Grand Bazaar.

Grand Bazaar (side corridor)

Beautiful pottery

I wish I could have brought home the tulip shaped tea glasses they use in Turkey. But it would have been crushed in my soft sided carry on. Hopefully there will be another opportunity to visit Türkiye.

Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar)

The Spice Bazaar is smaller than the Grand Bazaar so it is less intimidating. Of course I wanted to check out the variety of spices available in the market and it didn’t disappoint. Note: the hanging portrait above is of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Republic of Türkiye and its first President.

Spice Bazaar

Spices and Turkish Delights

Turkish delights or lokum are jelly candy made from starch and sugar gel. It comes in many flavors like lemon, orange, rosewater, cinnamon, pistachio, walnut and pomegranate. They are ubiquitous. Make sure you buy a box that’s inside the store and not from an outdoor display where it may have been exposed to heat.

Nazar

I’m fascinated by the nazar which is an amulet worn to ward off the evil eye. The evil eye is inspired by envy. The blue crystal glass with an eye in the center is a nazar. It has been part of Mediterranean and Asian cultures for five thousand years.

Shopping at the Spice Bazaar

Outdoor Stalls

Coffee beans from around the world

Nuts, dried fruits, Turkish Delights and more

Baskets and Furniture alley

Tahinli (Tahini) coiled bun

While walking in the alleys surrounding the Spice Bazaar, I followed the aroma of fresh baked bread to a bakery where people were standing in line for the few remaining buns. It was late afternoon and all the cookies and other goodies were sold out. Just my luck. If you’d like to make a Tahinli, here’s the recipe: https://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/coiled-tahini-buns/

Baklava pistachio pastry and other flavors

It was fun to try different baklava pastries like pistachio, walnut and chocolate. Pistachio ranks highest on my list followed by walnut. They’re best bought fresh from a bakery that specializes in baklava.

My shopping days were fruitful. I bought several nazar ornaments outside the Grand Bazaar for a lower price. I also got a nazar inspired bracelet, compact, refrigerator magnet and a worry bead. I feel protected. Find out if I bought a Turkish rug here: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2024/04/buying-rug-in-istanbul.html

Türkiye essentials:

Currency: Turkish lira. USD$1.00 = 34.67 lira as of this writing.

Electrical outlet: Type C and F. Standard voltage is 220 V at 50 Hz. Make sure you bring an adaptor for your devices.

ATM: There are freestanding booths of ATM machines from various banks in the most touristed areas of Istanbul like Sultahnamet, outside the Grand Bazaar and along Ordu Cd. which is a long avenue leading to Sultahnamet.

ATM machine booths

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Images by TravelswithCharie

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