The Grand Bazaar and around

İstanbul’s Ottoman-era Grand Bazaar gets more than its fair share of souvenir-hungry visitors. The area around it, however, is relatively little explored, which is a shame as it holds some very worthwhile attractions, from the historic Cembirlitaş Hamamı, one of the best Turkish baths in the country, to the city’s very best mosque, the hilltop Süleymaniye Camii. Throw in the ornate Baroque Laleli Camii, and it’s easy to see how you can spend a day in this area alone. To get here from Sultanahmet, either walk or take the T1 tram.

Mimar Sinan, master builder

Many of the finest works of Ottoman civil and religious architecture throughout Turkey can be traced to Mimar Sinan (1489–1588), who served as court architect to three sultans – Süleyman the Magnificent, Selim II and Murat III. Probably born to Greek or Armenian Christian parents, he was conscripted into the janissaries in 1513. As a military engineer, he travelled the length and breadth of southeastern Europe and the Middle East, giving him the opportunity to become familiar with the finest Islamic – and Christian – monumental architecture there. His bridges, siegeworks, harbours, and even ships, earned him the admiration of his superiors.

Sultan Süleyman appointed Sinan court architect in April 1536, and he completed his first major religious commission, İstanbul’s Şehzade Camii, in 1548. Shortly thereafter, he embarked on a rapid succession of ambitious projects in and around the capital, including the waterworks leading from the Belgrade Forest and the Süleymaniye Camii. Competing with the Süleymaniye as his masterpiece was the Selimiye Camii, constructed between 1569 and 1575 in the former imperial capital of Edirne. Despite temptations to luxury, he lived and died modestly, being buried in a simple tomb he made for himself in his garden in the grounds of the Süleymaniye Camii – the last of more than five hundred constructions by Sinan, large and small, throughout the empire.

The Grand Bazaar: Kapalı Çarşı

With 66 streets and alleys, more than four thousand shops, numerous storehouses, moneychangers and banks, a mosque, post office, police station, private security guards and its own health centre, İstanbul’s Grand Bazaar is said to be the largest covered bazaar in the world. In Ottoman times it was based around two bedestens (domed buildings where foreign trade took place and valuable goods were stored): the Iç Bedesten probably dates from the time of the Conquest, while the Sandal Bedesten was added in the sixteenth century. The bazaar sprawls further, into the streets that lead down to the Golden Horn. This whole area was once controlled by strict laws laid down by the trade guilds, thus reducing competition between traders. Each shop could support just one owner and his apprentice, and successful merchants were not allowed to expand their businesses.

Visiting the bazaar

The best time to visit the bazaar is during the week, as it’s very crowded with local shoppers on Saturday. Expect to get lost — most streets are either poorly marked or hidden beneath goods dangling from shopfronts. Still, it’s worth the effort: head to Kavaflar Sok for shoes, Terlikçiler Sok for slippers, Kalpakçılar Başı and Kuyumcular Caddesi for gold, and Tavuk Pazarı Sok, Kürkçüler Sok, Perdahçılar Caddesi, and Bodrum Han for leather goods.

Carpet-sellers are everywhere. You'll find higher-end collector pieces on Halıcılar Çarşısı, Takkeciler, and Keseciler Caddesi, while budget options pop up in Rubiye Han and İç Cebeci Han. Ceramics, leather, and kilim bags are common on Yağlıkçılar Caddesi, especially in Çukur Han and again along Keseciler Caddesi.

The old bazaar (İç Bedesten), once the stronghold of high-value goods thanks to its lockable gates, now blends in with the rest of the maze — same stalls, same bustle, just more central.

A number of decent cafés tucked within the bazaar give you the chance to unwind, sip tea, and escape the nonstop sales pitches. If you’re figuring out how much time you need in Istanbul, make sure you carve out a few hours just for getting happily lost in here — it’s a key part of the experience.