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TurkeyWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Egyptian Bazaar or spice market (Spice Bazaar, tour. Misir Carsisi) - not as big and iconic as the Grand Bazaar, but more suitable for tourist shopping. Prices are initially called lower than in the Grand Bazaar, besides, you can bargain. But the goods here are specific: first of all, these are spices, there are a lot of them; Turkish sweets; coffee; dried fish. There are few souvenirs, but no leather jackets, clothes, etc. in any case, it is worth visiting the market at least in order to see spices and delicacies, which most of our compatriots have not even heard of. And on the second floor of the building is the restaurant "Pandeli" overlooking the Bosphorus, famous for the fact that it was visited by many famous people.
The market was opened in 1664, and construction lasted for 64 years. It became the second largest in Istanbul after the Grand Bazaar, and remains so today. It received this name because it was the main transshipment point for spices arriving by ships from India through Egypt.
So, you can and should visit the market, even if you are not going to buy something here. If you decide to go shopping here, you need to bargain even though in some stores the prices here are indicated as fixed. You can always get a small discount for the purchase, and if you also have the talent of a merchant sleeping in you, then in some cases you can reduce the price by half. To do this, do not rush to buy. To begin with, walk around the market and compare prices in different places, they can be very different for the same product. When you know the minimum price, you can proceed to the auction in any of the stores. Bargaining can be very emotional, even a little theatrical, but never show resentment or aggression. If you bargain well, the seller will respect you, and will gladly give up the goods at a discount and even give a gift. By the way, there are a lot of Russian-speaking sellers, immigrants from the countries of the former USSR, so you will always find a common language.
🕐 Working hours
08:00-19:00, Sunday 09:30-19:00, seven days a week.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
free.
🚶 How to get there
located in Eminonu quarter within walking distance of Sultanahmet district (Bazaar on the map). You can get from other areas:
- Of Beyoglu by tram T1 to Eminonu stop; directly from Istiklal streets or Taksim squares you need to go down the funicular F1 to the final tram T1 and take it there, or walk to the end of the street, go down the funicular F1 and walk to the market.
- From the Asian part of the city, take the Marmaray commuter train to Sirceci station, and then 10 minutes on foot, or take the ferry to the Eminonu Pier.
Learn more about Istanbul transport and how to get around here, and see our map of Istanbul with marked transport lines.
In addition to an independent walk and sightseeing attractions in Istanbul you can also book an author's group or individual tour in Russian on one of these trusted sites: