Arasta Bazaar

Splash the Cash at Arasta Bazaar

Shopping opportunities aren’t hard to come by in Istanbul. You can head to a huge mall at almost any point in the city, you can venture to Taksim’s Istiklal Street and shop ’til you drop, or you can venture over to Kadikoy and explore the small boutique and antique stores, looking for bargains. What you shouldn’t miss however, is the rather interesting and fun bazaar experience.

A bazaar, to give it an easy description, is basically a traditional market, and is usually closed over (e.g. it has a roof), but not always. Istanbul is famous for it’s huge Grand Bazaar, without a doubt somewhere you should visit for a few hours, and probably get lost in the process! Aside from that however, there are many other smaller bazaars around the city, and each has its own distinct feel, personality, and attitude. For that reason, Arasta Bazaar is one you should have on your list.

Firstly, the plus point of visiting Arasta Bazaar is that whilst it is busy, you’re unlikely to get lost. The Grand Bazaar is almost like an maze; even locals get lost in there for a few hours! Arasta Bazaar is not going to be somewhere you lose yourself, but you can easily while away an hour or so, checking out souvenirs to take back home, whilst absorbing the fun and rather noisy atmosphere at the same time.

Where is Arasta Bazaar?

The great news is, if you want a full day of traditional shopping then Arasta Bazaar is within walking distance of the Grand Bazaar, so you can make a real haggling day of it! Yo might need comfortable shoes however, and if you’re visiting any bazaar with children, make sure they hold your hand, so they don’t get swallowed up in the crowd and get lost.

Arasta Bazaar itself is situated in Sultanahmet, south east of the huge and rather beautiful Blue Mosque. As a side note, underneath the bazaar, you can check out some history, by visiting the Great Palace Mosaic Museum – a real two for one bargain!

Arasta Bazaar gets its name from the meaning for ‘arasta’. This means a group of shops which are built close to a mosque, or even underneath a mosque. The rent which shop owners pay to keep their shop open is given to the mosque, and helps with upkeep and maintenance of the mosque itself. This is why in the older parts of Istanbul, you will almost always see a series of shops close to mosques.

Of course, visiting the bazaar itself is free, however it won’t be free when you see the array of things you can buy, and you end up haggling your liras away!

Be Sure to Haggle

Speaking of haggling, this is something which is expected in any bazaar, and Arasta Bazaar is no different! If you stand looking at any object you will almost immediately be approached by a person working for the stall or shop, and they will try and encourage you to make a sale. It can be annoying to those who aren’t used to it, but make it all part of the fun! Ask how much your desired item is and you’ll be given a price. You’re not going to pay this price. If you do, the seller will be rather surprised. No, you’re going to offer a different amount, perhaps just over half. You won’t pay this price either. The seller will then get into a series of throwing their arms in the air, looking stressed, and asking if you’re trying to rob him or her movements, but again, it’s a game, and it’s all part of the experience. You will then settle somewhere between the asking price and your haggling price. You’ll laugh, you’ll be slightly confused, but hey, it’s fun!

Arasta Bazaar is famed for its many carpet shops, and these are all handmade all over the country. For a cheaper type of carpet, because genuine handmade Turkish carpets can be a little expensive, ask to see their range of kilims. These are still carpets and still handmade, but they will come up a litter cheaper, as they tend to be thinner. You can also find tiles, clothing, bags, and various touristic souvenirs, such as keyrings, fridge magnets, hats with ‘Istanbul’ on, etc.

Walking through the bazaar without even buying anything will still give you the overall feel of the area, and you’ll get a sense of history too. The shops in this bazaar laid mostly empty until the 1990s, before tourism began to take over, although they were there long before that.

Basically, for a shopping experience you won’t forget, make sure you put Arasta Bazaar on your list.