SHOPPING PLACES TO VISIT IN ISTANBUL
Last Updated on March 5, 2021 by Anjum
Have you been planning a vacation trip lately? Are you looking forward to getting your hands into some amazing shopping from your destination? Well, then Istanbul, Turkey is the place for you.
Shopping is one of the key elements of travelling. Travel without shopping seems dry and incomplete. Istanbul has some of the best shopping places to visit.
SHOPPING IN ISTANBUL
Istanbul is one of the best places for shopping and people from around the world go there to enjoy the experience. Other than its extraordinary natural scenic beauty and historic sites, it is extremely famous for its outstanding spots that offer its locals and tourists to shop from. Hence, if you are planning to travel to Istanbul for leisure, work related or whatsoever purpose, these are some of the best shopping places that you must visit:
- ISTIKLAL STREET (ISTIKLAL CADDESI)
- SPICE BAZAAR (EMINONU)
- GRAND BAZAAR
- MALL OF ISTANBUL
- ISTINYE PARK
- ISTANBUL CEVAHIR MALL
Each location has its own unique attributes that makes it different from the others. Description of each location along with the location and Pros and Cons is as follows:
Also Read: Book Bosphorus Dinner Cruise with Entertainment in Istanbul Online
Related: What is Istanbul Welcome Card and How to Buy One!
1. ISTIKLAL STREET (ISTIKLAL CADDESI)
Located in the heart of Istanbul, This street is a must go to! It is one of the busiest streets in the world and offers one of the best food and shopping experience to its visitors. From McDonalds to KFC, to the best Turkish Cuisine, from fast food to culinary masterpieces, everything is available there. Some very famous brands located there include Mango, H&M, Sephora, Adidas, Nike and many more. Moreover, there are several local Turkish shops that give the people a taste of Turkish Tradition and Culture. People from around the globe visit Istiklal street not just for exotic food and good shopping experiences but also to enjoy the very active and lively environment there. So, if you are coming to Istanbul, do take a tour of Istiklal Street.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- It is a very vibrant spot
- There’s a tram for people’s convenience that runs between street
- Its a very long and attractive street
- A good shopping spot with lots and lots of options
- It has a great variety of all kinds of eateries
- Located in the heart of the city
CONS
- It is always hugely crowded
- Could get a bit unsafe due to the extra load of crowd and noises as pick-pocketing does take place there.
- Does not have any other activity other than food and shopping.
- No Toilets / Washrooms for Public
Also Read:
2. SPICE BAZAAR
Spice bazaar is not just any other ordinary market, it is a very popular shopping arena in Istanbul. Known for its authentic spices, dried fruits, Turkish sweets and souvenirs, with mouthwatering aroma of the delicious spices and nuts, it is not easy for people to just get away without wanting to buy some of them and not just that, if you are looking for some very fine authentic Turkish Jewelry, this place is your destination. There are several jewelry shops that will surely grab your attention. Spice Bazaar is located in the Eminonu district and giving it a visit will surely be a decision you won’t regret.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- A very colorful market
- You get to experience mesmerizing pleasant aromas
- Relatively a small market where you can get done in about a couple of hours
- Shopkeepers there are known to be helpful and friendly
CONS
- Prices are relatively on the higher side
- Does not have wide variety of things
Also Read: How to Book HAGIA SOPHIA Skip the Line Guided Tour Online Beginner’s Guide on Why and How to Shop from AliExpress and get the product delivered anywhere in the World
3. GRAND BAZAAR
Grand bazaar is one of the biggest markets in Turkey. It is a historical market with thousands of shops of all kinds and promises some fun reasonable shopping. If you plan to visit Grand Bazaar, it is advised to give it a full day. Exploring the whole market will take several hours and there are all sorts of delicious eateries right there to give you the complete flavor of the spree. Shops include bed sheets to crockery, clothes to shoes, second copy brands to original cutlery and jewelry, fancy dresses for your little girls to the breathtaking handmade shawls, simply everything is available there to make your shopping expedition a memorable one. Furthermore, the market offers Bargaining. You can negotiate the prices with shopkeepers there and you might just win wonderful prices for the products of your choice.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- An exciting experience for tourists
- Very good for cheap budget shopping
- Lots of variety
- Has great Historical significance
CONS
- Very crowded and noisy
- Could get very confusing to find ways from one section to the other
- Very steep roads within the bazaar, could get tiring
Also Read:
How to Book Paragliding Tour in Oludeniz, Fethiye Turkey Online
4. MALL OF ISTANBUL
Mall of Istanbul is the biggest mall in Istanbul which is believed to be a complete package for shopaholics. One of the most beautiful malls in Turkey with more than 350 outlets of different brands. This mall has got it all. They have an exciting indoor theme park with activities to keep you and your family engaged for hours. At the same time, they have the most well designed cinemas to offer you with the latest movies. The food court there is specially liked by the people as it has a great variety of restaurants. Timings are from 10 am to 10 pm.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- Many Local and International brands are available
- Huge food court
- Complete entertainment for the entire family because of the theme park
CONS
- It is far from the main Tourist attractions
- Transportation costs to and from the Mall are higher
- Can consume an entire day as it is huge
- Gets too noisy due to excessive crowd
5. ISTINYE PARK
This is one of the newest malls of Turkey, built in 2017. The Mall has lots of open air spaces and green park sections.They have an authentic Turkish food bazaar that is designed in a way that would give the best touch of Turkish cuisine. Some High End Fine Dining Restaurants that you might want to try include; Nusr-Et steakhouse, Masa restaurant, Mezzaluna, Zuma Istanbul and Shake Shack. There are Cinemas and a Kids Entertainment area there as well.
Istinye Park is a very well made and well planned mall with a unique modern architecture. One of the most hyped malls in Istanbul. If you go to Istinye Park, you need good 3 to 4 hours to cover the entire place. It is a large mall with a wide variety of Turkish and International brands. Shops like Accessorize, Bershka, Lacoste, Gap, Bobbi Brown, Mango and many more are there. Top Luxury Brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Valentino etc have been given a separate space within the mall and each outlet is designed so beautifully that it is sure to impress you.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- Beautiful Architecture
- It is very spacious
- Variety of shops available there
- Very well organised
- Some of the best restaurants located in this mall
- A very clean mall indeed
BOOK A TRANSFER THROUGH KIWI TAXI
CONS
- Mall is huge, can be tiring for some
6. ISTANBUL CEVAHIR MALL
Istanbul Cevahir Mall is located at a very prime position, right next to the Sisli Metro station. The mall is very easily accessible and reachable in Istanbul. It doesn’t just have a majority of a particular category of brands, but is a mixture of all kinds of shops. The Mall consists of many international brands like Zara, Mango, Aldo, Nine West etc. There’s a huge variety of very popular Local Turkish brands as well, that includes, Saran, Ozdilek and many more. Migros is a very popular supermarket, which is located on the first floor.
Google Maps Location can be found here.
PROS
- Easy to reach
- It has an entertainment area for kids, called the Funlab
- Very good food court
CONS
- It has limited fine dining options
- Confusing architecture( could be difficult to move from one floor to the other)
- Many of the popular brands are not there (specially the high end brands)
Istanbul is popular for its amazing blend of everything from a tourist’s point of view. If you are visiting Istanbul for a longer period of time, it is recommended to give all these shopping places a shot and get your hands on some phenomenal shopping and if you are tight on schedule then choose according to your own convenience and requirement as each place has its own respective significance.
To book tours for your stay in Istanbul, you can visit our partner website here.
ALSO READ
This post was on Shopping Places to visit in Istanbul
Follow us on Instagram.
0 Comments