Before you start reading about the wonders of Istanbul\u2019s Grand Bazaar, read this rule.<\/p>\n
Stay away if:<\/p>\n
If you have crossed these hurdles, congratulations and welcome to Kapali Carsi, meaning covered market; also the oldest mall ever built in a temple for hard core shoppers and one of the best known icons of Istanbul<\/a>.<\/p>\n Getting There<\/strong> Alas, moving around inside the grand old mall is not as easy; the labyrinth of lanes and alleys inside the bazaar may make your head spin. Get a map of the Grand Bazaar before you get there.<\/p>\n The loot<\/strong> There is a dazzling array of gold in the jewelry alleys at Kalpakcilar and Terzi Basi Streets; don\u2019t let anyone force you into buying what you don\u2019t need just because you\u2019ve visited the shop<\/a>. The Grand Bazaar is not just for shopping, but also for eating. Enjoy the kebabs at Kara Mehmet Kebap Salonu, ali nasik at Gaziantep Bur\u00e7 Ocakba\u015fi and kaymak at Havuzlu. Shopping can work up quite an appetite; so make sure you know your options before you go there.<\/p>\n Just the task of visiting Grand Bazaar and buying what you want at a reasonable price can you the equivalent of a diploma in negotiating skills. And of course, the satisfaction you get from a good purchase is priceless. Before you start reading about the wonders of Istanbul\u2019s Grand Bazaar, read this rule. Stay away if: You think bargaining is shameful You think the shopkeeper\u2019s opinion usually helps you You are time-constrained Your baggage limit is almost nil Your entourage includes spouses, children or pets who hate shopping If you have crossed these hurdles, congratulations and welcome to Kapali Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2416,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[259,254,255,256,257,258,260,60],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2415"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2415"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3264,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2415\/revisions\/3264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.farebuzz.com\/born-free\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe tram is the best way to reach the mall because traffic near this area is very dense and there are many one-way roads that can be navigated only if you know your way around. Take a tram to Beyazit-Kapalicarsi and you will be right outside the Grand Bazaar. Get into the bazaar easily using any of its 21 gates.<\/p>\n
\nExpect to find just about anything in the 4000 shops that have established their business in the Kapali Carsi. The Grand Bazaar is divided into several smaller bazaars, each specializing in a product. So if you want to buy shoes, apparel, fake designer stuff, leather products, gem stones, spices, ceramic or carpets; not to mention typical Turkish souvenirs and tea, you have come to the right place.<\/p>\n
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\nWorld\u2019s Oldest Tourist Trap<\/strong>
\nThe World\u2019s oldest shopping mall is also sometimes considered to be the World\u2019s oldest tourist trap. It\u2019s easy to be lured into a shop when the well-mannered shopkeeper quietly offers you an unbelievable deal. You will be offered tea and given a tour of all the exhibits in the shop and in the time it takes to say Kapali Carsi, you will find yourself out of the shop with a bag full of unwanted stuff, a weightless wallet and an empty look on your face. And yes, the Grand Bazaar also has the highest number of pickpockets in the city; so beware.
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\nTips to enjoy the Grand Bazaar<\/strong>
\nCollect one-liners. From \u201cGet this carpet for your daughter in America\u201d to \u201cWon\u2019t you grace my shop?\u201d shopkeepers in the Grand Bazaar have a technique to say just the right line to draw you into their shop. Make eye contact only if you are interested; else, brush them aside with a smile.<\/p>\n
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\nGrab your tickets to Istanbul today!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"