Grand Bazaar Through the Alleys
Description
Grand Bazaar and its outskirts are really an impressive area full of with hidden spots or gems like alleys, Hans, Bedestens etc. This old covered market complex is an overwhelming spot and even for me it took some years to explore it! As a result of guiding my guests for many walking tours in & around Istanbul city, I want to share my experience of years with my guests, this time focusing on the unique covered market complex to give them a taste of it thorough my eyes! Grand Bazaar is somewhere way more charming than it is known! And I would love to assist my guests to discover more local and historic faces of Grand Bazaar from all perspectives!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Route we will take during our walking tour is an amazing one with all the colors around and its unpredictable atmosphere reflecting different centuries will make you feel like you are travelling in a time machine! A unique location to explore like a labyrinth of past through the alleys in and around it! We will walk from alley to alley, in & out and have a chance to see different parts of the complex!
Located right in the middle of the Market Place, with its charming architecture, Cevahir Bedesten is always one of the top spots to stop and have a look! Once the section for antique auctions and the treasury building for Ottomans, it is still standing with its grandeur of ages! As we walk through it, you will notice and feel its otherness compared to most parts of the Covered Market!
This amazing and huge Han(hotel-inn or caravanserai) is located by a narow alley and we will visit it and have a look at its architecture! Like many other Hans around the Grand Bazaar, it is still a lively and vibrant Han and for sure the largest!
Here is another great Han to visit from 1651! Not far from Buyuk Yeni Han, it is located in the same alley with galleries and a beautiful courtyard. Still a lively Han, not as busy as Buyuk Yeni Han, but it has one of the most impressive rooftop views of the old city.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We meet & pick up our guests from their hotels. Then we take any possible public transport option ar a cab to the Grand Bazaar area.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(7)
This tour is excellent in that you are shown the key highlights of the Grand Bazaar, including hidden caravanserai, where you can sit overlooking some amazing views. Ozgur picked us up at our hotel in the morning, and we enjoyed his excellent guiding until mid afternoon. We covered a lot of ground, but also felt relaxed, as we made some quick stops for coffee, baklava, homemade lemonade at the caravanserai and a quick bite for lunch. We even saw the rooftop where the famous James Bond opening scene was shot. The Grand Bazaar is huge and so easy to get lost and frustrated. We would not have experienced 10% of what we did on our own. Ozgur even helped us to change money and book a discounted hammam. Recommend this tour highly it is the best way to navigate this area and learn the history, while enjoying local culture. Would definitely book again.
Touring with Ozgur, was a once in a lifetime experience. His knowledge was incredible; he knew all the short cuts, all the best vendors, and fascinating stories at every turn. Ozgur was definitely a VIP, therefore, we were treated like VIPs. We now consider him a friend for life.
Incredible place to go, has to go without limited hours, because there are countless stores, thousands of products where literally the delicious is to get lost by those corridors
Very nice Covered and ventilated market , architecture the paintings are beautiful . It’s nice to shop here but just be careful tourists that we are feel free to negotiate your prices. On the other hand, the merchants are generous have taste to full of flavor (too good at snack time ) tea cake all our senses are awake .
Oscar is a professional guide who is very knowledgeable, patient, informative and kind. I highly recommend him to do Grand Bazaar tour and in other key places in Istanbul.
Want an exciting, informative and personal experience while visiting Istanbul? Then, by all means, see the historically exciting and beautiful city through the eyes of Ozgur Yigit. He will take you behind the scenes and reveal areas not listed on the standard brochure. He even has a backup plan if you don’t want to use the unacceptable restroom in the Grand Bazaar. I am grateful we had him as a guide. I have so much more to say but the required fields were inadequate. My friend and I were there in October 2018 and he was our guide for two days-not able to enter correct information in the required fields. Had to enter the incorrect date and length of time.
Two years running Ozgur has taken us on this trip around Istanbul. He is funny, charming and incredibly knowledgable, so much so that we cannot wait to go back for a third time! He took us to areas we would never have found otherwise in guidebooks which were absolutely fabulous. He even found us a roof terrace for us to watch the sunset over the Blue Mosque and went the extra mile to suggest other activities for us outside of his tour time with us.