Shopping in Istanbul

Istanbul has been a shopper's town for, well, centuries—the sprawling Grand Bazaar, open since 1461, could easily be called the world's oldest shopping mall—but this not to say that the city is stuck in the past. Along with its colorful bazaars and outdoor markets, Istanbul also has a wide range of modern shopping options, from large shopping centers—enormous new malls seem to be sprouting up constantly, and the Cevahir mall in Sisli claims to be the largest in Europe—to small boutiques. Either way, it's almost impossible to leave Istanbul without buying something. Whether you're looking for trinkets and souvenirs, kilims and carpets, brass and silverware, leather goods, old books, prints and maps, or furnishings and clothes (Turkish textiles are among the best in the world), you can find them here. Shopping in Istanbul also provides a snapshot of the city's contrasts and contradictions: from migrants from eastern Turkey selling their wares on the streets, to the leisurely, time-honored haggling over endless glasses of tea in the bazaars and back alleys, to the credit cards and bar codes of the plush, upscale Western-style department stores. More »