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Kapali Carsi (The Covered Bazaar, or Grand Bazaar) Istanbul
While this marketplace is located within a reasonable distance from Sultanahmet, you may want to take the Zeytinburnu Tram up the hill. Get off at the Carsikapi stop. Otherwise plan on a good 20 minutes for a pleasant walk uphill on Divan Yolu street. Taxis from Sultanahment really aren't worth the price for that distance. The Kapali Carsi is Istanbul's most grandiose marketplace, indoors and housing thousands of varying shops. Even if you aren't in the market to "buy buy buy" you must put this on your Istanbul must-see list because of its size, idiosyncratic wares, and its cultural value. Prices inside vary, but overall are on the lower end of what you'd expect to pay outside the bazaar. Always haggle, but do so in a polite manner. The shopping experience in Turkey can be overwhelming, but with some patience and practice, you'll overcome the multitude of new 'friends' you'll be making, particularly in the carpet and leather selling areas. No matter which language you speak, or where you're from, you'll be surprised at how much touristic trivia these salesguys (usually young men to children) will know about it. It is best to not speak at all, frankly, because once you answer one of the touts, it's just encouragement for them to continue. Your best bet is to find a shop that looks interesting, plan on spending a certain amount, and then enter into the presentation. This may include (especially in the larger carpet shops) a whole sit-down tea/coffee drinking affair, complete with family histories, etc. before one carpet is even rolled out. Shopping in this manner hearkens back to the days where you would spend hours at a time over one item. The bazaar on a whole is huge, housing some 4000 stores and restaurants. There are areas that are less hectic and crowded than others, but you should always be on the lookout for thieves, not that there's a huge problem, but a well dressed confused looking tourist with wallets bulging out everywhere might be too tempting to resist for some. Many local residents of Istanbul and visitors from Turkey shop here as well, making it not just a tourist trap, but a pleasant actual Turkish experience. My advice would be just walk though the stores, stroll, take in the smells and the sounds, maybe stop in a shop, ask how much is that coffee pot, the Turkish towel, the silver rings, the ashtray, that small carpet on the wall. Haggle a little maybe. If you really want to buy something, walk in, circle the item, ask how much it is, then shake your head pleasantly and make to leave, you'll get a lower price immediately, then stop, pause, shake your head and walk away again, you'll get another lower price, this time stop, consider the price, then give one lower than that, somewhere, sometime in-between, you'll both be happy. Don't be rude about it, it's a national pastime, so don't think that they're being rude either. The Bazaar is closed on Sundays, open from about 9-5 on all other days. Very crowded on Saturday.
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