Istanbul: Bazaar Basics

The Bazaar to end all Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar is in Sultanahmet, the old town region of Istanbul.  But in a massive labyrinth with over 1,200 shops and 250,000 visitors per day, where to start? Here are a few must-visit destinations on every Istanbullite?s list.

Mavi Kose:This treasure chest of a shop has been around for half a century and has been visited by countless heads of state, members of royalty, Hollywood stars as well as style icon Grace Kelly herself. Don?t let the shoebox size of the shop deceive you, for here you will find vintage art deco diamond encrusted watches,traditional Kurdish gold dowry necklaces, ottoman cufflinks, silver cigarrette cases and one of a kind pieces galore.

Next head over to Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisifor amazing textiles. Everyone from Rifat Ozbek to Hussein Chalayan, Arzu Kaprol and Dice Kayek all rely on the Sivasli Istanbul  shop both for inspiration and as a key source for raw material. If you want to have a go at making your own Rifat Ozbek style pillows, then a visit to Murat?s shop is a must.

No trip to the Grand Bazaar is complete without a stop at either AbdullaorDervis, where both foreigners and locals head to stock up on ultra-thin, quick drying towels called Peshtemals, which are traditionally used in Turkish Baths. If you want a more authentic experience, go straight to the source and pick up your patented peshtemals from Egin Textiles. For one -of ?a- kind Turkish Tiles, Iznik Art is the perfect place to buy a unique wedding gift for the friend who has everything, or a timeless statement piece for your hard to please mother-in-law. The owner of the shop is a renowned Turkish tile scholar and artist who is the only master of matte finish Iznik tiles in Turkey.

Last but not least, if you are looking for a modern yet warm rug to decorate your apartment or office floor, then head over to Ethnicon and Dhoku. Founded at the turn of the 21st century, Ethnicon and Dhoku specialize in making patchwork rugs out of recycled pieces of ?kilims? or ?halis?.  Especially popular are the vintage monochrome carpets which are then dyed to create an all new, washed out showstopping tapestry.

Address Book:

Mavi K??e:

Cevahir Bedesten Sherifaga sok no: 8, Kapalicarsi, Istanbul/Turkey

Tel: (0212) 519 06 86

Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisi, Necdet Danis & B. Murat Hashas.

No. 57, Yaglikcilar, Kapalicarsi, Istanbul/ Turkey

+90 212 526 7748

Dervis:

Keseciler Cad. No.33-35, Kapalicarsi/Istanbul, +90 212 514 45 25

Abdulla:

Hal?c?lar cad. no. 62, kapal??ar?? istanbul 34440

Egin Textiles

Ya?l?k??lar Cad. No :1 ( ?r?c?ler Kap?s? giri?i )

Kapal??ar?? - Beyaz?t

istanbul

T?rkiye

3440

?znik Art

Orta Kazaslar St. No:64 P.K. 34440, Kapalicarsi/Istanbul

Ethnicon

 Kapalicarsi Takkeciler Sok. No. 58-60

34126, Emin?n?, Istanbul