Gran Bazaar Istanbul
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Gran Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) - Istanbul
When Mehmet the Conqueror laid the foundation stone for the bazaar, he planted the seed for the most important market-place in the Ottoman Empire. It is the Istanbul's grand old bazaar with an estimated 4400 shops lined along covered walkways. It is said to be the world's oldest shopping mall, covers several blocks and features a labyrinth of side streets to keep you lost for the better part of a day.
The shops are organized around their goods, e.g. the silver jewellers are clustered together, the carpet shops are clustered elsewhere and the shoe shops are bunched together somewhere else. Parts of it now are rather touristy and you're likely to pay a little more for your purchase than elsewhere but with the vast selection you'll find what you're looking for and it's one of Istanbul's character pieces.
Sights not to be missed in Istanbul:
Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya)
Sultanahmet Square, Tu-Su 9am - 6pm
Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı)
Bab-i Hümayün Caddesi, L, We-Su 9am - 5pm
Sultanahmet Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii, The Blue Mosque)
Maggio-Ottobre 9-21, Nov-Apr : 9am - 7pm
Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici)
Yerebatan Cad., Sultanahmet, 9am - 6.30pm
Gran Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı)
Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı, also known as Spice Bazaar)
Istanbul Archaeology Museum
Tu-Su 8.30am - 5pm
Süleymaniye Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii)
Bosphorus Cruise
Turkish Baths (Hamams)
Chora Church (Kariye Müzesi)
Edirnekapı
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art
Sultanahmet, 5 YTL
Hippodrome
adjacent to the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
Galata Whirling Dervish Hall (Galata Mevlevihanesi)
Galata Tower
Pera Palas Hotel
Miniaturk
Mo-Fr 9am - 7pm e Sa-Su 9am - 9pm
The Princes' Islands