Istanbul is filled with shops and as a destination for tourists, you can find boutiques selling the traditional Turkish dresses and fabrics everywhere. IK visited one nearby the hotel to pick up some dresses for summer in NYC but at these shops, it’s best to go with someone local if at all possible as these vendors are out to scam tourists. After a 20 minute argument about a $100 dress, the owner agreed to sell it to IK for just $30 when she decided she was leaving without it. Even then, after leaving with the dress IK asked some local women what the dress was worth and they told her at most it should’ve been 90 Turkish lira and she had paid the $30 which is equivalent to about 165 Turkish lira. Take care to do your research before you go and stick to your budget!
There are two Bazaars in walking distance (and actually connected to) the Wyndham Grand Levent Hotel. One is a Spice Bazaar, dedicated to vendors who do just that – have stalls and stalls of different spices and dried fruits. The smell in the bazaar is unbelievable and has you wanting to buy a little of everything. Although there for the locals too, it is a tourist destination so you have to be careful of the prices as the vendors definitely take advantage of tourists. While you’re here you must pick up some of the spices used in everyday Turkish cooking – Cardamom, Cumin, Fenugreek, Haspir, Saffron and Sumac – and also some dried fruit, the dried mango is so tasty!
The Grand Bazaar is connected to both the hotel and the Spice Bazaar, you’ve just got to keep on walking through; here there are vendors of all kinds covering over 1000 shops and selling dresses, jewelry, handmade crafts, and ceramics.
“I found some chandelier earrings but I decided not to buy them as they were overpriced for the tourists, but I did buy some cute outfits that both my mum and I can wear, some bamboo towels for my bathroom at home and some new luggage which was really reasonably priced. I would’ve loved to get some of the traditional painted plates but I just couldn’t get them home. I tried to buy everything from Turkey so that it was actually from my holiday.
There are A LOT of fakes in Turkey – I was carrying my Celine bag and I could see people looking at it like that’s a real Celine (you can tell because the handles stay in good condition on the real ones). But the fakes are really good, and they’re kind of expensive because they’re so good. Turkish handicraft is of amazing quality so if it’s made here it’s going to be good.”
