Visit Istanbul’s largest and oldest shopping center, which boasts and impressive 4000 shops. Accompanied by a local to guide your shopping experience, wander through the warren of stalls and vendors to find the perfect souvenir of your trip to Turkey. With the help of your guide, discover the best places to find good, quality items ranging from textiles, jewelry, snacks, and mosaics. Marvel at the array of colorful products and trinkets on sale at the Bazaar. Learn about the rich history of the venue and the people who earn a living here. Get up close and personal with the locals and experience a truly unique insight into Turkish culture.

Go on this tour and explore the city instead of waiting at the airport during your layover. With your friendly local guide, feel like you have done a lot in a short amount of time. Your itinerary will be redesigned according to your landing time and your guide will confirm the best itinerary for you when you meet at the airport. If your flight lands before 4:00 PM, you will be able to go inside the sights but if your flight lands after 4:00 PM, you will not be able to go inside the sights but you will see Istanbul at night. The sights you can see included the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern, Galata Bridge, Bosporus Bridge, Bosporus to Kadıköy cruise, Maidens Tower, Kadıköy food market, Karaköy neighborhood, Taksim Square, and Istıklal Avenue. You can choose the additional activities of a Turkish bath for 50 Euro, dinner at a local restaurant for between 10 and 20 Euro, or a baklava tasting for between 5 and 10 Euro. 

On this guided walking food tour you will travel around Eminonu, its intricate alleyways and hidden corners and go off the beaten paths while eating and enjoying most of delicious food tastings. With this culinary walk, you will visit bakeries, pastry shops and Turkish pizza restaurants as well as eating a bowl of traditional soup; sharing Turkish-style breakfast with a black tea; tasting a freshly baked bagel; stopping by a local restaurant for sampling an authentic Turkish pizza; or finding some artisan’s shops to visit and mingle with locals picking up their daily products from the markets in a labyrinth of streets. It will be all about real people, real food, and real places. A visit to the Spice Market followed by Asian part of Istanbul. This indoor market features shops offering a variety of spices, flavored teas, Turkish delight, and nuts, as well as ceramics, household goods, small souvenirs, and more. As soon as you enter, you’ll marvel at the colors and aromas of Turkish food offerings.

Over 4,000 shops await you to explore and discover. Meet your English-speaking guide when you are picked up from your hotel in central Istanbul. Navigate the vast selection of leather, rug, jewelry, and antique stores. You can be assured that your purchases will be authentic examples of whatever it is you are looking for. Looking for Kilims, Heriz or Isfahan carpets? Your guide will take you to the most reputable vendors. If antiques are what you are looking for, then your guide will ensure you are purchasing an authentic piece and not one made for the tourist trade. Your Grand Bazaar shopping tour ends with a visit to the Nuruosmaniye Mosque. The mosque is one of the finest examples of the Ottoman-Baroque architectural style found in Turkey.

Join us on a small group tour of Istanbul that takes you to some of the city's most iconic and interesting sights. We will begin our tour at the Binbirdirek Cistern, an underground chamber that was once used to store water for the city. This fascinating site offers a glimpse into Istanbul's history and is a great place to take some unique photos. Next, we will visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Here, you can browse and shop for souvenirs and traditional Turkish goods, and perhaps haggle with the vendors for the best price. After some time at the Grand Bazaar, we will make our way to the Suleymaniye Mosque, a grand and ornate place of worship that is a key landmark in Istanbul. We will learn about the mosque's history and architecture, and have the opportunity to observe the local Muslim community as they go about their daily prayers. Next, we will head to the Spice Market, where you can sample and purchase a variety of aromatic spices and other ingredients that are used in Turkish cuisine. This colorful and lively market is a great place to immerse yourself in the sights and smells of Istanbul.

From the ancient Grand Bazaar with over 3,000 shops selling everything from carpets to jewelry, to ceramics and leather goods; to the Spice Bazaar with its incredible smell from almost every spice imaginable, as well as dried fruits and nuts, sweets and the ubiquitous Turkish Delight; it is mind blowing to the first time visitor. This is not helped by the traders shouting out and tempting you in with various offers, many of which will be quickly forgotten should you venture inside. This is a part of Turkish culture and trade, and very common in other countries where negotiating and barter is the norm. To the Westerner who is not used to this, it can be quite a daunting prospect and visitors sometimes fall prey to the more unscrupulous traders. To prevent this and to ensure a pleasurable and happy shopping experience your guide will bring you to the right places to make your purchases. Many of these can only be found on the backs streets outside the two bazaars, in places you would likely never find or enter by yourself. The whole Turkish culture and tradition of buying from recommended traders is still observed. You will be encouraged to: · sit and drink huge quantities of tea · talk about yourself · ask questions · look at a huge array of merchandise · negotiate, as no trader is happy if you just accept their first price This is part of the whole process, one where making friends is as important as the purchase itself. The one secret to negotiating is not trying to drive the price down to the absolute lowest possible point, as you have no idea what that is. Each trader will assess each customer differently on any given day. Mood will play its part as will how much they like you and get on with you, hence the reason for going through the sociable elements before buying. If you can’t agree on a price you are free to walk away but if you do you will leave with the comfort of knowing your purchase is genuine and not some back street fake. What to Buy Carpets/Kilim The Turkish carpet/kilim has a long history dating back hundreds of years. An original Turkish carpet is handmade using only natural fibres and dyes from plant extract. The process is long and slow and obviously the time taken to make one depends on how big it is. Smaller carpets, with their bright colours are quite often used to hang on walls just as you would with a picture. There are many different characteristics to the Turkish carpet, depending on where the material is from and this also influences the design and price. The carpet shops recommended by your guide will take time to explain everything to you and offer advice on what might be your best choice. Ceramics The production of Turkish ceramics dates back to the 15th Century and developed from the appreciation of Chinese porcelain by the Ottoman Sultans. Being unable to produce porcelain they manufactured fritware, which is a low-fired body comprised mainly of silica and glass. These ceramics are more commonly referred to as Iznik Pottery after the region where they were first produced and the real collector’s items are hand painted. Consequently no two pieces are ever the same. Your guide will only take you to the shops and markets selling authentic pieces. Jewellery With 500 years of Ottoman Rule and their desire for opulent jewelry, a whole industry is devoted to keeping the traditions alive with craftsmen passing their knowledge and skills on from one generation to another. The result is an abundance of unique pieces both for design and the gems which adorn them. On your tour you can have confidence in the designers and craftsmen, who will work with you in finding or creating your own unique family heirloom. Leather Turkey has a thriving leather industry offering bags, jackets, coats and trousers, but you have to be very careful as there are so many fakes on the market. That said you can buy exceptional quality leather goods at prices which are usually way below what you would normally pay in your home country. Your guide will only take you to the leather stores and factory outlets, which have a reputation for honest trading and no fakes.

Discover the historic highlights of Istanbul on a 4-day guided city excursion with airport pickup and lodging included. Learn from an expert guide as you visit enchanting sites, both on and off the beaten path. Day 1, Arrival in Istanbul Arrive at the Istanbul Airport and receive a friendly welcome from your driver. Your driver will take you to your hotel to relax, rest and prepare for your excursion. Day 2: Treasures of Istanbul (Breakfast and Lunch) Begin your city tour with a visit to Hagia Sophia, the largest manmade construction at the time apart from the Egyptian Pyramids and the Great Wall of China. Next visit Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of the Sultan, and the last seat of the government for the Ottoman Empire. Continue on to the Hippodrome, built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203 AD. Next, visit the 17th-century Blue Mosque. End the day by wandering through the 4,000 shops of the Grand Bazaar, then head to your hotel in Istanbul to rest. Day 3: Princes Island Tour (Breakfast and Lunch) Embark on an adventure to Princes' Islands, and find colorful fruit trees, beautiful gardens with exotic flowers, and lush forests. Admire the massive Ottoman mansions, as well as Victorian summer villas as you relax on a horse-drawn carriage tour. Day 4: Bosphorus Cruise and Spice Bazaar Tour (Breakfast) Begin the final day of your tour with a visit to the Spice Bazaar; a trading spot for herbs and spices from around Egypt and Asia. Spend the afternoon cruising on the Strait of Istanbul and learn about the culture and history of the area. Admire views of marble palaces and small fishing villages along the shores.

After pick up from your hotel, your tour commences at Istanbul’s famous Grand Covered Bazaar. This historic bazaar dates back to the 1460s. Selling endless antiques, jewellery, silver and gold, it is one of the liveliest and most colourful parts of the old city. And with over 58 covered streets and up to 400,000 visitors daily, Istanbul’s Grand Bazzar is one of the oldest, largest and busiest markets in the world. The next stop on the tour is the Spice Bazaar. Selling a wide variety of goods, this popular stop is a feast for the senses with its countless displays of colourful and aromatic herbs and spices. Your tour then continues to some of the best spots for Turkish carpets and leathers. Istanbul is a treasure trove of carpets, with carpet weaving being a form of craft prevalent in Turkey since ancient times. Known for their beauty and durability, a Turkish carpet not only decorates your home but is a piece of art in itself. Istanbul is also famous for its leather and suede garments and your tour will take you to some of the city’s best leather shops. At the conclusion of the tour you will be returned by air-conditioned coach to your hotel.

Meeting in front of Ayasofya at 10am and visiting Topkapi Palace Museum for about 2 hours to see different quarters, kitchens, holy relics etc. Special fast track tickets will be provided by your host. After the Palace tour we will be heading to Grand Bazaar area to visit a rug store searching a genuine handmade rug with the help of a professional local for a nice handmade Turkish rug with good price, safe payment method, and safe shipping to your home. Turkey is recognized throughout the world for their magnificent hand-woven rugs…however it is easy to be fooled or scammed into buying something that is not of real quality and turns out to be a bad investment unless you really know what you are looking for. Tour starts at 10am. and will end at the Grand Bazaar area 4 hours later in the afternoon. Available everyday except for Sunday.

Go rug shopping with a local expert at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. take your time and tour through the bazaar, admiring world-famous, handmade Turkish rugs. Learn about their creation, what to look for in a good rug, and get the best prices around. Meet your local, expert tour guide in Sultanahmet area. Start your private tour about World famous handmade Turkish rugs. After meeting, listen to a short briefing about the rugs, how to search for one, and how to shop in the Bazaar. Then, visit a reputable rug store for a lecture on handmade Turkish carpets, a small friendly shop, or a wholesaler connection if necessary for better prices. Turkey is recognized throughout the world for their magnificent hand-woven rugs. It is, however, easy to be fooled or scammed into buying something that is not of real quality and turns out to be a bad investment unless you really know what you are looking for. Take an expert, and avoid buying something you don't really want.