Package Details

Thanks to its unique location, Istanbul has always been a gate away from east to west and vice versa. This led the city to transform into a very important commerce hub. , , This full-day tour consists of visiting old markets and discovering some traditional handicrafts of Istanbul. Your tour starts with visiting The Turkish Islamic Art Museum that includes notable examples of Islamic calligraphy, tiles, and rugs as well as ethnographic displays, particularly nomad groups. , , Then you will make your way to Cafer Aga Madrasah, built-in 1539 by Architect Sinan. It is actually one of those rare ‘’living historical places’’ offering art and music exhibitions, as well as workshops and courses on a variety of traditional Ottoman art forms. , , From there you will walk into the Grand Bazaar which is a paradise on earth in terms of shopping. There are over 4000 shops in and around the market from antiques to silver, silk products to gold, handwoven carpets to calligraphy artworks, Iznik tiles to copper a huge variety of handicrafts is available at the Bazaar. Shopping is fun when you know the right places. , , Next, the second-hand book market or Old Book Bazaar. That charming market is not only the center of distribution and sales, it is a meeting point for intellectuals and the people interested in books. Undoubtedly the best place to look for old books and engravings is in Istanbul’s Old Book Bazaar. , , Your next stop is the Spice Bazaar, built-in 1664, which is one of the most colorful bazaars of the city. Indian spices were shipped to Istanbul and from there distributed to several different areas of Europe. Today the Bazaar is still home to a wide range of spices. Turkish delights, dried fruits, and vegetables, nuts, saffron, and caviar is also available as well as spices. , , ,