Markets I Bazaars I Hans I Hamams

Historically, the market area that we see today is what the Ottoman Sultans have sponsored after the Turkish Conquest back in 1453 but even when the city was called Constantinople pas Istanbul, this was the major area for trade because it is conveniently located just by the protected harbor of the Golden Horn.

These narrow streets form the labyrintal alleys around covered and vaulted shops where the Ottoman merchants sold their goods. Arrayed around these small streets of shops, there are huge “hans”, inner city “caravansarays” where the foreign merchants stayed to do trade with the locals and then get washed in “hamams” before they left for home.

This is the heart of commercial Istanbul. The main artery is the “Makro Embelos” ( aka Bond Street or the Fifth Avenue)  The Long Arcade which has been the principal shopping street in Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul and still today’s modern Istanbul.

It’s busy with people doing their shopping, men doing their trade (yes, it is a men’s world), money changing hands (The oldest black market is somewhere around here, well kept secret)

Our tour includes:

Spice Market in Eminonu

Tahtakale in Eminonu with the Spice Market

Grand Bazaar and its streets, hans, shops, shop keepers

Just one of the many shops in Grand Bazaar

Cemberlitas and Cagaloglu Hamams from 16th Century

Kadikoy on the Asian side with a very residential market area

Kadikoy on the Asian side, a very residential neighbourhood