 |
| Spice Markets |
Streets listed on maps are often quite small laneways. Easy to take a wrong turn.
Keep your eyes open as to where you walk, as lots of dogs and stray cats run free in this city.
Signposting is not great for sights of interest with the exception of the Grand Bazaar. Indeed even finding the entrance to Topkapki Museum is not obvious, you know you are so close, but yet so far away, plus its hot and they are longish walks. Amazingly this is even the case for exit signs, which again are not obvious.
Tickets are sold at booths away from the main entrance, so make sure to get a ticket before actually going to the entrance.
It is possible to buy a Museum pass. When I was there is was 70lira. You don't have to queue if you have the pass (but you might have to queue to get it). The Museum pass gives you one off entry to the big attractions.
On the plus side, people are super friendly and even the hawkers of cruises and other are happy to give you advice and directions.
Away from Sultanhamet you can buy great fresh orange juice, though this just seems to be in the afternoon/evenings. It is a bargain at 1 lira. If you buy it at a major historical site they want 9 lira for the same thing.
My jewellery pick
OrtaAsya
rugs and jewellery store
Alendor Mah, Nur-u- Osmaniye
Cad. Atoy Apt No 3 Cagaouglu
Istanbul
Take the direction Grand Bazaar past the Cisterns walking away from Aye Sophia. You take the left turn for the Grand Bazaar and it is on the left hand side.
T90 212 511 1350
On the right hand side walking up the hill, there is a little alley with a building at the end with lots of glass that looks like a luxury hotel. There is a great pide place on the right hand side. A pide, salad and drink will cost around 13 lira
I personally preferred the spice market to the Grand Bazaar, but I guess the Grand Bazaar is worth a visit.
