Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, known locally as Kapalıçarşı, was founded in 1455 by Sultan Mehmed II shortly after the conquest of Constantinople, with its revenues originally intended to help fund the newly converted Hagia Sophia mosque. It has grown into one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.
The bazaar sprawls across more than 60 covered streets and roughly 4,000 shops organized loosely by trade, from gold jewelry and hand-woven carpets to spices, ceramics, and leather goods, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors on a typical day.
Because the maze of alleys can be overwhelming at midday, plan to visit between 9-11am or 6-7pm for a calmer pace, and set aside three to five hours if browsing and bargaining are part of the plan. Closed on Sundays.