Arasta Bazaar
Arasta Bazaar
4
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The area
Neighbourhood: Sultanahmet
With so many unmissable attractions within a mere stroll of each other – and all set around the site of an ancient Byzantine hippodrome – Sultanahmet is an overwhelmingly popular tourist destination, and a prime location for visitors to be wowed on a truly epic scale. Beyond the wonders of the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and more, this relatively small area of Istanbul somehow manages to retain an air of peace and calm. It offers visitors a significantly less celebrated but nonetheless pleasant network of quaint lanes and side streets, majestic panoramas of the Bosphorus, and an impressive assortment of accommodation options for all budgets and tastes.
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • TS71
    London, United Kingdom7 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not such a delight after all
    Beautiful Bazaar… I got some Turkish Delights from Arasta Bazaar (Pasalar Diamond) and ended up not being such a delight after all. Who charges £255 for a box of them and a box of baclavas and four little bags of tea? Well a shop at the Arasta Bazaar does and who pays fo it? I did… 😔
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 18 April 2023
  • Barbara R
    New York City, New York7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Calmer, more curated shopping experience than Grand Bazaar
    I really like buying things at Arasta Bazaar because it's calmer, smaller and more premium than the Grand Bazaar. It’s a curated set of about 80 shops with the types of things I like to buy, including flat-weave Turkish towels & blankets in a range of pretty colors, pillow covers, tiles & ceramics, handbags and jewelry. The setting in the old stables is very pretty. As a bonus, while shopping here, we stumbled upon the lovely Museum of Great Palace Mosaics which is located underground from the bazaar.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 18 April 2023
  • Rebecca F
    Alabama40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gallery Desen Carpet and Kilims A Must Visit in Arasta Bazaar
    We shopped a number of carpet and kilim shops in the Sultan Ahmet area but returned to Gallery Desen in the Arasta Bazaar to make our purchases. Desen had the most attractive, uninflated, prices; their selection was ample and of good quality; and, most pleasantly, the staff was low key. Desen's knowledgeable and cordial staff member,Loai, gave us comfortable space to browse while also being helpful to answer questions or point us in the right direction. He very kindly held several pieces for us overnight while we made our decision. We quickly agreed on a price. The entire experience was first rate and we are happy with our purchases. Highly recommend Loai and Gallery Desen.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 21 May 2023
  • Lacie Flojita
    Salt Lake City, Utah258 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cute place to look for souvenirs.
    A rasta bazaar is a small area with lots of cute shops. It is a much different experience than the Grand Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar. The area is smaller and well as the crowds. It’s a nice place to shop for souvenirs.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 June 2023
  • Bill S
    Grand Rapids, Minnesota274 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just right
    Although one sees the same six shops wherever one goes (spice, Turkish delight, dish ware, rugs, trinkets, shoes), this place is pleasant and quiet, without the bothersome shopkeepers bugging you. It’s peaceful and fun. We made our minimal purchases here, away from the hustle and bustle.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 September 2023
  • SteveB
    Paignton, United Kingdom890 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Classy Boutique Bazar
    We discovered this Bazar relatively close to our hotel and not far from the Hippodrome. It's a newer construction and has a lot of good quality small shops and well worth a browse. As you would expect there are a lot of restaurants and cafes surrounding it to consider your purchases!!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 September 2023
  • Traveltoendofearth
    United States51 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Clean, quiet and right next to the Blue Mosque.
    Quiet bazaar right next to the Blue Mosque. Didnt encounter pushy salespeople at all. They were open late (many sites were open till 9pm) on Sunday even though the internet says they close at 7pm. If you have a rental car, there is plenty of parking nearby.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 November 2023
  • Dirk W
    Alexandra Headland, Australia6,464 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Surprise find
    To be honest, I just stumbled on this bazaar by walking around the Blue Mosque. Not as well known as Grand and Egyptian Bazaars, Arasta is 1 long street of well presented shops selling good quality stuff. Nice, quiet and very pleasant.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 30 November 2023
  • DrArunAgrawal
    Noida, India772 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice place to shop for Turkish products
    Veey nice place to shop for the best of Turkish products at afforrdable prices located right at the entrance to the famed Sultanahmet Square . Not so crowded as Grand Bazar is, and much smaller in size . Visit highly recommended .
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles881 reviews
Excellent
351
Very good
371
Average
128
Poor
14
Terrible
17

starlightShanghai
Victoria, Canada3,689 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
Adjacent to the Blue Mosque, the Arasta Bazaar is a small laidback bazaar. It’s basically one long corridor, with shops on either side selling a variety of Turkish products: spices, sweets, scarves, souvenirs, jewellery, rugs, etc. At either end, there are cafes/refreshment stops, with lanes leading off to various other shops and to the Blue Mosque.

It doesn’t have the frenetic ambience of the Grand Bazaar, but, of course, it’s only a fraction of the size of the Grand Bazaar. Merchants are friendly, but not ‘high pressure’. Makes for a very relaxing experience.
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DrArunAgrawal
Noida, India772 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
Veey nice place to shop for the best of Turkish products at afforrdable prices located right at the entrance to the famed Sultanahmet Square . Not so crowded as Grand Bazar is, and much smaller in size . Visit highly recommended .
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dirk W
Alexandra Headland, Australia6,464 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
To be honest, I just stumbled on this bazaar by walking around the Blue Mosque. Not as well known as Grand and Egyptian Bazaars, Arasta is 1 long street of well presented shops selling good quality stuff. Nice, quiet and very pleasant.
Written 30 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveltoendofearth
United States51 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
Quiet bazaar right next to the Blue Mosque. Didnt encounter pushy salespeople at all. They were open late (many sites were open till 9pm) on Sunday even though the internet says they close at 7pm. If you have a rental car, there is plenty of parking nearby.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ScotAlberta
Sherwood Park, Canada665 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Same stores, same merchandise, no crowds, less pressure than grand Bazaar. Hidden directly below Blue Mosque. Highly recommend.
Written 16 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jeanette611
Bear, DE29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
I absolutely loved it. I was not a tea drinker at all….until I tried the tea there it was delicious. Mulberry, Watermelon, Pomegranate and Ginger Peach all natural no sugar needed. Reordering some now 😋
Written 12 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SteveB
Paignton, UK890 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We discovered this Bazar relatively close to our hotel and not far from the Hippodrome.

It's a newer construction and has a lot of good quality small shops and well worth a browse. As you would expect there are a lot of restaurants and cafes surrounding it to consider your purchases!!
Written 28 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bill S
Grand Rapids, MN274 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Although one sees the same six shops wherever one goes (spice, Turkish delight, dish ware, rugs, trinkets, shoes), this place is pleasant and quiet, without the bothersome shopkeepers bugging you. It’s peaceful and fun. We made our minimal purchases here, away from the hustle and bustle.
Written 26 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Passenger26916268725
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Overall Istanbul is beautiful and great people.
However, beware of Arasta Bazar turkish delight shop which is opposite of Cafe Mesale (i believe it is called Mesale Spice). People at this place will scam and trick you into buying expensive turkish delights. We ended up paying for supposedly $250 worth of turkish delights at the end. The person at the shop would not tell us the price and started packing the boxes of turkish delights (Packed it to the point that you can't fit anymore into the box). we asked how much was the price and said it is by weight but still would not tell the price and we ended up paying $250. I would recommend if you want to go there, get the price in advance or avoid going that turkish delights from this shop.
Written 12 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Iqbal M
115 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
This is a central Bazaar. So if you don’t want to go to the Grand Bazaar and get ripped off, or go to the Egyptian Bazaar ( my favourite) and stay in Sultanamet, then fine. It is more expensive but quaint.
We bought a necklace for a few UK pounds.

And had a nice walk through it as we were local.
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ARASTA BAZAAR: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Arasta Bazaar