Historical Markets of Turkey

In addition to being a place for trading, markets have also been a place for political and religious events since ancient times, hence, visiting these historical markets is attractive to many people today. Accordingly, the historical markets of a country like Turkey, as one of the most obvious examples of such places, have attracted the attention of many tourists and, in addition to economic activities, they are considered among the most important Turkish tourist attractions.

Turkish Markets

Turkey's local and historical markets known as "Çarşisi", in addition to providing people's needs from the distant past to the present day, continue to be of high economic importance and have been able to support many local businesses. These markets, which preserve their historical structure and the number of shops and items available in them for trading, are very interesting for local people and foreign tourists, some travelers go to cities like Istanbul and Izmir just to visit such centers.

So, if you are looking for a great shopping experience, visiting Turkey and its historical markets will definitely be one of your choices; because there are many local markets and modern malls with all kinds of famous brands in this country, which are full of unique treasures. In other word, the old markets of Turkey are a place for local people to gather, buy various products and even share news and rumors, and therefore, these markets represent the native culture of the country.

Due to the high costs in Istanbul and other cities in Turkey, transportation expenses are often overwhelming for tourists. Many of the tourist attractions are not conveniently located near metro stations, necessitating the use of city taxis for travel. To solve this issue, GoToSafar has launched special car rental in Turkey for tourists from all around the world. This enables tourists to easily travel anywhere in Turkey, including famous markets in various cities, and to fully enjoy their trip.

The Most Famous Historical Markets of Turkey

Istanbul Grand Bazaar (Kapaliçarşi)

Istanbul Grand Bazaar is one of the main and historical markets of Istanbul, was built by the order of "Sultan Mehmed II" in the European part of the city. This market, which is one of the largest markets in the world and a symbol of Istanbul, is considered one of the main attractions of Turkey and this city. The Kapaliçarşi has world fame and is considered one of the busiest places in the world due to various tourists visiting it.

This market has both a covered historic part with dome-shaped roofs and an open part, located in the nearby streets. The variety of goods that are sold in this market is very large, for example, we can refer to these items: jewelry, antiques, bags and shoes, leather and fur products, carpets, dishes, fruits and vegetables.

Egyptian Market in Istanbul (Misir Çarşisi)

The Egyptian Market or the Istanbul Spice Market is one of the historical and beautiful markets of Istanbul, which was opened during 1663-1664 and mainly sells items such as: spices, sweets, dried fruits, nuts, coffee and tea. In addition, there are shops with jewelry, dishes, textiles and some other non-food products in this market; the reason for its name as "Misir Çarşisi" is that in the past, the spices that were brought from Egypt were traded in this market.

The Egyptian Market, which has a covered part with beautiful painted-arches and an open part, is considered the second most popular market in the city after Istanbul Grand Bazaar.

Beşiktaş Market in Istanbul (Beşiktaş Çarşisi)

Beşiktaş Grand Bazaar is one of the historical markets in the Besiktas district of Istanbul, which was built behind the historical mosque of "Sinan Paşa Camii" and is considered as a place to sell handicrafts of artists; the special architectural structure of the market and dedicated parking for customers are not among the special features of Beşiktaş Grand Bazaar, and the sale of all kinds of goods, such as colorful rhinestones and embroidered bedspreads, are available in this market at reasonable prices. It should be noted that Beşiktaş Market is mainly famous for selling clothes, which have more proper prices than other shopping centers.

Copper Bazaar in Istanbul (Bakircilar Çarşisi)

Considering the value and features of copper, such as even distribution of heat in all parts of the containers, high resistance, etc., for this reason in the past, buying and selling such dishes and dedicating a special market for it is not a far-fetched issue. Accordingly, cities such as Istanbul, which for many years has been one of the most important economic and commercial centers at the intersection of Asia and Europe, have a famous market called "Bacircilar Çarşisi" where, in addition to copper dishes, one can buy such dishes even today and other items like a variety of dried vegetables.

Karakoy Fish Market in Istanbul (Karaköy Balik Evi)

Karakoy Fish Market is a beautiful place near the Galata Bridge and the ferry dock, and as its name suggests, all kinds of fish, seafood, and all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables are sold there. This market is one of the most popular markets for tourists, and the reason for that is, that in addition to the charms of the market itself, there is a cafe that serves a variety of seafood. Another interesting point about the Karaköy Fish Market is the existence of female buyers and sellers in this market, which is why it can be said that it is managed by women.

Note: In December 2008, Karakoy Market was temporarily moved from its location in "Altiyol" to "Fikirtepe" to solve the problem of congestion and improve the urban traffic situation in this area, and finally, in 2021 and after the reform changes, it moved to its current location in Hasanpaşa.

Kemeralti Market in Izmir

Kemeralti Market, which dates back to the Middle Ages, is located in the city of Izmir and the "Smyrna" region, and the reason for its name is the design of the market, where some shops have a dome (as a roof), and the name Kemeralti means "Under the Arch". This place, originally designed for Sufi gatherings, expanded into a bazaar in the 17th century, and today you can buy a wide variety of goods at reasonable prices in Kemeralti Market.

In this attractive place, in addition to stylish shops, there are antique shops and restaurants with a variety of seafood.

Ulu Çarşisi Market in Bursa

Ulu Çarşisi is one of the interesting and favorite markets for the residents of Bursa and foreign tourists, located between Kapan Han and Bakircilar Çarşisi. In this market, all kinds of bathroom items used in traditional Turkish baths and towels (as a symbol of the city of Bursa) are sold, and hence it is also known as the "Towel Market". Ulu Çarşisi, which dates back to the Ottoman period, has been roofed in its most recent renovation, thus providing easier shopping in the summer and winter.

Uzunçarşi market in Bursa

The historical market of Uzunçarşi close to the mosque of "Orhan Camii" is one of the oldest markets in Turkey and related to the Ottoman period, which consists of about 100 shops and is considered the main commercial center of Bursa with a wide variety of goods in it; this market, whose founders were Armenians and Greeks, is registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and today most of the sellers in this market are immigrants from Bulgaria, Bosnia, Albania, and Romania.

Uzunçarşi Market is similar to the big markets of Istanbul and what makes it more attractive is the location of attractions such as monasteries, mosques and famous museums near this market.

Safranbolu Çarşisi Historical Market

The Safranbolu Market, which has been registered by UNESCO since the 90s, got its name because of the sale of saffron. This historic market, which is also famous for its wooden houses and shops from the Ottoman period, gives tourists the opportunity to walk along its paved paths and find a variety of souvenirs that are special to this area, Aladdin lights to buy; also, if you are looking to taste the taste of local and Turkish food, the historical market of Safranbolu is the best place.

Historical Market of Mardin City (Mardin Çarşisi)

The city of Mardin, one of the most beautiful coastal and touristic cities in Turkey, has several historical markets such as "Kayseriye Pasaji" and "Revakli Çarşi", the largest of which is "Mardin Market". This market, which is the first mall in Mardin with an old and original features, walking in it is like passing through history. In Mardin Market, in addition to various items such as local spices, silverware, copper dishes and many traditional products, there are also products from international markets and world-famous brands.