A review of this place — 2 years ago
I can’t say I 100% enjoyed the bazaar experience. It’s crowded. It’s loud. Men are shouting at you in multiple languages, trying to entice you into their shops for tea and heavy bargaining (“I make you very good price!”). If you’re not a haggler, you’re going to pay too much, period. That’s just how it’s done. Even though it’s very much sensory-overload, I think if you’re going to visit Istanbul, you have to see the Bazaar, if for no other reason than it has to be seen to be believed: it’s huge, massively enormous, and if you can’t find it in one shop, the shopkeeper will send a boy to find it in another shop.
Because it’s crowded and confusing, watch your wallet/purse. We never felt unsafe in Istanbul, never got pickpocketed, but we were very (very) careful. Be sensible with your money and don’t flash it around, if for no other reason than if the shopkeeper sees you’re flush with cash, he might not be as inclined to bargain with you. :)
