I had my first trip to Istanbul and was lucky enough to see the Grand Bazaar. I thought I would be able to walk right through and see everything, wrong. The place is huge and every shop is jam packed with goods. Many of the shops have similar goods but there are so many stores, it takes for ever to see the whole spectrum.
One of the things I was told of was the haggling. First they try to get your attention. If you happen to be looking at their goods, they will shout out a price. If you are not, they might say “my fried look at this. It is very good quality…” Just keep walking unless you hear something you like, then the negotiation have begun.
If you are a large group, or you are about to negotiate, they will offer you tea or something else to drink. This is a huge Turkish Tradition and almost all the places do it. It is to help you relax and signal that the negotiations have begun. A word of advice, don’t except the tea unless you feel comfortable and may want to bargain.
There are several things from inexpensive souvenirs to reproductions of jewelry. The big thing you see at the low end of the price rang is the “Evil Eye.” This is defiantly the wrong word to use since the Eye is to absorb all the “Evil Spirits.” On the other end of the spectrum is the rugs and jewelry. The jewelry can be of the highest quality, but you must know what you are looking for. If you are there several days, they can reproduce or create anything you want. Remember, you get what you pay for.
One other thing you need to do is look up! Don’t miss the architecture. This place has been around for hundreds of years. The history in the Bazaar is incredible and there are many frescos and arches to see. To see more information about Istanbul, go to NonRevWebsite.com. We will be updating the information regularly. And if you need tips on other places, make sure you visit our site. We get tips from crews around the world.