Sultanahmet – A Shopper’s Paradise
Shopping is, no doubt, one of the most enjoyable hobbies of the women, the world over. If you are visiting Istanbul and want to go on a shopping spree, then you are not alone. This is because Istanbul is a shopping paradise because you can choose from international brands to the local made products, depending upon your personal choice and your pocket.If you have a discerning eye for beautiful artifacts and want to grab some along with you, then Sultanahmet certainly is the best place for you to shop till you drop. The only thing is that you should know what you want to buy and get prepare to do negotiations with the shopkeepers. In fact, negotiations and bargaining are an inseparable part of shopping in Istanbul, whether it’s simple street vendor or the big shopping malls.
While Istanbul is famous as a shopper’s city for almost centuries now, the inviting Grand Bazaar can be given the name of the oldest shopping mall of the world. With nearly 4,000 shops having exquisite stocks of jewelry in gold and in silver to the most fashionable and trendsetting leather jackets, you can get whatever you want. In fact, sky is actually the limit for any shopper.
Apart from the ancient and sprawling Grand Bazaar, you will come across a large number of colorful markets, big shopping centers and, not to miss, the beautiful range of products displayed tastefully in the small boutiques. Whether you are looking to buy some souvenirs, some clothes, leather products, books or the most coveted piece of adornment, the jewelry, you can find almost everything under the sun in the bazaars of Istanbul.
Next in the list comes the Arasta Bazaar that sits quietly on the left of the Blue Mosque. You can go shopping in this Bazaar of Sultanahmet even on Sunday. If you don’t like the hustle and bustle of the Grand Bazaar, then you must shop in the calmer atmosphere of the Arasta Bazaar. Want to take a small break from your shopping? Visit the nearby eateries for relaxing and sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Many of you might feel a bit confused about which shops to go in or how to strike the right deal with the shopkeepers. There is no need to worry because you can get a personal shopper by browsing the related sites through the internet. With the help of a personal shopper, you can get rid of all worries regarding where to go and how much to pay.
Now let us come to some of the famous and best shopping centers of Sultanahmet. The city of Istanbul is known for having some of the best carpets, kilims and sumacs that any home decorator cannot afford to miss. You can find a good variety of bed sheets, tablecloths and pillow covers in the E & S Textile Arts and Rugs store.
Fatih Gallery is the best place for buying souvenirs at almost half the price at any other shop in Istanbul. If you are ready to walk a little out of the way, then do visit the Corlulu Alipasa Medresesi for buying some best carpets at best prices.
For those having a craze for jewelry in gold or diamonds, a visit to Vieri shop is a must. It is located down the Blue Mosque across the street. And for those who want to buy some exquisite silver jewelry, go straight to Silverado, a small shop having huge variety at affordable prices.
And if you want to take home some of the handcrafted textiles of Turkey, its advisable to go to the Lodos Fashion Line, a shop that stocks designer purses, hats and shoes in silk and kilim.
So, go shopping in the shopper’s paradise called Istanbul and make the best of your visit.
Arasta Bazaar in Sultanahmet Istanbul
Sultanahmet – The Ultimate Tourist Destination
Sultanahmet is regarded as a favorite tourist destination in the world. This famous district of Istanbul has renowned sight-seeing places, cheap accommodation and ancient houses in its vicinity. Istanbul is, no doubt, quite a big city, and a favorite place which any visitor cannot afford to miss is Sultanahmet because one can go on sight seeing without any need of any means of transportation, whatsoever.
One of its prominent and distinguishing features that make it the favorite destination is its location which makes it quite easily accessible from the airport. Moreover, apart from its easy accessibility, some of the other factors that increase its credibility as a most sought after place are its historical places and monuments and affordable accommodation with all the facilities. Moreover, it’s the beginning point for various boat excursions.
There are a number of attractions for a first time visitor to Sultanahmet. So, he feels confused where to begin from. On one side is the magnificent Hagia Sophia that invites every visitor to stop by while on the other side, there is the Blue Mosque that looks dazzling with its six minarets. Walk just a mile or so and you will find the museum of the Topkapi Palace among several other buildings asking you to have a look into what lies inside.
Walking towards the sea, you will come across some of the most ancient wooden houses of Istanbul while you may still be feeling mesmerized by the uniqueness of ancient Hagia Sophia. You will witness some of the old houses being restructured into big hotels and eating places.
The best thing about Sultanahmet is that it is very easy to locate any particular place or site because there are clearly visible landmarks at various places. Moreover, the road signs are also displayed on the rails of the streetcars in Sultanahmet.
The district of Sultanahmet houses a plethora of cafes, hotels and restaurants that can be found along the Divan Yolu and many of the side streets. The variety of mouth watering dishes is simply amazing and inviting to resist. The accommodation in the hotels is quite affordable and the hotels offer best views from their rooms.
A great attraction of Divan Yolu is a shop that sells books and is aptly named “Bookshop”. The shop has some of the greatest selection of various books on Turkey ranging from cookery, history, art to travel guides. There is another shop that sells various miniatures as well as book illustrations.
One can go on sight seeing walking. However, transportation in Sultanahmet is also available easily like taxis and the trolley cars. You can also take a trolley car for going to Cihangir or you can enjoy a boat ride at Kenedy Caddesi and have a gala time.
So, now you have various reasons for visiting and staying in Sultanahmet where you can enjoy sumptuous good food, enjoy various sights and relax in the comfort of cozy and affordable hotels. That’s why it’s a favorite destination of many tourists.
Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet