If you’ve heard of Benidorm in Spain, you probably associate…
Shopping- Istanbul Style
“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping”
If you want to go hunting for souvenirs, clothes, cooking utensils or other interesting, little things: Istanbul is the right place to go.
Especially the bazaars offer a large variety of goods, tourist and locals love. If you want to look for a souvenir for yourself or friends, go to the Grand Bazaar. You will find hand painted water-pipes, called Shishas, or hand painted bowls and plates. Especially beautiful are the lamps made out of little pieces of colourful glass, which come in all kind of shapes, sizes and colours. Also linen or different fake designer bags or clothes can be purchased. You literally will get everything there.
The old Egyptian Spice market that I have mentioned in previous posts is great for buying spices, sweets or different dried fruits and nuts.
What I also love about Istanbul is that on every street corner, there are people selling fruits, that they might have just picked from a tree in their backyard or people who roast and sell nuts on the street.
If you get the chance you should buy one of the kebabs, it is some kind of pitta bread filled with meat, vegetables and surprisingly French fries. In Germany there are really different to the ones you can buy in Turkey, but they are a yummy and filling snack after a long day of walking around in the city. Another treat is the sweet called Balkava, which you can also buy everywhere. They have all kind of different sorts, and all of them taste fantastic. So better buy a mixed package and I can promise after having eaten one, you want to finish the whole lot.
And the best thing is, that it is very cheap and you can always ask for a discount in the bazaars.
Lots of lights
Colourful bowls and plates
And if you like young, new fashion you will definitely find something. I was surprised how modern and European Istanbul is. I thought that women will cover themselves up but most of them wear fashionable, trendy clothes. Istanbul offers lots of shops, the well known brands like H&M or Topshop and look out for Turkish designers! Some of them make really cool dresses, using beautiful linen.
I bought one of those and they look so pretty at night in the garden. I wish I had more than one.
Fresh orange juice, anyone? One of many, trying to sell something on the streets and make some money.
Waterpipe called shisha.
Kebab, with fries 🙂
And more beautiful, hand-painted plates.