Arasta Bazaar

Shopping mall · Sultan Ahmet

Arasta Bazaar

Shopping mall · Sultan Ahmet

Sultan Ahmet, Mimar Mehmet Ağa Cd. No:2, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

Highlights

Nestled behind the Blue Mosque, this charming market street offers a cozy vibe with an array of textiles, ceramics, and unique finds, perfect for leisurely browsing.

Sultan Ahmet, Mimar Mehmet Ağa Cd. No:2, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye Get directions

@arastabazaarr

@afar

"One-Stop Shopping at Arasta 79 The very chill owner of Arasta 79 has one of the best shops in Istanbul . Ikat scarves, knotted silk jewelry strung with chunky jewels, delicate crochet strings of flowers, pestemals (traditional Turkish bath towels) in every weave and color, and bright Suzani and Uzbeki ceramics. If you have time for only one stop within Arasta Bazaar, this should be it."

The Best Shopping in Istanbul

View Postcard for Arasta Bazaar

@afar

The Best Bazaars in Istanbul

View Postcard for Arasta Bazaar

John Foyt

Google

SCAM . Loyaistanbul at No:23 . We walked in and the guy seemed very nice at first . He let us try everything we wanted and even lowered the price to what it sells it to the locals as he said , "removing the tourist price because of our Nationality(???)". In the end he asked us to give him 116 euro for 4 bugs of tea that were like 1kg max and 2 boxes of Turkish Delight. We managed to lower it to 80 but after the payment we realized that it was extremely overpriced. The shop is nowhere to be found on Maps and on social media has no activity at all

Hamid Mahmood

Google

The Arasta Bazaar is located behind the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, a nice historical bazaar now holds shops for tourists. As told by a local, that the Arasta Bazaar was previously used for traders who came from far and wide for their horses and transport.

V H

Google

Running along the back of the Blue mosque is this rather lovely market (Bazaar), quite small however no where as hectic as the grand bazaar, definitely worth a visit when in the area.

Alyssa Becker

Google

Lovely little market area right around the corner from the Blue Mosque. Found it a much nicer and more relaxed shopping experience than the Grand Bazaar (which to me was overwhelming). Many of the same items you would find there, maybe a few lira more for a few things (though not outrageous - many items the same price).

Dr. Tanveer Ahmed

Google

Place is just behind the Suleymani / Blue Mosque. Shops are well placed and organised but the price is a bit higher. Products are selective but compared to the nearby area price is higher. There are some special shops for some special items like vintage arts, paintings and crafts. Few eateries are there. Good thing is it is covered market so during rain you will be safe a bit.

Zia Siddiqi (Zee)

Google

I found this little bazaar far more welcoming than the Grand Bazaar, where I felt like everyone was out to scam you. We just bought a beautiful acrylic painting from there, which we felt was very fairly priced. If you're going for the atmosphere, go to Grand Bazaar, but if you want to actually buy something good, go to arasta Bazaar.

Hien Nguyen

Google

Aesthetically nice. Just a little pushy if you look at something for 1 second longer

Lucia Giri

Google

We visited this market after we heard its cheaper and less chaotic then Grand Bazaar. But believe me, its not. Noone even wanted to bargain like at Grand Bazaar where everything was then 50 % cheaper. Its very small and you dont have big choice here, so yes less chaos it is. Opening times on google says it closes at 7pm. We were leaving from there at 9pm and they started to close down the shops.

Jo S.

Yelp

My favorite Bazaar in Istanbul, situated near the Blue Mosque, easy to find, look for signs! I found it (read about it before) in my first day in Istanbul, checked it out and I like it on the spot. After visiting the crazy Grand Bazaar and the Spice/Egyptian Bazaar, I liked the Arasta even more. Why? It's small, but it has enough shops, far from crowded, you don't get hassled for Istanbul norms, the merchandise is more varied, better quality, reasonable prices. This is where we came daily and got gifts for family, friends, for ourselves, found cute souvenirs. More relaxed shopping atmosphere, there some restaurants around as well if you need a bite or a piece of baklava. Great bazaar, nice shopping experience, more fun and calmer!

Alison M.

Yelp

I loved this small Bazaar near to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. It has a great assortment of shops with friendly shopkeepers. You can find most anything you want here and it is nowhere near as crowded as the Grand Bazaar. We visited almost every day just to browse and find some goodies here. We got scarves, Turkish delights, pottery and tiles and a few gifts for friends.

Donna B.

Yelp

I been in several of Istanbul's bazaars. This is a great smaller one next to the Blue Mosque. It's not a huge maze. It's kinda like a bazaar in strip mall form. A single open air hall with no side alleys. The area is clean. The hall quite wide. It has the usual shops, yet seems a step up from the other bazaars. Spices, teas, shirt souvenirs, trinket souvenirs and baklava. Better Turkish linens and clothes are here. As well as higher end art galleries for rugs, pictures and glassware. Located a few steps from the Blue Mosque, it can be easily missed. The Mosaic Museum is located here. The sign can be a little tricky to see. But any shopkeeper will tell you the right turn to make to find it.

Heennaa M.

Yelp

Very cool small bazaar near the Blue Mosque. Most of the shopkeepers speak English and there is a nice restaurant there too. They have a few jewelry stores and some shops for fake designer handbags. Lord of souvenirs.

Donna S.

Yelp

Nice area in Istanbul to buy souvenirs, spices, silk/cashmere scarves, trinkets etc. nice outdoor restaurants and live venues. Enjoyed walking around and taking in the scenery.

Alexander H.

Yelp

Shop without any hassle A nice little bazaar. It's just one little street, but nicely done. It's open every day until the evening (we passed it always around 9pm - still open). There are the usual spice and turkish delight shops, but also lots of art and crafts shops. Many selling scarfs....but of higher quality with more interesting designs then other bazaars. The best part of it is, is the fact that it's hassle-free. You can roam around the area without being stopped every two seconds. Vendors here are friendly, good for a chat but not pushy. It's just a street away from the Blue Mosque....but seems to be overlooked a bit. We came here several times....it was always pretty empty. Too bad...

Oby O.

Yelp

This was the best part of coming to blue mosque for me. It's right beside the mosque. I loved their scarfs. I should add two more "loved, loved". It's definitely a place to come to if you want scarves, don't want to be overwhelmed by crowds and want great quality. It's a tiny place though so don't expect a bazar bazar like I was expecting

Maria G.

Yelp

Arasta Bazar is an absolute delight! I don't do well in a large crowd so this was a very refreshing experience compared to the Grand Bazar. It is very conveniently located behind Blue Mosque. I love all the little shops with their abundance of scarf and jewelry. I did all my shopping here. I miss you Istanbul!

@afar

The Best Shopping in Istanbul

View Postcard for Arasta Bazaar

@afar

The Best Bazaars in Istanbul

View Postcard for Arasta Bazaar

John Foyt

Google

Hamid Mahmood

Google

V H

Google

Running along the back of the Blue mosque is this rather lovely market (Bazaar), quite small however no where as hectic as the grand bazaar, definitely worth a visit when in the area.

Alyssa Becker

Google

Dr. Tanveer Ahmed

Google

Zia Siddiqi (Zee)

Google

Hien Nguyen

Google

Aesthetically nice. Just a little pushy if you look at something for 1 second longer

Lucia Giri

Google

Jo S.

Yelp

Alison M.

Yelp

Donna B.

Yelp

Heennaa M.

Yelp

Donna S.

Yelp

Nice area in Istanbul to buy souvenirs, spices, silk/cashmere scarves, trinkets etc. nice outdoor restaurants and live venues. Enjoyed walking around and taking in the scenery.

Alexander H.

Yelp

Oby O.

Yelp

Maria G.

Yelp

Arasta Bazaar

Arasta Bazaar

Photos

Highlights

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