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Get ready to explore the grandest bazaar of Turkey and get lost like locals in the backstreet markets while enjoying shopping on textile, jewelry, toiletries, rugs, woodwork, copper work, shoes, bags, antiques and many more on the way to Spice Market!

Destination

Istanbul, Turkey

Category

Art Culture Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English

Included

• Private guide
• Turkish delight tasting

Excluded

• Meals

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Mine .

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Çemberlitaş Sütunu - Istanbul to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Meet

   At Constantine Column by the Cemberlitas tram station (T1)

4. Grand Bazaar

   Intimidating Grand Bazaar will turn into an entertaining labyrinth puzzle as we come across unique shops in hidden streets

5. Coffee break

   Breath in the vibe of bazaar while enjoying a cup of coffee in the oldest coffee shop.

6. Backstreet Markets

   Get ready to meet creative handcraftsmen and hundreds of shops selling clothing to toiletries, party stuff to trousseaus, fabrics to shoes&bags, all sorts of souvenirs in the most crowded streets occupied by locals

7. Sultan’s Lodge

   Give a break for shopping and visit the most fascinating sultan’s apartment from the 17th century.

8. Spice Market / End of the tour

   Treat yourself with Turkish delight and a herbal tea while being enchanted with the smell of spices and essential oils.

9. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

David🇰🇾 Cayman Islands

24 February 2025

My wife and I had an amazing three plus hours tour with Mine today visiting the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market and within each a curated collection of key stores where there was no pressure to buy. Lots of history and fokelore was shared. I’d highly recommend this tour and guide. Fantastic tour and guide

Evie

12 November 2024

Mine was a wonderful guide! This tour is a great way to get acclimated to the enormous Grand Bazaar and Spice market, especially if you don't have lots of time. She asked what we were interested in and brought us to some great shops with quality goods but also reasonable pricing. Really appreciated her knowledge of history, art, and culture, and also her pointing out some unique aspects and historic shops. She gave us a great recommendation for lunch based on our interest. Insider experience

V🇩🇪 Germany

25 October 2024

Mine was on time and picked up my parents at the hotel. Unfortunately she was double booked on another day, and we were forced to find an alternative guide within 48 hours of the scheduled day. It wasn't her fault, but would have made for a better experience if that did not happen.Good guide, would recommend

Julie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

14 October 2024

Good communication from Mine , where to meet. We had a fabulous morning shopping with Mine around the grand Bazaar/ spice market . Lots of hidden gems lots of history and knowledge. Was relaxed and we throughly enjoyed shopping experience. Highly recommend. Istanbul Shopping mayhem

Janice🇺🇸 United States

6 October 2024

We met Mine at the entrance to the Grande Bazaar and she spent the day introducing us to exquisite craftsman, interesting and unusual finds and one of a kind items. She made the day feel special and was able to incorporate lessons of history and Turkish tradition into everything. Her knowledge of history and art make her a wonderful guide. We wish we could have had more time with her to take us through the historic palaces and Mosques as her knowledge would have added so much to the experience. Best of all, she really loves what she does and her exuberance and warmth makes her a really special guide. We highly recommend her!!FANTASTIC DAY!!

Phillip

1 October 2024

Mine was a pleasure to accompany us as we gave her a big list of potential sights and treasures. She was very patient, took us to some stunning cultural and really unique finds in the Grand Bazaar. Highly recommend for even those who have visited before.Amazing time with Mine

Wendy🇦🇺 Australia

22 September 2024

We had a good afternoon shopping in the bazaars with Mine. We made some purchases that we would not have found by ourselves. The textile shop was a highlight. Thanks.Unique experience

Mark🇦🇺 Australia

18 September 2024

We had a fun afternoon with Mine in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. She explained the history of the Bazaars and took us into ancient back laneways and producer’s workshops we would never have found on our own. It is so enjoyable being led to the right places by someone who knows their way through the maze! Mine is acquainted with the owners of some of the best quality outlets. We particularly enjoyed buying lovely Turkish Delight, baklava, saffron and other spices at her favourite shop in the Spice Market. With hindsight we should have brought along a longer list of things to buy, especially jewellery where there is a huge choice of both gold and silver.A spicy mix of history and shopping

shari🇺🇸 United States

17 September 2024

So lovely, knowledgeable. The time flew by. The highlight of my trip! I only wish i had been able to book a full day with Mine! I could have spent all days inIstanbul learning history and culture. Well worth it!Incredible one in a million guid

Monica🇺🇸 United States

30 June 2024

So incredibly grateful for Mine. She was a treasure to shop with. The bazaars can be overwhelming and she made the experience consumable and fun for our entire family. We had three kiddos with us and she found a way to help the men, women and children find the perfect things to view and shop for. She sprinkled history with shopping and created a wonderful experience for our entire family. We ate and drank at some local stops that were highlights of food for us during our trip. Thank you Mine!Bazaars Fun worh Mine

Colin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

19 May 2024

Mine was a brilliant guide. This was the first of two experiences that we had with her and she was a great choice. From the messaging the day before to confirm the meeting place to the cheerfulness of greeting, her wonderful depth of knowledge of subject(s) was truly great. We had given 2 or 3 suggestions as to what we might be interested to consider as bazaar purchases and her knowledge of the available options proved to be second to none. In years gone by, we had a bazaar tour in Marrakech which was good. This one proved to be all the more enjoyable as we were introduced to talented tradespeople and true artisans at the top of their trades who allowed us to peruse with no buying pressure. As it turned out we invested in a couple of the items that we had hoped for, far more successfully and confidently than if we had gone into the bazaar without Mine. We felt catered for as individuals, we felt confident in an environment that can be all too overpowering and we felt that we had “got” more out of our trip to the bazaar than we could possibly have hoped for had we done this ourselves. Mine was highly knowledgable, stylish in her guide suggestions and instilled a real confidence in our dealings. We would highly recommend that prior to the tour, Mine be furnished with possible purchase targets to ensure a well planned itinerary. Top recommendation.Fantastic…!

Jenny🇬🇧 United Kingdom

19 April 2024

We packed a lot into our Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar and Hidden Backstreets tour with Mine! As well as exploring the shops we were most interested in (and avoiding the tourist traps), we sampled different types of street food from her favourite places and visited a carpet shop and metal workshop. Mine is very knowledgeable and told us a lot about the history of the places we visited and Istanbul in general, whilst maintaining the interest of our 8 year old throughout.Essential tour of the bazaars in Istanbul

Gautam🇬🇧 United Kingdom

5 April 2024

Mine picked us up from our hotel and took us on a memorable tour of the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. She also took special precautions to stop us wandering into shops which she felt were tourist traps. She sat down with my wife and checked on what we wanted to see. Mine then took us to a lovely old shawl shop, an old and established pottery shop and an old local institution selling beautiful Kilims. She then took us to an absolutely great spice shop in the spice market. In between of course there were many other shops including several silver shops. Mine is extremely knowledgeable about the Grand Bazaar area and you feel confident that with her around you will see the best stuff at the best prices. Highly recommended. Best Way to see the Grand Bazaar

Michael🇺🇸 United States

29 February 2024

Mine was a great guide for our time exploring the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. She is extremely knowledgeable and showed us some of her favorite shops, some of which would be easily overlooked by a gawking tourist. She also gave us some history of the bazaar while we explored, and helped us find specific things we were looking for. Definitely worthwhile for anyone who only has a little time to spend, and are looking for an efficient way to shop at the Bazaar.Fantastic Guide and Experience

Catherine🇺🇸 United States

21 January 2024

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the largest covered market in the world, is a daunting shopping experience but Mine knows the best shops. Clearly a known guide in the market, we were welcomed in some truly amazing shops that we never would have found on our own. She helped us find unique and quality merchandise while telling us funny stories about the market and life in Istanbul. She was just terrific! a fabulous whirlwind tour

Andrea🇬🇧 United Kingdom

2 December 2023

Mine was a great guide to take us around the Grand and Spice bazaars imparting knowledge not only on the bazaars themselves but also on the history of Istanbul taking us to a Mosque that we would never have found on our own. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Istanbul who wishes to explore the bazaars without getting lost.Fantastic experience

Eva🇺🇸 United States

10 April 2023

Wow, the Grand Bazaar is completely overwhelming - thank goodness we had Mine to take us through it! We visited fantastic shops with her and made purchases of outstanding quality at honest, reasonable prices. We met local merchants who spent time explaining the craftsmen they work with (and we even met some of the craftsmen themselves and watched them creating gorgeous new work). Mine's funny stories about the history of the bazaar were delightful - she is an awesome guide and this was a seriously awesome tour.Great History, Awesome Guiding

Kate🇬🇧 United Kingdom

4 December 2022

Really good tour around the grand bazaar & spice market area. Mine was very knowledgeable & showed some really unique parts which you might not see if you were on your own

Laurie🇺🇸 United States

17 November 2022

Mine picked me up at the cruise port and after asking some questions to pinpoint what I wanted my experience to be, took me on the most remarkable personalized tour I could have hoped for. Mine shared her favorite areas and vendors in the Grand Bazaar and then took me to a few mosques to share the artistry and culture surrounding the mosques. I would delight in returning to Istanbul and having a tour with Mine, again.Book with Mine!

Wendy🇺🇸 United States

11 November 2022

We loved our time with Mine. She always responded quickly to our questions before the trip, and we appreciated her willingness to pick us up at the cruise port. (Having just arrived in Istanbul, we didn’t want to waste precious exploration time trying to make our way to the old city). She introduced us to wonderful shops in the Grand Baazar while sharing her knowledge of art, history and architecture. The fact that she’s a fellow cat lover made the experience even better!Couldn’t have been better!

Jana🇺🇸 United States

18 October 2022

Mine was very kind and very knowledgeable about the bazaaar, the spice market, and the two mosques we visited. My husband like history and I like to shop. She fabulously blended the two experiences together and gave us both what we wanted. She was also quick to figure out what I liked to shop for and didn’t take me to places I had no interest in going. I highly recommend her as a great guide for the bazaar. Thank you Mine for a great first taste of Istanbul!Kind and Knowledgeable

Pete🇳🇿 New Zealand

16 October 2022

Perhaps our experience was diminished in not being more clear on what we did and didnt want to see, but we left both these world famous bazaars feeling they’ve lost charm and historic value through being primarily markets for fake knock off copies of luxury brands. we had really hoped to see more of the unique and traditional crafts of Turkey perhaps with some modern contemporary takes on these, instead the grand bazaar seemed overwhelming flooded with knock off goods and it was really disappointing to see the spice market not holding onto being purely food goods and also selling rip off Prada and Hermes gear. Whilst Mine did show us some examples of a few traditional market stores and these were the highlight, these seemed to be very much in the minority and we spent a lot of time walking through or past fake luxury branded goods. Bazaar tour disappointing

Kirsten 🇺🇸 United States

7 September 2022

Mine showed us around the grand bazaar, backstreet markets and spice market. She listened to what we were interested in finding and completely customized where we went. She took us to place that she as a local shopped at and to place that had very reputable businesses and wonderful prices. At the end she took us to a beautiful mosque and gave us great recommendations for other sites to see. Overall we had a wonderful afternoon with Mine and would highly recommend her to other people. Wonderful Guide

anthony🇬🇧 United Kingdom

2 August 2022

We met with Mine in front of Constantine’s column and introduced ourselves (family with 2 mid-teens) to our guide. We then proceeded to one of the main entrances to the grand bazaar. Mine explained the history of the market and showed us corners we would not have explored by ourselves. She introduced us to traders, particularly those trading in cultural objects. For example, we met a trader who’s family paints leaves with religious and famous sayings from various cultures and delicate images, often in gold, which are beautifully framed. Another trader had a metal workshop, and worked with 3 generations of his family making exquisite Ottoman helmets, candle holders and patterned trays, which can take weeks to complete. In the gold/jewellery quarter we saw a range of traders and learned that many Turkish people buy gold as investments. After a tea break in one of the squares just outside the bazaar, we carried on with our tour through the street markets which sold everything from pots and pans, towels and bath robes, to wedding dresses and glittering ball gowns! We heard that people come from far and wide with empty suitcases to load up with goods! Later, we walked down Veni Cami street to the New Mosque, where we entered the Sultan’s quarters via the covered walkway (only the Sultan was allowed to ride a horse). The Sultan’s room were decorated in wonderful blue tiles from the mid 17th centenary. We then went onto the Spice bazaar, and had the opportunity to try Turkish delights. Mine was passionate about the cultural aspects of the market and she also pointed out some her favourite stalls! Thank you Mine for a lovely tour!A tour of the Grand Bazaar with Mine

Charlie🇺🇸 United States

9 July 2022

Mine was a wonderful guide. She quickly figured out the things we didn’t even know we wanted to see and expertly navigated the grand bazaar and spice market. I wouldn’t hesitate to use her again as our guide. Awesome and Knowledgable!

Wentong🇺🇸 United States

4 June 2022

We had a great time walking through the Grand Bazaar with Mine! She expertly navigated the area (something we only really fully appreciated after returning to the bazaar) and showed us many interesting shops based on our interests. Afterwards, she was also extremely helpful with showing us how to buy a public transport card and making sure we made it to the right ferry to our next destination. Super interesting and helpful!

Nivin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

26 May 2022

Mine took us on a tour of the Grand Bazaar and the spice market. It was great to wander the markets with her as she showed us some amazing shops we wouldn't have been able to find by ourselves. Mine also took us to a Turkish delight and spice shop which had the most delicious sweets as well as to some other shops outside the Bazaar. It makes a difference having a guide round the Bazaar as it is huge and can be confusing. Mine was a great guide - friendly, patient and very helpful. Highly recommended! Experienced and friendly guide

Lucy🇬🇧 United Kingdom

30 April 2022

We were very grateful we booked this tour with Mine, she showed us shops and areas inside the Grand Bazaar, we would not have uncovered for ourselves and was very knowledgeable about the history. For example she took us to a beautiful mosque where every tile was handmade and different. With hindsight I wish I had thought ahead of time about what souvenirs we might like to purchase and done some research into the products which are unique. It was quite overwhelming for me and now I regret not buying something special, especially the beautiful gold paintings on bay leaves with intricate patterns. We will remember this tour forever - so many interesting facts and we loved our time in the spice bazaar. The stalls look the same but the quality of the items varies and Mine was able to guide us to buy the most amazing foods and Turkish delight that tasted unlike anything we’d had before ❤️Thank you Mine!

Lia🇺🇸 United States

30 April 2022

One of the best experience I had. Mine is amazing. Wonderful shopping discoveries

Patricia Erika🇵🇭 Philippines

22 April 2022

Mine was the perfect shopping and tour guide for the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar can be overwhelming if you don't know where to go, and Mine knew where everything was. We really appreciated that she took us to some hidden gems that weren't on the "tourist" radar. We also liked that she helped us purchase things without being pushy. And of course, she was a lovely person too. Overall, having her guide us through the bazaars was 100% worth it!

Christian🇩🇪 Germany

26 March 2022

Mine was a great guide and we had an amazing tour of the bazaar and its surroundings. Highly recommend the tour!Awesome tour

Traci🇺🇸 United States

5 January 2022

My husband and I had an amazing tour with Mine of the bazaar quarter. To first timers it would have been very overwhelming (I mean it still was but in a much better way). She took us to the Spice Market and introduced us to Hayfene - an amazingly friendly shop for spices and perfumes and so many other items. We then walked around outside as the whole area is really an open bazaar. We made our way to the Grand Bazaar and found a lovely cafe and she took us to the best local shops inside. I can't stress enough that you need a guide for the bazaar. Afterwards, she kindly walked us to her favorite baklava shop, which was across the river. She spent way more than 3 hours with us and gave us so many pieces of advice and recommendations that we used on our other days. She really made our first day in Istanbul wonderful. It was like exploring Istanbul with a close friend and we loved our time with her!Amazing shopping/bazaar tour with Mine!

Anita🇺🇸 United States

30 September 2021

Thank you for the tour of the bazaars! It was a nice shopping experience, in a busy space. Thank you for introducing me to my new favorite perfume! Thank you again for coordinating the meeting points. All the best, AnitaThank you, Mine!

Tara🇺🇸 United States

11 September 2021

My husband and I had a wonderful day at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market with Mine. She was kind enough to come to our hotel to pick us up which was very helpful since we just arrived in Istanbul and did not know the city at all. She was so much fun and had so much interesting information. The Grand Bazaar is so much fun but it is huge and I can't imagine going without a guide. Mine listen to what we were interested in and took us to only high-quality stores. We had such a great day with her she speaks excellent English and is very sweet and pleasant to be around. After the tour was over she dropped us off at a well-known restaurant in the GB for lunch and then and then insisted on coming back in an hour to make sure that we got in a cab safely. She ended up coming with us back to the hotel because she was concerned the driver was not sure where he was going. Really amazing service we felt so taken care of and had such a great time with her. I can't recommend her enough--Mine is the best! Wonderful Mine!

kev959🇺🇸 United States

13 August 2021

We didn't know what we were in store for as we prepared for our first trip to the Grand Bazaar. Thankfully we connected with Mine for a tour of the Bazaar and Spice Market. Mine directed us to the right vendors every time. She was very patient with us overwhelmed tourists. She offered great knowledge and tips at every turn. Truly a great guide to go shopping with. Excellent tour & guide

Danielle🇹🇷 Turkey

19 August 2020

Mine was a great guide, she tailored our tour specifically to my interest in Turkish textiles available at the Grand Bazaar. We went to some of her trusted shops, got to converse with the owners and learn more about traditional textiles. She is well versed in the history and architecture of the Bazaar and surrounding areas and we were definitely able to learn a lot. She showed us some of the great rooftop cafe's near the Bazaar with amazing views of the city, even my friend who lived in Istanbul for over 10 years had never been. Mine is a great guide to get a tour tailored to your interests and learn all about the city.Expertly Crafted Individualized Tour

Colleen🇦🇺 Australia

18 March 2020

Our tour of the Grand Bazar was most interesting. Mine took us to places we would never have found without her. Her knowledge of the history of the places we visited made it a special morning in your amazing city.. sorry we have to go home early because of the corona virus but we will be back when the panic is over. Colleen & BevAn interesting tour with Mine

Tatjana🇷🇸 Serbia

16 February 2020

Mine showed us most secret parts of Grand bazar which was amazing experience. We also visited Spice bazar and were able to enjoy the best Turkish sweets, tee and spices. Many thanks and we warmly recomend tour with Mine!Grand bazar visit

Teddy

10 February 2025

Knowledgeable - historically and culturally, enthusiastic, flexible, outgoing, best advices ever, and truely sympathetic…so we love Mine!We love Mine

George🇦🇺 Australia

21 December 2024

It was obvious that Mine knew her stuff and she was passionate about her subject. Wherever we went, she told stories and shared information that brought the places to life. Beyond historical insights, Mine gave us very useful advice about navigating Istanbul itself and recommended a perfect restaurant for lunch after the three hours we spent with her. She gave us a wonderful insight into Istanbul.Ticked all the boxes

Noah🇺🇸 United States

14 December 2024

Mine was an excellent guide! Very knowledgeable, very engaged, and worked flexibly to make the tour fabulous. Excellwnr guide

Amanda

6 December 2024

So, it’s always difficult meeting someone for the first time, but Mine does this all the time and does it well, she has endless patience. She is packed with information and knowledge and is just really good at her job. She probably doesn’t realise that along with the insight and knowledge she imparts about the beautiful monuments , the snippets of Turkish life, like how her mother cuts baklava, just make it more real. Always choose a local. They live and love their history. No one’s perfect!

Kirsty

6 December 2024

Mine - met me and took me all around Fener and Balat. It involved a lot of walking but well worth it. Her historical knowledges of the the area - the people and the mosques, churches and synagogues was phenomenal and really interesting. The whole area is historical and quite beautiful. Balat's buildings and streets are both historical and beautiful - but get there sooner rather than later as the place is being gentrified. It still has a village feeling. Thoroughly enjoyed my tour. Mine went above and beyond travelling with me on the metro and making sure I got on the right lines and showed my how to use the system! Which was great because it is a bit daunting at first. Also for all those animal lovers - Mine is a saint, feeding the stray cats on her way and if you know Istanbul and culture this is a good thing and all about karma. Thank you Mine - highly recommend this tour to anyone!!!One of the best tours and guide ever!!!

Kenneth🇺🇸 United States

25 November 2024

Mine was brilliant for my private guided tour. She was there before time, gave very clear instructions and her English is impeccable. I really enjoyed my tour of Topkapi Palace and the time seemed to fly past. My time in Türkiye was continuing by a road trip in a rental car. Mine arranged my tour of Ephesus with one of her friends. I can’t recommend her enough. She is first class.Exceptional guide

Steven🇺🇸 United States

20 November 2024

I booked a private tour for two with Mine (pronounced long I, short e) to see Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern. As these were the places we wanted to see. It was fantastic. I should note that she will customize the tour to match your request. Prior to and after booking, I had a number of questions and she responded quickly and clearly using the withlocals chat tool. Her background and expert knowledge provided us with a clear, historical description of each location and her English was excellent. She provided clear instructions how to get to our meeting location from the Cruise Port. Lastly, as a licensed guide, we were able to skip the line so we had very little wait time. When visiting Istanbul, I would highly recommend Mine as your tour guide.Excellent Tour/Guide-Highly Recommend Mine

William🇧🇪 Belgium

18 November 2024

We zijn 2 dagen met Mine op pad geweest door Istanbul. Mine verteld heel coherent en goed gedocumenteerd over de geschiedenis van Constantinopel / Istanbul. We kregen veel informatie met veel kennis ter zake gebracht. Mine is daarnaast ook een warme persoon voor mens en dier (ook de katten van istanbul zijn haar grootste fan).

Charles🇺🇸 United States

28 October 2024

Mine did a great job with us. She was a wealth of information and insight. She enabled us to see the major sites we wanted to see and gave us so much background and historical information. She pointed us in the best position to get the clearest pictures. At the end, she provided us with a restaurant recommendation that we went to whose food and ambiance were truely outstanding. We would highly recommend Mine for anyone looking to hire a local guide.Mine was our rock star!

Jens

27 October 2024

Mine is an incredibly knowledgable guide. She guided us expertly through Istanbul highlights. She helped us efficiently past long lines and gave us unique insight into Istanbul’s dramatic history. She helped with booking meals and gave us great tips of places to go and things to do. We can highly recommend Mine. Regards Your 10 very satisfied Norwegian customersFantastic way to experience Istanbul

John🇺🇸 United States

25 October 2024

Mine was excellent. She was extremely knowledgeable about history and art, and was even great for shopping tips in the Grand Bazaar. She was energetic, kind, and fun. We highly recommend her. Istanbul tour with Mine

Marianne🇺🇸 United States

22 October 2024

Mine was incredibly knowledgeable. She really organized the tour to suit our schedule. Would definitely choose her for another tour in Istanbul.Great Tour!