Egyptian Spice Bazaar

Rüstem Paşa Mahallesi, Erzak Ambarı Sok. No:92, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar may be a global tourist trap, but isn’t nearly as rage-inducing as the squawking group tours inside the Grand Bazaar. Here, a remnant of authenticity lives on in this 17th century building, created by commission for Sultana Turhan Hatice. Visually-arresting piles of spices and Turkish delight, and rows of pushy men, make for a wild afternoon of souvenir shopping and colorful conversation. Inside the Ucuzcular stall the sellers are friendly and happy to let you browse. A bag of “love tea” ensures romance in a pot. In that vein, on my way through the bazaar, a man trotted up to me and said, “Excuse me. I think you dropped something...” I looked puzzled. He smiled and theatrically clutched his chest, "...my heart.” He probably does that for all the Westerners, but I pretended it was as real as the magic in the spices.

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Love Tea and Lokum

Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar may be a global tourist trap, but isn’t nearly as rage-inducing as the squawking group tours inside the Grand Bazaar. Here, a remnant of authenticity lives on in this 17th century building, created by commission for Sultana Turhan Hatice. Visually-arresting piles of spices and Turkish delight, and rows of pushy men, make for a wild afternoon of souvenir shopping and colorful conversation. Inside the Ucuzcular stall the sellers are friendly and happy to let you browse. A bag of “love tea” ensures romance in a pot. In that vein, on my way through the bazaar, a man trotted up to me and said, “Excuse me. I think you dropped something...” I looked puzzled. He smiled and theatrically clutched his chest, "...my heart.” He probably does that for all the Westerners, but I pretended it was as real as the magic in the spices.

Spice Market Culinary Souvenirs

Smaller than the Grand Bazaar but more intense, the Spice Market is equal parts tourist trap and necessary shopping stop for cooks and foodies. Meet the original spice girl at Ucuzcular (remember Area 51 to find her booth), one of the few female-run businesses in the Egyptian Spice Market. Bilge knows her saffron from her lokum (aka Turkish delight), and you’ll get a fair price for quality stuff. Join the line to pick up sealed Turkish coffee at the Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, just outside the covered market, to take home.

A Different Kind of Turkish Delight

In the streets of Istanbul and back alleys all over Turkey are mounds of Turkish delight confections. Some look as though they may have been boxed to sell back when Bekir Effendi, the inventor of Turkish delights, started up at the end of the 1700s in Turkey. Armed with a keen eye and an even better nose in Istanbul‘s historic Spice Bazaar, I found the grand daddy of them all—pistachio “mountains.”

Dimly Lit Market

In huge cities of the world, it is impossible to stay on course and see everything you want to see. I have found the longer I travel, the more obsessed I become with finding local grocery stores and better yet, open-air markets. Here you get to know about the textiles, art, and cuisine of your destination quickly. One of my most favorites was the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. Located in Fatih, in the neighborhood of Eminönü, you get a wonderful illustration of Asia and Europe colliding. Traditional mint tea and rugs adjacent to Vans footwear and Beatles albums line the corridors. Arriving late, we were concerned we’d miss out, but the dimly lit chambers emptied to streets lined with fresh produce, meats, and delicious nuts. All were open late into the evening.

Spicy

‘Mısır Çarşısı' - Spice Bazaar or Egyptian Bazaar. One of the largest bazaars in the city. Feel the smells, see the hot colors.....and do some shopping,

Shopping for Spices

Bursting with colors, fragrances and tastes, the Spice Bazaar has all the ingredients to make your visit dazzling. Smaller than the Grand Bazaar but definitely with more intrigue and local flavor. Many locals come to shop here for their needs.

Buying Iranian saffron in Istanbul

Love the fragrance and color of saffron, so buying some in Spice Bazaar in Istanbul was inevitable. However sifting through different options, I found Iranian saffron. The color and aroma was matchless and so was the price, but worth it.

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