Tahtakale 1/3 - Kanal B Yasayan Tarih Programi "Tahtakale - Istanbul" Yapım: Ayse Oksuz Kanal B Kamera: Burak Tastan Kurgu : Nehir Seref Hazırlayan-Sunan : Ayşe Öksüz One could visit Istanbul for the shopping alone. The Kapali Carsi, or Covered Bazaar, in the old city is the logical place to start. This labyrinth of streets and passages houses more than 4,000 shopping center. The names recall the days when each trade had its own quarter: the goldsmiths street, the carpet sellers street, the street of the skullcap makers. Still the commercial center of the old city, the bazaar is the original shopping mall with something to suit every taste and pocket. For shopping souvenirs, Charming souvenirs and gifts can be selected frorn among Turkish crafts, the world renowned carpets, brilliant handpainted ceramics, copperware, brassware, and meerschaum pipes. The gold jewelry in brilliantly lit cases dazzles passersby. Leather and suede goods of excellent quality make a relatively inexpensive purchase. In thc heart of the bazaar, the Old Bedesten offers a curious assortment of antiques. It is worth poking through the clutter of decades in the hope of finding a treasure. Another shopping center of Istanbul, the Misir Carsisi or Spice Bazaar, next to the Yeni Mosque at Eminönü, transports you to fantasies from the mystical East. The enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice fill the air. Sultanahmet has become another shopping mecca in the old city. The Istanbul Sanatlari Carsisi (Bazaar of Istanbul Arts) in the 18th century Mehmet Efendi Medresesi, and the nearby 16th century Caferaga Medrese, built by Sinan, offer you the chance to see craftsmen at work and to purchase their wares. In the Arasta (old bazaar) of the Sultanahmet Mosque, a thriving shopping arcade makes both shopping and sightseeing very convenient. The sophisticated shopping of the Taksim Nisantasi Sisli districts contrast with the chaos of the bazaars. On Istiklal Avenue, Cumhuriyet Avenue and Rumeli Avenue, you can browse peacefully in the most fashionable shops selling elegant fashions made from Turkey's high quality textiles. Exquisite jewelry as well as finely designed handbags and shoes can also be found. The Ataköy Galleria Mall in Ataköy and the Akmerkez Mall in Etiler have branches of Istanbul's most elegant shops. In Bakýrköy, the Carousel Mali is worth a visit, as is the Atlas Passage in Beyoðlu. Bahariye Avenue, Bagdat Avenue, and Capitol Mall on the Asian side, offer the same shopping opportunities. In lstanbul's busy flea markets you can find an astonishing assortment of goods, both old and new, Every day offers a new opportunity to poke about the Sahaflar Carsisi and Cinaralti in the Beyazit district. On Sundays, in a flea market between the Sahaflar and the Covered Bazaar, vendors uncover their wares on carts and blankets. The Horhor Carsisi is a collection of shops that sell furniture of varying age and quality. Flea markets arc open daily in the Topkapi district, on Cukurcuma Sokak in Cihangir, on Büyük Hamam Sokak in Üsküdar, in the Kadiköy Carsi Duragi area, and between Eminönü and Tahtakale. After a Sunday drive up the Bosphorus, stop between Büyükdere and Sariyer ta wander through another lively market.

• published: 01 Apr 2009
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