Here you can shop for real antiques, especially silver, as well as old jewellery and icons that nowadays are mostly brought from Russia. The remainder of the Grand Bazaar is a grid of covered streets and alleys lined with small shops, now mostly geared towards overseas visitors who on their first visit often stand awestruck at the massive shimmering displays of gold and precious stones. Carpets, kilims, leather goods, Turkish ceramics and 1001 varieties of bric-a-brac beg for scrutiny. Don’t be put off by some foreign guidebooks with their condescending and cautionary overtones warning visitors that they might be hassled by persistent storekeepers – plunge into this pulsating, lively, exotic shopping maze, hone your skills in the give-and-take of the old art of bargaining and come home with the spoils!

Another shopping venue visitors like to explore is Nurosmaniye Street and its environs. Leading to the eastern gate of the Grand Bazaar, this street is renowned for its carpet emporia so if you’re in the market for a rug this is the place to go.

At the foot of Galata Bridge, a short tram ride or a 20-minute walk away, is another famous shopping ‘mall’, the Egyptian (a.k.a. Spice) Bazaar. Even if you don’t buy anything there, don’t miss its truly exotic atmosphere exuded by a cornucopia of comestibles and spices.

Also, if you wander around the streets around the hotel you will find many attractive gift shops, including a Turkish handicrafts center on the south side of Sultan Ahmet Plaza that stretches between the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia.

The places for contemporary goods, be it the latest fashion creations or technological wonders, are to be found scattered around the more modern districts of Istanbul rather than in the Old City, and although it’s unlikely that American or European visitors would be interested in shopping for such items in Turkey when they can find the very best in their own countries convenient transportation to those centers is readily available.