Grand Bazaar Tour
Take Aways
FAQ
The general Istanbul dress code for tourists, and especially women, is to cover legs at least past the knees, and cover the chest and stomach, but there is no requirement for anyone to be fully covered. Plan on bringing a tunic with you to cover your shorts if necessary.
We are traveling with our kids. Is this tour the right choice for us?
Yes, we can make this tour work for families with children.
Is this tour accessible for people in a wheelchair?
Yes, this tour is accessible for clients with mobility issues or that are in a wheelchair. There is an alternative itinerary that allows them to still see both bazaars.
Should we bring cash to the tour?
Please have local currency on hand, there might be some extra personal expenses at the market.
We arrive from a cruise ship, can we start the tour from the port?
The tour starts at the Bazaar. The distance from the Cruise Terminal isn't big, but it is not within walking distance. You can easily take a cab to the meeting point.
We are in Istanbul for a whole day, what can we add to this tour?
For a full-day experience, we recommend looking into our Topkapi Tour or our Hagia Sophia Tour in addition to the Grand Bazaar Tour.
I have food allergies, do I have to take any precautions for this tour?
During the course of this walk, you might taste some little samples of various foods. If you have a food allergy or other dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so that we can take this into account.
Preferably, no. This walk doesn't include shop stops, carpet shopping, etc., and focuses on the historical side. Along the way, you'll visit a number of local merchants but this is not a shopping tour per se. After the end of the tour, you will be able to shop on your own at your pace.

Claire has dual degrees in English (University of Michigan) and medieval art history (Università di Roma "La Sapienza"). She lived in Rome for a decade where she taught art history at Trinity College and study abroad programs for other American universities. She has lived in Istanbul for the last twelve years. She is presently an adjunct instructor at Yeditepe University and a freelance translator. Originally from Washington, DC, Claire is very interested in social history. She is the author of "Topkapı Palace: Inside and Out", published by Citlembik in 2004.

Born in the Aegean city of Izmir, Reyan studied English Language and Literature at Istanbul’s Bosphorus University and received her master’s degree in Documentary Production at the Northern Media School in England. She has worked for various newspapers and magazines as a reporter/editor and has traveled all around Anatolia, the Turkish heartland for the travel supplement of one of the best selling Turkish newspaper, Hürriyet. Amongst some of the magazines she wrote for is National Geographic, Turkey. Reyan worked as a producer- researcher for foreign TV channels, such as BBC, Finnish TV YLE and also worked as a script writer/ researcher in various documentaries filmed in Turkey and abroad on travel and different cultures of the world. She traveled and worked as Asst. Expedition Leader with Starquest Expeditions based in Seattle, USA, for their expeditions ‘’Around The World By Private Jet’’. She also acted as an advisor for TRT (Turkish State Television) for their documentary series. She has been working as a professional tourist guide since 1989 and has a certificate of specialization on Istanbul. She herself enjoys to walk in Istanbul discovering new routes for her guiding, photography and culinary purposes. She not only sees Istanbul as a historical treasure while reflecting that on her tours but a great destination to get an insight into the lifestyle, culture and culinary traditions of the people of Turkey in depth and likes to share this as a complete experience with her guests. Her interest in the social issues in her own country and the world led her in the way of becoming an independent documentary maker. Her documentaries still continue to be screened at many film festivals in Turkey and around the world, receiving some awards. Reyan Tuvi has three guide books on Turkey, is still writing feature stories, travel articles, continuing shooting documentaries and sharing her passion for her country through guiding.

As a graduate of Izmir American Collegiate Institute, Nur continued her studies in Ege University Faculty of Communications. Specialized on Marketing Communications in Tourism Industry. Also trained as a Professional Tourist Guide by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism. She is an Associate Professor in Public Relations. Has been working as a Professional Tourist Guide since 1991. Has ben guiding Archeological, Biblical (Christian & Jewish), Gastronomy and Wine tours all around Anatolia. Also faculty member and head of Public Relations and Advertising Department in several universities in Istanbul since 1998. Gives lectures on Anatolian Civilizations, Ancient Sites of Anatolia, Tourism Geography of Turkey, Tour Planning, PR, CRM and Marketing Communications in Tourism Industry in several universities. She is a faculty member and Head of Tourism Management Department of a private university in Istanbul. Lectured as a visiting Professor in Tourism Department in Belgium Katholike HogeSchool Mechelen in 2008, in Poland Bialystock Polytecnical University in 2011 and in Hungary Budapest Metropolitan University in 2018. Has many published articles, international symposium presentations and books on Marketing Communications and Tourism.
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