Istanbul - Shopping in Istanbul

Shopping in Istanbul

Shopping in Istanbul

Shopping without a doubt is besides the historical monuments one of the main reasons I would recommend you to visit Istanbul. An other would be eating-Turkey has also a delicious cuisine but for more information about this see chapter V. These days there is almost nothing that can not be found in Istanbul. In Turkey it is a rare shop that is open only from 9am to 5 or 6 pm ( like it is usually in most European counties). Most shops are still open at 9 or 10 pm. Of course 7 days a week. In tourist areas like for example Taksim square some shops offering special products to tourist stay open until midnight. However what can happen to you that a shops is closed for a half hour when the owner is going to the mosque for one of the prayers ( especially Friday around lunch time).

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Many shops in Istanbul are the same as back at home , but there are some facts which make you to feel uncomfortable as for example when the shop assistant is following you around the shop as you are a potential shoplifter. But this is normal and a gesture of a good service.

Many Western tourist believer that bargaining is still routine in all shops. However, fixed prices are becoming the routine especially in supermarkets and shopping centres. So the question is when is bargaining still appropriated? Well , it is when you are shopping like all tourist at the Grand Bazaar and in this case it is a must- do if you would not like to pay over the odds. Here the shopkeepers know that the tourists want to bargain and so they put their prices upwards. Another situation where bargaining is okay is when you are buying several items in one shop. Often a discount is also given if you pay cash.

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Shopping in Istanbul by istanbul turkey.co.uk