Egyptian does have influence in Turkey. It is represented in the many tourism sites that portray the life of Egyptians. One of them is Egyptian Bazaar. Most of Istanbul package tours include this place as one in the must-see list.
On the front side
Once you arrive in front of the so called spice market, you will see a crowdy place filled with local people. There used to be not much tourists here because this place is like a local market. However, as years go by, the market has become one of daily sightseeing tours for the wanderers. A little history about this place: Turkish has been using spice for trades since centuries ago. The Egyptian Bazaar has been serving local people since 1940- selling all types of spices from rose buds to cinnamon.
On the inside
This place is really crowdy. Luckily, the ceiling of this train station-like is quite high and filled lots of things that a chef would definitely love to see. And because they sell spices, your nose will pick this unusual yet delightful smells that is the mixtures of food, seeds and spices!
You can see almost every corner is filled with stalls and shops that sell spice, kebab and more. This is absolutely heaven for cuisine! For foreigners who travel for cuisine, this is an interesting place as you can find bizarre spices such as sahlep.- which perhaps ordinary chef could not find it in his hometown. If you want to cook Mediterranean cuisine, you can get the authentic ingredients at this place.
Great bargains
For a newbie, you will see that this is another Turkish delight with great bargains. The sellers speak a few languages so you don’t have to worry because you can still manage to negotiate a good price for vanilla seeds.
Although it is a traditional market, they are ready to take tourists to the next level. They understand that foreigners come there to buy rare spices that probably more expensive when bought from their origins. Thus, they will pack your spices in a vacuum plastic and you are ready to keep them in your luggage.
Be careful
As this is a very crowded place, you need to make sure that you hold on tight to your precious belongings while your eyes wander around.
Not just spices
This is a one stop traditional shopping for tourists who want to give something for souvenirs. Other than spices, you can find local foods and handy crafts to bring home. Another place similar to this site is the Grand Bazaar that’s located up on the hill. The place is smaller than Egyptian bazaar but worth to see as well.
Find Everything About Turkey 