Haggling at the Grand Bazaar

Holidays in Turkey will never be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar comprises of some 4000 shops and is surrounded by even more shops in the immediate area. Lamp shades, carpets, ceramics, fashion and jewellery are all just a few examples of the types of merchandise available at the Grand Bazaar. Haggling in Istanbul is a fun and great adventure; particularly when you realize just how low traders can go under enough pressure. Ask the trader for their best price and then drop it by more than half.

An amazing array of lamps for sale at the Grand Bazaar

Always offer much lower than you are prepared to pay and never look too pleased with anything you see even if you like it as that will give them the upper hand in any negotiation. Once you have got as low as you can tell them it is not low enough and they should give you a better price or you’ll go elsewhere as there are many shops selling the same thing. You’ll leave the shop having a better idea of the lowest selling price to use at other shops. You may even decide to go back to the first shop if it turns out that you did do a good job. Never dress too smartly or wear flashy designer clothes to go shopping or go on a Turkish holiday, as you will be sending out the wrong message if it’s a bargain that you are looking for.

Bargain Hunting at the Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar

Saffron and other spices

The Egyptian Spice Bazaar was built in 1664, the same year that Kronenbourg lager first started commercial brewing. Exotic eastern fragrances tease your senses as spices, fruit, nuts and Turkish Delight (lokum), linger in the air. One of the best bargains to be found at the Spice Bazaar is saffron. Saffron sells at a fraction of the cost usually found in the West but remember to never take off your haggling hat. Scarves and necklaces can also be found for very reasonable prices so long as you put in the work and walk around to compare prices.

Special Gifts from the Copper Smith Bazaar

A shop filled with brass and copper

The Copper Smith Bazaar has a wide range of wonderful gift ideas for you to return home with from your Turkish holiday. Copper smiths can beat out a variety of shapes to make you saucepans, candle sticks, cauldrons or bespoke items. The Copper Smith’s Bazaar is not just famous for copper products but also sells a wide range of embroidered goods, jewellery and clothing.

This post was written by  Martin who has travelled through Turkey extensively and has picked up great bargains in Istanbul over the years. His site Low Cost Airline Guide has some helpful information for finding a low cost flight to Turkey for your next holiday.

images by: maistora, laszlo-photo, marfis75 and Curious Expeditions

Although the videos are in Turkish, the English subtitles allow you to follow along and get an authentic first hand view of Istanbul. If you are headed to Istanbul be sure to watch some of their videos for inspiration.

New Orleans for Jazz & Heritage Festival

From April 29 until May 1 & from May 5 until May 8, the city will be music to your ears, literally! New Orleans just breathes culture and what better way to celebrate their city than with the Jazz & Heritage Festival. Whereas normally you can’t walk down the street in New Orleans without hearing live music, you will hear even more of it during the festivities (if that’s even possible). Artists booked include Bon Jovi, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Cyndi Lauper, and the Neville Brothers.

New York for the Easter Parade

On Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011) paraders, dressed to the extreme wander along the closed streets of Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Street. The ideal place to see the parade is the area around St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival runs from 10am to 4pm. While the parade doesn’t have any floats or marching bands, it is still a spectacle; from around the world people come to New York City to participate, with outfits ranging from elegant to outrageous.

New York travel guide

 

Istanbul for the Shopping Festival

Istanbul Shopping Festival (ISF) is an annual event that brings together people of all kinds, making Istanbul the shopping, cultural and entertainment centre of the world. Until April 26, visitors will enjoy the many activities taking place at the 90 indoor shopping malls and many stores, open till late hours. The glamorous spirit of ISF is not to be missed if you are planning on taking a trip there. Don’t forget the tax free shopping for visitors from overseas!

Istanbul travel guide

Munich for Strong Beer Season

Did you miss Oktoberfest? No worries because with spring in Munich also comes Strong Beer Season. This is the insiders alternative to Oktoberfest yet the beer is stronger and the crowds are thinner .The traditional serving of the spring strong beers begin during Lent and lasts about four weeks, this year until April 26th.

Munich travel guide

 

London for the Royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding takes place at Westminster Abbey on April 29 and the city will be abuzz. Locals might flee the city, while travelers might pay a visit for the cities unique buzz. If you want to be part of the celebrations and catch a glimpse of the royal couple, you can stand somewhere along the wedding procession route. The route will include The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and Parliament Square.

London travel guide

Amsterdam for Queen’s Day

On April 30, Amsterdam is home to the biggest collection of events and parties in celebration of Queen’s Day aka Koninginnedag. Aside from endless crowds and the colour orange, visitors can expect many outdoor parties with bands and DJs on several squares and parks throughout the city. The biggest outdoor concerts are held by Museumplein and Rembrandtplein. Queen’s Day is also the one day of the year that the streets and sidewalks become one big ‘free market’ (vrijmarkt). Don’t forget about Queen’s Night either – check out one of the many bars and clubs hosting events.

Amsterdam travel guide

Singapore for the International Film Festival (SIFF)

With its dynamic film programming and commitment to development of film culture and local cinema, SIFF has become Singapore’s largest international film festival. In its 23rd edition, SIFF will take place from April 15-24 and will showcase Asian film in various venues like The Singapore Art Museum and The Arts House.

Singapore travel guide

What interesting festivals and events will you be headed to this Spring? Or for Easter? Let us know in the comments!

On a trip to Istanbul, however, you might subject yourself to just such an experience – in the form of a visit to a Turkish hammam.

Turkish hammams, or baths, have been popular throughout different parts of Europe since the mid-1800s, but there’s nothing like visiting one while you’re actually in Turkey. Turkish baths are similar to the Roman baths many people are familiar with from visiting Roman ruins, with rooms set at different temperatures and a sequence through which visitors to the baths would frequent each room. After proceeding through the sequence of progressively hotter rooms, each person then gets scrubbed and massaged by an attendant before going into a cool room to relax at the end of the treatment. In addition to the cleansing, healing, and restorative elements of a visit to a Turkish hammam, there’s the aesthetic element, too – the interiors of the baths are often covered in beautiful tiles.

Of course, those of us for whom getting naked in front of strangers isn’t something we do on a regular basis may not have read past the whole thing about being washed by strangers – and it’s true, this is a potentially embarrassing part of the process. It may help to learn that the attendants are professionals for whom the act of washing and massaging clients is simply a job, but then again it may not.

If you’re interested in trying out this cultural staple, then be sure to read a guide to Turkish hammams before your trip so you know what to expect.

Have you ever been to a Turkish bath? Would you go? Let us know in the comments.

- by Jessica from BootsnAll

Download mTrip’s Istanbul Travel Guide

It says a lot about the cuisine of a country these days when even its national airline has good food. Economy class on Turkish Airlines, even for a short flight, comes with a full meal—kidney beans marinated in olive oil, white cheese, herbed sautéed chicken with ratatouille, fresh bread, almond cake, cherry juice, and coffee.

In case you couldn’t tell, I could eat my way through Turkey. And I did. But sadly, that fantastic pottery kebab, which cooked for three hours prior to my arrival at the Dibek restaurant, I couldn’t bring home with me. Nor could I take home the spinach and cheese stuffed pancakes at Otantik. Or the Turkish ice cream and fresh pomegranate juice that was available on just about every Turkish street corner. But I could take home the recipes I learned how to make at Cooking Alaturka in Istanbul.

At a half-day cooking class, which was taught in English by Eveline Zoutendijk, a Dutch-born, Cordon Bleu-trained chef, who has made Istanbul her home, I learned how to make red lentil and bulgur soap, green bean salad, zucchini patties with herbs and cheese, lamb stew, and walnut-stuffed figs. After cutting, stuffing, stirring, and baking for over two hours, our 10-person class then sat down to eat our creations, which were accompanied by red and white Turkish wine as well as good conversation.

Classes at Cooking Alaturka cost about 60 Euros and include the 5-course meal. The school is conveniently located in the historic district, Sultanahmet, behind the Blue Mosque. For those without much time, or prefer eating to cooking, the school also has a small restaurant, which is open for lunch. And before you leave, don’t forget to visit Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar to pick up some ingredients you can take home with you.

On the western side of the Galata Bridge, connecting old Istanbul to modern Istanbul, those seeking an affordable and tasty lunch can hear the cries of the vendors calling Balik ekmek! Balik ekmek! Although seemingly exotic in Turkish, the call is a description: fish in bread.

Fishing boats are anchored here every day, serving up fish sandwiches, made quickly by a team of cooks and servers on the deck of the boat. Despite the boat traffic and swells of the harbour water, these fish-obsessed chefs are making sandwiches for the hungry hoardes who need their seafood fix during the day. The interchangeable restaurants are side by side, each offering the traditional fish sandwich.

Travelers pay less than $5.00 (Turkish Lira) for a freshly grilled fish sandwich, cooked on open grills. The sandwich is garnished with salata (lettuce, onions and tomato) on crusty white bread. The sandwich is made even more tasty with a liberal dose of lemon juice, easily found in squeeze bottles or interspersed on small white plastic tables. The price includes a soft drink or bottle of water, a lively atmosphere, and street-focused entertainment of people-watching.

Turkey is a contender for inclusion in the European Union and locals were informed that the fish boat restos may have to go, due to the sanitary rules within the union. Currently the fish boats remain.

Galata Bridge, Istanbul Turkey

Restaurants open from 9am until sunset

Guest post by Waheeda Harris