Name: Grand Bazaar
Where: Istanbul, Turkey
This peculiarly colorful country in the middle of Europe has retained its Byzantine roots from the Ottoman conquerors for centuries now. One of their traditions was holding markets, or bazaars, where sellers could directly connect with buyers. Till today, their bazaars remain prosperous and crowded, and have in fact become something of a tourist attraction. In fact, it was estimated that over 90 million people visit the covered market on an annual basis. Due to it’s historical heritage, the Grand Bazaar is filled with traditional wares that have stood the test of time. Colorful fabrics, artifacts, spices and everything in between cover adjacent streets as one takes in the scents of handmade perfumes. The bazaar is open from Monday-Saturday relatively until sunset and remains closed on Sundays and bank holidays.
