Grand Bazaar

It’s finally here! The moment you’ve probably been waiting for ever since you planned your trip to Istanbul: welcome to the Grand Bazaar! For centuries, goods from the East – spices, wheat, silk and honey – met goods from the West – metals, furs, wood! Just imagine the wealth that flowed through the city! But no surprise there; after all, it’s Byzantium we’re talking about! Istanbul too is a trading hub through and through. Always has been, whatever the name on the map. Fast forward to the 16th century, and the Ottoman Empire is in its heyday, spanning three continents. All wealth pours into the Grand Bazaar. So much so, that they built a roof to save the hassle of packing and unpacking every day. Today, it’s still one of the biggest covered markets in the world! Get ready to step into a real-life Ali Baba’s cave; it’s a treasure trove in there! The Grand Bazaar spans a total of 20 km² with 58 indoor streets opening onto 18 gates, and over 4,000 stores overflowing with everything you can imagine, all bursting with color and character. It’s a feast for the senses, and a haven for Instagrammers – you’ll be snapping pics like crazy! But empires have their ups and downs, and the Ottoman Empire was no exception. By the 17th century, the world map was redrawn; the Atlantic Ocean became the new global crossroads, as a gateway to the New World. The Mediterranean losts its prominence and the Ottoman Empire automatically lost its big share of the global wealth pie. They struggled on for a while, eventually adopting European systems of governance and economy in the early 19th century.