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Istanbul GRAND BAZAAR Opening Hours [Updated 2025]

5 January 2025 by Serhat Engul

Grand Bazaar draws attention with its gigantic dimensions and hosts more than 3000 shops spread over 67 streets. Although Istanbul is famous for its modern shopping centers, shopping in the unique atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar is one of the must-do things in Istanbul. In this article, you can find insider tips you need to know about the Bazaar.

Table of Contents

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  • About Grand Bazaar
  • Istanbul Grand Bazaar Opening Hours 2025
  • Grand Bazaar Shopping Tour 2025
  • Mahmutpasa Bazaar
  • Nuruosmaniye Street
  • Things to Do around Grand Bazaar

About Grand Bazaar

Istanbul Grand Bazaar Opening Hours 2025

The Grand Bazaar is located in the middle of the Historical Peninsula. The bazaar was built in the 15th century after the Ottomans conquered Istanbul, and over time it became a giant shopping center by merging with other structures in the surrounding area.

Among the things you can buy at the Grand Bazaar are handmade Turkish rugs, historical Iznik tiles, gold and jewellery, traditional clothes and tulip-shaped Turkish tea glasses.

Inside the Bazaar, there are specialized shops that have been run by the same family for generations. In this way, you can find jewelry, carpets and tiles made by local masters.

There are many hidden gems inside the Bazaar, apart from the shops that stand out at first glance. Because there are more than 3000 shops in the bazaar. Local tour companies make full-day tours to promote this place to Turks.

When you look at it this way, the Bazaar is complicated enough even for Turks who have lived in Istanbul for years. For this reason, it may take a long time for tourists to explore all the details.

Istanbul Grand Bazaar Opening Hours 2025

Istanbul Grand Bazaar opening hours are between 09:00 in the morning and 7:00 in the evening as of 2025. The Bazaar is closed on Sundays. For this reason, if you only have a Sunday, you can visit Spice Bazaar as an alternative.

The Grand Bazaar is also closed on certain days of the year. The bazaar is closed on national holidays such as 23rd of April, 19th of May and 29th of October, and on religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.

Grand Bazaar Shopping Tour 2025

The Grand Bazaar can be overwhelming for those visiting for the first time. If you want, you can join a half-day shopping tour in this historical bazaar and learn to bargain like a local.

The Grand Bazaar shopping tour takes approximately 4 hours and includes transfer from the hotel to the bazaar. You can register for this enjoyable activity by clicking this link.

Grand Bazaar tours are under the guarantee of GetYourGuide. You can cancel your reservation with a full refund up to 24 hours before the activity.

Mahmutpasa Bazaar

Mahmutpasa where locals shop near Grand Bazaar

There are many shopping places not only in the bazaar but also around it. The first of these is Mahmutpasa Bazaar, which is located on the slope descending from the bazaar to the sea side.

Mahmutpasa Bazaar (locally Mahmutpasa Yokusu) is a place where you can shop for cheap clothes. Young girls come here for dowry shopping. By following this road, you can also reach Spice Bazaar, which is on the sea side.

Nuruosmaniye Street

The Grand Bazaar has dozens of gates. Among these, gate number 1 opens to Nuruosmaniye Mosque. This 18th century mosque is one of the most beautifully decorated Ottoman mosques in Istanbul.

When you leave the Grand Bazaar and pass through the courtyard of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque, you reach Nuruosmaniye Street, which takes you all the way to Sultanahmet. It is pleasant to sit in one of the cafes in this elegant street and people watch.

There are also many high-end jewelery and carpet shops on Nuruosmaniye Street. Punto Carpet, one of Istanbul’s most famous carpet shops, is also near this street.

Things to Do around Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar is located in Beyazit District

Things to do around the Grand Bazaar include exploring the local markets, visiting the Suleymaniye Mosque and tasting street food. The streets surrounding the bazaar are ideal for those who want to wander around the city like the locals.

There are excellent eateries both in and around the bazaar. For example, Gaziantep Burc Ocakbasi is a famous kebab shop inside the bazaar. In addition, Donerci Sahin Usta is one of the first stops for those who want to try street food.

The Suleymaniye Mosque, on the other hand, is the largest mosque in Istanbul and represents the pinnacle of Ottoman architecture. After visiting this place, you can take a Turkish bath in Suleymaniye Hammam, which is one of the best Turkish baths in Istanbul.

If you want to easily find historical places such as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, you can also review the article titled tourist maps of Istanbul, which is decorated with detailed maps. In this article, I marked the most important stops of the city on the map.

Written by Serhat Engul

Filed Under: Shopping

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About Serhat Engul

Hello, I'm Serhat Engul. I am a licensed tour guide living in Istanbul. I designed this blog to give general information to visitors to Istanbul. If you want to go on a private guided tour of Istanbul with me, you can check my references from the ABOUT section and write to me via the CONTACT page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. blankDavid Nayer says

    5 April 2023 at 02:10

    Hello

    Do you know if the Grand Bazar and or the Spice Market will be open or closed on Saturday April 22nd for Eid-El -Firt or will it only be closed on Friday April 21?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      5 April 2023 at 10:51

      Hello David, historic bazaars in the Old City, such as the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, are closed during religious holidays. This means that both of them will be closed on 21, 22 and 23 April, the Eid-al-Fitr in 2023. The same goes for Eid al-Adha.

      Reply
  2. blankAntonio says

    30 April 2023 at 14:41

    Hello !

    The Grand Bazar will be closed on Saturday 15 July (Democracy & National Solidarity Day) ?

    Thanks in advance,

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      30 April 2023 at 15:22

      Hello Antonio, unfortunately I do not have exact information on this subject. However, since the Grand Bazaar is closed on all religious and national holidays, it will probably be closed on July 15 as well.

      Reply
  3. blankDavid and Mary Gayle Sartwell says

    21 May 2023 at 18:20

    Interesting reading. My wife and I will be coming to Istanbul Sunday July 30 and will have the 31st free to see the sights before leaving on a cruise on Tuesday. Are you available on July 31 to show us the Bazar, spice market, etc.?

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      24 May 2023 at 09:33

      Dear David and Mary, I think you had sent me a tour request via the contact page. You can find an answer with availability and price information in your email address.

      Reply
  4. blankCarmen says

    27 January 2024 at 16:47

    Do you know if the Grand Bazar is open during Ramadan?

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      28 January 2024 at 19:38

      Hello, yes the Grand Bazaar is open during Ramadan (30 days) but is closed during Eid al-Fitr (3 days) at the end of Ramadan.

      Reply
  5. blankBruno says

    1 March 2024 at 01:56

    Hello everyone,

    I hope this message finds you well. I am planning a trip to Istanbul during the holy month of Ramadan in 2024, and I am interested in visiting the Grand Bazaar. However, I understand that during Ramadan, there might be adjustments to the opening hours of establishments.

    Could anyone kindly provide me with the exact opening hours of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul during Ramadan 2024? I would greatly appreciate any information or insights you can share regarding this matter.

    Thank you very much for your assistance.

    Best regards,

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      1 March 2024 at 22:10

      Dear Bruono,

      The opening and closing hours of the Grand Bazaar during Ramadan are between 09:00 and 19:00 as usual.

      However, the Grand Bazaar is closed for 3 days during Eid al-Fitr, which is the end of the 30-day month of Ramadan.

      Best regards,
      Serhat

      Reply
  6. blankDiogo says

    14 March 2024 at 13:16

    Hello Serhat.
    I am travelling via Istanbul next month but it will be during Eid al-Fitr.
    I am arriving on the 8th, late afternoon, and departing by the end of the 10th. Will I be able to visit some of the most iconic places and bazaars? Are the bazaars open in the morning of the 9th?
    Thank you in advance

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      19 March 2024 at 12:12

      Hello Diogo,

      Unfortunately I do not have a clear answer for this question. Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar will be closed for sure. Other places change their opening hours every year.

      Typically museums are closed either half day or full day on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr. Generally, all museums are open on the remaining days except the first day of the holiday.

      Mosques are excluded from all these, they are open on all national and religious holidays.

      Have a nice trip!

      Reply
  7. blankKashish P says

    10 April 2024 at 09:51

    Hi Serhat,

    I will be in Istanbul from April 11 – April 15, 2024. Since Ramazan is on April 10, 2024, will the Grand Bazaar or Spice Bazaar be open on any of the days during my time in Istanbul?

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      12 April 2024 at 23:54

      Hello Kashish, the Grand Bazaar is closed during Eid al-Fitr, that is, on April 10, 11 and 12. It will open on Saturday, April 13, 2024. However, it is always closed on Sundays, so you cannot visit it on April 14. Looks like you only have one day.

      Reply
  8. blankUsman Sindhu says

    12 April 2024 at 03:28

    Hi Serhat,
    Our trip falls in the middle of Eid-ul-Adha, which we didn’t realize while booking. What are your recommendations on handling the attractions around closures?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      12 April 2024 at 23:59

      Hello Usman, Grand Bazaar will be closed during Eid al-Adha, that is, on 16, 17, 18 and 19 June 2024. Spice Bazaar is the same way. However, mosques and museums in Istanbul are open on religious holidays.

      Places such as the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia may open a few hours late or be closed for half a day on the first day of the holiday. However, this usually only applies to the first day. They are open on the remaining days.

      Reply
  9. blankJames says

    22 April 2024 at 18:36

    Hello Serhat,

    I see that May 1, 2024 is a National Holiday in Turkey, which typically means many areas are closed.

    Can you please confirm if the Grand Bazzar is closed or open next week, on May 1?

    My reason for asking is the page that allows tour booking is allowing the tour to be booked.

    So I am confused

    Thank you Sir

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      24 April 2024 at 14:57

      Hello James,

      Historical bazaars in Istanbul are closed only on religious holidays. In other words, although days such as April 23 and May 1 are national holidays, traditional markets such as the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are open on those days.

      Have a nice trip!

      Reply
  10. blankMako Rad says

    15 May 2024 at 14:25

    Hi, I was told that the Grand Bazaar will be closed on the 19th and 20th and reopens on the 21st of June?
    Could you please reconfirm. Thank you!

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      17 May 2024 at 10:58

      Hello, the Grand Bazaar will be closed on 16, 17, 18 and 19 June (2024) due to Eid al-Adha. It will reopen on June 20 (Thursday).

      Reply
  11. blankSvetla Dimova says

    5 June 2024 at 16:57

    Hello Serhat,

    Could you please tell me if Spice Bazaar will be open until 19:30 on 15th June or it will close midday as some other sights.

    Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      7 June 2024 at 18:16

      Dear Svetla Dimova,

      The day you mentioned is the day before the 4-day holiday. This eve day is called “Arife” in the local language, and if it falls on a working day (this year it falls on a weekend), banks and other official businesses remain open only for half a day.

      However, this does not apply to historical bazaars. As a result, the Grand Bazaar will be open on June 15, 2024. However, the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar will be closed on 16, 17, 18 and 19 June.

      Reply
  12. blankGeorges says

    25 February 2025 at 23:33

    Bonsoir

    Est ce que le Grand Bazar est ouvert la premiere semaine du Ramadan ???

    Merci par avance

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      7 March 2025 at 19:21

      Bonjour, le Grand Bazar est ouvert pendant le Ramadan. Par conséquent, vous pouvez visiter le bazar pendant la première semaine du Ramadan. Il ne sera fermé que pendant les 3 jours de l’Aïd al-Fitr, à la fin du mois de 30 jours du Ramadan.

      Hello, the Grand Bazaar is open during the month of Ramadan (Except Sundays). So you can visit the bazaar during the first week of Ramadan. It will only be closed during the 3-day Ramadan Feast at the end of the 30-day Ramadan month.

      Reply
  13. blankJan says

    9 May 2025 at 05:17

    Hi, we will be in Istanbul from the 4th to the 7th June (leaving on the 8th). Will everything be closed as I have just found it is Eid al-Adha over this period? Definitely too late to change our plans and had been so very much looking forward to going back to Isantabul after over 35 years. ;(
    Thank you

    Reply
    • blankSerhat Engul says

      9 May 2025 at 21:57

      Hello Jan, all mosques are open on religious holidays. Some museums may be closed for half a day on the first days of religious holidays.

      However, there is no chance for historical bazaars. Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed on all religious holidays every year.

      Reply

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