Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)
Taste delicious Turkish Delight, dried fruits and nuts. One of the quintessential parts of any trip to Istanbul is wandering through the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı). Underneath the ornate vaulted ceilings, you will find all the delectables and souvenirs most appealing to tourists, all in one location. These include spices, dried fruit, cheese, sausage, jam, nuts, seeds, tea, dozens of flavors of Turkish Delight, and more. You can also find jewelry, ceramics, silver, and other handicrafts.
Built in 1664, the bazaar used to be a place where mostly goods imported from Egypt were being sold. This is also where its name came from. Later on, however, it also started to be called the Spice Bazaar, due to the diversity of goods and spices, imported from different countries apart from Egypt. The Spice Bazaar is constructed in an “L” shape with a total of 113 shops. During the Ottoman Empire, the bazaar acted as a pharmacy for many years.