There are lots of interesting and amazing places to visit in Turkey, among one of the most interesting is the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsisi) in Istanbul which is like a giant labyrinth.

Grand Bazaar Istanbul

Located about a 15 minute walk from the Blue Mosque (Aye Sofya), the bazaar (market) is spread across over 58 covered streets and has more than 4,000 shops selling carpets, kilims (woven rugs), furniture, spices,  jewellery, gold, silver, old coins, watches, clocks, copper goods, leather goods, antiques, pottery, belly-dancing outfits and much much more.

This is one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Opened since 1461 the market underwent major restoration work following an earthquake in 1894 and a large fire in 1954.

In the middle of the bazaar there is the Cevahir Bedesten which is a high domed hall where you will find antiques and valuable items for sale.

Grand Bazaar interior

The bazaar also has two mosques, two hamams, restaurants, cafes and four fountains.

The Grand Bazaar is located near Istanbul University and stretches from Yeniceriler Caddesi right down to Eminonu where the Egyptian Spice Bazaar (Misir Carisisi) begins. The spice bazaar is a lot smaller than the Grand Bazaar and was built in 1660 to help support the upkeep of the New Mosque. Here you will find a multitude of spices and goods such as lokum (turkish delight), coffee, teas, dried fruit and more.

Entrance to the bazaar is gained by four main gates which are located at the ends of its two main streets which meet at the southwest corner of the complex. The main entrance is the Nuruosmaniye Gate (The Light of the Ottomans) which takes you straight on to a street full of jewellery shops.

Egyptian Spice Bazaar

The bazaar is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

There are lots of holiday packages on offer throughout the internet.

If you wish to add a trip to the Grand Bazaar to your itinerary then why not book one of the last minute holiday deals to Turkey where you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to great places to visit.

Turkey is one of the few destinations that offers cheap package holidays whilst still offering all the attractions of the more expensive destinations. This glorious country has an abundance of resorts offering anything from self catering to bed and breakfast to all inclusive accommodation.

Marmaris

Resorts in Turkey include Marmaris, Bodrum, Dalaman and many more.

If you are looking for a beach holiday, diving holiday or even an outdoor activities holiday, this is the place to be.
With a long history which was influenced by the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman empires, Turkey has many historical attractions to visit including the ruins of Ephesus, regarded as one of the finest archaeological sites in Turkey.

Turkey also offers sailing along the blue coast, paragliding, hot air balloon rides, river rafting and even skiing in the mountains!

Alanya beach

But don’t forget apart from the more unusual activities Turkey has beautiful sandy beaches, plenty of restaurants, bars, nightlife,bazaars and shops. Istanbul has a bazaar that has over 3,000 shops spread across over 60 streets!

Some of Turkey’s best beaches are located on the Bodrum Peninsular and at Patara (Fethiye), Olu Deniz (Fethiye), Calis (Fethiye), Side (Antalya), Kemer (Antalya), Olimpos (Antalya), Iztuzu (Dalyan), Pamucak (Ephesus) and Alanya.

Turkish Airlines launched a new Istanbul to Sochi (Russia) route yesterday. The new non-stop service runs three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

There are always plenty of bargain holidays to Turkey available on the internet.

Istanbul is gearing up for its title of European Capital of Culture in 2010. As European Capital of Culture for 2010, the city will launch the celebrations with a party on 16th January, followed by a year of events encompassing the visual arts and museums, music and theatre, literature, cinema, and traditional arts.

Many projects are already underway, from restoration work on historic sites to the construction of brand-new art and cultural centres, from ongoing festivals and arts events to the commissioning of new artistic works for 2010. All of these aim to revive Istanbul’s cultural heritage, to reinforce the city’s cultural infrastructure to allow the largest participation possible and to bring about a gigantic urban transformation with art and culture at its centre.

Istanbul

 
Istanbul is set to become one of the world’s most important artistic and cultural capitals, in 2010 and far beyond.

Visit    http://www.istanbul2010.org/