I knew what to expect when I was going to this shopping district, but I was just not in thr mood…read morefor the haggling. I wanted to walk around and check out the stuff maybe get something to eat and purchase 2 t-shirts. lol. However, that plan ended quickly. Window shopping in peace is not an option. Don't get me wrong. the locals are very sweet and everyone wants you to stop by their shop. Each section sells similar to the same products. I stopped to get my two shirts and the bidding started at $40 for two t-shirts. I just smiled said no thank you and left. lol. I absolutely could've stayed and played the back and forth haggling but I wasn't interested. I walked around got lost trying to get back to the tram because this place was huge. They sell just about any and everything. All I can say is I went and don't have to go back. lol.

Tip: If you're visiting Istanbul for the first time, dropping by this bazaar is a must. It's a…read morecultural experience! I visited Grand Bazaar back in November 2014, a few months after I had joined Yelp. Back then, I wasn't fully on Yelp. I was still trying to figure out what to do, so posting photos and writing reviews weren't the norm for me. I had booked my flight on Air Canada to and from Istanbul. It had a number of touristy ideas. One of them was doing a sightseeing tour. A bus would pick you up at your hotel and drop everyone off at one tourist attraction. You then walked to various attractions with your sightseeing group, with lunch being a mid-point stop along the way. The last stop was Grand Bazaar. We were given some time to shop. It was roughly two hours. We then met at the main entrance where the bus picked us all up and got us back to our hotels. Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest covered ones in the world. It is hectic, but impressive. What surprised me was shopping and given a glass of Turkish tea with a saucer to enjoy. On the house. Wow! I wasn't expecting it, but I loved the tea sipped traditionally from a glass and saucer. It was a bit cold in November, so it helped warm me up. I did end up buying a Turkish tea glass cup with a saucer, but not from this bazaar. I ended up going to another one and getting a set there. I had an iPhone 5 at the time. This bazaar had every iPhone case that you could possibly imagine. I went to town and got a few silicone cases featuring M&M's characters. I was elated. I kind of miss having so many phone case styles to choose from for my Google Pixel phones over the years. I will admit that I have saved a lot on accessories! I remember seeing handbags at one stall. One featured a rotary dial on the front. i thought it was fun and cute. There were a lot of stands with fragrant spices. I loved smelling them a I walked by. I got apple tea from this bazaar. I still remember how juicy it tasted when I steeped each tea packet. Istanbul is famous for its carpets. I had bought a small carpet from a store that was a part of the tour. It actually rolled up and fit in my luggage. This bazaar had a lot of carpet styles and sizes to choose from. I do miss Istanbul. This bazaar was a nice final stop to a wonderful walking tour. I'd love to return. (6)

First off, I am a rabid Sephora fan and VIB here in the US. I try and visit a Sephora wherever I…read moretravel. So when I traveled to Istanbul last week, I visited this location while in the Taksim Square area. What I found was nowhere near the service I always receive in the U.S. When I walked in, I was chatting with the clerk welcoming people into the store. After few minutes, a stern and intimidating man in a suit and earpiece walked over and said something to her. She described him as "the secretary". After that, she walked away from me. I browsed around the store, seeing what they had. I noticed at least 10 employees standing around talking with each other, only 1 other customer in the store, who appeared to be a Turkish woman, and she was being assisted by staff. Not once did anyone ever ask if I needed help. The icing on the cake was when I was taking photos of the inside of the store to show my local Sephora store. Mr. Stern Man in a Suit walked over and told me I could not take any pictures. I tried to explain that I wanted to show them to my local Sephora. He stared me down until I put away my camera. Needless to say I left the store. Sephora - listen up! This is no way to treat your loyal customers! And if you are a foreigner, do not expect to get any assistance. This store is not worth you time or money.

Amen previous reviewer...WORST SERVICE EVER...I am not sure Sephora understands how horrible this…read morestore is. The way they treated me when you want to buy is SO different when I came back the next day less then 24 hours to return the UNUSED/ UNOPENED merchandise With the Receipt! I told them, I didn't even get it out of my bag and they said, sorry, you can only exchange. Called the manager, she was Beyond RUDE and actually lied, saying policy in Turkey!!! Called Sephora and right away and Lisa on the line from Sephora tried to talk to them, but, they pretended they don't speak English!!! AMAZING how RUDE and LYING with a straight face. BE AWARE. It is not the same service you get from any Sephora and really, I kinda blame Sephora too, they should check more often on who represents them. When I came home and used Google translate , the receipt said returns can be done within 14 days!!!!! Stay away!