The Bazaar of Izmir's Old Quarters

As I have said several times in other essays, Izmir has so much more to offer than what meets the eyes, it is really a pity that most visitors to Turkey's Aegean coast have decided to give this beautiful coastal city a miss. When it comes to shopping, Izmir's traditional bazaars have everything that is on offer in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar but at a fraction of the price.

The traditional bazaar areas of Izmir congregate around the streets surrounding the metro station of Cankaya and Konak. These bazaars are further sub-divided into different sections specialising in different goods and commodities. For instance, there is a section with hundreds of goldsmiths and jewellery shops, and there is another section where you get buy kitchen wares, household utensils etc. In general I find the prices of merchandise for everyday use cheaper in Izmir's bazaars than in Istanbul and Bursa. In addition to the usual items which tourists frequently purchase as souvenirs, such as traditional tapestry, handicrafts, spices etc., this bazaar also has a few stores that sell unique hand-made items which are not found elsewhere in Turkey.  

 

Of course, in Turkey you cannot walk for more than 100m without coming across a cay evi or tea house on your way, and it is no exception in Izmir's bazaar areas. On the upper floor of Izmir's historical Kızlarağası Hanı, built in 1744 and a place which specialises in the trading of antiques and silver jewellery, is a nice little tea house where you can have tea under the arches of this historical building. In the centre of the inn's courtyard is another tea house, where shoppers can sip their tea under the shade of the canvas which keep the place cool during the hot summer months.

Copyrights@2012. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.