turkey

The shop owners are waiting for the cruise ship crowd in Kusadasi. So I am not sure if you can get any great deals, but I'm not a good haggler. I've also been to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, again it's for the tourists. I would consider both areas safe. I can't offer more help than this, sorry, because I'm not a shopper, nor a haggler.

Can you elaborate by what you mean by 'it's not that great'? Do you mean for shopping or sightseeing?

I found it absolutely safe but wasn't really shopping for things. Unless you are going further into the Middle East, the Grand Bazaar is an easy introduction to ME/Arab marketplaces - more touristy and easier to navigate than the ones you will find in Damascus, Jerusalem, Aleppo, etc.

If you are interested in doing your own tour in Kusadasi you might want to consider Ecir Ertunga, the gentleman I arranged to provide a tour for 11 of my family members. I found out about him on a website like this. The guide who gave the tour is named Taner Kara. He is smart, knowledgeable and funny. In addition, while riding with him you get an insiders view of Turkey. You will not be disappointed with his tour. For the $205 he charged us he picked us up at 8:00 AM and brought us back to the ship at 6:15, so you will have him for the whole day and he will take you anywhere you want. There might be an additional charge to go to far reaching points in Kusadasi but we are talking about a few dollars per person. On our tour we went to Ephesus, the Virgin Mary's house, a rug co-op(where a wonderful Turkish lunch was provided)and a ceramics store. The rug place provided a lesson on how silk rugs are made in Turkey. While they presented the rugs they provided tea and other refreshments. Even though I suspect he gets kickbacks the prices are far better than shopping at the Kusadasi port. I have priced rugs in New York and know the prices of the rugs in Turkey were a much better buy and they do not charge you for shipping. Entry fees to the sites you visit are separate. Ecir's website is www.ertungaecir.com and you can email him at [email protected]. Have a great trip.

Hello!

It's safe to go there, just watch your purse and belongings and you'll be fine.

Good luck!

I did not want to go to the Grand Bazaar in Istabul, from the cruise ship we were on, but my wife talked me into it. I kind of liked it. Impressive building and the halls inside were quite a sight to see, so yeah, I would recommend it very much. We met some nice Turkish people while there and did some shopping because, well, that is what you do. But the food and drink were good too.

And you absolutely do NOT need to pay a fortune with either a guide or taking the ship's excursions while there. They have a terrific and cheap rail line that runs right in front of the port that takes you right to all the major sights in Istanbul, including the Grand Bazaar. You DO need to exchange some money, however, and get some Turkish Lira. The sights are easy to follow and a good guide book will provide the detail needed to enjoy them.

As for Kusadasi, it has more modern, but clean, shops all over the town. Again, no need to pay extra for a guide unless that is your choice. We used a guide book and walked about two kilometers into the town center to pick up a dolmus that takes you out to Ephesus for a lot less, but they pick up people all along the route. Gets you acclimated to the culture, though, and watching the van driver exchanging money over his shoulder as he is changing lanes makes for an exciting drive.

We were in Kusadasi last year and will be there again this Fall. It is perfectly save BUT the vendors/shop keeper are the most aggressive that we have ever encountered anywhere -- and we have been nearly everywhere. There is not much in Kusadasi itself. Last year we booked a private tour and thought we had avoided the "rug education" stop but it must be the law that all tourist are education on rug making. Absolutely hated it because I wasn't interesting in purchasing a rug, or how it was made, or what a great it was, no shipping charges -- ya, right !! It was wasted couple of hours. This year we are going on our own using public transit. However, the ruins are truly worth the visit and we will return just look more closely at everything,

"... visiting the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, heard that it's not that great." Geez! Compared to what? Walmart? It's a wonderfully exotic Middle Eastern experience. Of course there are tourists there! Why would there not be? There are hundred of thousands of tourists in Istanbul every year, of which you will be one, and they want to see what the city has to offer. One of the best photos I ever took was at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Come to dthink of it, Norma has a point.

Who on earth told you the Grand Bazaar was not that great? Whoever it was, I would begin questioning this source for any insight on travelling.

I agree with the previous posts. We just came back from 2-1/2 weeks in Turkey and the Grand Bazaar was certainly one of the highlights. It's an incredible place. And don't just stay inside the covered area - walk around the outskirts to find all sorts of shops. And I don't think many of these on the outskirts are for tourists at all.

If you want to get lots of smiles, learn a few Turkish words before you go and you will make instant friends.

Having considered its long history and the parade of caravans and traders who have passed through the Grand Bazaar over the centuries I found it absolutely fascinating to walk among the vendors and experience the intense commerce in an atmosphere that couldn't be much different in its essence than it was 550+ years ago. I loved it! It was so interesting to see all the different goods for sale and to bargain like there was no tomorrow with the vendors who wanted so much to make a sale. Anyone who told you that "it's not that great" must not have been able to get into the spirit of the ageless traditions it exemplifies. For me it was the most fun I had in Istanbul. I hope you will give it a try.