Istanbul Book Bazaar: A Hidden Gem of Istanbul Bookstores
Istanbul, Turkey can be an exciting, if overwhelming city to visit, from the notoriously crazy drivers to the insistent sales people, to the general noise and hustle of a city of nearly 15.5 million people. It is massive, sprawling, and loud. It’s a place that keeps you on your toes, and rightly so, because it’s a hot spot for thefts and scams (keep that wallet close at all times!).
I was lucky enough to visit Turkey this year, and after days of visiting impressive churches and mosques, palaces, cisterns, and archaeological sites, I was ready for a touch of something quiet and slow-paced.
Enter: the Istanbul Book Bazaar, also known as the Sahaflar çarsisi, Sahaflar Bazaar, or Istanbul Secondhand Book Bazaar.
When most tourists go to Istanbul, visiting the world-famous Grand Bazaar is at the top of their bucket list, and not without reason. The Grand Bazaar is both iconic and impressive and has been a part of Istanbul’s life since 1455 when Mehmed the Conquerer ordered its construction. It’s certainly worth a visit.
But why have I never heard anyone talk about the Istanbul Book Bazaar located literally next door to the Grand Bazaar? I was amazed when searching Google Maps to find it located in the corner of the Grand Bazaar, right beside the Beyazit Mosque.
Istanbul’s hidden book market ended up being one of the highlights of my time in the city. It’s such a hidden gem that I feel compelled to let more traveling book lovers know about it.
So, here’s what you need to know about visiting the Istanbul book bazaar, the best Istanbul bookstore you can visit.
And don’t forget to pin this post for when you’re planning your next trip to Istanbul.
Also, check out this great 10-day Turkey itinerary idea to help with your trip planning.
As always, this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, shopping from them may generate small commissions to support the operations of this blog.
Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.
How old is Istanbul’s Secondhand Book Bazaar?
Located in the shadow of the Beyazit Mosque, the Istanbul Book Bazaar, or Sahaflar çarsisi, is one of the oldest markets in the city. Though its exact location and function have changed a bit over the years, there has been a book and paper market roughly in this spot since Byzantine times (1400s).
During the Ottoman era, the book bazaar became an intellectual meeting place and also a site where books were published and distributed. In the 1950s, the entire market had to be rebuilt after much of it was destroyed in a large fire.
The Istanbul book market you see today is virtually unchanged since the 1950s rebuild.
What to expect when you visit the Istanbul Book Bazaar
Much like the Grand Bazaar and other markets in Istanbul, the Sahaflar çarsisi is made up of individual vendors in a series of stalls, each one selling a different selection of items.
At the Istanbul Book Bazaar, you will find new, used, and antiquarian books not just in Turkish but also in English and French and sometimes other languages as well. You’ll also find antiquarian copies of the Quran and truly unique prints and excerpts from handwritten books on handmade paper, all for very reasonable prices.
The book bazaar is the best English bookstore in Istanbul.
The booksellers are unpushy and friendlier than any I met elsewhere in Istanbul. They are passionate about what they are selling and are very pleasant to chat with (I don’t speak Turkish, so I was limited to talking with the booksellers who spoke English). I got some great personalized recommendations on Turkish authors from one seller, who gave me a really good price for the three books I bought and even threw in some free simit, a common Turkish snack.
Overall, the atmosphere is relaxed and usually uncrowded (even if you don’t buy books, that’s reason enough to visit in my opinion!). It’s a place where you can browse books and antique book pages and prints at your leisure, without pressure to buy but perhaps with some friendly conversation and recommendations along the way.
If you’re looking for where to buy books in Istanbul, or even just a retreat from the general commotion of this enormous city, definitely make the secondhand book bazaar a priority destination.
Travel tip: If you are staying in Istanbul for a few days, I recommend breaking up all the walking with a Bosphorous Strait cruise. I took this lunch cruise and can’t recommend it enough. The food was delicious, the views lovely, and the tour guides very friendly.
Tips for visiting Istanbul’s Sahaflar çarsisi
Bring cash
While most vendors will accept a card payment, they greatly prefer cash and are more likely to give you a good price if they know you have the cash to pay for it. Specifically, bring Turkish Lira, but as always, avoid carrying an excessive amount of cash with you anywhere in Istanbul. ATMs are abundant should you need to get more.
Expect to bargain — to a point
Bargaining is relatively standard in Istanbul, so expect prices to be flexible. That being said, the books and other souvenirs you’ll find at the Istanbul book bazaar are already well-priced, and the shop owners aren’t as pushy or as in-your-face as other sellers at the bazaars. So work the price a little, and enjoy a more laid-back bargaining experience here than you’ll get anywhere else in Istanbul.
Watch your bags
While I felt safer in the secondhand book bazaar than perhaps anywhere else in Istanbul, it’s still a busy city known for theft, and you’re still a stone’s throw from one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. As always, keep your money safely secured in a zippered bag that you wear on your front, preferably in a cross-body bag to make it harder to snatch.
Know the hours
The bazaar is open 7 days a week, typically from 7:30 am – 7 pm, but it closes earlier on Sundays (5:30 pm). Also note that individual vendors may keep their own hours.
Come ready to converse
The Istanbul Book Bazaar is not just a place to buy books but a place to exchange ideas. Many booksellers do speak some English, and with the help of Google translate, you can go a long way toward conversing with some of the many knowledgeable booksellers here.
This was one of the most enjoyable aspects of shopping here, hearing the opinions and guidance of the booksellers to learn what books they love, particularly from Turkish writers.
Souvenir shop here!
The Istanbul Book Bazaar is a great place to buy unique souvenirs in Istanbul. Rather than buying a mass-produced item of low quality, why not spend your money here finding unique treasures that you won’t find in your regular souvenir shop or even next door in the Grand Bazaar.
Look for the bust of Ibrahim Muteferrika
Toward one of the entrances to the book bazaar, you will find a bust of Ibrahim Muteferrika, the person who first brought publishing via a printing press to Turkey in 1732.
Related: Do you love finding the best bookstores wherever you go? Check out the best bookstores in Paris as well as my bookstore recommendations in Prague.
How to find Istanbul’s SecondHand Book Bazaar
The Sahaflar çarsisi is located literally in the shadow of the Beyazit Mosque and on the corner of the Grand Bazaar. You can find an entrance on Çadırcılar Caddesi near the Grand Bazaar’s Beyazit Gate, numbered 7. It will appear on Google maps as well if you search for it.
Finding Accommodations in Istanbul
Istanbul is an enormous city, so there are so many places to stay. First, you should decide if you want to stay on theEuropean side of the city or the Asian side. These two sides are divided by the Bosphorous Strait, so it makes quite a significant difference choosing between them.
Most of the tourist sites, including the Istanbul Book Bazaar, are found on the European side of the city, so if proximity is important, plan to stay on the European side. Further, you’ll need to decide if you want to stay more in Istanbul’s old town or new town. If you’re hitting the main tourist sites like the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque, the Old Town will be your best option.
As you look for somewhere to stay, I recommend checking for lodging on Hotels.com. I almost always book my accommodations through Hotels.com, because you can earn rewards for every night you stay without having to choose only one hotel chain to be loyal to. You can even book locally owned apart hotels and bed and breakfasts.
If you’re looking for privately owned vacation rentals, I recommend checking VRBO. I’ve personally had much better experiences with their owners and rentals than I have with their primary competitor.
Travel Resources At-A-Glance
All of the following are links to sites and services I actually use to book and plan my travel or to purchase books or travel gear.
For flights: Skyscanner is my number one go-to resource for booking flights. I love using the “explore” function to find the cheapest places I can fly during a given time or using the fare calendar to identify the cheapest days to fly.
For hotels and lodgings: For hotels, hotels.com, and for vacation rentals, VRBO.com. I’ve had much better experiences with private rentals through this website than through other popular private vacation rental websites.
For car rentals: Kayak allows comparisons across a wide range of booking agencies and lists reviews of companies as well. I’ve found this to be the most user-friendly and efficient way to compare car rental prices.
For tours & excursions: Viator and Get Your Guide are my top choices for booking excursions and tour experiences in a new destination.
For travel gear: Amazon.com and REI for more outdoorsy items. Check out my travel gear recs here.
For booking trains & buses: I find the Omio app and website to be the most easily navigable for comparing options for public transportation, especially in Europe,
Best travel credit card: My favorite travel rewards credit card for European travel has been the Chase Sapphire Rewards card. Visa is accepted just about everywhere in Europe, and there are no foreign transaction fees on the card. Some of the travel benefits I love on the Chase Sapphire include free TSA pre-check or Global Entry (worth it every time), an annual $200 travel credit, an annual $200 hotel benefit, built-in rental car, and trip insurance, and points are worth 50% more when used to book travel. I travel around Europe a LOT, and I end up with many free flights and hotel stays from using my points on my Chase Sapphire.
For books: Bookshop.org often has prices as good as Amazon or sometimes better, but profits go to indie bookstores all over the country. Whenever possible, consider buying your books from this online indie bookshop resource.
Thanks for reading this guide to visiting Istanbul’s book bazaar! What other book markets and bookstores are on your travel bucket list?
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