World's best 10 bazaars and souks to visit

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This was published 4 years ago

World's best 10 bazaars and souks to visit

By Brian Johnston
Great bazaar in Isfahan, Iran.

Great bazaar in Isfahan, Iran.Credit: Alamy

GRAND BAZAAR, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The sultan of all Turkish markets, founded in the 15th century, has more than 2500 shops (plus mosques and teahouses) crammed into 60-odd covered streets with vaulted ceilings. You can find almost anything here in 30 square kilometres of floor space: carpets, textiles, brassware, gold, leather clothes, Arabic calligraphy, antique maps and meerschaum pipes. Turkish pop music wails and cheeky shoeshine boys point out the scuffs on your shoes. See howtoistanbul.com

BAZAAR-E BOZORG, ESFAHAN, IRAN

The alleys here run for a labyrinthine 1.7 kilometres and are covered with dome-topped roofs to let in light. The secular Islamic architecture is superb and dates back a millennium, though most is 17th century. The bazaar remains a vital part of daily urban life and is filled with household goods and food, but you'll also find handicrafts such as metalwork and miniature paintings. See itto.org

SOUK SEMMARINE, MARRAKESH, MOROCCO

The aroma of mint tea, tapping of metalworkers and clatter of stall owners draws you into to Marrakesh's souk in the heart of its medina (old town). Hunt for wooden souvenirs, ceramics, leather goods, handmade rugs and jewellery as locals shop for their daily food, from dried fruit to butcher's meat buzzing with flies. The spice cones of henna, turmeric, paprika and chilli are a photographer's delight. See visitmarrakech.com

KHAN AL-KHALILI, CAIRO, EGYPT

Fresh bread for sale in Khan al-Khalili bazaar, Cairo.

Fresh bread for sale in Khan al-Khalili bazaar, Cairo.Credit: Alamy

This 14th-century souk's warren of covered streets has souvenir stalls (papyrus poems, belly-dancing costumes, Tutankhamen masks) and shops for locals offering everything from plastic washing tubs to salted fish. Spices, gold and copper have their own areas. The smooth patter of salesmen is amusing if you have a relaxed attitude, and you'll find some great coffeehouses and eateries dishing up Cairene specialities. See egypt.travel

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CHOR BAZAAR, DELHI, INDIA

Crammed into Old Delhi, Chor Bazaar is one of India's oldest markets. Its 10,000 stalls offer everything from crystal chandeliers and antique porcelain to cheap crockery, clothes, shoes and kitchenware. Increasingly, you can also find regional handicrafts such as tie-dye fabrics, silverware and wooden toys. Market touts, ascetics draped in beaded necklaces, Sikhs with curled moustaches and Rajasthani women in pink silk provide great people watching. See delhitourism.gov.in

GOLD SOUK, DUBAI, EMIRATES

Sikkat Al-Khail Street houses the largest gold market in Arabia, stuffed with filigree jewellery and chunky watches worthy of a rapper – or a sheikh. For cheaper items (and lower carats) try the shops' second floors, since the ground floors are generally reserved for the highest-quality gold. Even if you aren't interested in buying, the gold souk is a sight, winking with intricately-worked jewellery and bullion coins. See visitdubai.com

JAFFA FLEA MARKET, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL

The old Arab quarter of Jaffa has become one of Tel Aviv's hippest destinations, but some things never change. The Flea Market, crammed into the old town's narrow streets, has been here since Ottoman times and is heaped with dusty antiques, Ottoman tiles, lamps, musical instruments and knickknacks. Recently, trendy handmade jewellery and T-shirts have appeared. Coffeehouses and bakeries are a great temptation. See israel.travel

KEMERALTI BAZAAR, IZMIR, TURKEY

Izmir's concrete sprawl isn't high on visitor lists, but the labyrinthine 17th-century market at its centre is a terrific place to wander, not just for its shopping but its historic caravanserais, Ottoman warehouses, synagogue and mosques whose minarets provide useful directional beacons. Plunder artisans' workshops and street stalls piled with fruit and spices before retiring to a coffeehouse, tea garden or hole-in-the-wall eatery. See goturkeytourism.com

JOHARI BAZAAR, JAIPUR, INDIA

Local women sitting in a store at Johari Bazaar street in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Local women sitting in a store at Johari Bazaar street in Jaipur, Rajasthan.Credit: Alamy

This is one of few markets where craftspeople still work and display their wares. Clothes and jewellery designers, stonecutters, metalworkers and artisans mingle, providing not just a great range of traditional Rajasthani products but trendy international-influenced design-ware too. The colours of the saris, textiles, clothing and glittering bangles are a marvel. The gem section winks with piles of emeralds, topaz and semi-precious stones. See tourism.rajasthan.gov.in

VAKIL BAZAAR, SHIRAZ, IRAN

This elegant covered bazaar was built in the 18th century and is a delightful maze of interlocking streets where semi-nomadic tribespeople, Iranians and Chinese traders mix. You can buy a washing machine, a carpet or a sack of spice, or just lounge on carpets in a teahouse beneath cages of twittering songbirds. Don't miss the bazaar's lovely Vikil Mosque, covered in pink tiles depicting stylised tulips and roses. See itto.org

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