The Colors of Shopping in Türkiye

Wandering the streets of Istanbul never gets old

I’ve been in and out of Türkiye for over thirty years. The one thing that never changes is the color of the items for sale, whether in the large neighborhood open markets or the small mom-and-pop stores.

Luscious, fresh, and colorful. I wish I could transmit the fabulous smell of the green grocers, particularly during strawberry season.

Outdoor Markets

Somehow, the open markets that look like farmers’ markets (in Türkiye, we call them pazars—no, I don’t know why it’s not bazaar) still fascinate me. It isn’t just the wares on display; it is the people watching, the smells, the sounds of the hawkers, and the food so fresh I remember what things “used to” smell like when I was a child.

I received a message the last time I was at the Kadikoy pazaar, a few miles from my house. Rather than explain why I was busy, I sent back the video above. This market is on the Asian side of Istanbul. As you can see, it wasn’t bustling, even though it’s two floors of a parking garage. It is open on Fridays and Tuesdays, the latter being the busiest day. This video is of only one small section.

Our local pazaar is on Mondays, and stretches for a mile from our neighborhood into the next. I’ve been told that the neighborhood next door has a pazaar twice as large. There is a pazaar in a neighborhood somewhere every day of the week.

Then there are the physical stores in Kadikoy. This one is a store for anything you could want that has been pickled.

And my husband’s favorite, the fish market.

As usual, the cats are everywhere. They are so well cared for that they lounge on every possible flat surface, both inside and outside the stores. I’m sure if there were no glass around the lettuce, tomatoes, and parsley, the cat would be nestled right on top.

Here’s our local wine store of a major brand. I also have a very tiny wine merchant who sells things I can’t find anywhere else.

A Mall is a Mall is a Mall

Shopping malls in Turkey are exactly the same as those found in other countries. Different brands, of course, but a mall is a mall is a mall. There are outlet malls and upscale ones. I go to a mall usually when I have a long list of things to buy, have a car to haul them in, and prefer to get them all at once. Otherwise, I like going to the small shops on the street.

City Centre Shopping Areas

This is a typical street in Istanbul, with small shops and pedestrian-friendly streets. Not all streets are like this, of course, but many are.

Here’s another.

The sights, sounds, smells, and colors never get old. And if you’re hungry, there’s always something good to eat. They will sell you 1 or 100. It’s entirely up to you.

Welcome to the color of Istanbul.