Exclusive rooftop tour offers new perspective of Türkiye’s Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar, nestled in the heart of Türkiye's Istanbul, stands as one of the world’s most iconic marketplaces, drawing millions of visitors each year. 

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s most vibrant and bustling destinations, attracts nearly 50 million visitors annually, with up to 500,000 passing through its 21 gates during peak times, Caliber.Az report per foreign media. 

Established in 1461, this iconic marketplace, sitting at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, expanded over the following centuries into a vast maze of 61 covered streets. Spanning over 48,000 square meters—about the size of five Manhattan city blocks—it houses more than 4,000 shops selling gold, jewels, leather, fur, and spices, with the noise of eager shoppers echoing beneath the intricate, hand-painted vaulted ceilings.

However, there's a more exclusive way to experience this world-famous site: a new rooftop tour that requires identity verification, waiver forms, and safety instructions, offering a unique perspective of the Bazaar.

The iconic red-tiled roofs of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, each representing a different shop, became famous to global moviegoers when they featured prominently in the opening chase scene of the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall. In the movie, Daniel Craig’s Bond races a motorbike along the rooftop walkways that mirror the bustling streets below. Yet, the reality of the rooftops on a warm Friday afternoon in September is much more serene, with only a lounging cat and the occasional seagull flying by, taking a break from soaring over the Bosphorus or the Sea of Marmara.

Istanbul, which was the most visited city in the world in 2023 with 20.2 million international tourists, offers a view of the Grand Bazaar few have experienced. “The Grand Bazaar rooftop was once only accessible to shop owners, who would go up there to make repairs before winter,” says Elif Yildiz Güven, the Grand Bazaar’s general manager. “Since 2020, the rooftop has been open to the public through registered travel agencies and licensed guides.”

However, access to the rooftop is exclusive, with tours limited to just 10 people per 20-minute slot, Monday through Saturday. For safety and security purposes, names and passport details must be submitted 24 hours in advance.

The Grand Bazaar’s rooftop has undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation since its feature in Skyfall, with up to 100 workers maintaining its vast area daily. Keeping the 800,000 tiles in pristine condition is now an ongoing effort.

“The rooftop hadn’t seen significant restoration until 2016,” explains Güven, but “restoring such an ancient and expansive marketplace is not a one-time project. Istanbul has experienced many earthquakes, and traces of the 1894 earthquake are still visible.” This earthquake, which struck near Istanbul, resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread destruction.

“The red tiles were custom-made for this project, designed in a semi-circle shape to help rainwater flow off easily,” she adds.

Originally built from wood in the 15th and 16th centuries, the bazaar’s structures were rebuilt in stone and brick after a series of fires.

From the rooftop, located in the Fatih district on Istanbul's European side, one can gaze across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia and see the seven hills upon which the ancient city of Constantinople was founded. The bazaar itself sits on the slope of the third hill.

The 20-minute tours guide visitors along walkways and steps once reserved for shop owners and maintenance workers. Running and filming while walking are prohibited due to the risk of falling.