The only florist to have glided through the glory days of Old Pera intact. It's been at the same premises at the Tünel end of Istiklal Caddesi since 1899....

This shop is devoted exclusively to books about Istanbul and Turkey. Whatever the genre, you'll find it here: fiction, non-fiction, guidebooks and...

Imported educational tools, wooden toys and playground equipment of excellent quality. Prices are high but the range is unique in Turkey.

Ms Paksoy claims her designs are unique, not just in Turkey but worldwide. She's probably right. Her collections reinterpret Ottoman designs, using original...

There are 5,500-odd vendors in the Grand Bazaar. Shopkeepers cajole and entreat passers-by in a dozen languages, determined not to permit visitors to...

Güllüoĸlu is the king of baklava and su boreĸi (baked layers of cheese, fresh herbs and filo pastry). A must for sweet-toothed travellers, the syrup-soaked...

All manner of designer hats, berets and various other accessories.

One of Beyoĸlu's original shoe-shine salons, complete with customer thrones, Havai also does repairs and sells an array of shoelaces. A standard shoeshine...

Set alongside the Galatasaray Lycée, this smart, air-conditioned book shop has what is widely considered to be the best collection of foreign non-fiction in...

Hüseyin Günday is a typical neighbourhood kuaför offering the full range of beauty services. Bright young things attend to your every whim. Prices are very...

If it's neckwear you're after, this is the place to head. Along with charmingly persuasive service, you'll find an exhaustive range of scarves, shawls and...

The Istanbul Handicrafts Centre is located in a restored medrese (religious school), opposite the Baths of Roxelana. It now houses a warren of workshops,...

The latest addition to Istanbul's malls is also the most exclusive. Itinye Park is home to Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the usual roll call of designer stores....

Kalender stocks a great collection of full-size, deep pile Anatolian carpets, which start from as little as YTL1,500. A good place to start your mission in...