Sunday shift in historical bazaars in Istanbul

As soon as Istanbul was selected as the 2010 European Culture Capital there were some changes made in the city. One of the early and proper decisions is the Sunday shift for the historical bazaars in Istanbul.

The tourists are so interested in Turkish bazaars though they never had the chance to visit them on the last day of the week.

The Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, the Spices Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, the Sahaflar Bazaar, and the second hand book bazaar will be open 7 days a week after April 8. The decision was made in a meeting at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Building, where the trade people association of Grand Bazaar, Istanbul Jeweler's Chamber and the related confederations met under the presidency of Eminönü Mayor Nevzat Er. The shops will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. But because the date coincides with the Easter Holiday, the first shift in practice for the shops will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Besides, if the number of tourists visiting is very large the shops might be open longer. According to Er, Sundays will be the days for retail sales. ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News