Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the world. As such, it has a lot of shopping malls. If you were to search shopping malls in Istanbul you would easily find loads of results. After all, every district of Istanbul has at least 1 shopping mall or center. Some are great and some of them, well, not so great.
This is why you need to know where to shop and why. This article says exactly that. We have been in Istanbul for a while now and we think that this list will help you maximize your shopping experience, even if you only have a single day to shop in Istanbul.
Is this you first visit to Istanbul? Check out our ultimate guide to things to do in Istanbul for first timers!
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#1 Istinye Park in Sariyer
By Maurice Flesier – https://commons.wikimedia.org
Istinye Park is a shopping center with 291 stores and four levels of underground parking. The center features both enclosed and open-air sections. The open-air section has a green central park and offers street-side shopping. The center includes an authentic Turkish food bazaar.
WHERE // Istinye quarter of Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// istinyepark.com.tr
#2 Zorlu Center mall in Besiktas
By Emre Arolat Architecture – https://commons.wikimedia.org
Zorlu shopping mall is an upscale shopping complex located in Zorlu Center. Zorlu shopping mall contains over 200 luxury shops and brands such as Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Lanvin, Dior, Burberry, Michael Kors and Valentino and was the location of the very first Apple store in Turkey. The mall also has around 40 cafés and restaurants.
WHERE // Zorlu Center Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// zorlucenter.com.tr
#3 Istanbul Cevahir Mall in Sisli
Istanbul Cevahir Shopping mall is a modern and yet practical shopping mall. Istanbul Cevahir has six retail floors that accommodate 343 shops, 48 cafes and restaurants. Cevahir Mall is also a great place for entertainment. It houses 12 cinema theatres (including a private theatre and a cinema for children), a bowling hall, a small rollercoaster and several other entertainment facilities.
WHERE // Sisli district, Istanbul TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// istanbulcevahir.com
#4 Mall of Istanbul in Basaksehir
Well, the name says it all. It really is ‘the’ Mall of Istanbul. It’s in a class of its own. Located in the up market Basaksehir area, The Mall of Istanbul is ideally placed between the new Istanbul Airport, the Istanbul business district and the historical sites.
Mall of Istanbul boasts 350 stores of the best local and international brands, food and drink. The Mall of Istanbul has also won several international awards. Unfortunately, the mall can’t be easily accessed via public transportation so you will need to take a taxi there or just drive there yourself. However, if you had to choose 1 mall to do all your shopping, this would be it. In addition, you could stop by on your final day before going to the airport, since it is literally on the way.
WHERE // Başakşehir_ Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// mallofistanbul.com.tr
#5 Watergarden Istanbul in Atasehir
This is on of the most beautiful malls in Istanbul. The breattaking water feature at the centre of the mall is unparalelled. It can be compared to the amazing water fountain in Dubai Mall. It is a delight to watch for people of all ages, during the day, and it is even better at night, when the lights take over.
Watergarden Mall is really about entertainment rather than shopping. The unique food gallery surrounds the fountain with an exquisit view of the fountain and outdoor gardens. There are also some cool international places to eat, like the authentic Mexican themed Ranchero. You may also wanna have a smoke at the chilled out Huqqabaz.
Other entertainment attractions at Watergarden are the kids theme park, a bowling alley, cinema, museum, theatre that hosts events and a zipline. Watergarden shopping center is hidden in the Atasehir district on the Asian side, making it virtually unknown to many tourists and Istanbulites.
WHERE // Atasehir_ Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// watergarden.com.tr
#6 Emaar Square in Uskudar
Emaar Square Istanbul just oozes elegance. This project is part of the eminent UAE based Emaar Group, which has produced masterpieces across the Middle-east. They have now brought their suave style to the Anatolian side suburb of Uskudar, which is most befitting.
Emaar Square provides the best of elite designer brands and classy dining options. The mall offers beautiful indoor and outdoor shopping areas, which is great for the variable weather conditions of Istanbul. If you are lucky, you may also see live music performances on weekends. Even you you don’t have an unlimited budget, Emaar is a cool place to take a stroll, through its European styled streets and have a good cup of coffee while people-watching.
WHERE // Uskudar_ Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// emaarsquaremall.com
#7 Capitol shopping Center in Kadikoy
Located in the interesting Altunizade, on the Asian side of Istanbul, Capitol Mall offers somewhat of a unique shopping experience. It offeres something for everyone, the youth, families and everyone else, really. The design and facilities are really impressive and the mall prides iteslf on impeccable service. They even offer the unprecedented delivery service known as Capgetir. Basically, Capgetir is a service that can get you an item from another branch within two hours. For example, if you like an item and they don’t have your size, they can arrange to bring your size from elswhere, depending onavailablity, within two hours. Isn’t that amazing?
WHERE // Üsküdar_Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// capitol.com.tr
Pro Travel Tip: If you hit Capitol, don’t forget to try out the authentic Turkish food at Bodrum, one of our favourites.
#8 Kanyon in Sisli
Located in Sisli on the European side, Kanyon Mall offers a fair mix of local and global brands. The mall also has indoor and outdoor sections, that mimick some sort of Canyon. I guess that’s where the name came from. It is really a great architectural work. It’s not the best mall in Istanbul, but worth a visit if you find yourself in Sisli. You can also find regular live music performances and gourmet restuarants that are good quality.
WHERE // Sisli_Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// kanyon.com.tr
#9 City’s shopping mall in Nisantasi
The name City’s sounds like an odd name for a shopping mall. And, as for the apostrophe, I’m not a fan. However, take nothing away from City’s Nisantasi as one of the premier shopping locations for exculsive brands. The area of Nisantasi is regarded as one of the top shopping spots, with several international designers moving there, of late. Thus, City’s is the best location for you to spoil yourself with over 155 local and international brands, not to mention some 30 gourmet eateries.
WHERE // Nisantasi_ Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// citysnisantasi.com
#10 Forum Istanbul in Bayrampasa
Forum Istanbul is one of the very practical shopping malls in the city. It’s main attraction is of course IKEA, ironically. This is the only IKEA you will fine on the European side of Istanbul. In addition, there are a host of the usual Turkish and mid-range international brands that stock clothing, homeware and electronics. You will also find pharmacies, laundry outlets and some regular restaurants and coffeeshops. This is where regular families go to shop. It’s not spectacular, but very convinient.
WHERE // Bayrampaşa_ Istanbul, TurkeyOPEN// Monday to Friday (10AM–8PM)
WEBSITE// forumistanbul.com.tr
Conclusion
Whether we like it or not, shopping malls have become an integral part of big city living and Istanbul is no exception. Turkey’s most famous city, Istanbul, is a renewed place of word-class shopping. It is considered a shopper’s paradise for its giant shopping complexes. Istanbul features around 120 shopping malls so if you are looking to get some shopping done Istanbul is the best place for you.
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