Shopping in İzmir: Kemeraltı, hans, malls and markets
Kemeraltı, Kızlarağası Han, Havra Street, Konak Pier and four malls: what to buy where in İzmir, opening hours, transport and VAT refunds.
Table of Contents
İzmir has traded on the same spot for four centuries: Kemeraltı bazaar stands where a harbour once lay, and the old hans where caravans brought their goods are still full of shops. Shopping centres with IKEA and hundreds of shops have grown up around them.
Shopping in İzmir at a glance
Old İzmir is about the bazaar; new İzmir is about malls.
- Kemeraltı (Kemeraltı Çarşısı) is one of the largest historic open-air bazaars and has been the city’s trading centre since the 17th century: spices, jewellery, crafts and old hans.
- Kızlarağası Han, built in 1744, has around 200 small shops. Entry is free; you only pay at the cafés.
- Fresh food: Havra Street in Kemeraltı, and Bostanlı market on Wednesdays.
- Malls: open-air Forum Bornova (with IKEA), Optimum in Gaziemir (282 shops), and Hilltown and MaviBahçe in Mavişehir.
- Konak Pier: the tender for the right to manage the building was cancelled in September 2026. Check in person which businesses inside are open.
- VAT refunds: goods worth more than 1,000 TL before VAT, taken out of Türkiye within 3 months; customs refunds the VAT as you leave. Ask in the shop before paying.
Kemeraltı: a bazaar where the harbour once lay
Kemeraltı has been İzmir’s trading centre since the 17th century and is one of the world’s largest historic open-air bazaars (“Discover Kemeraltı”). The bazaar grew on land reclaimed from the sea: ships once stood where lanes of shops now run. Within its boundaries are around 2,000 listed buildings, and İzmir’s historic centre, including Kemeraltı, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List since April 2020 (Kemeraltı page).
Move the slider: the sea retreats and the places where people shop today appear along the shore. Each pin number matches a number in the text.
Harbour diagram · Visit İzmir, checked 24 Oct 2026
Where the water was
18th century
The harbour beside the hans
- 1Kızlarağası Han was built in 1744 and then served as a wharf at the harbour entrance: caravans unloaded goods, and travellers slept in the rooms upstairs.
- 2Yalı Mosque stood beside the sea when it was built in the 18th century.
- •Kemeraltı itself has been the city’s trading centre since the 17th century.
19th century
Wharves and the exchange
- 3In the 19th century, Ali Paşa Square was known as Gemiler İskelesi (“ships’ pier”): vessels docked here. The houses around it served as a kind of exchange until the İzmir Commodity Exchange opened in 1891. The Hacı Salih Paşa Fountain in the square dates from 1828.
- 4The wharf and customs house at Konak opened in 1880, followed by new customs buildings in 1888.
- 1Kızlarağası Han remained an important trading place until the last quarter of the 19th century.
20th–21st centuries
Land reclaimed from the sea
- 4Between 1905 and 1913, land was reclaimed from the sea beside the customs house and a large hall was built. The site housed customs until 1954, a fish market in the 1960s and, after restoration was completed in 2003, the Konak Pier shopping centre.
- 5The Clock Tower was erected in 1901 to mark the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s accession to the throne.
- 6The Antiques Bazaar opened in 2019, with around forty shops.
- 1Between 1988 and 1992, Kızlarağası Han was rebuilt from its foundations, apart from the north wing.
A diagram, not a map: it shows which places stood by the water in each era, rather than exact locations and distances. The dotted line marks today’s shore.
It is easy to get lost in the bazaar, and that is part of the pleasure. Start from one of these three stops (Visit İzmir).
- Başdurak Mosque · 17th centuryA single lead-covered dome and a minaret of carved stone. The shops on its lower floor sell souvenirs, jewellery, accessories and İzmir crafts.
- Abacıoğlu Han · 18th centuryBuilt for lodging, trade and storage. Since its restoration in 2007 it has a shady courtyard with craftspeople and cafés.
- Küçük Karaosmanoğlu Han · late 18th centuryBuilt of wood by a family of cotton exporters. In the 1960s its 43 shops sold mostly leather goods and shoes. Restored in 2016 as L’agora: a boutique hotel, restaurants and shops. One door opens onto Havra Street.
Havra Street
Havra Street (Havra Sokağı) is the heart of İzmir’s old Jewish quarter: Jews from Portugal and Spain settled here from the last quarter of the 16th century. The street has lost much of its historic appearance, but trade remains lively.
Some İzmir residents make a habit of buying their fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese and pickles here (Visit İzmir). One of the doors of Küçük Karaosmanoğlu Han leads onto Havra Street. More on fish: Turkey’s fish markets.
Clock Tower and Konak Square
The Clock Tower was built in 1901 for the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II’s accession. Its marbles came from Marseille, brought by the French architect Raymond Charles Père, and fountains stand on all four sides. İzmir residents point to it as the city’s centre and meet beside it. Across the square, the Yalı Mosque stood by the sea when it was built in the 18th century (Visit İzmir).
Kızlarağası Han: a courtyard with 200 shops
About 200
Antiques, leather goods, jewellery, souvenirs, crafts and carpets.
Every İzmir resident visiting Kemeraltı would stop here for a Turkish coffee (“Discover Kemeraltı”).
Han plan · Visit İzmir, checked 24 Oct 2026
Then and now
Tap a part of the han.
North wing
1744Part of the original building from 1744.
TodayDuring restoration in 1988–1992, the han was rebuilt from its foundations, apart from the north wing. This is the only part that was not dismantled.
Ground floor
1744The ground floor was used for trade: caravans unloaded their goods here.
TodayAround 200 small shops throughout the han sell antiques, leather goods, jewellery and souvenirs, as well as crafts and carpets. The shops’ locations change.
Upper floor
1744Rooms for travellers: those who arrived with the caravans slept upstairs.
TodayAbout 200 shops in the whole han.
Courtyard
1744The han was built for trade and overnight stays. It remained an important trading place until the last quarter of the 19th century.
TodayA place for Turkish coffee. Entry to the han is free; you only pay at the cafés.
Harbour exit
1744When the han was built, it served as a wharf at the harbour entrance.
TodayThe sea has long gone from here: Kemeraltı’s dry land surrounds the han. It is hard to believe today that a wharf once stood here.
A courtyard diagram, rather than a measured plan: the sides and dimensions are schematic.
What to look for
Leather jackets and bags, carpets and kilims, jewellery, copperware and souvenirs are all in one courtyard, making it easy to compare prices by visiting a few shops. More on leather: Turkish leather brands.
On Ali Paşa Square in Kemeraltı, former hans house restaurants. Since 2019, the Antiques Bazaar has brought together collectors and second-hand dealers, with gramophones, books and old objects.
Konak Pier and Kordon
The Konak Pier shopping centre occupies the old customs building over the water (Konak Pier page).
- 1880The dock and customs house open on the waterfront.
- 1888New customs buildings open with a grand ceremony.
- 1905–1913Land is reclaimed from the sea beside the customs house, and a large hall is built on it.
- 1954Customs leave the building.
- 1960sIt becomes a fish market.
- 1974The Navy takes the stone building, two wooden warehouses and part of the customs building.
- 2003Restoration is finished and the building reopens as a shopping centre with restaurants.
- September 2026The tender for the right to manage the building for 36 years is cancelled: no one places a bid at the final stage (Anadolu Agency, 14 September 2026; Yeni Asır).
Who designed it?
The design is often credited to Gustave Eiffel’s firm, but no document confirms it. What is documented: in 1867 three English entrepreneurs won the right to build a customs house and warehouses, and it passed to the Dussaud brothers of France (Visit İzmir).
The building belongs to Türkiye Denizcilik İşletmeleri. Check in person which shops and restaurants inside are open.
After shopping, head to Kordon
Kordon is İzmir’s main waterfront: people sit on the grass, listen to street musicians and watch the sun set over the gulf. The best stretch runs from Gündoğdu Square to the Alsancak ferry pier (10 free places).
Malls: four different options
İzmir’s malls are all different: one is open-air, another brings together 282 shops in Gaziemir, and two more stand close to each other in Mavişehir. Tap a façade to open its card: address, shops, opening hours and how to get there. Everything comes from the malls’ own sites.
Malls · their own sites, checked 12 Oct 2026
Choose a façade
Forum Bornova
- Where
- Bornova, beside Ege University; a 200,000 m² site
- Opened
- 2006
- Inside
- 133 shops, including IKEA and the 5M Migros hypermarket; a seven-screen cinema; parking for 3,000 cars
- Hours
- 10:00–22:00 daily; the contact page states 09:00–22:00
- Getting there
- Metro to Bornova station, then bus 59 or 259; minibus marked “Evka 4 — Forum Bornova”
- What’s different
- Describes itself as the first open-air mall in İzmir and the Aegean region
Source: about the centre, FAQ, contact
İzmir Optimum
- Where
- Gaziemir, Akçay Cad. 101
- Opened
- March 2012
- Inside
- 282 shops across 84,000 m²
- Getting there
- İZBAN suburban train to Esbaş station; buses and minibuses heading towards the airport along Akçay Caddesi also stop there
- What’s different
- Describes itself as the largest shopping centre in İzmir and the Aegean region
Source: about the centre, contact
Hilltown Karşıyaka
- Where
- Karşıyaka, Mavişehir
- Opened
- October 2019
- Inside
- 220 shops across 64,000 m²; a food court and restaurants with an outdoor terrace
- Getting there
- İZBAN to Mavişehir station, then walk; tram on the Ataşehir — Alaybey line to M. Kemal Atatürk Spor Salonu stop
- What’s different
- Pets welcome
Source: about the centre, contact
MaviBahçe
- Where
- Karşıyaka, Mavişehir, Caher Dudayev Bulvarı 40
- Inside
- Three blocks — A, B and C; shops include Paşabahçe (block A), Karaca (block B) and jeweller Atasay (block C)
- Hours
- 10:00–22:00; shops may keep different hours
- What’s different
- Tableware and glassware in one centre: Paşabahçe and Karaca in neighbouring blocks
How to choose
For furniture or homeware, head to Forum Bornova with IKEA. To browse as many shops as possible under one roof, choose Optimum. Hilltown and MaviBahçe are in the same district, Mavişehir, and are easy to combine in one trip.
Routes: İzmir public transport. Tableware: Turkish tableware brands.
Alsancak and Karşıyaka: streets rather than centres
In Alsancak, the pedestrian Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street (Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi) has book stalls, cafés, street performers and small shops. Across the gulf is Karşıyaka and its shopping street (Karşıyaka Çarşısı): shops, boutiques and cafés, with the waterfront just a few steps away (Visit İzmir). It is liveliest towards evening.
Bostanlı market on Wednesdays
Bostanlı market
For everyday life in İzmir, go to a neighbourhood market. Bornova and Bostanlı are the two to know (Visit İzmir).
- When
- Wednesdays
- Where
- The covered Bostanlı marketplace (Bostanlı Kapalı Pazaryeri)
- How long
- 37 years, according to Faysal Acar, chairman of the İzmir Market Traders’ Association
- March 2026
- Traders protested against a second market on the same site. The decision to set it up is being challenged in court, and the case was still open then (Aydınlık, 10 March 2026).
Check with local residents or Karşıyaka Municipality whether the market is running that Wednesday. Regular shops: Turkey’s supermarkets.
VAT refunds for tourists
Foreign visitors, and Turkish citizens who live abroad and hold a residence permit from that country, can get the VAT back on goods they take out of Türkiye. Customs refunds it as the goods leave.
VAT General Implementation Communiqué · section II/A-5.3
Goods worth more than 1,000 TL, excluding VAT
₺Consolidated text · checked 24.10.2026The minimum was 100 TL until 1 February 2024. Different goods on the same invoice are added up.
- ShopBuy from a shop that has a tax-free permit from the tax office or works with an authorised refund company.
- InvoiceThe shop charges VAT as usual and puts your passport type and number on the invoice. Keep every copy you are handed.
- Leave in timeTake the goods out of Türkiye within 3 months of the invoice date. At departure, show them to a customs officer, who stamps the invoice and keeps two of your copies.
- RefundIf the shop gave you a refund cheque, cash it at the bank branch in customs, in foreign currency or lira. Otherwise send the stamped invoice to the shop within 3 months, and it pays within 10 days.
Ask the shop before you pay whether it offers tax-free paperwork, and keep the invoice and the goods until customs has stamped them.
What to buy where
| Looking for | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Spices | Spice shops in Kemeraltı | The bazaar is full of spice shops |
| Fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese, pickles | Havra Street | Many İzmir residents habitually shop here for food |
| Carpets, kilims, crafts | Kızlarağası Han | Entry to the han is free |
| Leather jackets and bags | Kızlarağası Han | Compare a few shops in the courtyard |
| Jewellery | Kızlarağası Han, shops beneath Başdurak Mosque, Atasay in MaviBahçe | Atasay is in block C of the mall |
| Antiques | Antiques Bazaar, Kızlarağası Han | Around forty shops, open since 2019 |
| Souvenirs | Beneath Başdurak Mosque, Kızlarağası Han | İzmir crafts are sold on the mosque’s lower floor |
| Tableware and glassware | MaviBahçe: Paşabahçe and Karaca | Paşabahçe is in block A, Karaca in block B |
| Furniture and homeware | Forum Bornova | IKEA is there |
| The week’s groceries | 5M Migros in Forum Bornova; Bostanlı market on Wednesdays | Check whether the market is running before you go |
| Books | Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi, Alsancak | Book stalls on the pedestrian street |
Quick answers
Where is İzmir’s best bazaar?
Kemeraltı: a historic open-air bazaar and the city’s trading centre since the 17th century. Inside are Kızlarağası Han, Havra Street, Abacıoğlu Han and the Antiques Bazaar.
How much does entry to Kızlarağası Han cost?
Nothing: walking around the han is free; you only pay at the cafés (Visit İzmir).
Which mall in İzmir is the largest?
İzmir Optimum describes itself as the largest in İzmir and the Aegean region: 282 shops across 84,000 m². Forum Bornova has a 200,000 m² site but fewer shops — 133 — although it has IKEA.
How do I get to Forum Bornova?
Take the metro to Bornova station, then bus 59 or 259, or the minibus marked “Evka 4 — Forum Bornova”.
Is Konak Pier open?
The building is still there, but the tender for the right to manage it was cancelled in September 2026. Check in person which businesses inside are open.
When is Bostanlı market held?
On Wednesdays, as it has been for 37 years (according to the İzmir Market Traders’ Association). There is a dispute over the site, so check before going.
Can I get a VAT refund?
Yes, if you live outside Türkiye and take the goods out of the country: customs refunds the VAT as you leave. Goods on one invoice must come to more than 1,000 TL before VAT, and you must leave within 3 months of the invoice date. Ask the shop before paying.
Sources
Opening hours, shops and rules change: the mall or market itself decides.
- Discover Kemeraltı — Visit İzmir, checked 24 October 2026
- Kemeraltı Bazaar — Visit İzmir, checked 12 October 2026
- Kızlarağası Inn — Visit İzmir, checked 24 October 2026
- Havra Street — Visit İzmir, checked 12 October 2026
- Old Customs Building (Konak Pier) — Visit İzmir, checked 24 October 2026
- Top 10 Free Things to Do in İzmir — Visit İzmir, checked 12 October 2026
- Konak — Visit İzmir, checked 12 October 2026
- About the Centre — Forum Bornova, checked 12 October 2026
- Questions and Answers — Forum Bornova, checked 12 October 2026
- Contact — Forum Bornova, checked 12 October 2026
- About the Centre — İzmir Optimum, checked 12 October 2026
- Contact and Transport — İzmir Optimum, checked 12 October 2026
- About the Centre — Hilltown Karşıyaka, checked 12 October 2026
- Contact and Transport — Hilltown Karşıyaka, checked 12 October 2026
- Shops — MaviBahçe, checked 12 October 2026
- Contact — MaviBahçe, checked 12 October 2026
- Konak Pier Tender Cancelled (14 September 2026) — Anadolu Agency via Foreks, checked 12 October 2026
- Konak Pier Tender (15 September 2026) — Yeni Asır, checked 12 October 2026
- Bostanlı Market Traders on the Marketplace (10 March 2026) — Aydınlık, checked 12 October 2026
- VAT General Implementation Communiqué, consolidated text (section II/A-5) — Revenue Administration (GİB), checked 24 October 2026
- VAT Law No. 3065 — mevzuat.gov.tr, checked 12 October 2026
