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Kapali Carsi vs Rumeli Fortress

Grand Bazaar and Rumeli Fortress are both rated highly by reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Grand Bazaar scores significantly better than Rumeli Fortress. Grand Bazaar has a TripExpert Score of 93 with endorsements from 7 reviews like Frommer's, Fodor's and Michelin Guide.

Kapali Carsi
Kapali Carsi
9 / 10
Grand Bazaar Istanbul Turkey
From $0 /night
Fodor's Fodor's
"Take a deep breath and plunge into this maze of 65 winding, covered streets crammed with 4,000 tiny shops, cafés, restaurants, mosques, and courtyards." Full review
Frommer's Frommer's
"The mother of all tourist traps, the Grand or Covered Bazaar is a vivid illustration of all that's gone wrong with the free market." Full review
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"This labyrinthine and chaotic bazaar is the heart of the Old City and has been so for centuries. No visit to İstanbul would be complete without a stop here." Full review
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
"This massive, dazzling, and cacophonous covered market is the ur-bazaar of the Orient; if you’ve envisioned what it will be like, prepare to have your expectations exceeded." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"The Grand Bazaar is a joyful, feverish universe that can overwhelm and unsettle with its thousands of shops and workshops, caravanserais, warehouses, restaurants, fountains, banks and mosque." Full review
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Rumeli Fortress
Rumeli Fortress
8 / 10
Tarabya Yenikoy Cad., Istanbul, Turkey
From $0 /night
Fodor's Fodor's
"Built on a hill overlooking the water, Rumeli Hisarı is the best preserved of all the fortresses on the Bosphorus and well worth a visit." Full review
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"Just before the Fatih Bridge are the majestic structures of Rumeli Hisarı and Anadolu Hisarı (Fortress of Anatolia)." Full review
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
"In the stranglehold that eventually throttled Constantinople in 1453, the Rumeli Hisar (castle) served as the lynch pin." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
1 Star
"The towers and crenellated walls of the imposing ramparts of the Rumeli Hisari (1452) can be seen on the European shore of the Bosphorus, resembling a long stone snake." Full review
Time Out Time Out
"Visitors can explore the many towers of the fortress and enjoy a spectacular view of the Bosphorus and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge." Full review
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