Turkey has a wide variety of lively and colorful antique and secondhand markets in Istanbul, Ankara and several other cities that make for a wonderful day out. These outdoor markets are generally set up weekly and have stalls ranging from high-end antiques, such as china, artwork, clocks, jewelry, accessories and even old appliances. If a market is specifically named an “antique market" ("antika pazarı"), then you know there will be high-quality items for sale. Whereas, when a market is referred to as “secondhand” or “flea” market ("bit pazarı"), make sure to keep your expectations lower as you may have to spend more time rummaging through all the items on offer to find something of value. The sky is the limit to the range of what you can find, and it is in these types of markets where you can learn more about Turkish history, take part in an interesting experience and maybe even find a true treasure.
The following is a list of the best antique and flea markets in Turkey:
This past Sunday, a brand new antique market was held in the marketplace in Bodrum’s center. An initiative by the Bodrum Municipality, this weekly market, open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., will exclusively center on high-quality antiques. There are already two flea markets in Bodrum that sell a wide range of secondhand goods that happen to be held on Sundays: the Bitez Flea Market and the Turgutreis Flea Market.
Istanbul is truly the country’s capital when it comes to finding antiques and anything shopping-related. Not only does it have lively weekly antique markets, but it also has neighborhoods throughout the metropolis devoted to antiques. From Beyoğlu’s bohemian Çukurcuma neighborhood to the bustling Horhor Antiques Bazaar in Fatih to Kadıköy’s low-key Antikacılar (Antique-Seller) Street and a whole antique center in the Kıroğlu Han, which goes by the name of Üsküdar Antique Market and of course who could forget the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul is definitely the top destination to seek out unique finds.
Luckily, there are also several fun weekly antique and flea markets in the city that you can also add to your adventure bucket list.
Hands down, the most popular weekly antique market in Istanbul takes place on Sundays at the Bomonti Antique Market, also known as the Feriköy Antique Market as it is held in the Feriköy marketplace in Şişli. This covered market space, which also hosts Istanbul’s oldest and most popular weekly organic market, offers welcome shade as you check out the hundreds of stalls displaying some of the best antiques and secondhand items on offer in Istanbul. One of the highlights is watching women prepare savory stuffed gözlemes, which you can snack on with fresh fruit juice on site.
Boasted to be the largest antique market in Turkey, the Kadıköy Antique Market is held on Sundays in the new covered space in Fikirtepe that now also hosts the district’s famous farmers market referred to as the “Salı Pazarı” ("Tuesday Market"), because as the name infers, it takes place on Tuesdays. Nonetheless, the same space now also holds a top-scale antique market with hundreds of stalls on Sundays and carries out monthly auctions for the more valuable finds.
The Maltepe Antique and Secondhand Market, held in a covered market space, sells both antiques and random flea market items every Wednesday. While not an antique market and admittedly off the beaten path, if you feel like venturing out into the Asian side of the city on Saturdays and Sundays, there is a flea market in Tuzla next to the state hospital that is also accessible via the Içmeler stop on the Marmaray line that could serve as a fun destination and serve up a unique gem.
Ankara is another excellent destination for historical treasure hunters as there are two antique markets held monthly and organized by the Anadolu Antikacılar Derneği (Anatolian Antique Dealers Association). One is the Ayrancı Antique Market, which is held on the first Sunday of each month in the Ayrancı neighborhood’s covered market place and the other is the Çayyolu Antique Market, which is held on the second Sunday of each month. Both venues are spacious and architecturally impressive marketplaces with hundreds of stalls making for the ultimate antique-hunting experience in Turkey.
While Eskişehir may translate into English as the “old city,” it is anything but. This bustling and beautiful university town situated on the banks of the Porsuk River is well worth a visit and especially if you time it with the Eskişehir Antique Market, which is held on the second Sunday of the month and takes place at the Tepebaşı Uluönder covered marketplace. Eskişehir also has a weekly flea market, held on Saturdays in the Emek market vicinity.
Every third Sunday of the month, the Nilüfer Antique Market is a pop-up antique market that takes place in the Ihsaniye covered bazaar. With a particular focus on the beautiful Ottoman textiles and silk the region is famed for, in addition to ebru artwork and calligraphy, this antique market has a broad spectrum of old and new that is a visionary delight. It is also the only market of its kind in Bursa, which means there is more chance to find the pick of the crop.
In the city of Izmir, there are four different flea markets, with the one in Bornova on Sundays offering the best chance of tracking down antiques. The others, namely; Kahramanlar and Tepecik on Sundays and Çankaya, which opens up for two hours every evening after 9 p.m., veer more toward the secondhand variety, but still make for fun discoveries.
In Antalya, there is a secondhand market held every Thursday in Muratpaşa and Fethiye. Every Wednesday, the Çalıca Flea Market is held, named after the neighborhood that hosts it.
