Istanbul offers many places to shop including department stores, high class shopping districts and local merchants which give you a wide range of possibilities varying from souvenirs and traditional jewelry to world re-known retail clothes. If you want to shop in a large shopping mall offering many stores and restaurants, you might want to try the popular malls near the city center. Akmerkez is only 15 minutes walking distance from the Robert College campus. It is one of the oldest malls in Istanbul. It is located in Etiler and has more than 200 shops. Kanyon, located in Levent is easily accessible by the subway line and is mostly preferred because it is an open-air shopping mall. Metro City also located in Levent has direct access from the Levent subway stop. If you want to shop for authentic items in open air, the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar are great choices. Districts such as Ortaköy and Taksim are the most famous and crowded districts in the city with many choices for shopping and dining. Nişantaşı is one of the most up-scale venues in Istanbul where you can shop from world famous designer stores and eat in up-scale restaurants.
