As the name suggests in Ottoman times the main trading goods sold here were spices coming from (the Silk Road through) Cairo.
The fascination of colored, fragrant heaps of turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, saffron, mint or mace and other exotic spices and herbs still remains even if today one can find many other goods and goodies sold here.
The Spice bazaar is a feast for anyone's senses and shouldn't be missed even you have only two or three days of stay in Istanbul. Here is shown a tantalizing stand of colorful spices, dried fruit, jars of nuts and olives, Turkish sweets, as well as manual coffee grinders and caviar.