Black Friday in Istanbul 2026: Date, Malls and Tax-Free Refunds

Turkish shops call it Efsane Cuma. The 2026 date, the malls and streets with sales, the new 10-day rule on discount prices and how tourists claim back VAT before flying home.

Ayşe ArslanAuthor8 November 20269 min read

Photo: Black Friday in Istanbul 2026: Date, Malls and Tax-Free Refunds

Black Friday in Istanbul falls on Friday 27 November 2026, the day after US Thanksgiving. Turkish shops rarely use the literal translation, Kara Cuma: look for Efsane Cuma (Legendary Friday), Muhteşem Cuma or Şahane Cuma, and expect offers that run for days. The discounts come from retail chains, malls and online platforms, not from the Grand Bazaar, where most prices are still agreed by bargaining. Visitors who live outside Turkey can claim back VAT once one invoice tops 1,000 lira before tax, about $20. For a guided day from the bazaars to the malls, see our Istanbul shopping tour page.

When is Black Friday in Istanbul in 2026?

The date follows the American calendar, but in Turkey the sales have grown into a season. CNN Türk reported in 2024 that many companies began their November discounts on 11 November, and on 21 October 2026 the newspaper Yeni Asır expected the busiest week, which it called Efsane Hafta, to run from 23 to 29 November.

Date (2026)	Day	What to expect
11 November	Wednesday	"11.11", the date many firms opened their sales in 2024
23 to 29 November	Monday to Sunday	Expected peak week, Efsane Hafta
26 November	Thursday	US Thanksgiving
27 November	Friday	Black Friday, sold as Efsane Cuma
29 November	Sunday	Malls open; Grand Bazaar closed

Friday 27 November is a normal working day in Turkey, not a public holiday. In town for the American holiday? See Thanksgiving in Istanbul and Istanbul in November.

Where the sales are: malls and shopping streets

Most Black Friday offers are in the malls and on the main shopping streets. The Grand Bazaar is in the table for its hours and tax-free rules only: prices there are agreed by bargaining.

Place	Area	Opening hours	Tax-free refunds on site
Kanyon	Levent	Daily 10:00–22:00; some shops differ	Ask in each shop
Cevahir	Şişli	10:00–22:00	Ask at the information desk, 3rd floor
Zorlu Center	Levazım, Beşiktaş	Information desks 10:00–22:00	Easy Point (Tax Free Zone, Planet), daily 10:00–22:00; Global Blue inside Beymen
Galataport	Tophane waterfront	Hours vary by shop	Easy Point, Visitor Center at the D Block terminal entrance
İstiklal Avenue	Beyoğlu	Hours vary by shop	Ask in each shop
Grand Bazaar	Beyazıt, Fatih	08:30–19:00, closed Sundays and religious holidays	Only shops showing a tax-free permit or refund-company sign

For high-street chains, Cevahir is the simplest stop: its tenants include Zara, LC Waikiki, DeFacto, Boyner and Marks & Spencer. Kanyon is two metro stops further north, Zorlu Center has the Beymen department store, and İstiklal Avenue is a pedestrian street running from Taksim Square.

Shoppers on the curved open-air levels of Kanyon shopping mall in Levent, IstanbulPhoto: .o. / Wikimedia Commons

Why the Grand Bazaar is not a Black Friday market

The Grand Bazaar opens as usual on Black Friday, from 08:30 to 19:00 according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Its shops are mostly independent traders and prices are usually agreed by bargaining, so a "Black Friday" sign there means little: the price that counts is the one you agree.

Check mall prices for similar goods first, and set your maximum.
Compare two or three shops before buying a carpet, jewellery or leather.
Want VAT back? Look for the tax-free permit or a refund company's sign before you bargain.
The bazaar is closed on Sunday 29 November; see what to do in Istanbul on a Sunday.

Our Grand Bazaar tour page explains the hans and workshops, and shopping beyond the Grand Bazaar covers the Spice Bazaar and the streets locals use.

Cushions and folded kilims stacked along a vaulted lane of the Grand BazaarPhoto: Get Turkey Tours

How to tell if a Black Friday discount is real

Discount signs follow updated rules this year. Under an amendment to Turkey's Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices Regulation, published on 1 July 2026 and in force since 1 August, the "before" price of discounted goods must be the lowest price the seller charged in the 10 days before the discount started. For perishables and services, it is the price just before the discount. Store and online prices are judged separately.

If you are in Istanbul before the sales start, photograph the price tags of things you want: the "was" price on the sale sign may not be higher than the lowest price of those 10 days.

Tax-free shopping in Turkey: the rules for tourists

The VAT you pay in shops can be refunded when you take the goods out of Turkey. The rules are set in the Revenue Administration's VAT communiqué:

Rule	What it means
Who qualifies	Foreign nationals living outside Turkey, and Turkish citizens living abroad with a residence permit from that country
Which shops	Shops with a tax-office permit on display, or a sign from an authorised refund company
Minimum	More than 1,000 lira before VAT on one invoice, about $20 at the Central Bank's rate of 6 November 2026; items on the same invoice count together
What counts	Goods only; hotels, restaurants and tours are services and do not qualify
Time limit	The goods must leave Turkey within 3 months of the invoice date
At departure	Show the goods and the invoice or refund form to customs for approval

The minimum was 100 lira until 1 February 2024. The general VAT rate is 20%, with 10% or 1% on some goods.

Under the shop's own scheme, either the shop gives you a cheque to cash at the bank branch at customs, or you send the approved invoice back within three months of leaving and the shop has 10 days to pay. Through a refund company, you receive the VAT minus its commission. Zorlu Center pays cash at its Easy Point desk (Tax Free Zone and Planet, daily 10:00–22:00) and at the Global Blue point inside Beymen (Monday to Saturday 10:00–22:00, Sunday 12:00–20:00). Galataport's Easy Point pays cash against the store's form and your passport, and Cevahir sends tax-free questions to its 3rd-floor information desk. An early refund does not replace the customs approval on departure.

The international departures hall at Istanbul AirportPhoto: Arne Müseler / Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting around on Black Friday

M2 metro: Taksim for İstiklal Avenue (the F1 funicular runs up from Kabataş), Osmanbey for Nişantaşı, Şişli–Mecidiyeköy for Cevahir (Şişli exit) and Levent for Kanyon.
T1 tram: Beyazıt–Kapalıçarşı for the Grand Bazaar, Tophane or Fındıklı for Galataport.
Fares: our public transport fares update and Istanbulkart guide explain how to pay.
With bags: a private car with driver links Zorlu Center, Kanyon and Nişantaşı without carrying shopping on the metro.

A simple weekend: malls on Friday, the bazaars on Saturday, and a mall or the Bosphorus on Sunday, when the Grand Bazaar is shut.

Tours that cover this

Private Istanbul Shopping Tour: Grand Bazaar and Spice Market Guide: from $90 per person, 6 hours with a private guide.
Istanbul Private Driver Tour: Mercedes Vito for 8 Hours, 1-6 Guests: from $299 per group, for a mall day with your bags in the van.
Istanbul Old City Private Tour: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi & Grand Bazaar: from $200 per person.
Istanbul 3-Day Tour Package: Hotel, Old City Tour & Transfers: from $435 per person, for a Black Friday weekend.

A guide pointing out a lamp shop to a small group in the Grand BazaarPhoto: Get Turkey Tours

No prepayment needed: pay on the tour day. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will plan your weekend around the Istanbul 3-Day Tour Package or a private shopping day. For more Istanbul-only private tours, see our sister site Get Istanbul Tours.

FAQ

When is Black Friday 2026 in Istanbul?

Friday 27 November 2026, the day after US Thanksgiving. Turkish retailers call it Efsane Cuma, Muhteşem Cuma or Şahane Cuma, and many run offers for longer: Turkish media expected the busiest week to be 23 to 29 November. The Grand Bazaar keeps normal hours that day.

Does Turkey have Black Friday?

Yes. Retail chains and online platforms run November sales under local names, mainly Efsane Cuma (Legendary Friday) and Muhteşem Cuma (Magnificent Friday), rather than the literal translation, Kara Cuma. In 2024 many firms started on 11 November, so offers can last most of the month.

Is the Grand Bazaar open on Black Friday?

Yes. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism gives its hours as 08:30 to 19:00 every day except Sundays and religious holidays, so it is open on Friday 27 November and closed on Sunday 29 November. Expect to bargain rather than to find marked-down prices.

What is the minimum purchase for tax-free shopping in Turkey?

More than 1,000 lira before VAT on a single invoice, about $20 at the Central Bank's rate of 6 November 2026. Several items on the same invoice count together. The threshold rose from 100 lira on 1 February 2024, and only shops showing a tax-free permit or sign can issue the form.

How do I get my VAT refund when I leave Turkey?

Take the goods out within three months of the invoice date and show them, with the invoice or refund form, to customs on departure. Then cash the shop's cheque at the bank branch at customs, send the approved invoice back to the shop within three months, or claim through the refund company on your form.

How much VAT do you get back in Turkey?

The VAT printed on your invoice: 20% is the general rate, with 10% or 1% on some goods. A refund company keeps a commission, so you receive less than the full VAT; under a shop's own scheme, you get back the VAT shown on its cheque or invoice.

Can I claim VAT back on hotels and restaurants?

No. Turkey's tax-free scheme covers goods you take out of the country, not services such as hotel stays, meals or tours. Hotel bills also carry 10% VAT and an accommodation tax of 1% until 31 December 2026, due to return to 2% in 2027 unless the cut is extended.

Are Black Friday discounts in Turkey real?

They must be measured against a real price. Since 1 August 2026, the "before" price on discounted goods has to be the lowest price charged in the 10 days before the sale started, and store and online prices are judged separately.

Sources: CNN Türk (20 November 2023, 11 November 2024); Yeni Asır (21 October 2026); Official Gazette No. 33297, 1 July 2026 (resmigazete.gov.tr); Revenue Administration (GİB), VAT General Implementation Communiqué, section II/A-5 (gib.gov.tr); VAT Law No. 3065, Article 11/1-b; Presidential Decisions No. 7346 and 11263; Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Kültür Portalı (kulturportali.gov.tr); Kanyon, Cevahir, Zorlu Center and Galataport websites; Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (6 November 2026); Law No. 2429 on national holidays — checked 8 November 2026.