Shopping in Turkey

Shopping in Turkey

Turkish carpets, jewelry and leather make great presents and keepsakes from your Turkish holiday. Shopping is a pleasure in Turkey and can be very exciting as you walk the bazaars, haggle with the vendors and enjoy the atmosphere and sounds of a traditional Turkey experience.

There are a great many Turkish goods, arts and crafts that make great presents and are popular buys for the holiday maker: Turkish carpets, of course, but also leather goods, silver and gold jewelry, embroidery and the famous Turkish meerschaum pipes.

Turkey’s rug-making tradition is as old as Persia’s, with Turkish carpets – either knotted or flat woven - of excellent design and quality. Designs are mostly based on geometric motifs and are a great piece of art to help decorate your home.

Turkey is also known for its gold and silver jewelry. While the price of gold and silver is fixed internationally, Turkish jewelry is cheaper than many other places due to low labor cost. There’s a reason it is the second biggest exporter of jewelry in the world. You’ll find a whole range of jewelry on sale, from historic Ottoman necklaces to gold ones, diamonds and state-of-the-art contemporary pieces in precious stones. Some nice, some hideous!

Turkey is also the world’s leading supplier of processed leather, with many of its garments finding their way to shops in Italy. Istanbul is the center of the trade but all towns and cities will have leather shops.  Make sure you try on any coats or garments and don’t be afraid to ask to try on more – each garment will be handmade and can vary slightly.

Another unique souvenir that you can pick up from Turkey is a Meerschaum pipe. These ivory-colored pipes are hollowed out and carved into images on the outside and make interesting presents for smokers and non-smokers alike.

Finally, traditional hand painted ceramics and porcelain, or the amazingly intricate curtains or table cloths sold in Turkey, add to the variety of great presents.

Shopping tips in Turkey from our sister website Turkey For You.

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