Turkey is full of bazaars, markets, art and great cuisine. There is a stunning selection of things and souvenirs you can buy in Turkey, so it’s no wonder you may feel a bit overwhelmed. What should you buy and bring back home? What can and can’t you buy in TUrkey? We’ll go over all of that and more in today’s shopping guide. Before we start, a few tips to establish:
- Shopping in Turkey is mainly done in bazaars
- It’s good to bargain for prices, as the ones proposed are often inflated
- Beware of fake imitative brands which are abundant in Turkey
- Prices in Turkey can sometimes fluctuate very chaotically due to inflation
Shopping in Turkey
Introduction
Let’s start with the fact that Turkey has an insane abundance of products and foods that you can buy and bring home. It’s overflowing with souvenirs and riches, often of very poor quality. How not to get ripped off at the bazaar? Don’t buy things spontaneously. Don’t be fooled by ‘free gifts’ and always think twice, as a Turkish bazaar is a battlefield.
Also, remember to stock up on the right amount of Turkish liras. Turkey is not in the EU or Schengen, so you are subject to the same import limits for alcohol and cigarettes as, for instance, in Albania. This also means that you can’t bring certain things into the country, like animal products.
Also remember about the limit of liquids in your hand luggage – so 100 ml. Bottles of Raki and olive oils are better stored in your checked luggage. If you’re planning on bringing such glass bottles home, take some bubble wrap with you.
One little-known fact among tourists is that Turkey has a VAT refund system for tourists. If you, as a tourist, make purchases, you are entitled to recover 13-18% of the value of your purchases. In practice, if you can get a tax-free invoice at a certain store, you can request to claim that percentage back at the airport. This, however, is one lengthy process in practice, so it depends on whether you have the time and patience for it. Without further ado, though, what should you buy in Turkey?
Spices from Turkey
Cheap gifts from Turkey
Turkey’s location allows for cultivation of a variety of herbs and spices. As such, Turkish cuisine is rich in strong flavours formed from many spice blends, and you too can find them in Turkish bazaars. There are also many herbs and herb mixes sold as supplements against ailments and diseases. What spices can you buy in Turkey?
- red pepper
- thyme
- rosemary
- cumin
- cinnamon
- cloves
- pepper
- and many others
They are sold by gram from special stalls, you’ll, no doubt, spot them from afar. Thankfully, Turkey is generally not a very expensive country, so the prices of spices are also very reasonable. A mix usually costs between 40 TL and 90 TL per serving.
Turkish Rugs, or ‘Kilim’
How much do rugs cost in Turkey?
The Middle East is known for its weaving traditions, rugs and carpets. You can buy beautifully decorated and patterned carpets and smaller Kilim rugs (used by Muslims for prayer) in Turkey. How much does such a treat cost? Prices vary widely, from €60 to €5,000 for the largest and oldest Kilims and carpets. Rugs can be denser, up to 400 knots per inch, have more or less complex patterns and their material can vary too.
Vendors may sometimes offer to ship your rug to your country, as that’s obviously quite difficult to pull off yourself with larger rugs. Do remember, however, that the transfer process may damage your rug. And, given how pricey these things can be, do be very mindful at the bazaar, as vendors can be very predatory at times, especially at the Grand Bazaar. If you want to buy a rug, remember that you can, and should, negotiate the price.
And also remember to check if the Kilim was handmade in Turkey and is not a cheap replica.
Olive oil soaps
More cheap gifts from Turkey
Various olive oil products are not Turkey-exclusive, as you can find similar things in Greece. Turkey is the world’s fourth largest producer of olive oil, so you’ll invariably see lots of olive oil products and souvenirs here. You can find cosmetics, soaps, masks, gels, wax, etc. Local soap manufacturers combine high quality olive oil with other plant extracts to make various wonderful soaps. And such a common soap costs around €1.
Tea, ince belli and a caydanlik
What is Turkey known for?
Drinking tea is an ancient tradition of Turkey – in fact, Turkey has the highest per capita consumption of tea in the world. Turks drink tea from a special glass called ince belli. It’s prepared in a caydanlik, a special pot shaped like two traditional tea pots stacked on top of each other. You can buy a whole set of caydanlik, ince belli glasses with saucers and some apple or rose tea. There are, of course, many various herbal blends, including many with sage. A kilo of tea can cost around 28 TL on the market. If you want some higher quality tea, you’ll also have plenty of options, though they’ll cost you around 10-30 TL per 100g.
Backgammon
A souvenir from Turkey
Backgammon is a famous game in the Middle East that you can still sometimes spot on the streets, albeit usually played by grandpas. It’s, afterall, a 5,000 years old board game. The aim of the game is to move all fifteen pawns on the board as the first player. It’s a great gift idea for the folks back home and a souvenir for board game lovers. Handmade backgammon boards can cost a fortune, but you can also find common boards for around €10-20.
Lokum
Sweets in Turkey
Lokum, or the Turkish Delight, is one of the most popular sweets from Turkey. It’s these little jellies made of starch and sugar sprinkled with icing sugar with different toppings for different flavours. You can find flavours like rose or fruits with nuts or sprinkles. It is the perfect accompaniment to coffee and a cool little gift you can bring back from Turkey. The price depends on the type of Lokum, ranging from about €2 to €10 depending on how rich a flavour you’re buying.
Check out our guide on Turkish cuisine here.
Coffee and Cezve
Turkish-style coffee and a Turkish coffee pot
Cezve is a special Turkish coffee pot made of copper or brass with a long handle and size no bigger than a usual small cup. And yes, you can easily buy one and bring it home with you. How much does coffee itself cost in Turkey? You can get 100g packs for 7-20 TL. Cezve prices range from 200 TL to as much as 800 TL for a handmade Cezve.
Raki
Alcohol from Turkey
Raki is a strong alcohol made of grapes with a strength of 40-60%. It’s very popular in the region, and you can buy it in most Balkan countries. Its name originates from Arabic and means ‘distilled’. In the past, only Tekel’s Raki was produced in Turkey. Today, many companies produce it and the most popular are: Yeni Raki, Efe Rakı, Çilingir Rakı and Mercan Rakı.
In Turkey, Raki is served with chilled water. When Raki is diluted, the drink becomes milky and cloudy. Raki is served with Meze and as an aperitif. It is said that Ataturk himself drank about half a litre of Raki a day – unfortunately he died of cirrhosis of the liver.
How much does Raki cost in Turkey? It’s not cheap, as a bottle can cost between 200-300 TL per litre.
Turkish lamps
What to buy in Turkey for your home?
You can buy special decorative turkish lamps in both special lamp shops and general bazaars. If you want to decorate your flat like a sheikh’s tent, go for it! 🙂 It’s no doubt going to change the vibe of your room. Such handmade lamps cost from €50 to €100 per lamp in specialised shops.
Ceramics from Cappadocia
What is worth buying in Turkey?
You probably know Cappadocia for its balloon rides, but that’s not all there is to it. You can also find beautiful handmade ceramics there. The Avanos region is best known for its ceramic, as that’s where the best terracotta crockery has been made since 2000 BC. It’s best to buy such ceramics locally, because many local artisans also allow you to try your hand at the potter’s wheel!
Evil Eye souvenirs
Cheap souvenirs from Turkey
The Eye of the Prophet, commonly referred to as the Evil Eye, is a unique circular pattern made of many circles. Many souvenirs use this element, be it keyrings, bags, T-shirts, everything. What is the eye of the prophet? It’s meant to protect from ‘Evil Eyes’ and bring good luck. It’s also a popular symbol in Greece and Cyprus. Keychains cost a maximum of €1-2. A nice cheap gift from Turkey.
Ebru souvenirs
The art of marbling
Ebru is a Turkish art of marbling, ergo application of a distinctive pattern of paint to various surfaces, mainly paper. You can buy various beautiful patterned art pieces directly from Turkish artists.
Ebru is also listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Rose water
With a wide variety of uses
You may be familiar with rose water from Bulgaria, and it’s just as popular in Turkey. Rose water is obtained by soaking rose buds and petals in water. It’s mainly used in gastronomy and cosmetics. You can drink rose-water lemonade in Turkey, it’s commonly added to lokums, baklavas and marzipan. It’s also used in perfumes or emollients. On our trip, we bought Eyüp Sabri Tuncer, a 200 ml bottle that cost 45 TL.
Few final tips:
- If you’re buying in pounds, dollars or euros, make sure the exchange rate is as it should be!
- Vendors may sometimes cheat and issue lira coins instead of euros, as they’re very similar in weight and appearance
- Beware of typical tourist traps
- You’ll find the best local products in places rated highly and commonly visited by the locals themselves
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