Shopping in Turkey
Turkey is a place where you can find the warmest sea and the most gentle sun. But many people go to Turkey for a different reason – they go shopping, either specifically or as a combination with other activities. Shopping in Turkey is entertainment for the tourists and business for the merchants.
If you happened to visit Turkey, then you will definitely want to purchase something for yourself here, maybe some Turkish souvenirs for your friends or relatives. And that will be a very good idea because this country is a goldmine for souvenir shops, stores, clothing shops and boutiques – a place where you can find a lot of interesting and useful things.
Shopping in Turkey is best started from a tour of the stores, and visiting stores in Turkey is well worth it. When you walk into a store that sells handcrafted goods you probably won't be able to resist and surely buy one of the Turkish carpets, called kilims. You can also purchase leather and suede goods, ceramics, silk dresses, jewelry, alabaster or onyx crafts, embroidery, copper pots, sea foam, and loads of other Turkish souvenirs. Sometimes you will be offered coffee, tea, or even beer, considering that the deal might not take place, - the Turkish people are very communicative, and they are always eager to talk to a new person.
Making purchases in the market will bring you just as much pleasure and even save you money, if, of course, you know how to bargain for a better offer. Sometimes the final price of your Turkish souvenirs can be as much as 20 times less than the initial quoted price. The most important thing is to smile, be outgoing and focused in the same time. You should also remember follow one unwritten rule: if you bid a price – you must buy at that price, if you are not ready to buy – do not bid a price.
Some of the merchants in the market are rather pushy and even aggressive, so be careful. You will be offered a lot of antique, but it is most likely that those items are actually fakes. If you seriously intend to buy antiques, you should first make sure that you can bring those items across the border. Otherwise the antiques may simply be confiscated at the customs control, even if the treasure is not an antique exhibit.
One of the best places for shopping in Turkey is most certainly Istanbul. This is the place where the best goods from all across the country are accumulated. The Grand Bazaar a.k.a. the Covered Bazaar (Kapali Carsi) – is the most famous Turkish market, there are approximately 4000 stores located here. If you are in Istanbul you should definitely visit the Big Istanbul Bazaar. The Old Badestan is located in the center of the Grand Bazaar, and is a place where you can buy old weapons and other eastern antiques. There is also a spices market nearby, called the Egyptian Bazaar. At the new port in Antalya there is a free-trade zone. Here, you will get a chance to make your purchases tariff and tax free. It is a free market, where just about any currency is accepted, as well as any checks, it's only open to foreigners, therefore do not forget your passport in the hotel.
Turkey is also famous for other things. First of all, for its Turkish carpets. Some of the Turkish carpets are manufactured, while other are individually handcrafted. Both types of Turkish carpets are of premium quality, and therefore carpet have one of the most honorable places in Turkish markets. It is not a coincidence that carpets are considered the number one Turkish souvenir. You can also pay close attention to leather goods, wonderful copper and bronze crafts, maiolica tin-glazed pottery, onyx jewelry, colorful fabrics, embroidered cotton blouses, and of course, spices and sweets. You can also buy gold in Turkey. Considerably cheaper if you are in the mood to bargain at the moment. There are no records of fraud, when instead of gold customers were given something else.
