Wondering what to buy in Turkey? Looking for the best Turkish souvenirs? What are the best gifts from Turkey that your friends and family are gonna love?
Turkey is not just full of amazing places to visit but is also a treasure chest of exotic handicrafts, cultural knick-knacks, and delicious food items that you can take back home. And the best part is you get it cheap.
Turkey is probably the only place in this world where I did a lot of souvenir shopping. Turkish ceramics and Iznik pottery were my favorites.
But I bought a lot of other stuff too, including Turkish towels, evil eyes, and a ton of edible Turkish souvenirs for family and friends. And, of course, I drooled at many others that were out of my reach.
So, here comes my epic list of the 20 best Turkish souvenirs that are absolutely the best buys from Turkey.
If you feel your favorite Turkish souvenir is not listed here, drop me a comment below and I’ll be sure to check it out on my next trip.
Turkey is a shopper’s paradise, with its bustling bazaars, markets, and shops filled with unique handicrafts, textiles, jewelry, foods, and more. As a traveler visiting this fascinating country, you’ll likely want to bring home some token souvenirs But with so many options, what are the best things to buy in Turkey?
After researching numerous blogs, travel sites, and guides on shopping in Turkey, I’ve compiled this list of the top 10 items to look for during your Turkish holiday:
1. Turkish Tea Sets
The offer of a hot beverage accompanies every interaction in Türkiye. Intricately painted tea sets are widely available, often packaged in a decorative box. These make excellent gifts and mementos of your trip. Search for sets made of handblown glass rather than ceramic, as these are of superior quality.
2. Ceramics & Tiles
Turkey has a long tradition of producing vividly colored and creatively designed ceramic pieces. Bowls, plates, vases, and tiles featuring traditional patterns are sold throughout the country. For the best selection, head to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.
3. Carpets & Kilims
Turkish carpets are world-renowned for their quality and artistry. While large carpets can be pricey smaller kilims (flat-weave rugs) make excellent souvenirs. When bargaining start at about one-third of the initial asking price. Reputable dealers can ship purchases home for you.
4. Unique Home Decor
Turkey offers a wide range of home accessories that make distinctive souvenirs, from intricately carved wooden boxes to colorful glass lanterns to decorative platters and vases. The Grand Bazaar has an especially impressive selection.
5. Hamam Towels & Soaps
Stock up on supersoft “peştemal” towels found at hamams (Turkish baths) throughout the country. Combine them with olive oil or laurel soaps for a complete Turkish bath experience. The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul has many vendors selling these items.
6. Socks & Shoes
Surprisingly, Turkey is known for its quality leather shoes and colorful hand-knitted socks. The shoes run very true-to-size while the socks make great gifts and souvenirs. Find them in shops around major tourist centers.
7. Baklava & Lokum
Indulge your sweet tooth with these famous Turkish treats. Baklava, a layered pastry made with nuts and syrup, and lokum (Turkish delight), a gel-like confection dusted in sugar, are freshly made all over the country. Buy an assortment and share when you get home.
8. Spices & Loose Teas
Turkey produces many excellent spices that are integral to its cuisine. Cumin, sumac, pepper, and saffron are abundant. Herbal teas flavored with apple, sage, and berries are also readily available. Get them at Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar for the best prices.
9. Natural Olive Oil-Based Products
With Turkey being one of the world’s biggest olive oil producers, soaps, lotions, and skincare containing this “liquid gold” make great souvenirs. Products made with other natural ingredients like donkey milk, rose, and orange blossom are also excellent finds.
10. Jewelry
Turkey has a sizable jewelry industry, producing stunning gold pieces, evil eye charms, and beaded bracelets at reasonable prices. Try the Grand Bazaar for the biggest selection. Remember to haggle for the best deals.
With this list in hand, you’re sure to return from Turkey with amazing souvenirs. Just leave enough room in your suitcase! Shop wisely, be prepared to negotiate prices, and most importantly, have fun discovering the country’s incredible bazaars, markets, and craft shops.
Handmade rugs and carpets
If you are looking for a handmade carpet or rug to adorn your living room, then it might be a good idea to get one in Turkey.
Turkey is famous for its hand-woven rugs and Oriental carpets. You’ll find plenty of designs to choose from while wandering through souvenir shops in Turkey.
The most remarkable thing about Turkish rugs is their superior quality, tight weaves, and intricate patterns that makes them a classic souvenir to possess. The carpets usually feature geometric patterns, flower motifs, and abundant depictions of nature which makes them seriously attractive.
If you’d only like to look, head to Dolmabache Palace for its beautiful carpet collection that is more than 150 years old. For a long time, Turkish carpets also furnished many European palaces.
So, if you wish to feel like a monarch and carry a bit of Turkish legacy with you, then opt for a carpet. You’ll find some of the best ones at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar or Goreme’s Muze Cd. in Cappadocia.
Do you have Cappadocia on your Turkey itinerary? Well, you must because Cappadocia is a place unlike any other in this world.
With its surreal tufa landscape dotted with unusual fair chimneys, Cappadocia makes for an interesting travel destination.
You can ride a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, explore massive underground cities, and take amazing tours to see cave monasteries and rock dwellings.
If you are looking for something more offbeat when in Cappadocia, then head to the quaint, riverside town of Avanos that has been the pottery center of Turkey since ages.
Studies suggest that Cappadocians have been making pottery since the time of Hittites in 1800 BCE.
In Avanos, you can purchase some famous Cappadocia pottery made of red clay from the Red River that flows through the town. Even better, attend a historical pottery-making workshop and make your own piece to bring back home.
Buy a Turkish silk scarf or shawl at the beginning of your journey. It will come in handy when visiting mosques in Turkey and every city has lots of mosques. Istanbul has so many that, honestly, I have lost count of how many I visited and how many got left behind.
Every mosque requires that you cover your head before entering, if you are a woman. If you haven’t already packed a scarf, buy one as soon as you land in Istanbul.
People of Turkey have cultivated silk since a long time. The first silk production happened during the time of Byzantine Emperor, Justinianus in 6th century CE.
Bursa, a historical town in northwest Turkey, became the center of silk production. So, if you are headed to Bursa, be sure to get your authentic Turkish silk scarf from there.
I found these cute, little, glass bottles everywhere in Turkey and really liked them. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
I was fascinated by these because they, like the mosaic lamps and nargile pipes, bring to my mind visuals from Arabian Nights and life in the Middle East.
At many places, you’ll see vendors selling these bottles with perfume inside them. Some come empty too. You can just fill them with oil or rose water or anything else that you fancy.
In short, these miniature bottles make for cute gifts from Turkey and add a dash of twinkle to your house.
Also known as hookah and sheesha in other cultures, the Turkish nargile pipe or the Turkish water pipe is a prized souvenir to buy in Turkey.
The nargile pipe has a history of more than 500 years. Even today, it is an inherent part of Turkish cafe culture. You can head to a cafe of your choice in Istanbul and enjoy a smoke.
The best part is that you can bring a nargile home. Just head to one of the stores at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and pick a nargile of your choice.
Some of them are really unique pieces of art that can be used to beautify your home even if you don’t smoke.
Best foodie Turkish souvenirs from Turkey
I love to collect foodie souvenirs when traveling. Anything edible that I can bring back home is always a good deal.
It not reminds me of all the amazing food I have had in that place but also takes me back to all my wonderful experiences.
Turkey is a great place to pick up some foodie souvenirs and Istanbul’s local markets are the perfect place to get them.
Local spices are one of my favorite edible souvenirs to get from any country. They are easy to carry, can be used for a long time, and not very expensive.
I always make it a point to visit local markets as well as supermarkets to hunt for traditional spices. And, am usually pretty satisfied with my haul.
You’ll find a lot of variety in Turkish spices. According to Go Turkiye, some of the most popular spices used in Turkish cuisine are red pepper flakes, thyme, mint, cumin, sumac, and cinnamon.
Every travel guide out there will probably tell you to get your spices from the Spice Bazaar (also called the Egyptian Market) in Istanbul. You can definitely shop there but let me give you a small pro tip.
Pro tip: Instead of getting your spices from the Spice Bazaar, buy them from shops in the alleys behind these markets or away from touristy areas. You’ll get the same quality at half the price. Tried and tested advice. Scroll to the end to find out where I got my spices and dried fruits from.
You cannot go wrong with Turkish dried fruits. Dried fruits from Turkey are as fresh as can be and of the best quality.
Whether you are looking for salted pistacchios, dried figs and apricots, Sultana raisins, or naturally dried apples, you’ll find all of them here.
Dried fruit peels are also a popular thing in Turkey. For example, there are orange, mandarin, and lemon peels – all cleaned and dried. You can use them in your face masks and/or for flavoring your food and drinks.
Apart from drying fruits, Turkey has a long tradition of drying and preserving vegetables. This was usually done so that people had adequate food during the winter months when nothing much grew.
I was fascinated by the astonishing amount of dried vegetables available at the Spice Bazaar in Turkey. Could not help but get into a chat with the shop owner who gave me a little insight.
At the end of the harvest season, usually during fall, you’ll see thousands of vegetables drying on roof tops, gardens, and courtyards. There are egg plants, red peppers, chillies, and gourds.
Drying time varies across vegetables because of their moisture content. For instance, tomatoes will take longer than carrots to dry and get ready for preservation.
If you would love to include some of these dried and preserved vegetables in your meals back home, feel free to pick them from the Turkish markets in Istanbul.
Top 5 Must-Buy Turkish Souvenirs to Bring Home | Your Ultimate Guide!
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