So you are now in istanbul city and you are having a good fun time, you already visited some museum, historical sights, cultural centers and you already tasted the turkish food, turkish coffee, turkish tea and turkish dessert but you keep thinking of what to bring with you back to home. or simply, you are thinking of your beloved ones back home and wish that they were here to spend time together. finally, you decide to buy some souvenirs and gifts and take home with you but istanbul has a lot of things to buy.
published: 23 September 2022 / updated: 7 March 2024Share
Well, you are thinking right and not to get lost, here are the five best things to buy from Istanbul city:
Turkish desserts:
Good things come first. You have probably tried many types of Turkish dessert and loved some but what everyone has agreed on its delicious and light taste is HALKUM.
The Turkish Halkum is one of the most famous delights in Turkey. Both locals and foreigners actually love ths delight. You can buy a packet or two if you want because it lives for a long time so you can store it in your kitchen. In general, it is not expensive except for the one made with cream and you can buy Turkish Halkum from the Grand Bazaar in Beyazit, the famous Spice Bazaar in Eminonu, Istiklal Street in Taksim, or from Kadikoy district if you are staying in the Asian side of Istanbul, just make sure to pack it tight not to be open during your flight.
Turkish coffee:
As you already visited many Cafes and Restaurants you have for sured tasted the Turkish coffee or Turkish tea. Some people find it heavy but others actually fell in love with it, so if you are one of the others, a packet of Turkish Coffee or Turkish tea is would be a great thing to buy before getting back home. The best shop where to buy a fresh made Turkish coffee is from Mehmet KuruKahveci in Eminonu. These guys make the most delicious coffee in Turkey and it is not expensive too, all you need to do is to learn how to make a Turkish coffee by yourself and for that you will definitely need a Turkish coffee cup. You can buy a couple of these cups from Eminonu also or from the famous Grand Bazaar.
Carpets:
Istanbul City is one of the most famous places where handmade carpets are made, you can also find carpets made in Iran or Afghanistan. The best place is Adnan and Hasan shop in the Grand Bazaar. This shop is fabulous and has the most qualified and beautiful carpets you have ever seen and the staff is so polite and helpful. Of course, handmade carpets are expensive because you are buying a masterpiece but it is worth every single cent you pay for it, just bring a fat wallet with you and tell the staff that you are taking it back home in order to pack it for you.
Hamam accessories:
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One of the things that has been interesting for many tourists is ‘’Turkish Hamam’’ . This relieving experience has become one of the main reasons why people visit Istanbul every year. If you have enjoyed this experience, you can buy yourself some natural soaps, natural lotions, bath oils or you can buy some traditional Turkish handmade towels and repeat the experience at your house.
Jewelry:
Turkey was ranked the 3rd country in jewelry trading, there are literally tonnes of silver and gold jewelry, different types of diamonds, and most importantly, the traditional Ottoman Rings. Simply, it is a silver ring for men with a gemstone on top of it that comes in different colors, there also rings for women designed in Ottoman style but be carefull, most of the rings in the market does not have a gemstone but artificial stone because gemstones are really expensive so people tend to buy rings with artificial stones that look exactly like the real gemstone. In any case, you can always find a ring with real gemstone on it in the Grand Bazaar.
If you are not a fan of rings, you can find many other options like nicklesses, earrings, bracelets and many other options with thousands of designs.
One of the most luxurious shops is called ‘’Kiswah’’. It offers both luxurious Islamic and ancient heritage jewelry, you can find it in the Grand Bazaar.
Still, Istanbul city offers visitors a lot of options to buy and take back home but most importantly, it offers fun and enjoyable time.
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