Istanbul is one of the most vibrant cities that I have set foot in. It is also very crowded so it is easy to get overwhelmed. Finding souvenirs from Istanbul may seem easy enough. Pop into a souvenir shop and take your pick. I generally prefer to buy ones that are more culturally significant. Things that remind me of my time in the city which is why I always do my research before heading out. I also keep an eye out in the local markets.
I think it is also important to know where to go shopping for your souvenirs because some parts of the city are really expensive. We scoured the local markets, went through the tourist areas and even visited the malls. I’ll detail the best shopping areas for souvenirs in Istanbul and talk about where to buy things for cheaper so you keep the budget in check.
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Turkish Souvenirs – Where To Shop For Souvenirs From Istanbul
There are many places that you can shop for Turkish souvenirs in Istanbul. The general trend is to head to the souvenir shops but I find those rather unimaginative. They are convenient. Here are some great alternatives.
- Grand Bazaar: A large shopping area. The market is huge and open every day. You’ll find loads of things here. From food to clothes to fruit to decor… Its all here. You need to haggle a bit to get a good rate. Generally speaking its easier to get a good rate for your purchase outside the main center of the bazaar if you don’t speak the local language.
- The Spice Market: This is another great place to buy edible souvenirs in Istanbul. Its also a cool experience.
- The Malls: There are many different malls all across the city. Generally the outlet malls have stuff at a better price.
- The Local markets: There are numerous smaller local markets. The best way to find these is by asking your hotel or accommodation.
- Souvenir shops attached to the museums: There are a couple of souvenir shops that are attached to the main attractions in the city. My favorite ones were the ones at the Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia museum.
Edible Souvenirs from Istanbul
I love food and have always been a foodie. That is why one of the main things that I look for is items of food that I can take home. Istanbul is such an amazing place to try out different types of Turkish cuisine. It is often so hard to pick a place to eat because there are so many options. But if you want to take some the Turkish delicacies back home, I suggest checking out these options.
1. Turkish Tea
People talk about the Turkish coffee when they visit but few realize just how much tea the people consume. As an Indian, I’ve drunk my weight in tea and even I was impressed. Turkish tea is drunk black unlike the chai we drink back home.
There are various types of tea. You will find many shops that have rows and rows of them. Some need to be brewed and in this case you will notice that they have mixtures of fruits, spices or even flower petals in them. It is believed that certain types of teas have health benefits. If you ask, the person at the store will enumerate on them.
Across Istanbul you will notice that people also make tea with a powder concoction. Pomegranate tea is especially popular. The powder version has sugar in it so you just mix it in warm or cold water to make tea. Cold or ice tea is refreshing in the hot days while warm or hot tea is used during the colder season.
2. Turkish Delights
Served with a cup of coffee or tea, the sweet Turkish delight was something that my children loved. There are numerous shops that sell these. They come in all different sizes and colors. I would broadly classify them into the ones with nuts and the ones without. There is much more to it than that but one of my children liked the one with nuts and the other the one without. So that sort off stuck in my head.
If you try to buy these Turkish delights in the main historical center of Istanbul, you will find that they are very costly when compared to the outskirts of the city. We did our shopping the Faith district of Istanbul and it was about 1/3rd the price.
Regardless where you buy them, Turkish delights remain one of the most popular souvenirs from Istanbul.
3. Baklava
Baklava is another sweet that everyone talks about. The crispy pastry soaked in syrup and doused with a load of mixed nuts. There are various types of Baklava and you can taste them to your hearts content when you are in the city. I recommend going to a shop that has a lot of people moving in and out because then you are assured that you can get a fresh piece. Trust me, fresh baklava tastes so different.
Many of these sweet shops have nice boxes of baklava that are sealed so that they remain fresh for longer. These make great souvenirs from Istanbul.
4. Spices
Spices are used in Turkish cooking. As an Indian, I do not find the cooking hot or spicey but its flavorful. It is familiar in a way that I can’t describe. Spices in Istanbul are also a great thing to take back home as souvenirs from Turkey. I would however caution about checking the custom rules in relation to the spices you take back before you buy them.
Decorative Items
There are numerous handcrafted decorative items that work as souvenirs from Istanbul. Not only are these easy to take back and cute, it also means that you support the local businesses. Many of these items can be found in the souvenir shops in Istanbul but I would also recommend scouring through the markets which is a unique experience in itself.
5. Magnets
Magnets are the gold standard when it comes to souvenirs. They are small, easy to carry, give you a snapshot of something that brings back memories and are pretty cheap compared to other souvenirs from Istanbul. These are all the reasons why people bring them home from countries across the world. I have friends whose fridges are covered with magnetic memories of their travels.
6. Coasters
Coasters are one of my favorite souvenirs from Turkey. They come in so many colors and patterns. Many of them resemble the mosaic that you see in the iconic buildings.
Turkish Souvenirs For The Household
7. Turkish Tea Glasses
If you’ve been to Istanbul you will know that the tea is served in very cute glasses. These are shaped differently with a narrow neck. They are used everywhere. These make great souvenirs to take home especially as they are pretty unique.
I always worry about carrying glass items over long distances. You could choose to wrap the glasses in your clothes or as the person in the shop to wrap them for you. Alternatively, you could also choose to buy them online.
8. Hamman Towels
Hammams are one of the unique experiences that you can have in Istanbul. When you visit a hammam, you will find that they use a particular type of towel. It is thin, super absorbent and very comfortable. We have a similar one in India too. These are great not just for the house but also when traveling because they fold up nicely and take very little space. Which is why this isn’t just one of the cool cultural souvenirs from Istanbul, it is also a great travel accessory to have if you travel a lot.
You can buy these from the shops in the Grand Bazaar or you could get it directly from the hammam. Alternatively if you are short on luggage space, you could also buy it online and have it shipped directly to you.
9. Pumice Stones
The pumice stone is another commonly used item in households. While these may be hard to get in many places, you will find that these are easily available in all the chemist shops in the city. They also come with a marked price so you don’t have to haggle.
10. Cushion Covers
One of the coolest souvenirs from Istanbul is the cushion covers. They come in so many different patterns. I was obsessed with all of the cat themed cushion covers. The fabric also feels different. Its thicker and yet soft. You don’t see these all over but if it is something that interests you, you can find them in the Grand Bazaar.
11. Rugs And Carpets
The Turkish rugs and carpets are so colorful and vibrant. They come in so many different types of sizes and textures. Some are thick and heavy, others are thinner and more easy to carry. Now while this may not seem like the most practical of the souvenirs from Istanbul to take back home, it is not completely impossible.
As I mentioned before, the rugs are sometimes made of a thinner material. This is lighter and easier to pack than the thicker carpets. It is worthwhile noting that you can also ask the merchant to pack it for you such that you can transport it separately because it doesn’t have to fit in your suitcase.
Accessories
There are different accessories that you could keep an eye out to take back as souvenirs from Istanbul. I’ve seen a couple and I personally love my bag which I got back. I’ll get to that in a bit.
12. Purses and bags
I love the Turkish bags. They come in all different forms. My personal preference was the sling bags where I could put all my kids art supplies in, throw in a water bottle and roam carefree. They have so many cute designs. The cat lover in me had to pick ones with cats on it.
The sling bags come in different qualities. I found one at the Basilica cistern that I loved but didn’t buy. I kicked myself for that later. The inner lining was nice and soft. It had a button that fastened well and it had a cute design. The price was actually good and I learnt that only after I tried to get one from the markets.
It is also worth noting that some of these bags don’t come with a fastener. So make sure you check. Others also don’t have an inner lining.
There are loads of options when it comes to smaller purses too. You just have to hunt in the markets. I prefer the traditional ones from the artisans but there are many cheaper versions available too.
13. Scarves And Shawls
Scarves are very popular in Istanbul. These aren’t popular because women cover their heads. They are also used as accessories. In fact, during the colder months of the year, it is nice to wrap your neck in it too.
Scarves here are made of various different fabrics. The colors of the scarves are what attracted me to them. In all fairness, I probably have way too many scarves but I love them. So I couldn’t help myself when it came to this souvenir from Istanbul
14. Craft Supplies
Did you know that craft supplies are easily available in the Turkish markets. It does depend on which part of the world you come from because for some they may be viewed as cheap. I know this because I compared it to the rates in both India and the Netherlands. From different kinds of beads, to ribbons and stationary… There is a lot to browse through.
If these souvenirs from Istanbul caught your eye then make sure you head to the Friday Bazaars. You get your best bargains there.
15. Clothes
Clothes shopping is also a great idea in Istanbul. You just need to know where to go. First off, the city has loads of different malls where you have access to all the different brands. The Mall of Istanbul is one of the biggest malls in the city. We quickly learnt that you don’t have to traverse the city to head to a specific mall. Anyone will do. So pick the one nearest to you.
If you want discounted stuff then check out the outlet mall next to you. Note that these outlet malls may or may not have the brands that you are looking for. There are outlet malls just for the premium brands which may or may not interest you.
In addition to this, you can check the local markets, the Grand Bazaar and even the Friday markets. These are cool experiences in themself and also interesting places to browse through.
As you can see, you don’t really have to stick to the general common souvenirs. There are so many great traditional Turkish souvenirs from Istanbul that you can take home. Not only does it support local businesses, you will often find that these souvenirs are things you will use more frequently. I have them all over the house and when I look or use them, it takes me right back to the trip I bought them on.
On the flipside, I attach a lot of sentimental value to these things which is why I tend to reduce how much I buy. Something that Shawn approves off too. My advise is to see what works for you and strike that balance.
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