Do you know Istanbul souvenirs? Suppose you have bought a ticket to Istanbul and are counting the minutes to reach this city and see its unique attractions? You are thinking about the luxurious hotel you have booked and what time you should have in mind to enjoy what kind of entertainment. Have you thought about Istanbul souvenirs? What souvenirs do you think this historic and lively city, which has been called the largest city in the world, has? In this article, we draw your attention to the most famous souvenirs of Istanbul and the places where you can buy them.
The most famous souvenirs of Istanbul
Istanbul has both edible souvenirs and handicrafts and handmade products. With any taste, you can buy your favorite souvenirs from the markets of this city and take them with you. In order to make it easier to know the souvenirs of Istanbul, we have divided them into two categories:
- Foods in Istanbul
- Handicrafts and takeaway products in Istanbul
Foods in Istanbul
1- Turkish tea and herbal teas; The most famous souvenirs of Istanbul
While wandering around the alleys of Istanbul, you will see that most of the people are drinking black tea. You guessed it right, black tea is one of the favorite drinks of Turks. Of course, tourists also follow the tradition of drinking tea while traveling and take refuge in it to relieve fatigue.
Turks have special customs for brewing tea and drinking it. To brew tea, they use a special kettle called çaydanlık and serve tea in traditional narrow-waisted glasses. This traditional way of serving tea makes it more delicious and you will want to try Turkish tea again and again.
In addition to black tea, herbal teas can also be found in Istanbul cafes. Of course, the customers of Demnoosh are more tourists than Turks living in Istanbul. The pure aroma of apples and roses can be smelled from these teas. If you try Turkish black tea or one of these teas once, it is unlikely that any other drink will not appeal to you.
Turkish tea price:
From 7 to 27 lira or from 2 to 8 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- Spice market
- big market
2- Turkish Rahat al-Halqom; With different designs and tastes
Sweet lovers are very interested in this attractive and tempting souvenir. Rahat al-Halqom is known as “lokum” in Türkiye and is considered one of the most attractive souvenirs of Istanbul.
Turkish rahat al-halqum is made like Iranian rahat al-halqum. They use sugar and starch to make this sweet. Of course, sometimes fruit and nut extracts are added to Rahatul-Halgoum to make it more diverse and to satisfy everyone. The most popular examples of this dish are those made with pistachios, oranges, lemons, rose water and cinnamon.
Turkish rahatul halqums are prepared in different shapes and designs. Of course, changing the shape of this food does not change its taste, and all Rahat al-Halgoum is more delicious than you can imagine.
Before buying this souvenir, ask the seller about its raw materials, because some flavorings reduce the shelf life of Rahat al-Halgoum, and this food does not last long and spoils during transportation between the two countries.
Turkish Delight
Turkish comfort price:
From 20 to 60 lira or from 5 to 18 dollars per half kilo box
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Spice market
- Arasta Bazaar
- Confectioneries and sweet shops in the city
3- Turkish spices; A different taste and aroma for food
The world of flavors owes all its charm to the aroma and taste of different spices. Turks are skilled cooks and their food is famous almost all over the world. If you want to cook like a professional Turkish chef and cook dishes that your guests and family will enjoy, it’s time to try Turkish spices.
What do you think about Turkish spices as a souvenir of Istanbul? For cooking enthusiasts, Turkish spices are considered a luxury and valuable souvenir. Because it can make their cooking popular and special.
For souvenirs, you can buy Turkish spices both in bulk and in packages. If you want a lot of spices, it’s obviously more cost-effective to buy them in bulk; But if you want to try the Turkish spice for a taste test, you can get a few small packets of it.
Packaged spices look more suitable for souvenirs. Because it is easier to carry them and the owner of the shop took the trouble to pack them.
Turkish spices
The price of Turkish spices:
From 3 to 25 lira or from 1 to 7 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- Spice market
- big market
4- Eat Baklava sweets and become a sweet tooth
Istanbul is the city of sweets lovers. Baklava sweets are one of the most delicious and traditional souvenirs of Istanbul that you can eat and take to others. This delicious pastry is filled with pistachios and has nectar.
Be aware that excessive consumption of baklava can lead to diabetes. Eat enough of this sweet so that you can try it on your next trip to Istanbul.
Taking baklava as a souvenir has its own difficulties. You must be careful that the sweets are not crushed and have a suitable appearance for the gift. You should also be careful that the baklava packaging is not torn. Because everything you have in your suitcase will be stained with nectar.
The price of Turkish baklava:
From 30 to 70 lira or 9 to 20 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
Sweet shops in the city
5- Turkish coffee; A natural drink for caffeine lovers
Istanbul is a paradise for caffeine lovers. The Turkish coffee you drink in this city will definitely be the best coffee of your life. After drinking coffee, turn the cup over so that your fortune and luck will be engraved inside it. Leave fortune reading to someone who is capable and make your trip more fun.
For Istanbul souvenirs, you can choose Turkish coffee. This pure and unique souvenir will bring the memory of your trip to life. By taking Turkish coffee, you can share the joys of your trip with your friends and family and treat them to an attractive and aromatic drink.
Turkish coffee
Turkish coffee price:
21 dollars for each 250 grams
Where to buy this souvenir?
- Spice market
- big market
Handicrafts of Istanbul
1- Evil Eye or Amulet; A different decorative object
Turks use a blue glass with an eye in the middle to remove the sore eye. In the popular belief, this decorative glass can remove negative energies from a person and prevent him from bad things.
These days, the eye has become a decorative object and few people use it to protect themselves from the evil eye. The available photos of famous people like Brad Pitt and Rihanna while they have used decorative eyes are the proof of this story, that the eyes are no longer exclusive to certain ethnic groups and nationalities and the superstitious beliefs about it are disappearing.
Turkish shops offer the eyeglass in various designs, key chains, bracelets, pendants and necklaces are available, and you can buy any model you want as a souvenir of Istanbul.
The price of sore eyes:
From 3 to 175 lira or from 1 to 50 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- All souvenir shops
2- Iznik ceramics; A special and lasting souvenir
In the 10th century of Hijri, Iznik, Turkey was the place of production of special turquoise tiles, whose beauty is mind-blowing. These tiles can be seen in Topkapi Palace, Rostam Pasha Mosque and Hagia Sophia Mosque. Iznik tiles are part of the cultural heritage of Türkiye and it is forbidden to take them out of this country.
Modern examples of pottery whose designs and patterns are inspired by these tiles can be seen in Istanbul. These dishes are known as Iznik ceramics and are souvenirs of Istanbul.
Iznik ceramics are made in different samples. You can choose and buy one or more models from Iznik plates, bowls and vases.
Carrying ceramics as a souvenir carries a lot of responsibility. In order to make sure that the ceramics arrive safely at the destination, ask the seller to use bubble wrap between the containers and consider a strong carton for packing Iznik ceramics.
Iznik ceramics
The price of Iznik ceramics:
From 20 lira or 5 dollars and above
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Spice market
- Arasta Bazaar
3- Carpets and rugs; Turkish handicrafts
You are not going to take cumin to Kerman. It is true that the fame of Iranian carpets has reached the whole world and everyone fights to have it. But each carpet tells a different story and the story of Turkish and Iranian carpets is different. As the most different souvenirs of Istanbul, you can choose the carpet to take away.
Some of these carpets are decorative and you can install them on the wall, so that they are always in front of your eyes. Some other Turkish carpets have retained their original use and are placed on the floor. Spread these carpets in the place where you want to have a different decoration and enjoy watching it every time.
Again, there is a carpet in Turkey, rugs prepared as cushion covers are the best choice for houses with traditional decoration.
Turkish carpet price:
From 1042 lira or 300 dollars for the carpet
From 173 lira or 50 dollars for a cushion cover
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Arasta Bazaar
4- Turkish lamps; A beautiful chandelier for all homes
Taking the lamp as a souvenir from one country to another does not seem very wise; But few people can resist the beauty of these lamps and buy one of them for use.
Do not resist buying this souvenir, it is useless. Because look at every corner of Istanbul, you will see a shop that displays magical Turkish lamps and charms tourists.
Turkish lamps have various sizes and colors, and you are free to choose a lamp that fits your home decoration.
If your decision to buy this souvenir is definite, do not rush to buy a Turkish lamp. It is true that apparently all of them have the same shape; But the quality of making the lamps is different. Now that you have gone through the trouble of getting these beautiful lamps, buy a quality lamp that will both beautify your home and provide good lighting.
Turkish lamps
Turkish lamp price:
From 25 to 100 liras or from 7 to 30 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Arasta Bazaar
5- Turkish towels; Pleasant bathing experience
What do you expect from a good towel? Is it except that the towel should absorb water well and have a good shelf life? Turkish towels meet all your expectations of a good quality bath towel. Softness and excellent quality are the distinguishing features of these towels.
Turkish towels have high water absorption power and after bathing you can completely dry your body and hair with them.
The interesting thing about these towels is that they are hand-woven. Each handmade Turkish towel may weigh about one kilogram. As a souvenir of Istanbul, you can also count on Turkish towels.
Of course, you should know that these towels are offered in two types, hand-woven and machine-made. Machine towels are lighter and thinner. When buying a good towel, pay attention to the material of the towel so that you don’t buy a machine towel instead of a hand-woven towel and pay a lot of money for it.
Turkish towel price:
From 45 to 65 lira or from 12 to 18 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Arasta Bazaar
- Spice market
- Large stores in the city
6- Turkish black soaps; To exfoliate and soften the skin
Have you ever had the experience of going to traditional baths? To get this experience, you should leave your body soaps and shampoos and this time go to the bathroom with Turkish black soap. This soap does not contain any chemicals and all its ingredients are natural.
Turkish black soap is a powerful exfoliator. For those who have oily skin and don’t know how to get rid of pimples and acne, this soap will work wonders for them. By using soap, the dead layer of the skin is removed and a new soft layer replaces it.
You can choose these soaps for Istanbul souvenirs. Black soap is the best gift to revive the memories of old and traditional baths for your family and relatives.
Turkish black soaps
The price of Turkish black soap:
45 lira or 12 dollars
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Arasta Bazaar
- Spice market
- Health and cosmetic stores
7- cezve; Turkish coffee container
If you are a coffee lover and bought Turkish coffee as a souvenir of Istanbul to take home, why not prepare a special container for brewing it. Cezve is a special copper vessel used to brew Turkish coffee.
cezvehas been made by Turkish artists since ancient times, and almost all over the country, Jazoh is used to brew coffee. The taste of coffee prepared in a copper pot is unique. I have no doubt that if you prepare and eat coffee in this container once, you will not go for any other coffee maker or coffee maker.
You can find cezve in all the souvenir markets of Istanbul; But it is better to buy it from local artisans. By doing this, you have supported the artisans to produce this product and you have been able to have a high-quality copper container for brewing authentic Turkish coffee.
Price list:
From 35 lira or 10 dollars and above
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Arasta Bazaar
- Spice market
8- Turkish jewelry
The design and manufacture of gold and jewelry in Türkiye has a long history. During the time of the Ottoman kings, dozens of artisans served the royal court and made gold and jewelry. Jewelery is still one of the most prominent handicrafts in Türkiye and has its own special customers.
You can find jewelry that is reasonably priced by browsing the Turkish bazaar. However, what is most appreciated is the unique gold and precious stones of this market.
Suvan Bicakci, Tina and Gilan are among the most famous Turkish jewelry shops where you can buy Istanbul souvenirs. You can even order a new piece of jewelry from a professional jeweler to make it just the way you want it.
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Jewelry shops in the city
9- hookah; A different decorative gift
When the name of hookah is mentioned, everyone points to the problems and diseases caused by it and says that not having hookah in the house is better than having it. Of course, there are those who enjoy hookah smoking and are interested in taking a hookah from Türkiye as a souvenir.
Apart from hookah smoking, this product can also be used for decoration. Hookah is an attractive decorative device for home decoration. You can place it next to your other traditional decor items and complete your collection.
You can even gift these Istanbul souvenirs to hookah lovers. Along with Turkish hookahs, tobacco with different flavors is also sold. According to the gift recipient’s taste, you can buy several tobacco models and place them next to the hookah.
The price of Turkish hookah:
From 20 lira up
Where to buy this souvenir?
big market
10- All kinds of leather products
Do you want to take a souvenir from Istanbul that few people think of? Why don’t you think about leather products?
Türkiye is famous for producing all kinds of high-quality and affordable leather products. You can choose a leather jacket or coat for a souvenir or buy a leather bag and belt.
If the size of the clothes or shoes is not suitable or you want a different model of leather products, you can order the store right away so that they can prepare it for you.
All kinds of leather products
The price of Turkish leather products:
Belts from 20 lira up
Leather jackets about 500 lira
Where to buy this souvenir?
- big market
- Clothing stores
11- first class clothes; High quality and high quality
Cotton and wool are produced in abundance in Türkiye. This issue has provided the basis for the production of high-quality and first-class clothes by Turks.
If you want to buy high-quality clothes at a reasonable price, a trip to Istanbul is the best opportunity for you. By visiting the markets of Istanbul, you can see various Turkish clothes and buy everything you need.
Really…
Did you know that Türkiye hosts world-famous clothing brands? However, you will be able to compare Turkish clothes and original clothes, and you can buy and take the best souvenirs of Istanbul.
And at the end
Istanbul souvenirs are plentiful. To buy Turkish souvenirs, you should visit this city and visit all the famous markets of Istanbul. We tried to bring most of the known souvenirs of Istanbul in this article so that you can plan your purchase.
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