Actually, the question is not only what souvenirs to buy in Istanbul, but how to make sure the gifts are original and of excellent quality! With Istanbul’s vast history and different influences, you get easily overwhelmed while looking for a gift or a souvenir. Not in the least because you’ll run into a low quality souvenir shop or stand on almost every street corner.
In this article, I will not only provide you with highly practical suggestions, but I’ll also tell you exactly where locals like me get the best quality for their money.
Derviş
The products below come from various regions of Anatolia, so they reflect pure authenticity.
- Turkish Bath accessories like 100% cotton towels and pestemals (hamam bath cloths), scrubbers, carved wooden clogs, copper bowl and soap cases.
- 100% natural hand-made soaps which contain virgin olive oil with rose, oregano and other herbs.
- Tribal mohair covers which are 100% hand spun goat hairs in natural colors.
- Hand carved natural big soaps.
- Fur covers made in patchwork design.
- Hand woven spreads, cloths and covers.
- Ethnic products such as accessories, dresses, shirts, felts, dowry cloths, which are all hand embroidered and more than 40-50 years old.
Address: Keseciler Caddesi No: 33-35, Kapalıçarşı (Grand Bazaar), Eminönü – Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 514 45 25
Website: www.dervis.com
Guided Shopping Market Tours
Half-day €25 — Full-day €65+ — Group €100
Easy cancellation with a FULL REFUND up to 24 hours in advance
Haremlique
Haremlique specializes in high quality bed and bath linen products, sleepwear and other accessories offering Ottoman themes in elegant modern designs. The other specialty of the shop is Turkish coffee. You can find traditional flavor or different aromas like chocolate, cardamon, cinnamon or mastic.
This is the place to be, if you feel like taking back home stylish utilities for cooking Turkish coffee, like an elegant silver coffee pot, spoon, tray or coffee cups.
Address: Zorlu Center, Koru Sokak No:2/194, Beşiktaş – Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 236 38 43
Website: www.haremlique.com (for the linen range) & www.selamliqueistanbul.com (for coffee & utilities)
Cem Lokmanhekim
Cem Lokmanhekim has been designing, manufacturing and selling his own jewelry since mid 90s. His unique, hand crafted and custom made designs are the essence of the admiration for him.
Address: Ihlamur Yolu 2/2, Nişantaşı – Istanbul
Phone: +90 212 231 50 65
Guided Shopping Mall Tours
Half-day €35/100+ per person/group — Full-day €60+ per person
Easy cancellation with a FULL REFUND up to 24 hours in advance
Backgammon
Here are some tips to get a good board. The best wood type is walnut for longlasting usage. It generally comes in brown or black. Some have pearl inlay (sedef kakma) designs and they look quite authentic but the pearls may not always be authentic.
Turks love this ancient board game and have been charmed by it since the sixteenth century Ottoman times. You can get a backgammon set almost anywhere, especially around Eminönü, Tahtakale and Grand Bazaar. The following shop in Grand Bazaar is specialized in two items: backgammon boards and seramic hanging balls, mostly in tulip and infinity patterns.
Dilek Gift Shop / Mehmet Özyurt
Address: Halıcılar Caddesi No:26, Kapalıçarşı (Grand Bazaar), Eminönü – Istanbul
Phone: +90 532 457 8676
Ro Crumpler says
My husband was in the very lovely, extravagant, and yes, “grand“ Grand Bazaar in Instanbul about 15 years ago. I didn’t get to go with him but he returned
with beautiful photos taken of this thousands year old city in Turkey.
Also, while there, he bought something that we had heard so much about. There were these lovely hand-painted balls with a brightly colored tassel attached to the bottom of the balls with metal and bead work. These balls are designed to hang from your ceiling with an attached chain. I have one each hung at the two entrances of my home. These lovely ceramic balls represent the evil eye known by the Turks to ward off or prevent evil from coming into your home.
The actually evil eye is painted on some of these balls. Here is a description of mine: The balls I own have no eyes all over it. They are approximately 8”-9” in diameter and are hand-painted with fine vine work filled with colorful leaves and tiny flowers. The artist does not let you forget the Turkish flower, the elaborate lily, that is hand painted throughout the vine work of these stunning ceramic balls!!
I have been trying desperately to find more of these balls to give to my adult children to hang in their own homes. I have searched the Internet endlessly— to no avail.
If you can help me locate a website where I can buy more of these lovely balls, I would be “forever” indebted to you!!!
Thank you!
FYI: I don’t care if I have to pay international shipping.
Erlend says
Hi Ro,
I’ll see what I can do. If I find a solution, I’ll email you.
Erlend says
Hi Ro,
I have just sent you an email.
Hope it helps.
Sandra Bowden says
Thanks for the intel. heading to Istanbul this weekend and was wondering where to get nice bed and bath linens. Just bought a house in Fethiye and need a few bits especially since I forgot the box with my new towels and sheets in France.
Erlend says
Hi Sandra,
Another quality brand you may want to check out is Linens. You should be able to find it in the bigger shopping malls. And often similar shops are grouped together, so you can compare.