Souvenirs Worth Packing from Istanbul (and Where to Find Them!) 🧿🇹🇷

Istanbul is souvenir heaven. We found so many cool pieces and the variety is incredible (check the pics!). We did a lot of browsing, and here's what we learned that made a real difference:

🛍 Where to shop:
Everyone says to visit the Grand Bazaar. Yes, it's a must see, but when it comes to actually buying, it's not always the best deal - especially if you're a foreigner. Prices there tend to be highly inflated, and haggling can feel a bit intense.

We found most of our favorite shops near Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, right in Sultanahmet. The side streets are full of small, locally owned shops with better prices and more variety.

🧾 Some tips when shopping:
Don't buy from the first place you see. We went into two shops across the same street and they both had the same style of pottery, but one shop was almost half the price.

Haggle! It's totally normal in Turkey, and even expected. Be friendly, take your time, and you'll likely get a better deal.

Look for handmade details. Some shops sell mass-produced stuff, but the good ones will show you hand-painted designs and sometimes even explain where/how they're made.

And if you're wondering what to look for, here are some of the signature souvenirs you'll see all over Istanbul:

🧿 Evil eye charms (Nazar Boncuğu)
🎨 Hand-painted ceramics and pottery
🕯 Mosaic lamps
🍬 Turkish delight (Lokum) - pro tip: get the fresh kind, not the tourist boxes
☕ Turkish coffee sets
🌿 Spices & teas
🖋 Miniature art and calligraphy

Istanbul really knows how to make shopping feel like treasure hunting, so take your time and enjoy it!

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