With the holiday season coming up, you undoubtedly have already started brainstorming potential gift ideas for your nomadic loved ones. If you happen to be in Turkey, or just passing through, there are so many different gift ideas here that the choices can be overwhelming.

Some treats and souvenirs are ubiquitous in both old town streets and malls. No matter where you go you’ll find Baklava, Turkish Delights, carpets and lamps. If you would like to read my ‘Baklava Primer’ I’ll leave a link here. However, other items while still uniquely Turkish are harder to find to the uninitiated. Besides, how will you know which is the best brand or who are the renowned suppliers and providers of some of these souvenirs? If you’re visiting Turkey on a short trip you might go to the Grand Bazaar, or to the Egyptian Bazaar, however you may not be able to see and experience it all.

That’s why I, with the help of my wonderful wife, have prepared a list of some truly Turkish things to buy for your friends and family. The astute readers may come to the end and find that we have not mentioned any carpets. While carpets are great and iconic, they’re also heavy and can be difficult to bring back if you are planning on gifting them. For that reason we’ve left rugs and carpets out, but I’m sure of the 18 gift ideas we have listed here you will find something you like. You may even find some of these brands have an online shop or are resold closer to home, so I hope this helps you in your search for the perfect gift.

Scarves

It’s interesting how this simple piece of fabric sits within the scenery of Turkish culture and identity. The scarf in Turkey can be considered both as a fashion statement as well as a religious symbol. You may even decide to buy one if you plan on visiting religious sites in Turkey.

There are many styles, shapes, and fabrics to choose from. Even certain colour combinations, knots, or ways of tying the scarf are used to identify someone as part of a particular community or culture. You should be able to find someone who sells them on every corner. If you are looking for something plain and mono-colour, you’ll find it. Looking for high end shawls and scarves? Turkey has them too. Do you want something that says Istanbul and has some iconic symbols on it? We’ve seen them too!

These make great gifts and presents due to their flexibility and, if you’re travelling light, their weight and foldability. You will find scarves sold almost anywhere touristy; Istiklal Street, The Grand Bazaar, Eminönü, or the Hippodrome. If you’re looking for something a bit more branded, try either Armine or Modanisa. Both of them also have an online store, so you can still gift a Turkish hijab to loved ones, even if they’re far.

Pasabahce (Paşabahçe)

Before coming to Istanbul I had never heard of this brand. But it turns out that this is one of the most well-known and sought-after homeware sellers. Homeware? I can almost hear your eyes rolling behind the screen. Did you know? Turkish people take their home decoration seriously, the amount of variety and thought put into it is an art itself!

Some of these unique homeware items you can buy are Turkish tea cups, ceramic pomegranates, and both serving as well as decorative plates. They all have a uniquely Turkish flair and are sold in various styles and price ranges through the Pasabahce brand. Some of them even have their own section on this list!

If you are in Turkey make Pasabahce your one stop to cover all your household gifts. Someone you know getting married soon? Get them a gift they’ll remember! The great thing about Pasabahce is their diverse prices ranges. You can find ornate, seasonal products at the highest price bracket in the official Pasabahce outlets and stores in most popular malls. However you can also buy humble glassware sold in the supermarkets on discount. Their current range of products frequently changes so you can find all kinds of styles, ranging from; rustic and wooden, black and post-modern, and of course regal and Ottoman throwbacks.

You will find boutique outlets in most malls but here are some of our favourites in Istanbul; Zorlu Center, Istiniye Park and Mall of Istanbul on the European side. Emaar Square Mall and Metropol on the Asian side. There are also a bunch of retailers in the Sirkeci area.

Cushion Covers

Cushion covers are a great gift idea because, we believe, you can never have enough! Even better, if you choose the right sizes, you won’t need to buy another cushion. Simply swap styles and change the covers when you feel like you want a change.

Cushion covers are your excuse to go as opulent as you want in style. You will find all kinds of Ottoman and traditional embroideries often incorporating bright colours, gold threads, and tulips or peacock feathers in the design. However you don’t need to go down that route, like our above point, there are as many styles as you could want here.

When it comes to the traditional Turkish and Ottoman style cushion covers the prices can vary wildly and you may not really know how much you should be paying. Here’s a hint for the rest of the blog! If you are buying at a bazaar, they mark those prices up! So do not be afraid to bargain and haggle down more than you normally would. Personally we have found that the best or most competitive prices come from the Arasta Bazaar which is a smaller, calmer market lane a small walk behind the Ayasofya.

Table Runners

If you’re in the mood for buying cushion covers you have probably also come across the amazing table runners they have here in Turkey too. You can often pair the cushion covers and table runners together and many shops offer a matching design.

All the same rules for cushion covers apply here too! Make sure to bargain and haggle down your price or ask them to throw in some matching cushion covers too.

Ceramics

Being in Turkey has redefined a lot of how I view the world. Ceramics included! Whatever you thought about them before, you wouldn’t get the whole picture unless you’ve been here already. I can assure you!

The wide range of Turkish ceramics make for great gifts if you are looking for something a bit pricier, weightier, and grander. At the various bazaars and outlets you will find ceramic Sufi dervishes, Arabic calligraphy, the important pomegranate sets which symbolize fertility and household prosperity, and let’s not forget the hand painted ceramics!

Turkey has a rich history of hand painted ceramics. You will be able to find plates of all sizes, teapots, mugs, jars and flowerpots and anything else you desire with ornate, painstakingly crafted hand paintings. Because of their detail, these can often be a pricier gift but are suitable if you are gifting to loved and close ones. Or just buy one for your own house!

Our current favourite place is just behind Sultanahmet tram station; there’s a street called Ticarethane street which leads towards a bunch of restaurants. The man there has been running the shop for years now, I’m sure he’s famous amongst others sellers! He’s incredibly friendly, offers great prices, and has so many designs crammed into his small store.

Lamps

If you’ve ever walked through a middle-Eastern bazaar you have no doubt seen the traditional lamps, some hanging and some on stands, all coming together like stars in the night sky. It’s something so astounding and synonymous with the experience of shopping in a bazaar.

Green tiles, red ones, blues, yellows, oranges and more all pieced together to form a beautiful pattern. They become even more breathtaking once you turn the light on behind them. And yes, you read that right! Turn on the light. While these probably started off as candle or oil lamps the technology has shifted with the times. These lamps are actually incredibly easy to integrate into your own home. The ones you see are mostly electronic and if you need help with the specifics the sellers know which ones are suitable for your home. If you don’t have a place to hang these beautiful shining ornaments from, there are also lamp varieties with their own stands which should accommodate most.

If you’re looking to just feel the experience of the Turkish Bazaar lamp, check out Taht Istanbul Photography Studio. It’s actually a photography studio that lets you take your own photos with their lovingly crafted set pieces. One of their rooms is the light room, and you might’ve been wondering where influencers and models have been getting these pictures from. If you’re ever in Istanbul you can get that experience too!

Nuts!

If you have walked around the streets of Istanbul, you may have noticed signs that say ‘Kuruyemiş’. These are shops that sell every kind of dried snack that you could think of for your travelling trail mix. Dried nuts often make a good gift idea; especially if they are packed and labelled correctly, you shouldn’t have any issues bringing a few bags of Turkish nuts back in your luggage.

Some of the most iconic nuts from Turkey are:

• The Pistachio. The Eastern region of Turkey, Gaziantep, is well-known for the quality of its pistachios. You will almost always see chocolates, snacks, and coffees flavoured with ‘Antep Pistachios’. It’s more common to see the two words together rather than not.
• The Hazelnut. Hazelnuts from Turkey have a deep earthy flavour and are rich and creamy. It’s no surprise that Turkey has a wealth of hazelnut spreads, desserts, and products. Many Turkish farms also provide Nutella with their hazelnut quantities.
• Seeds. So, not exactly a nut but the humble seed is actually the most popular item sold from the Kuruyemiş. Turks love to crack open the hard exterior of a sunflower or pumpkin seed and eat the soft contents. It’s not a tradition unique to Turkey but it is one of the most popular ones here. If you have picked up this eating habit or want to send some seeds back to your relatives you will be spoilt for gift choices here.

You will find a Kuruyemiş nearly everywhere you go, and they’re just about as reliable as each other. For something branded you can check out the name ‘Hazer Baba’; their packaging as well as wider choices for teas, turkish delights, and coffees are all perfect for gift shopping.

Nazar Boncuk, or the Blue Eyes, or the ‘Evil Eyes’

Blue glass eyes, with a black dot in the middle, hanging in bundles from shops, on the back of cars, or above a door. Sometimes held in the palm of an ornate five fingered hand, the khamsa. These sights are almost synonymous with an afternoon in Turkey.

The Nazar Boncuk is a sort of talisman; almost always blue glass, but they’re also printed and embroidered into other things. It is inline with an ancient belief that the envious gaze of someone else can bring misfortune upon another. These glass talismans act as protective shields, absorbing the negative energy. If a Nazar Boncuk is cracked, it means it’s done its job and protected someone from an affliction. Time to get a new one!

Due to the cultural beliefs held regarding this talisman, you can find them almost anywhere in Turkey. And you can never have enough. They are often gifted from elders to young ones, and the colour and beauty alone make this a great gift idea even if you are not interested in the folklore behind it.

Baklava

Now we come to the sweetest and tastiest 2 points on our list. I’ve already mentioned it here, but if you are new to the blog I’ve written a similar article, solely on Baklava. That should give you a good starting point when it comes to the different mouthwatering varieties of Baklava.

Baklava is a dessert that many countries lay claim to; including Turkey, who after centuries have their own unique Baklava traditions and variations. The dessert is simple enough. It consists of layers of filo pastry, bathed in sugary syrup, and baked till golden brown.

What’s important for us, if we’re considering this as a possible gift idea, is the fact that most baklava is wet with afore mentioned syrup. Make sure to check your local immigration laws to see if you’ll have problems bringing something like this back.

However, most shops are aware of this and have prewrapped Baklava that is safely packaged. If you want something else, try the Kuru Baklava (or dry Baklava), which retain the same magic taste of Baklava but are better for longer storage and transport.

If you have only a few hours to look for Baklava I would recommend a trip down Istiklal Street. Here you will find many Baklava outlets, some of the more well known are; Hakki Zade, Hafiz Mustafa, and Mado.

Lokum or Turkish Delight

The other super sweet dessert on this list is Turkish Delight, also known as Lokum. This is a quintessential Turkish gift, after all it’s in the name! If you don’t want to bring back Baklava, Lokum is an equally amazing choice.

Turkish delight is a sort of thick, sweet, jelly often served in small cubes and dusted with icing sugar. The most iconic colour and flavour might be the pink, rosewater flavoured Lokum. However, nowadays there are so many varieties, shapes, and choices. Some have nuts in them and others are layered with different flavours and consistencies. My favourite and also equally Turkish choice would have to be the pomegranate flavoured Lokum.

If you are following my advice on free tourist locations in Istanbul here, you may be thinking of exploring Istiklal Street in Taksim. Make sure to visit the boutique store Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir. You will find lovingly prepared and packaged gifts for those with a sweet tooth.

If you have liked what you’ve read so far, there are another 9 more items to go. Do you think I’ve missed one? Don’t worry, your favourite souvenir or gift might be on the next page!