When you come back from holiday in Turkey, you should not forget the souvenirs and small things that you should bring with you to remind us of the sunny weather and holiday atmosphere all year round. Here is a list of things to buy in Turkey.
Turkish sweets: baklava, turkish delight, pismaniye, rose jam, and a very unusual aubergine jam.
Turkish coffee . Coffee is not grown in Turkey, but is called Turkish coffee because of the way and degree of roasting of the coffee beans.
Turkish tea. Tea plantations are located on the Black Sea coast) and tea utensils.
The spices are made from plants that grow in Turkey, such as: Curcuma, dried ginger, paprika and pepper (there are sweet and spicy as well, because Turks like spicy things, so cafes always have hot pepper, either dried or pickled), Cumin, Thyme, dried Mint, Oregano, Saffron (one of the most expensive spices, which grows in Safranbolu town). Black Cumin, Sesame, various spice mixtures for fish dishes such as "Osmani Spice Mix".
Sesame paste (Tahin Pekmez), which is usually sold together with grape syrup (Uzum pekmez), can be mixed together and used in sweet rolls or simply spread on bread.
Carob syrup (Keciboynuzu Pekmezi). It contains a whole complex of useful elements such as: naturally occurring sugar, choline, organic acids, vitamins B, D and A, tannins, fiber, pectin, zinc, sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Especially useful for children and pregnant women. Promotes normalization of the gastrointestinal tract, improves metabolism. Used for detoxification, excretion of toxins, diarrhea, poisoning, sleep disorders and nervous system. It is also used to strengthen the immune system and is a folk Viagra.
Amulet from the evil eye, Nazar, you can see it almost everywhere, in the form of pendants for home, in jewellery, key chains, painted on different dishes. Turks believe it helps against the evil eye.
Hand-painted ceramics.
Cologne is a Turkish cologne. The main ingredient is ethyl alcohol with a content of about 60-90%, water and a flavouring. The most popular is the cologne with lemon.
Handmade pumpkin lamp
Natural Cosmetics : handmade soaps such as olive and lavender soaps are the most popular. Creams and products made from roses grown in Isparta.
Hamam products for the Turkish bath: (peeling mitts, special soaps, aroma oils for massages).
Pomegranate sauce and tea.
Olive oil. Olives in Turkey are grown from the Black Sea to the Aegean, along the Mediterranean coast and eastwards into Anatolia.
Fruit wine. The most popular are pomegranate and mulberry wine. There are also wines made from melon, mandarin, cherry, peach and even banana. The most popular regions for cultivating and making these wines are the Pamukkale region, where the climate is suitable and the water that irrigates these trees comes from the 'Cleopatra Pool'. The Cappadocia region where the grapes for wine have been grown since ancient times.
Raki Turkish Anise Vodka
Turkish textiles : bed linen, towels (valued cotton grown in Pamukkale), clothing.
Leather goods.
Carpets.
Jewellery.
Turkish medicines and vitamins. In Turkish pharmacies, medicaments with the same active ingredient can be purchased at a lower price, but they are of a higher quality.
