Shopping is one of the great pleasures of a trip to Turkey and the rich variety of Turkish crafts makes it impossible to resist buying something. Alongside the most modem objects, traditional handicrafts from villages and provinces can be found. Practical things for the home and kitchen can be found, but alongside these are many decorative items, often in the traditional Turkish style.

Most visitors to Turkey cannot resist buying at least one or two things. The most popular objects for the holidaymaker are, of course, carpets; but the various leather and suede goods, copper and bronze wares, silver, ceramics, handicrafts, embroidery; and the famous Turkish meerschaum and onyx are on many people’s lists as well.

In Turkey, suede and leather are particularly important; along with all kinds of clothes and other goods such as handbags, belts, shoes, etc., at prices which surprise and please the visitor. In the large stores in main cities, dresses, trousers, and coats, made of extremely fine leather and suede can be found. If you are looking for something a little more unusual, there is the ‘nargile’, Hubble - bubble pipe; or buy backgammon set and learn the national Turkish game. Your only difficulty shopping in Turkey will be deciding what to choose from the many hundreds of tempting bargains.

You're going to want to buy something when you get here so we'll have a brief look (to begin with) at some of the signature products that Turkey is famous for. Carpets, of course, are all around you from the moment you arrive, visit to a viewing center in Cappadocia is memorable.

There are lots of other things you can buy here. Copper, Brass, Ceramics, Spices, Leather, Meerschaum and tassly things. It's usually a good idea to go to the source where possible. That means Eskisehir for Meerschaum, Avanos in Cappadocia for earthenware and rugs. Spices everywhere bus especially Spice Market in Istanbul. For leather, Istanbul, Antalya and Izmir are good to look at with up to date fashion design.