Soon, our compatriots will begin to think about summer vacations and choose the place where you can relax and forget about the long and snowy winter by the sound of the surf. Most of the Russians are likely to choose Turkish resorts that have been proven over the years, famous not only for their coast, hotels, plenty of entertainment, but also for souvenir products. Unfortunately, most tourists do not think too much about what to bring to Turkey as a gift to many friends and relatives. Most often, the choice is limited to magnets with a red-white flag or blue eye, which the Turks themselves wear as a talisman. However, after another vacation on the Turkish coast, buying relatives a banal magnet or figurine again is somehow uncomfortable. Therefore, tourists are increasingly scrupulous about which gift to bring from Turkey so that it can please and be remembered for a long time. Today we will share with readers our thoughts on this topic and give a couple of tips that may allow you to look at the famous resorts from a slightly different angle.
A little about shopping in an amazing eastern country
If this is not your first time relaxing in the resorts of Kemer or Antalya, you already imagine how much interesting is offered in local markets and in small shops. Many consider this country ideal for productive shopping, but often do not even imagine what they can bring from Turkey to surprise their loved ones. In fact, the East can please not only standard souvenir products, but also truly exclusive items that are produced and sold only in this country. Most tourists simply do not notice them on the shelves and have no idea what interesting gift sets you can make of them.
If you are seriously thinking about what to bring home from Turkey, then you should pay attention to the following groups of goods:
- textile products;
- cosmetics;
- ceramics;
- food products (sweets, butter, spices and so on);
- drinks (alcoholic, as well as teas and coffee).
You may not find this list too diverse, but in the following sections of the article we will try to tell you about each item in more detail. And then, we are sure that you will change your mind about these products.
Where can I buy the best souvenirs?
Even if you know exactly what you can bring home from Turkey, it is important to imagine exactly where you are going to buy souvenirs. Indeed, depending on the place, not only their price will vary, but also the quality. We must say right away that in the most famous resort places the cost of souvenirs is always a little higher, and the opportunity to find traditional and exclusive items is much lower.
Therefore, ask the locals when and where the bazaar opens. In resort areas, it usually works one or two days, but numerous merchants come here from the surrounding settlements, which may surprise with the variety of products offered, most of which relates to manual work. Once in such a market, in just a few hours you will solve the problem of what to bring from Turkey. In Alanya, for example, in such places, with some bargaining skills, the price goes down two, or even three times, for the most exclusive products. In the markets you can buy cosmetics, sweets, spices, dried fruits and ceramics. Most of the products are of high quality and reasonable price.
If you want to bring a leather jacket from Turkey, jewelry from local gold and silver craftsmen, as well as traditional bronze services with carvings and embossing, then you should go to the nearest major city. Ask more experienced tourists or locals which one is closest to your resort and head there. In such places there are always several boutiques and large chain stores where Turkish goods of very high quality are sold. Of course, you will not be able to bargain here, and the price may seem a bit overpriced, but you can be sure that you will bring a really unusual thing from Turkey.
Do not forget that your vacation may coincide with the period of sales. At that time, grand discounts reign in Turkey, so there is a great chance to buy an interesting souvenir literally at a bargain price. Typically, the discount season begins in late July, and sales also occur in October and last until around the end of November. At this time, you don’t even have to think long about what to bring from Turkey as a gift. The main thing is not to get carried away so that you do not have to pay for excess baggage at the airport.
Eastern sweets
What to bring from Turkey to Russia, if not oriental sweets - tart, slightly sugary, exuding honey and nutty aromas and literally melting in your mouth. Such a gift will be welcomed not only by relatives and friends, but also business partners. That’s why tourists are trying to buy as many of these local confectioners as possible.
Among the huge assortment, our compatriots most often acquire baklava from pistachios, sorbet and halva. Jam from rose petals is in great demand, because it is simply impossible to find something like this in another country. Therefore, many acquire no one or two, but five or ten jars of this fragrant treat at once. Be sure to bring Turkish delight with you, the most delicious is one made from apples, oranges and strawberries. A similar dessert would be good with any tea or coffee.
What else to bring from Turkey to feast on your own and treat your friends? Experienced tourists recommend honey almonds, which are famous for some areas of the country. This delicacy is baked with figs or a huge amount of honey. The result is an extraordinary dessert, characterized at the same time by a bitter and sugary-sweet taste.
For sweets, it is best to go to the market or to small trading shops. You should not opt for colored boxes here; the sets placed in them are always inferior in taste to sweets sold by weight. In addition, traders are happy to give tourists a taste of all the sweets laid out on the shelves. Therefore, you can always choose exactly the product that you like.
If you are crazy about sweets, then be sure to try and grab Turkish honey with you. In shops and small shops you will be offered several varieties of it. The most interesting flavors are cotton, chestnut and citrus. Some tourists liked pine honey, it has a unique aroma and a memorable aftertaste.
What can be brought from Turkey as a delicacy besides the goods already listed? You may be surprised, but still very, very much.
Turkish delicacies
If you are going on vacation to Kemer, then what to bring from Turkey will come to your mind by itself. This resort sells the most delicious olives, the taste of which you will not forget for a long time. At the same time, they are grown in several species, so you can very well combine a whole gift set from the fruits of this amazing evergreen tree. It will not be superfluous to make a supply of elite olive oil. If you have ever tasted a product made in the homeland of olives, you will never confuse its taste with anything else. A completely different oil gets into Russian stores, which is difficult to even approximately compare with a real product from Turkey.
What to bring from this country as a gift to your loved ones? Try an unusual olive paste, this delicacy is eaten by locals quite often and consider it extremely healthy. It is usually spread on bread in the morning and eaten with freshly brewed coffee or fruit tea. If you bring a similar gift to your friends, they will certainly appreciate such concern for them.
The Turks have also grown in the production of cheese. Local varieties are considered a very high-quality copy of the famous European mozzarella and parmesan. Also, Turkish dairies can surprise you with a delicious product that resembles Dutch cheeses. Often, tourists speak with enthusiasm about the local cheese. This soft cheese has a delicate flavor and an incredible aroma. Therefore, many are trying to bring him home to treat their loved ones. However, this is not so simple. Most cheeses cannot tolerate high temperatures, and therefore it is almost impossible to bring them safe and sound to your home. If you still want to please your relatives with Turkish cheese products, then choose those varieties that are sold in sealed containers.
Beverages
What can I bring from Turkey as a gift? Naturally, first of all, many think about tea and coffee. These drinks are sold in resorts on almost every corner, and in the trading shops and cafes, guests are even treated with them absolutely free. Tourists know that in Turkey ordinary black tea is not an honor. They prefer fruit varieties that perfectly quench thirst and can be served chilled. Apple and pomegranate teas are the most popular among locals ; they are brewed in almost every house. Also on the market you can find tea with the addition of apples, strawberries and other fruits.
Many tourists also bring coffee from Turkey, although in fact it is exported here from Brazil, and therefore cannot be considered a traditional souvenir. But if you still want to bring aromatic grains from the rest, from which local people prepare a unique taste in several ways, then give preference to Mehmet-efendi. On average, one package of grains of this brand will cost you five dollars. Of course, this is not the cheapest souvenir, but its taste and aroma will long remind you of the hospitable Turkish beaches.
Of the variety of what to bring from Turkey as a gift, men will be very interested in the local vodka rakiya. It has a high degree and unusual taste. If you compare it with traditional Russian vodka, then you most likely will not find anything in common. This alcoholic drink has a pronounced aniseed taste, reminiscent of the famous and familiar to everyone from childhood “Tarhun”. If you want to buy a pair of strong brandy, then opt for aromatic fruit or berry wine. They make it from almost everything that grows in the district, and it is simply impossible to stay on one taste. Be sure to grab a few bottles of mulberry, apple, and blackberry wine . These drinks will remind you of a summer vacation and fun days for a long time to come.
I would like to mention the famous pomegranate syrup, which some tourists attribute to drinks, although it has very little in common with them. In fact, syrup is used primarily as a marinade or meat sauce. Locals often use it as a dressing for vegetable salads, which immediately acquire an incredible taste and aroma.
Cosmetics made in Turkey
What to bring from Turkey? Reviews from experienced travelers will help you to reveal this secret - cosmetics for personal care based on natural ingredients. Few people know that in Turkey there are quite a lot of different products that have no analogues in the world and make women several times more beautiful.
Among cosmetic companies, the Komili brand stands out. It produces many different lines of self-care, but our customers liked olive-based products the most. The range includes soap, shampoos and shower gels. Natural ingredients give the hair a healthy shine and softness to the skin. In addition, it is proved that olive soap can relieve inflammation and relieve acne. If you want to bring as many inexpensive cosmetics as possible as a gift, then buy handmade soap on the market. It is of high quality and is made on the basis of natural fruits.
You can’t leave Turkey without taking the famous rose water as a gift to your girlfriend, mom or colleague. Many older tourists remember that Bulgaria used to be famous for its pink water. However, for many years Turkish resorts have been delighting holidaymakers with this magnificent product with the aroma of luxury. A huge number of tea rose bushes are grown on the territory of the country, which go for the production of cosmetic and food water.
In addition to the incredible aroma, rose water perfectly cares for the skin. If you wipe your face with it daily, then very soon you will notice a narrowing of the pores, the disappearance of inflammation and even the rapid healing of pustules. You can use rose water even in the case of newborns, in Turkey this is done quite often.
Those who have repeatedly rested in the resorts of this eastern country know that hammams usually use special cotton sponges. They are distinguished by their weaving and allow you to effectively cleanse the skin even without the use of cosmetics. Therefore, such a gift will appeal to all lovers of bath procedures, because you can use a washcloth in a traditional Russian bath or sauna.
Crockery and kitchen utensils
What goods to bring from Turkey to Russia to please loved ones? Many opt for a traditional cezve. Most know this subject as a Turk and believe that it is in Turkey that the craftsmen make it best. Today in the country there are quite a lot of Chinese fakes that are sold in resort areas. But a real cezvu, made by the hand of a master, is quite simple to distinguish. It is made mainly of copper, and is decorated with coinage and enamel. The handle of the Turk is made of wood and attached to the base with a copper plate. It should be borne in mind that such products are not cheap. For example, for forty-five lire and above, a traditional cezve can be purchased in Alanya. What to bring from Turkey to her in a couple?
Try to find a coffee grinder made of copper or a tea set made of bronze and silver. Such a gift will definitely become memorable and will decorate any home. Items created by the hand of a skilled craftsman are best purchased in the market, where you can bargain for them. But do not expect that the price will be significantly reduced - real masterpieces have a rather high price.
Turkish ceramics is a special kind of souvenir. Some items are only suitable for decorating the interior, while others can be used during gala dinners. In the latter case, plates and cups with a high content of quartz are suitable. They can be identified by the distinctive ringing and significant weight.
Traditional rugs
What do tourists from Turkey bring when they want to completely change their interior? Of course, carpets! Their choice in the markets and special factories is simply huge, and the quality can please even recognized esthetes.
All carpet products are woven from natural fabrics and have oriental motifs. Such a gift, by definition, can not be cheap, and therefore tourists often carry carpets for themselves or by special order. The range of products is very wide, tourists can choose a carpet of any size and color. And its delivery will fall on the shoulders of the seller. Many shops have long assumed responsibility for sending carpet products to the buyer's homeland. Often it arrives at the desired address even before the tourist himself is at home.
Jewelry
There are categories of tourists who can’t leave the country without purchasing a couple of jewelry. And to leave the East without them is simply impossible! Moreover, in any store from an assortment of products from silver and gold eyes just run up. In addition, prices in Turkey are quite acceptable, and the jewelry itself has an indescribable oriental flavor.
But do not forget that in resort areas there is a high risk of being faked. Jewelry is often sold at all of the wrong quality, as indicated in the window. Unfortunately, this is clarified upon arrival home when it is too late to do something. In order not to fall into a similar situation, be sure to purchase jewelry only in large specialized retail outlets. Here you are unlikely to be deceived, besides, tourists will be issued a certificate of conformity for precious stones.
What else can I bring back from vacation?
As you can see, Turkey has a fairly wide selection of souvenirs, besides battered magnets, hookahs and tobacco. At the same time, we have listed far from all possible options that can please or surprise friends.
For example, a good housewife can bring rare spices, exotic lovers can get a colorful national costume, and a business partner can get a rare old book from an antique store.
We hope that thanks to our article, your Turkish shopping will become more interesting and productive. And your collection of souvenirs will be replenished with several interesting items reminiscent of a great vacation.