The bazaars in Cappadocia offer a range of colours and smells typical of Turkish culture. You can easily see stalls selling sweets representing the country’s typical cuisine, as well as lots of spices that flood your nose with hundreds of different smells. We can’t forget to mention its precious jewellery, ceramics and, above all, rugs, some of which are authentic works of art that seem magical.
Silk
Although the silk-producing centre of Turkey is Bursa, the stalls and shops in the main villages of Cappadocia are also home to rich fabrics to buy as souvenirs of your unique journey.
In most of its bazaars, there will be stalls selling traditional pashminas, also made of silk, one of the most popular purchases thanks to their striking colours and embroidery, all of which are very different. There are also other types of clothes and accessories such as shirts and even ties.
You should always remember that in the street stalls and bazaars the prices are usually more affordable than in the shops and that it’s customary, in both places, is to bargain with the buyer until a fair agreement is reached.
Crafts
Pottery is one of the most deeply rooted traditional arts in Cappadocia and in the town of Avanos in particular.
Red clay is used to make pottery, on which traditional motifs and patterns typical of each region are painted to make plates, cups, pots, vases, flowerpots and other types of pottery.
The clay is then dried, fired and glazed in ovens at temperatures of up to 1,400 degrees. A glaze is then applied to give it its shiny appearance and bright colours.
Bear in mind that most of these objects are handmade by craftsmen who use the most traditional working methods, so each one may have its own unique characteristics that make it one of a kind.
Also very typical are ceramic miniatures, such as fairy chimneys, which make a good gift if you don’t have much space in your suitcase.
The packaging is usually prepared in such a way as to ensure that the product can be easily transported and protected, so you don’t have to worry about that.
Rugs
Rug weaving in Cappadocia is an art that has been handed down from generation to generation, and some families still run their workshops in keeping with tradition.
Each of these handmade kilims, as they are called in Turkey, has its own history, its own geometric patterns, its own colours and its own identity. And that is exactly what you can take home with you if you manage to choose from the many different varieties that can be found in specialist shops.
The most famous places to buy this souvenir are Avanos and Ürgüp, where the industry has been much more developed for centuries.
If you don’t want to buy a large rug, you can also opt for a smaller one, which is easier to carry and is woven with the same care, art and tradition.
Spices
The spice stalls in the bazaars are the most typical sight in Turkey, and Cappadocia is no exception. The different smells and variety of colours attract cooking enthusiasts and curious onlookers who want to know what each little pile of spices consists of.
Among the most common are curry, saffron, nutmeg and cardamom. They can be bought in sachets that are filled by weight or in ready-made packets that you can take with you on the plane.
Here, too, you have to haggle to get a fair deal for both the seller and the customer.
Local wines
These rocky soils produce very juicy grapes that make very interesting wines. That’s why taking a bottle home with you is a good idea. A visit to one of the wineries is also very appealing, especially in the Uçhisar area and in the Güvercinlik Valley, which are gaining more and more popularity both in the country and abroad.
Imitation jewellery
Cappadocia has a long tradition of gemstone jewellery. Onyx, turquoise, lapis lazuli, amethyst and emeralds are the most typical gemstones in the area, and most of the work is set in silver and copper.
One of the places with the longest tradition in jewellery and costume jewellery is Avanos, where you can visit some of them to try to find the best craftsmanship. Typical pieces include pendants with a hot air balloon on them, like the ones that hover in the sky over Cappadocia, as well as filigree earrings.
Another popular item in these shops is the Nazar Boncuk or the blue and white eye amulet used to ward off curses and bad karma. It’s a motif that can be seen everywhere in Turkey, at the entrances to houses, in bars, but above all on bracelets, pendants and other jewellery.
Also worth mentioning is the use of onyx, a natural stone that appears in many pieces of jewellery in Cappadocia, mainly because of the belief that it gives positive energy to the people who wear it.
Recommendations for shopping in Cappadocia
Bazaars and markets are undoubtedly the best places to buy some of the souvenirs you’ll want to take home from Cappadocia, but don’t underestimate the souvenir shops that can always hold a unique treasure or the stalls that spring up in the tourist spots to which many of the local craftsmen send their creations.
In addition, the major cities of Cappadocia, such as Göreme, Ürgüp or Avanos, have many specialist shops where you can look for a particular piece of jewellery, an incredible rug or a unique piece of pottery in a more orderly fashion.
But no matter where you shop, you need to learn the art of haggling to get a fair price for both the seller and your budget.
The best thing to do in this situation is to think about what you can or want to spend on the souvenir and try to get it for that price, which has to be fair in order for the bargaining process to be a success.
Most craft shops are prepared to wrap your gift in the best possible way to allow you to take it back to the hotel or to your home country, so you don’t have to worry about that.