SHOPPING

Shopping is one of the great pleasures of a trip to Turkey and the rich variety of Turkish crafts make it impossible to resist buying something. Alongside the most modern 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.

In Turkey, suede and leather are particularly important, along with all kinds of clothes and other goods such as handsbags, belts. shoes, etc... at prices which suprise 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 a 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.