Shopping in Antalya is not just a satisfying experience for the shopaholic but it also offers plenty of picturesque photo opportunities. Almost everything that a shopper hopes to find is available here. The markets offer an assortment of articles from famous local fruit and vegetable jams and jellies to antique jewellery. The popular kelims, leather-ware, prayer rugs, traditional pottery, cotton clothing, and wood carvings are a big hit with tourists. Your shopping experience can range from small shops to big supermarkets and malls.
The shopkeepers expect customers to bargain, so haggle to your heart's content before striking that perfect deal.
This Antalya shopping guide lists a few of the shops that you may wish to have a look through on your visit to Antalya. It also gives some general information about shopping in Antalya. To learn about some traditional souvenirs and Turkish goods that you may wish to pick up, either as a memento for yourself or as a gift for someone back home can be found in our Turkey shopping guide. And what better way to end a day of shopping than be having a nice meal at one of the great Antalya Antalya restaurants?
Antalya Shopping Guide
Being a recent addition on the traveller's map, Turkey has a lot to offer. The wide range of authentic products like popular Turkish carpets, souvenirs and knick knacks are slowly becoming collector's items.
Kaleici
Antalya is a shopper's delight in a different way. Shopping in Antalya blends easily with sight seeing and the entire experience is interesting. The narrow cobbled streets of Kaleici in the old quarter provide great shopping opportunities. There are a variety of shops from expensive boutiques to local craft and souvenir shops. Turkey has always been popular for its handcrafted articles, and jewellery is one of them. Jewellery shopping is interesting in Antalya, with unique patterns of necklaces, earrings and rings. Some of the hand-crafted pieces and jewellery date back to the Ottoman period.
Antalya does not disappoint the budget traveller as there are plenty of affordable clothes and ornaments in the east and north side of the old town. The upmarket and exclusive designer wear is in the Kenan Evren Boulevard along the seafront cliffs.
Markets
Breathe in the Turkish ambience and smell the wonderful local flavours by walking through the local markets. These are also excellent places for souvenir shopping. Small gifts like Turkish spices, coffee, tea and little trinkets make great gifts for loved ones back home. The best part is that the roadside stalls and bazaars are open until midnight - an ideal place for last minute shoppers!
If you have a knack for bargaining, go ahead and display your skills. The shopkeepers quote inflated prices keeping the customer bargaining margin in mind. By and large the vendors are proactive and very enthusiastic about showing their wares.
While walking around the bazaar or market in Alanya opposite the clock tower, you will be overwhelmed by the smells of spices and different foods being cooked. This is a popular shopping location for the locals. There are a series of outlets selling leather goods, apple tea and authentic Turkish tea cutlery. Clothes are quite cheap but check the quality before your purchase is packed up.
Turkey is famous for its blue glass beads which according to legend protects you from the evil eye. Don't leave Antalya without getting a few for yourself.
Shopping Centres
A lot of trendy malls have opened in Antalya in the recent past. Migros Shopping Mall at 100'cu Yil Bulvari is a famous and trendy mall with many shops and eateries. You can find leading labels such as Zara, LaCosta, Boyner, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and ToysRus, besides many stores selling perfumes, electronics and computers. The other supermarkets and malls are Deepo Outlet Center Laura Shopping Center G-Mall White World Center Real, and Shopping Mall Kipa.
Shopping tips
The finest shopping is in the Kaleici, in the old quarter, and along the avenues of Ataturk, Cumhuriyet and Isiklar.
Turkish law forbids the export of antiques and there is a hefty fine if caught. It is advisable to be on your guard against any sellers who claim otherwise.
