Bodrum Local Market & Handicrafts: Your Shopping Adventure

Bodrum's markets sell the things worth carrying home: handmade ceramics, carpets and kilims, leather goods, Turkish towels, and food such as local honey, olive oil, and Turkish delight. The Friday Market is the biggest, spreading through several streets near the center with everything from clothes to spices. Turgutreis holds its market on Saturdays, stronger on fresh produce and local goods, while the Bodrum Bazaar runs daily in summer with a focus on crafts and tourist items. Bargaining is expected and friendly; starting at half the asking price is normal, and cash gets better deals than cards. Check carpet and kilim quality carefully before committing, and consider the small purchases too: evil eye charms make easy gifts. Mornings bring the freshest produce, and some pottery workshops let you watch the artisans at work.

What to buy

• Local food: honey, olive oil, olives, dried fruit, spices and Turkish delight.
• Turkish towels (peştemal) and textiles.
• Ceramics, leather and handmade crafts.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables from local farms.

Where to shop

• Bodrum’s weekly markets in town, with food days and clothing/household days.
• Turgutreis Saturday market, one of the biggest on the peninsula.
• The old bazaar streets near the castle for souvenirs.

What’s nearby

After shopping, visit Bodrum Castle or take a Bodrum boat tour.

Photo: heydrienne, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons