Shopping in Alanya

Shopping in Alanya is rarely sold as a trip of its own; it comes attached to a route. The main address is the Manavgat market about an hour away, reached after the river cruise on the Manavgat, where the stalls run along the water for several blocks. Textiles, leather, spices and tea make up most of what people carry out, dishes and silver rather less often. Haggling counts as normal here, the first price named is almost always above the final one, and without it the deal looks unfinished.

Inside Alanya itself the shops cluster around the harbour and along İskele street, where bags, leather and souvenirs stand side by side. The town bazaar keeps its own days of the week, and on those days the counters carry local vegetables, cheese and olives rather than only resort stock. Jewellery and leather workshops often receive tour groups, so treat those stops as part of the programme rather than an obligation to buy.

Practical notes. Cash in lira gives more room to bargain at the market than a card does. Check leather goods at the seams and by smell, and take tea and spices in sealed packets — loose is easier to handle on the spot but packs badly for the flight. When the market sits inside a boat excursion, the time allowed for it usually runs an hour to an hour and a half, so a shopping list drawn up beforehand pays off.