Shopping in Kas
Kas has some charming balconied shops where you can spend a lot of time. With the increase in tourism the number of shops has gone up in number. The streets of Kas have souvenir shops which sell locally made craft items. There are several small retailers who sell elegant carpets, pottery, ceramics, locally made fabrics, wooden furniture, jewellery and Turkish glass lanterns.
Turkish shop keepers are very courteous. As soon as you enter their shop, they are sure to offer you something to eat and drink.
Our Kas shopping guide below will give you an idea of where are some of the best places to shop throughout the region, as well as some great Kas gift and souvenir ideas. Re-energise by taking a break in one of the many Kas restaurants and cafes that abound the shopping district. You can visit our Turkey Shopping Guide for information about shopping in Turkey.
Kas Shopping Guide
If you have a penchant for silver then Silver Harmoni on Uzun Carsi Cadesi is the right place to head to. While planning your trip to Kas, do make sure that you get to spend a Friday here. This way you can visit the Friday market on the Kas-Fethiye Road. This market is held at the top end of the town, by the side of the bus station. Here you can get good deals if you plan to buy leather goods and clothes. You can also just browse around and enjoy the local ambience of Kas shops selling teas and colourful spices. The same type of market is open on a Thursday in Kalkan. The local market place also sells fresh produce.
The best place to find good and inexpensive fruits, herbs and vegetables is Ucarlar Manav, which is on a hill to the left of the market. A number of supermarkets and bakeries are also present on the streets leading to Antalya. And you just cannot leave Kas without tasting the local balaclava.
There are a few tricks you must know when you go shopping in Turkey. While in Turkey you must learn to negotiate if you are planning on buying something. You can pretend to be disinterested first and then if the salesman tries to convince you then you can show some vague interest and then start bargaining over the price. You have to be patient to bring the price down. It will indeed be a mistake if you buy an item at the first mentioned price.
Bargaining
The best part about shopping in Turkey is that you can bargain almost at all places which do not look too luxurious. From shops to hotels to bus company offices, the list is endless. While bargaining, the trick is to look very matter of fact and show very little interest. All this may require some patience, but is well worth the time. Foreigners, especially Westerners, have the reputation of being bad bargainers and so most of the time shopkeepers reject any attempts they make at bargaining. But with patience you can get the price you want. After you have successfully bargained, do not make the mistake of taking out a credit card, as the price is bound to rise again, although it will be lower than the original price. It is therefore better to use cash to keep your bargaining attempts successful.
VAT Refund
You can obtain a VAT refund, which is currently 18 to 23 percent on most items, if you are not a citizen or a permanent resident of Turkey. For this, you need to shop at places where you can get a VAT refund. It is important that you obtain all the necessary documents from the shop, which will entitle you to a VAT refund when you finally leave Turkey.
Carpets and Kilims
Turkey is well known for the carpets and kilims made here. The designs and symbols on the carpet may vary according to the region where the carpet is woven, but they are all symbols and designs used in ancient Anatolian religions and by Turkish nomads. These took shape around shamanic beliefs nearly 1000 or more years ago. There are many shops which exclusively sell handmade kilims and carpets and these can be found in any major Turkish city, in the tourist spots and the Sultanahmet Area.
Turkish Delight and Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is quite enjoyable and if you like it you can carry a few packets back home. Along with it you can also carry back the Turkish delight or Lokum, which is basically a sweet made from starch and sugar and flavoured differently. These can be obtained just about anywhere.
