Shopping for Rugs and Ceramics in Cappadocia

Bazaar 54

If you're interested in purchasing a carpet the Bazaar 54 offers a personal showroom with a carpet expert, who will give you the intriguing history behind each different specialty rug (kilims) or carpet as well as detailed information on the variety of styles for sale.

Tell them "Turkey Travel Planner sent you" for the best pricing, often times additional discounts, and assurance of an excellent experience because of the valued TTP recommendation!

Bazaar 54 is a women’s co-op in Avanos, Cappadocia that has been in business for 35 years. All of the rugs sold at Bazaar 54 are handmade by women, some of whom are survivors of domestic violence. The co-op supports women and directly gives back to the local economy. Their designs are unique and one of a kind that cater to different budgets with many size options. Buying a Turkish rug isn’t like any other rug that you would lay on the floor of a house; it’s a piece of art that you’re bringing home. Because of this, there’s no better place to buy one than at Bazaar 54, where women have become experts are hand making these products.   

When you visit Bazaar 54, you can go on a tour that showcases how these carpets are made, the various materials used, and finally the grand showroom. This is where you’re offered some refreshing tea and the carpet show begins with rugs and their colorful threads flying open before you. From there, you can look at numerous different carpets of all sizes and shapes and discover what you like the most. Many of these carpets have a unique story, such as realistic-looking horses, villagers, and a mimic of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Last Supper painting.

When buying a rug, there are different kinds of materials that hugely factor into the price. There’s wool-on-wool, cotton-on-wool, cotton-on-cotton, cotton-on-silk, and silk-on-silk. Silk-made rugs are the most expensive and prestigious quality of rugs due to their craftsmanship. A person must have sharp eyes to weave these carpets because they are more complex to make compared to a wool one. You can certainly feel a large difference in the texture between these materials, with silk being the softest and wool being the thickest.  Lastly, if your luggage isn’t forgiving, Bazaar 54 ships carpets worldwide and can ship yours to you with no hassle. If you spend over a certain amount, they’ll even ship it for free. Alternatively, they can also give you a free bag to bring your carpet with you on your journey. They’ve really thought out everything to give their customers the best and perfect rug-shopping experience.

 

Kybele Boutique Ceramic Pottery

At Kybele Ceramics, not only do you get to watch the artisans themselves at their work, you get to give it a try yourself. After explaining the history and how-to of ceramics, one of the master potters will take you through the steps of creating your own work of art. In the end, you will have the opportunity to buy some of the ceramics which have been shaped, fired, glazed, and painted all by hand.

Tell them "Turkey Travel Planner sent you" for the best pricing, often times additional discounts, and assurance of an excellent experience because of the valued TTP recommendation!

If buying a rug doesn’t interest you, something that might is Kybele Boutique Ceramics. This place is a ceramics wholesaler in Avanos, Cappadocia. Everything here is hand sculpted and hand painted by expert artists. Like Bazaar 54, you can take a tour around Kybele Boutique Ceramics where a sculptor will give you a demonstration of how they sculpt different products using clay. Afterward, you’ll have the ability to meet highly skilled painters who create unique designs. Finally, you’ll be taken to several large showrooms where decorative plates, goblets, and Turkey’s famous wine decanters are showcased.

The wine decanter is a special piece made in Turkey, with a unique fancy shape that fascinates travelers who come for a visit. These decanters take 3-4 months to make and is the most difficult piece to sculpt because of the difficulty of forming a perfect circle with clay. First, a sculptor creates the four different pieces, afterwards, they are attached together at the end. Turkish wine decanters can be made in any color that you can think of. But no two designs will ever be the same.

Kybele Boutique Ceramics is the best place to buy hand-crafted and decorative ceramic products because you’re paying directly from a wholesaler. Therefore, the prices will be much lower than what you would pay in a touristy souvenir shop. Additionally, you’re seeing first-hand how these products are constructed and painted, giving you an experience that couldn’t be found anywhere else. Furthermore, they offer worldwide shipping and whatever you buy will have insurance so if anything breaks, you’re guaranteed a replacement. You can visit them in Avanos, a 6-minute drive away from Bazaar 54.

For shopaholics and minimalists alike, make your vacation more memorable by bringing back a piece of Turkey with you. Bazaar 54 and Kybele Boutique Ceramics are great places to visit for authentic Turkish rugs and ceramics in Cappadocia. You’ll certainly be spending less than you would in other parts of Turkey while getting the full experience of how these products are crafted starting from the beginning to the final end result.

 

-By Sonia Anand

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