We stumbled into this shop because they had a nice cat inside and there was no aggressive bulky…read moreoutside insisting we go in. Two parts, we got a smaller Turkish mosaic lamp that may or may not make it back packed in bubble wrap and clothes, and a little rug for one of our cats, and a pillow case for our cat sitter, and a scarf for a Philosopher friend. In the ceramics part of the shop we got some pretty bowls which also might not survive the ride in luggage but they did wrap them up well and they are embedded in clothes and yarn. The Chief of Staff is in to knitting and bought yarn in Turkiye, which makes for good packing. None of this was expensive and the attempts to upset weren't overbearing.

This shop is absolutely amazing. Everything is handmade by the owner who is extremely kind,…read morehospitable, and skilled in his craft. I loved that he was open about differences in pricing and reasonings, and showed me how to distinguish quality ceramics from cheaper made ones for future reference in future travels. We spent a long time chit-chatting and I learned a lot more about his craft. The resident kitty is also super cute. I will absolutely be visiting again if I get the chance to return to Istanbul. Thank you for such a beautiful experience!

Iznik Works has a great selection of high quality Iznik ceramics, tiles and pottery. Located in the…read moreGrand Bazaar, the owners Ismail and Hasan are extremely friendly and knowledgable about the history of Iznik ceramics and have a better selection than I found on a my own journey to the famous pottery-making city. The prices and good and the hospitality is wonderful. After a day of shopping in the Bazaar with its hectic pace and high pressure sales tactics, it was a pleasure to find this gem of a shop and the beautiful things they sell!

Iznik works has stunning ceramics. The owner. Ismail, makes the shopping experience truly…read morememorable. This was our favorite shop in the grand bazaar and one of the best experiences of Istanbul.

Gayle knows that while on holiday, the sight of a pen or knife store will then draw me in like a…read moreStar Trek tractor beam. Do I own too many pens or Journals? Yes, and what's your point? And so, during a recent trip to Instanbul, along came Panter Kırtasiye, conveniently located on the Istiklal shopping street. Any pen or journal needed or desired might be found here. I was kind of overwhelmed by it all, before blocking out the expansive journal collection and concentrating on pens, some of them Turkish. The rest is another chapter in my pen purchase history.