Shopping Bazaars

If you only do one shopping trip during your stay, make sure it is on a Wednesday. The Avsallar Wednesday Market is a traditional, weekly open-air bazaar that draws locals and tourists alike.

Location: Karaaltı Street, right next to the Avsallar Municipality (Belediye) building and the indoor market area.

Hours: Roughly 08:30 AM until around 6:30 PM (or sunset).

The Experience: The market is divided into two distinct vibes. One half is a sensory explosion of local agriculture, where nearby village farmers bring piles of fresh figs, citrus, organic olives, honeycomb, and fragrant mountain spices. The other half features affordable textiles, footwear, beach gear, and Turkish home linens.

Pro Tip: Go early in the morning (around 9:00 AM) to beat the afternoon heat and get the pick of the best produce, or visit late in the afternoon (after 5:00 PM) when vendors slash prices to clear out their remaining inventory.

You do not have to wait until Wednesday to shop. The central streets of Avsallar form an open-air commercial hub packed with permanent shops catering to holidaymakers and residents.

Boutique Clothing & "Genuine Fake" Brands

The central pedestrian areas are packed with clothing boutiques.

Turkey is world-renowned for its textile manufacturing, and here you will find plenty of casual wear, swimwear, and the country's famous high-quality replica designer gear (bags, shoes, and sportswear).

Supermarkets for Everyday Essentials

For fixed-price snacks, local wines, beach sunscreen, or basic groceries, Avsallar has excellent representation from Turkey’s top supermarket chains:

Migros: The largest option in town, great for international brands, cosmetics, and a solid selection of Turkish wines and Raki.

BİM & A101: Excellent budget-friendly hard-discounters.

This is where you go to buy cheap bottles of water, local sunflower seeds, and mass-market Turkish sweets.

When packing your bags to head home, look out for these authentic Turkish products that offer the best value in the region:

Turkish Spices & Teas: Pick up pul biber (aleppo pepper), sumac, and wild oregano. For tea, step past the touristy powdered "Apple Tea" and buy genuine loose-leaf Turkish black tea or dried sage leaves (Adaçayı).

Olive Oil Products & Duru Soaps: The Mediterranean region surrounding Alanya is rich with olive groves. Look for locally pressed olive oil, organic olive-oil soaps, and Kolonya (traditional Turkish lemon cologne used for refreshing the hands).

Turkish Delight (Lokum)

& Baklava: Skip the pre-packaged boxes at the airport. Visit a local confectionery shop in the town center where you can sample fresh Lokum cut straight from the block—look for flavors featuring local Mediterranean pomegranates and pistachios.

Pestemal (Turkish Towels): These 100% flat-woven cotton towels are highly absorbent, dry incredibly fast, and take up very little space in your suitcase. They are perfect for beach days.

Ceramics and Evil Eye (Nazar Boncuğu) Charms: From hand-painted ceramic bowls to glass evil eye hangings to protect your home, these make timeless, colorful gifts.

If you exhaust Avsallar's local shops, you are perfectly positioned to visit two massive shopping destinations nearby:

Alara Grand Bazaar (Okurcalar): Located just a 15-minute drive or dolmuş (local minibus) ride west of Avsallar. It is one of the largest bazaar complexes on the coast, housing over 800 shops under one roof. It is highly tourist-centric, bustling, and open late into the night.

Alanya City Center: A 25-minute dolmuş ride east brings you to downtown Alanya. Here you can shop at major Turkish high-street brands like LC Waikiki, DeFacto, and Mavi, or explore the historic harbor bazaar area.

To ensure a smooth shopping experience, keep these essential rules of thumb in mind:

Topic The Local Rule of Thumb

Haggle Correctly Haggling is expected in the clothing and souvenir bazaars, but never bargain for fresh fruits, vegetables, or items in supermarkets where prices are clearly marked. Start by countering with 30-40% less than their initial offer and meet in the middle.

Currency While vendors gladly accept Euros (€), US Dollars ($), and British Pounds (£), you will always get a better deal if you pay in Turkish Lira (TRY). Vendors often round up exchange rates in their own favor.

Cash is King While modern shops and supermarkets seamlessly accept international Visa and Mastercard, market stall vendors at the Wednesday Bazaar heavily prefer cash.