Explore the magic of Turkish handicrafts through İstanbul’s living heritage
In Türkiye’s largest city, İstanbul, artists and makers are preserving and reinterpreting centuries-old crafts—ensuring that Türkiye’s legacy of artistry continues to thrive in the modern world.
İstanbul is alive with culture and activity. Historic landmarks stand shoulder to shoulder with modern restaurants and boutiques, while art and music festivals fill the calendar alongside vibrant food markets. There’s something for everyone, day and night, throughout the year.
Beyond the bustle, İstanbul’s intricate city map holds the quiet custodians of Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage. Here, skilled artisans breathe life into ancient traditions, preserving the handicrafts that have been passed down for millennia.
From the weavers of colorful kilim rugs to the jewelers soldering delicate metal jewelry and the potters creating decorative ceramics—Türkiye’s metropolis is a mosaic of artistry just waiting to be experienced.
A meditative dance of color
In İstanbul, an 800-year-old art practice continues to thrive through the skilled hands of dedicated craftspeople and the admiration of those who delight in its beauty.
This is ebru, also known as Turkish marbling—a meticulous technique where natural color pigments, mixed with ox gall (wetting agent), are carefully brushed onto the surface of oily water. The resulting patterns are then transferred to paper, creating one-of-a-kind designs that span flora, latticework, and the cosmos.
While traditionally found on book covers, ebru’s magic extends beyond paper to fabrics, ceramics, glass, and wood. Travelers can take home one of these unique pieces from a local boutique or marketplace or learn the craft in a hands-on workshop.
This is ebru, also known as Turkish marbling—a meticulous technique where natural color pigments, mixed with ox gall (wetting agent), are carefully brushed onto the surface of oily water. The resulting patterns are then transferred to paper, creating one-of-a-kind designs that span flora, latticework, and the cosmos.
While traditionally found on book covers, ebru’s magic extends beyond paper to fabrics, ceramics, glass, and wood. Travelers can take home one of these unique pieces from a local boutique or marketplace or learn the craft in a hands-on workshop.
If coffee represents Türkiye’s social life, then tea encapsulates its hospitality. When visiting any home across the country, you will be met with a çaydanlık—a two-tiered metal teapot which holds tea in the lower container and additional water in the top one. From this pot, the amber brew is poured into a tulip-shaped cup, inviting you to taste the aromatic, yet fruity flavors that are emblematic of the Turkish way of life.
A sip of community and hospitality
No activity is complete in Türkiye without an accompanying tea or Turkish coffee, which are as skillfully crafted as the metal pots they are poured from, the adorned cups they are served in, and the carved tables they are placed upon.
Both caffeinated drinks have a rich past. While coffee was introduced during the 15th century during the trading peak of the Ottoman Empire, tea didn’t gain momentum until the late 19th century, when it became a staple at every breakfast table and was eventually regarded as a national beverage.
The drinking rituals that emerged all those years ago are still honored today, particularly in İstanbul where around 2,500 kahvehanes (coffeehouses) used to dominate the city. Once the host of debates, poetry readings, and chess games, these kahvehanes continue to blend the comfort of drinking coffee with the pulse of socializing. Here, local coffee connoisseurs teach visitors how to make an authentic brew in a special pot called a cezve, serve a traditional—and flavor-balancing—side treat of lokum (Turkish delight), and tell fortunes using the leftover coffee grounds from drinkers’ cups.
If coffee represents Türkiye’s social life, then tea encapsulates its hospitality. When visiting any home across the country, you will be met with a çaydanlık—a two-tiered metal teapot which holds tea in the lower container and additional water in the top one. From this pot, the amber brew is poured into a tulip-shaped cup, inviting you to taste the aromatic, yet fruity flavors that are emblematic of the Turkish way of life.
Shopping is only part of the fun here. Visitors can enjoy watching master craftspeople at work before slowing down over a cup of tea or Turkish coffee. This moment of calm is also a perfect opportunity to take in the Grand Bazaar’s remarkable architecture, including ornate, arched ceilings and stained-glass windows that reflect the many design influences that have touched İstanbul through time.
Where Türki̇ye’s crafts converge
In Türkiye, nowhere is artistry better showcased than in the Grand Bazaar in İstanbul, open from 8:30am to 7pm Monday to Saturday.
Built in 1461, the Grand Bazaar began as an important trading center for nomadic merchants and has since transformed into a modern landmark, where animated sellers, seasoned locals, and mesmerized visitors meet under one roof.
As one of the largest markets in the world, with over 4,000 stalls, the bazaar is a maze of winding alleys, where getting lost is the best way to stumble across hidden treasures. Discover a remarkable display of souvenirs, including colorful ceramics, jewels, and lanterns. And don’t be afraid to haggle over prices as this is a part of Turkish culture and often the start of a friendly exchange.
Shopping is only part of the fun here. Visitors can enjoy watching master craftspeople at work before slowing down over a cup of tea or Turkish coffee. This moment of calm is also a perfect opportunity to take in the Grand Bazaar’s remarkable architecture, including ornate, arched ceilings and stained-glass windows that reflect the many design influences that have touched İstanbul through time.
As the workings of expert craftspeople pulse through the streets of İstanbul, travelers are offered a glimpse into Türkiye’s long line of creative expression. Whether it’s the fluid swirls of ebru art or the inviting aromas of tea and Turkish coffee, these time-honored traditions remain enduring symbols of Turkish culture and beloved elements of daily life.
