Shopping in Ankara: what to buy, where to shop and how to get a VAT refund
Shop in Ulus, Samanpazarı, the castle and malls by the metro. Eight registered Ankara products, tourist VAT refunds (over 1,000 TL before tax) and export rules.
Table of Contents
Shopping in Ankara is mainly about things made only here: mohair from the Angora goat, copper cookware from the old Samanpazarı neighbourhood, and rusks and lokum from Beypazarı. For brands, head to Kızılay and the malls by the metro. Below, explore the streets of Ulus from the han to the castle, a shelf of local products from the TÜRKPATENT register, a VAT refund calculator (tax free), and a check of what you can take out of Turkey.
At a glance · checked 14 October 2026
For crafts, head to old Ulus; for brands, try Kızılay and the malls. Ankara’s signature purchase is mohair from the Angora goat (tiftik).
- Old town: uphill from Suluhan han to Samanpazarı and the castle — copper, kilims, fabrics and souvenirs.
- Everyday shopping: Kızılay, Tunalı Hilmi Street, and the ANKAmall and Armada malls by metro stations.
- What to take home: Ankara has 45 local foods and crafts in the register of geographical indications — from tiftik to simit.
- Tax free: VAT is refunded if the invoice total is more than 1,000 TL before VAT and the purchase leaves Turkey within three months.
- Antique items — old carpets, coins and Ottoman-era objects — cannot be taken out without a museum document. The penalty is 5 to 12 years in prison.
Where to shop: Ankara’s neighbourhoods
Ankara offers two different kinds of shopping. The old town — Ulus and Samanpazarı below the castle — is for crafts, copper, carpets and fabrics. The new centre — Kızılay and the Çankaya district — is for clothes, shoes and everyday essentials. Large malls are by metro stations, so they are easy to reach without a car.
- Ulus is the historic centre: old hans, shops and markets. Bargaining is common here.
- Kızılay is the main square and a metro interchange. The surrounding streets have clothes, shoes and electronics shops.
- Tunalı Hilmi Street (Tunalı Hilmi Caddesi) in Kavaklıdere has shops, bookshops and cafés.
- ANKAmall is a mall by Akköprü metro station (line M1).
- Armada is a mall by Söğütözü metro station (line M2).
Prices are fixed in malls and chain stores. Bargaining is common in markets and small shops in the old town.
Ulus: uphill to the castle
Explore the old town from bottom to top: from Ulus Square to Ankara Castle. It is a short walk, but the street climbs all the way. There are four stops along the route, each with different things to buy. Tap a stop to see what is sold there.
Ulus · uphill
Four stops on the way to the castle
1Suluhan
An old Ottoman han by Ulus Square, also known as Hasanpaşa Hanı. Small shops and cafés surround its two courtyards.
- Haggling
- In shops: yes
- Tip
- Start here: streets climb from the han to Samanpazarı.
2Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu
A steep street climbing from Ulus. Its name means “spinning-wheel makers’ slope” (çıkrık means spinning wheel). Today, people shop here for trousseaus, evening dresses and everything for a wedding.
- Haggling
- Yes
- Tip
- A good place for fabric and lace.
3Samanpazarı
A neighbourhood below the castle. Its name means “hay market”: hay was once sold here. Today, it has coppersmiths’ workshops, copper cookware, carpets, kilims and crafts.
- Haggling
- Yes
- Tip
- For cooking, choose tin-lined copper: kalaylı in Turkish.
4Ankara Castle Ankara Kalesi
At the top of the hill, the castle neighbourhood has old houses and shops selling kilims, copper, souvenirs and antiques. You can see the whole city from here.
- Haggling
- Yes
- Tip
- Antiques need a museum document to leave Turkey. See the check at the end.
Shops often do not display prices. Ask the price, offer less, and calmly walk away if you cannot agree: this is a normal part of bargaining, and no one will be offended.
What to take home: made in Ankara
The Turkish patent office TÜRKPATENT registers local foods and crafts as geographical indications (coğrafi işaret). Ankara province has 45 entries in the register. There are two types. Menşe adı means everything is made only in that place. Mahreç işareti means at least one stage takes place there. The shelf shows eight entries that tourists look for most often. Tap a tag.
TÜRKPATENT register · checked 14 October 2026
Ankara’s shelf: eight registered products
Menşe adı — all made hereMahreç işareti — at least one stage here
No. 802 · 2021 · menşe adı
Ankara Tiftiği — tiftik
The fleece of the Angora goat — mohair — has long, lustrous curls. The Angora goat takes its name from Ankara’s old name.
Pack it: yes — yarn, shawls and scarves. Look for tiftik or mohair in the fibre content: “angora” can also mean rabbit fur.
No. 1511 · 2023 · mahreç işareti
Ankara Sof Kumaşı — sof fabric
Fabric made from Ankara tiftik. It is used for dresses, shawls, scarves and throws.
Pack it: yes — a scarf, shawl or length of fabric.
No. 325 · 2018 · mahreç işareti
Nallıhan İğne Oyası — needle lace
Three-dimensional thread lace from the Nallıhan district. It is made with a needle.
Pack it: yes — light and unbreakable.
No. 260 · 2017 · menşe adı
Çubuk Agat Taşı — agate from Çubuk
Banded chalcedony (agate) from the Çubuk district in the north of the province.
Pack it: yes — a ring, beads or a pendant.
No. 173 · 2013 · mahreç işareti
Beypazarı Kurusu — rusks from Beypazarı
Crisp, finger-sized rusks. The dough is made with milk rather than water, and baked in a stone oven.
Pack it: yes — they keep for about a year in a dry place.
No. 999 · 2022 · mahreç işareti
Beypazarı Havuç Lokumu — carrot lokum
Carrot lokum coated in desiccated coconut, in cubes of about 2 cm.
Pack it: yes, in a box.
No. 235 · 2017 · mahreç işareti
Ankara Simidi — Ankara simit
Thinner and smaller than a regular simit, darkened by grape pekmez and made without fat. It is baked in a wood-fired oven.
Pack it: no — simit is eaten fresh, right on the street.
No. 408 · 2019 · menşe adı
Ankara Erkeç Pastırması — pastırma
Cured meat from a male Angora goat, coated in a paste of çemen (fenugreek) and garlic.
Pack it: it depends on your destination. Turkey allows it out, but many countries do not allow meat in — check your destination country’s rules.
Mohair or angora?
Tiftik is the fleece of the Angora goat, in English: mohair. Shops also use “angora” for Angora rabbit fur: that is a different fibre. Fabric made from tiftik — sof — was added to the register in 2023. Check the fibre content on the label before buying.
The best foods to take on your journey are sweets and baked goods from Beypazarı, a town 100 km from Ankara: kurusu rusks, carrot lokum and sweet sucuk — walnuts threaded on a string and coated in thick grape juice. They are also sold in Ankara. Try simit and pastırma while you are there.
Copper and carpets: buying in a small shop
Coppersmiths still work in Samanpazarı, hammering out pots, trays and Turkish coffee pots in their workshops. New cookware with an invoice can leave Turkey without difficulty. Carpets and kilims are sold both new and old. The law treats an old carpet as cultural property, so ask about a museum document before paying.
Before you pay
Ask whether the item is new or old (yeni mi, eski mi?). Choose tin-lined cookware — kalaylı. For an old carpet, ask for a museum document. Always get an invoice: you need it both for tax free and at customs.
Bu ne kadar?
boo neh kah-dar
How much does this cost?
Biraz indirim olur mu?
bee-raz in-dee-rim oh-loor moo
Could you give me a small discount?
Bu el yapımı mı?
boo el yah-puh-muh muh
Is this handmade?
Bu yeni mi, eski mi?
boo yeh-nee mee, es-kee mee
Is this item new or old?
İçi kalaylı mı?
ee-chee kah-lie-luh muh
Is it tin-lined inside?
Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?
kart-lah ur-deh-yeh-bee-leer mee-yim
Can I pay by card?
Tax free yapıyor musunuz?
tax free yah-puh-yor moo-soo-nooz
Do you offer tax free?
Faturayı pasaport bilgilerimle keser misiniz?
fah-too-rah-yuh pah-sah-port beel-gee-leh-rim-leh keh-ser mee-see-niz
Could you make out the invoice using my passport details, please?
Bunun müze belgesi var mı?
boo-noon mew-zeh bel-geh-see var muh
Does this item have a museum document?
Gümrükte tax free noktası nerede?
gewm-rewk-teh tax free nok-tah-suh neh-reh-deh
Where is the tax free point at customs?
Tax free: how to get a VAT refund
VAT (KDV in Turkish) is already included in prices in Turkey. Travellers who do not live in Turkey can reclaim it when they take their purchase out. Foreign nationals and Turkish citizens living abroad are eligible if they have spent no more than 185 days in Turkey. The main condition is that one invoice totals more than 1,000 TL before VAT. This threshold has applied since 1 February 2024; it was previously 100 TL. Enter the amount from your receipt and the VAT rate shown on it: the calculator will show how much tax is in the receipt total and whether the invoice meets the threshold.
Calculator · threshold from 1 Feb 2024 · checked 14 Oct 2026
How much VAT is on your receipt
VAT rate on receipt
Usually 20%. The rate is printed on the receipt next to KDV.
Example: a receipt for 4,800 TL, 20% VAT, invoice dated 14 Oct 2026.
Before VAT4,000 TL
VAT on receipt800 TL
Invoice meets the threshold: over 1,000 TL before VAT.
Export by14 Jan 2027
This is all the tax in the receipt total. You will receive less: the intermediary deducts a fee.
- In the shopBefore paying, ask whether the shop offers tax free. Show your passport: the invoice will be made out in your name.
- Three monthsThe purchase must leave Turkey within three months of the invoice date.
- At customsWhen leaving, show your purchase and invoice at the tax free point. Do this before checking in your luggage: you need to show the item. Customs will endorse the paperwork.
- PaymentThe refund is paid by the shop or the intermediary it works with. The intermediary deducts a fee.
What you can take out of Turkey
New items from shops can leave Turkey freely. Strict rules apply to antiques, large amounts of cash and expensive jewellery. Choose what is in your suitcase to see the customs answer.
Exit customs · checked 14 October 2026
What’s in your suitcase?
New kilim or carpet
Yes
A new item from a shop is an ordinary purchase. Keep the invoice: it shows that the item is new.
New copper cookware
Yes
As with a kilim, keep the invoice. Antique copper is checked in the same way as other old items.
Old carpet or kilim
Museum document required
The law classifies old carpets, kilims and fabrics as cultural property. Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism check them before export. Ask the seller for a document before paying.
Law No. 2863, art. 23 and 32
Antique coin, Ottoman-era item
Not without a museum document
Protected cultural property cannot be exported. Exporting it or attempting to do so carries a penalty of 5 to 12 years in prison and a fine. If a museum has issued a document stating that the item is not protected, you can take it out.
Law No. 2863, art. 32 and 68
Jewellery
Free up to US$15,000
Jewellery for personal use, not for sale, can leave without paperwork if it is worth no more than US$15,000. Above that, you need a declaration from entry or an invoice from a Turkish shop.
Turkish customs, passenger rules
Cash
Declare large sums
More than 25,000 TL or more than €10,000 in any currency must be declared to customs on departure. Failure to declare means a 10% fine, and the money may be detained.
Turkish customs, passenger rules
Pastırma, cheese, sweets
Turkey allows it out
Your destination country decides. Many countries do not allow meat and dairy products in. Check your country’s rules before travelling.
Common questions
Where can I buy souvenirs in Ankara?
In the old town: at Suluhan han, on Çıkrıkçılar Yokuşu, in Samanpazarı and in the castle neighbourhood. You will find copper, kilims, fabrics and mohair there.
Is bargaining common?
Yes, in markets and small shops. Prices are fixed in malls and chain stores.
Can I get a VAT refund in a mall?
Yes, if the shop offers tax free and the invoice total before VAT is more than 1,000 TL. Ask before paying and show your passport.
What food can I bring home from Ankara?
Foods that keep well: kurusu rusks, carrot lokum and walnut sucuk from Beypazarı. Simit is eaten fresh, and many countries do not allow meat in.
Can I take an old carpet out?
Only with a museum document stating that the carpet is not protected as cultural property. Exporting it without one is a criminal offence.
Sources and dates checked
We checked everything on 13–14 October 2026. The tax free threshold and customs rules change, so check the sources below before a large purchase.
- Turkey’s register of geographical indications (Ankara province) — TÜRKPATENT, checked 14 Oct 2026
- VAT Law No. 3065 (art. 11/1-b: VAT refunds for travellers) — Mevzuat, Turkey’s legislation database, checked 14 Oct 2026
- Amendment No. 49 to the general VAT implementation rules: 1,000 TL threshold from 1 Feb 2024 — Resmî Gazete No. 32433 of 18 Jan 2024, checked 14 Oct 2026
- Presidential Decision No. 7346: VAT rates of 20% and 10% — Resmî Gazete No. 32241 of 7 Jul 2023, checked 14 Oct 2026
- Customs: frequently asked questions (tax free, cash, jewellery) — Turkish Ministry of Trade, checked 14 Oct 2026
- Tax free for travellers — Gümrük Rehberi, Turkish Ministry of Trade, checked 14 Oct 2026
- Law No. 2863 on the protection of cultural and natural property (art. 23, 32, 68) — Mevzuat, Turkey’s legislation database, checked 14 Oct 2026
