Manavgat Bazaar is the commercial heart of southern Turkey

Manavgat Bazaar, a place where thousands of tourists visiting this part of Turkey go

Manavgat is a city in the Turkish province of Antalya, located on the Mediterranean Sea. It is primarily known for its beautiful sea resorts, the ancient ruins of the city of Side, and, of course, the largest market in this part of the Turkish coast.

The city of Manavgat is situated between the Taurus Mountains to the north and the sandy beaches along the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by a flat plain. In this part of Turkey, there is no heavy industry, and the residents are mainly farmers who cultivate wheat, sesame, as well as fruits and vegetables in the fertile lands nearby.

Everything harvested from the fields and orchards can be found on the same day at numerous local markets, with the largest being the market in Manavgat, the protagonist of today’s story.

Bazaars, markets, and markets on the Turkish coast of Antalya

In the Antalya province, people make a living through agriculture and tourism, which is flourishing rapidly. The result of combining agricultural and tourist businesses is the presence of numerous markets and bazaars scattered along the entire coast.

It may be surprising, but during vacations, people are more inclined to shop and find it easier to spend hard-earned money compared to their everyday lives throughout the year. This is probably due to the desire to unwind from the necessity of saving and budgeting in their daily lives. Therefore, places like bazaars and markets are extremely popular among tourists visiting Turkey.

Near Manavgat and Side, you will find many places where people trade literally everything, from small markets scattered around villages and settlements to large, bustling bazaars.

Shopping in such places is a good idea; the products sold there are fresh, competitively priced, and bargaining is often part of the adventure. Of course, treat haggling as a fun activity rather than a challenge; from amusing banter, it’s easy to transition to an awkward argument over a few cents.

An additional advantage of these markets is that you support the local hard-working population, as large stores and hypermarkets in the city are owned by corporations whose profits only marginally benefit local producers.

Manavgat bazaar, a place where you can buy everything

The Manavgat Bazaar is the largest market on this part of the Turkish coast. It is located in the centre of Manavgat city, and you can find literally everything there. One taxi driver humorously told me that if I couldn’t find what I was looking for at the Manavgat Bazaar, I probably wouldn’t find it anywhere in Turkey.

Market days in Manavgat are Mondays and Thursdays. On these days, food producers, farmers, sellers of leather goods, textiles, toys, electronics, as well as local artists and many less obvious traders and vendors, gather in the city.

At the Manavgat Bazaar, like at other markets, tourists from the entire Turkish Riviera stock up on goods. Personally, I recommend excellent replicas of leather products, whose quality is not far from the original items, and the price is incomparably lower. In addition, local handicrafts, ceramics, handwoven carpets, wooden sculptures, and decorations are available.

Of course, a carpet or a large sculpture may not fit easily into a suitcase, but not to worry; many companies offer shipping for such items to a specified address for a relatively small fee. I witnessed a lady from Germany buying several square meters of hand-painted İznik tiles with a beautiful marine motif. Everything was to be packed and delivered to her address within 4 to 6 days.

We bought the famous Turkish Evil Eye, also known as the Evil Eye or Fatima’s eye, which has a bad reputation but is just a beautiful piece of blue glass. According to Turkish and Greek beliefs, this talisman protects the owner from the demons of envy and the so-called “evil eye“.

Be careful when shopping at the market in Manavgat

Many people come to Turkey to buy gold or silver. Entire streets at the Manavgat Bazaar are dedicated to these precious metals, with dozens of jewellery stores. If you decide to get yourself a golden souvenir from the Turkish Riviera, you’ll find everything you can afford in Manavgat. From cheap, small gold rings in simple quality to exclusive gold rings and necklaces adorned with precious stones.

However, the most common souvenirs people bring from the Manavgat Bazaar are packages of Turkish tea, coffee, beautifully wrapped sweets, or even teapots and vessels for serving brewed drinks. As a connoisseur of good coffee, the topic of vessels used for its brewing is important to me. At one of the stalls, I found a beautiful, handmade cezve set, a small brass pot with a long handle used to brew finely ground and heavily roasted Turkish coffee.

As I noticed, many people were also buying hand-pressed olive oil produced in small, local presses and traditional Turkish Rake, a brandy made from grapes and raisins, strongly flavoured with anise, produced in similar traditional conditions. However, you’ll have to buy this type of souvenir at the airport in the duty-free zone, since bottles purchased at the bazaar won’t be allowed to bring onto the plane.

I recommend my favourite cheese-stuffed olives, fragrant fruits and vegetables that taste excellent even raw. And finally, of course, oriental spices and various herbs essential in Turkish cuisine. The scent of spices is what the Manavgat Bazaar reminds me of, and believe me, the Turkish market is the best place in the world to stock up on aromatic, fresh spices. Additionally, you can also purchase containers for storing spices and clever grinders and mortars if you don’t have them at home.

How to get to the market in Manavgat and other practical information

Getting to Manavgat can be done by either bus or taxi. The easiest way to get to Manavgat is by taxi from the nearby Side. It’s a simple and relatively inexpensive method, especially if you’re travelling in a group. From my experience, drivers often try to increase the fare, especially if they sense you might be a naive tourist, but after a short negotiation, the price usually drops quickly.

Apart from private transport, Manavgat also has public transportation known as “dolmuş,” which is a basic and convenient way to travel around Turkey. Dolmuş vehicles are typically small buses adapted for passenger transport. They follow a designated route back and forth, making it easy to remember which bus goes where.

Dolmuş buses are regularly numbered, and the list of stops, including hotels, can be found on the doors. Interestingly, a regular car can also function as a dolmuş, driving along a specified route and carrying up to 4 passengers.

Address of Manavgat Bazaar: A. Hisar, Gülveren Cd. No:38, 07600 Manavgat/Antalya, Turkey.

Another good way to reach the Manavgat Bazaar is through an organized trip by a travel agency or your hotel. Inquire at the reception; most hotels likely have such options in their offerings.

The advantage of using the hotel or travel agency’s services is that, as part of the excursion, you might also have the opportunity to take a boat trip on the Manavgat River and see one of the waterfalls.

The Manavgat Bazaar operates from morning until evening, but other markets usually wind down around lunchtime. If you’re looking for something specific, it’s worth visiting towards the end of the day, when sellers are more willing to negotiate the price. If you’re hunting for fresh and delicious food, fruits, and vegetables, be sure to visit the market in the morning when everything is still fresh and aromatic.

In the vicinity, you’ll find many other markets that open on various days of the week. Examples include:

• Okurcalar Bazaar: Open on Fridays.
• Side Bazaar: Open on Saturdays.
• Kanakli Bazaar: Open on Thursdays.
• Avsallar Bazaar: Operating on Sundays.
• Tosmur Bazaar: Open on Thursdays.
• Alanya Bazaar: Active on Tuesdays.

For detailed information, it’s advisable to ask residents or hotel staff, as they are the best sources of information.

The market has many cafeterias and restaurants where you can enjoy tasty and affordable dishes. Everything we tried was delicious, and the only downside might be the humble decor of some local eateries, but that adds to the charm of the place.

We spent a lot of time at the Manavgat Bazaar and had a great time. If you’re vacationing on the Turkish Riviera, I highly recommend visiting the largest and most lively market in this part of Turkey.

Manavgat Bazaar facts, information, and curiosities

• The City of Manavgat is situated on a plain between the Taurus Mountains and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean Sea.
• The residents of the province are primarily engaged in agriculture and tourism.
• The province of Antalya, where the city of Manavgat is located, boasts over 64 kilometres of sunny and warm coastline, the majority of which consists of sandy beaches with river mouths and waterfalls.
• Manavgat is experiencing dynamic growth in the tourism industry. Currently, over half of the residents are employed in the hospitality and hotel sector.
• There are many bazaars in the vicinity, but the one in Manavgat is the largest.
• Oriental spices and herbs are the most popular products in Turkish bazaars.
• Haggling is a Turkish tradition, and it even has a special name: “pazarlık“. However, remember that negotiating is not welcomed in places where products have price stickers.
• If the seller is satisfied with the transaction, they often treat you to a small snack or give you a little gift, such as a keychain.

Polish version