How to Spend the International Mother’s Day in Türkiye
Mother's Day is celebrated in Türkiye on the second Sunday of May. In celebration of Mother’s Day 2021, we have decided to make a list of reasons to be thankful for our mothers. We’ve coupled every one of these reasons with a personalized idea on how to spend the International Mother’s Day in Türkiye. From traditional, handcrafted souvenirs to places to make lifelong memories, the list is sure to make this Mother’s Day the best one yet. So, make sure to browse through this list before settling on your Mother’s Day presents for the one woman in your life who deserves to be spoiled with love 24/7, 365.
1. Thank your mother for getting incredibly enthusiastic for the smallest things.
We have decided to make you a list of places where you can purchase for your mother small, crafted souvenirs as well as the names of the souvenirs to go for. This list is intended as proof that mothers can be made happy even with the smallest gifts – that no one appreciates sweet sentiment quite like your mother. So, here are some budget-friendly Mother’s Day ideas on what you could get from Türkiye to put a smile on your mother’s face.
Nature, mother to all that is and has ever been, has carved Türkiye as a place of unmatched beauty. In thus doing, it provided local people with the means to create beautiful things. People of Türkiye now have a habit of creating handcrafted items, making use of everything the lands of Türkiye have to offer. Bazaars and stands are set up everywhere and sell little and useful items that bear witness to the country’s authenticity and love of arts.
Our suggestion for you is to take your mother to a hamam (Turkish bath) and prepare a hamam bag for her. The traditional products you could add to such a bag are numerous. Let us start with sponges. Sponges are harvested in the Aegean and Mediterranean to be finally sold on stands and bazaars set up along popular pedestrian walkways. The region also produces olive oil products, such as soaps and shampoos. Turkish coffee is a plus that you could perhaps want to add on as it’s been used as a body scrub for centuries now.
In addition to these pedestrian walkways, many tourist attractions that date back thousands of years sell handcrafted items. Located in the Beyazıt District of İstanbul and considered the world’s earliest example of a shopping mall, The Grand Bazaar and The Spice Bazaar are always ready to offer you the warmest welcomes. On the streets of these bazaars, it’s possible to find some little items to buy for your mother, including but not limited to scarfs, hand-woven, first- and second-hand kilims and carpets, varieties of jewelries, and local delicacies such as Turkish coffee, spices and lokum (Turkish delight).
A hand loomed, thin fabric exclusively specific to the Şile District of İstanbul, Şile Bezi (Şile Cloth) would also make a great souvenir for your mother. The town is situated on the Black Sea coast of İstanbul though the cloth can be purchased almost anywhere in Türkiye, embroidered in varieties of fashions depending on where it’s sold. It’s ideal for summer garments; so, it’s always a great idea to buy clothing made from this textile on International Mother’s Day – right before the summer starts.
A visit to Central Europe would be made more meaningful if you bought your mother a bottle of perfume. A visit to Türkiye, however, has more in stock to promise you:
Don’t forget to add to your shopping bag a bottle of cologne that smells of lemons. It is sure to help your mother forever refresh her memories in Türkiye, giving her a piece of calm in every spray. It’s also the perfect gift for Mother’s Day 2021 in that it could serve as a hand sanitizer.
You could also buy an ornamented coffee pot (cezve) and pepper grinder for your mother. Check out Bakırcılar Bazaar in Malatya, where you can find variations of these traditional souvenirs to be shared with friends and family. It’s always a good idea to buy a copper coffee pot and add a package of Turkish coffee to your shopping basket to bring a piece of Türkiye home.
Click here to learn more about traditional shopping in Türkiye. (Link: https://shopping.goturkiye.com)
A visit to the Adalar (Turkish for the Princes’ Islands) District of İstanbul is also a good idea. You could buy your mother a dondurma (Turkish ice cream) and ride a two-seater bike with her, which would help create a sense of nostalgia and thus the perfect gift. If you want to learn more about the Princes’ Islands, please click here. (Link: https://goislands.goturkiye.com/islands-marmara-turkiye)
2. Thank your mother for making you feel like an heir/heiress all your life.
A visit to the historic buildings of İstanbul can also make the perfect gift for your mother if you want to treat her like an empress. Some of the old palaces, pavilions, and waterside mansions of İstanbul serve as restaurants or hotels. So, here’s your chance to take this Mother’s Day to a whole new level. To learn what else there’s to see in İstanbul, please click here and expand your International Mother’s Day bucket list. (Link: https://goistanbulturkiye.com/see)
3. Thank your mother for allowing you to make your own mistakes.
Stepping out of our comfort zones to discover new things is sometimes distressing. But our mothers were always by our sides when we were scared of making mistakes. We wanted to offer you a chance to let them have the same experience:
Turkish people have busied themselves with various artforms that are rooted in their culture. Several workshops and courses are offered every year to teach ebru (Turkish paper marbling), ceramics and weaving.
The pottery produced in the historic town of Avanos in Kapadokya is now world-renowned. There are plenty of ateliers in and around the area where you could get to learn for yourselves how to practice this artform. Take your mother there and bring back home something to always remember this Mother’s Day. If you want to learn more about Kapadokya, click here and see what you could add to your itinerary. (Link: https://gocappadociaturkiye.com/touch-cappadocia)
4. Thank your mother for always listening.
It’s your turn to give your mother an opportunity to finally listen to herself. With its turquoise-infused landscapes and wide pine forests, nothing says "Seas the day!" better than the Turquoise Coast of Türkiye. It's time already that you made your reservation and created a lifelong memory for your mother. If you want to learn more about the Turkish Riviera, here’s our guide on that: https://gobluevoyageturkiye.com/turkish-riviera
4. Thank your mother for inspiring you to become the person you have.
Now, you provide some inspiration for them!
There are many places in Türkiye that can simply heal your mother and help her become a better version of herself. We have chosen for you two of these: the world-famous Pamukkale Travertines and the Salt Lake. These places are sure to be inspirational for you and your family. So, make sure to ring ahead to book.
Beneath the world-famous calcite travertines of Pamukkale lies warm and mineral-rich waters heated by volcanic lava. A popular thermal center as well as a magical photography spot, Pamukkale will give you the dreamiest moments with its cotton-white landscapes and therapeutic ponds! Your mother is sure to never forget her stay here – and to find the perfect inspiration! To learn more about thermals and springs in Türkiye, please visit https://gowellnessturkiye.com/en/thermals-and-springs
The Salt Lake offers a friendly welcome with its vibrant colors, taking on a candy pink color during late summer and becoming cotton-white in winter. Its endless whiteness will help your mother escape daily stress and recharge her. To see what else there’s to see in Central Anatolia, please don’t hesitate to visit https://gocentralturkiye.com/touch
6. Thank your mother for giving you space to grow into who you need to be.
Türkiye is divided into seven regions, each of which has a certain geographical or climatic feature making it incomparable to any other place in the world. This diversity and abundance allow the country to offer the warmest welcome to the lovers of outdoor activities. We advise you to ring ahead to book a flight already and start to enjoy Türkiye’s oases with plenty of unspoiled nature, with your mother by your side. Here, you can show her the person you’ve truly become and give them an adrenaline boost.
The coastal towns of the Aegean never fail to fascinate; so, taking your mother there would make the perfect idea. With the infinite blue-sky hovering above you and the most sublime mountains lying before you, you’ll just have created the perfect moment to converse with your mother. Click here to visit our camping guide.
Paragliding is a magical experience already; but it can be even more magical when you fly above the incredible aerial view of Fethiye. Here’s a chance to make your mother feel rejuvenated. Kitesurfing and golf resorts and schools in the Belek district of Antalya should also remain in a corner of your mind if you and your forever-young mother are into these summer activities.
Visit https://adventureturkiye.com to learn more about outdoor activities and adventure opportunities in Türkiye.
7. Thank your mother for all the home-cooked meals.
Every region of Türkiye has a cuisine of its own, and all of these has a dish that can be cited as a must-try. Depending on where in Türkiye you will choose to stay in, a list of dishes can be suggested.
Instead of choosing one dish over the other, we wanted to channel you to GoGastro Türkiye and let you choose. It is always your mother who takes you on a gastro tour in the corridors of the house. So, it’s your turn to plan for them a gastro tour in one of the richest cuisines of the world.
Click here to learn more about Turkish food and where to find them.
8. Thank your mother for all the answers and for teaching you to keep asking questions.
A country with a history of thousands of years, Türkiye has been home to many cultures and religions. All these cultures and religions have essentially left behind something for domestic and international visitors to learn from.
It was always your mother who has enriched and enlarged your knowledge. So, here’s a chance to enlarge theirs and let them ask the questions. Visit UNESCO Türkiye to create an itinerary for your visit to Türkiye.
9. Thank your mother for the laughter.
We have decided to collect for you some Turkish traditions that would add a bit of laughter to your Mother’s Day celebrations. You could get your mother an evil eye or a pomegranate to bring them good luck, which would be sure to put a smile on your mother’s face.
Hanging an evil eye (nazar boncuğu) in the entrance of a home is traditionally believed to ward your house off the evil. Pomegranates or little figures of them, on the other hand, are believed to bring new blessings to your house. You may want to purchase these little items to show that you care for the house – almost as much as your mother does but never equally.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Turkish Coffee (Türk Kahvesi) is prepared with finely ground coffee beans. It differs from other types of coffee in that it’s not filtered. For this reason, there’s always some leftover coffee grounds in the cup when one’s done drinking it. This allows your fortune to be told by looking at the shapes in the cup, which is usually casually done among friends and family. If you want to put a smile on your mother’s face, just look at the shapes and find a way to express your thankfulness for your mother.