While for many visitors, paying a visit to a farmers market in Türkiye may not be on the top of the list for adventures to be had, I would argue that in fact, it can be one of the most memorable experiences. Not only is it a way to purchase the top-quality food products available in the country, and the most affordable to boot, but there are also a variety of healthy snacks on offer as well as textiles and clothing, and even herbal remedies.

Nearly anywhere you may be in Türkiye, I can tell you that there will be a farmers market held weekly nearby. While some may be bigger than others and in larger towns and cities may be divided into either food markets or textile markets, either way, trust me, paying a visit will be worth it! Not only are they entertaining and certainly colorful, but you can find the creme de la creme of foodstuffs, clothing and lots of souvenir and gift options to take home.

While getting to one should be quite easy as most regions have minibus services on market days if they aren’t close by, navigating what to buy may be more challenging simply because they are overflowing with options and overwhelming with locals and visitors alike, coupled with the vendors and their characteristic calls to their tables – all of which can admittedly be an overload to the senses. So let this be your guide to how to navigate and what to buy from the summer farmers market.

Eat more fruit

First and foremost, summertime is the heyday for fruit and Türkiye just happens to have some of the best-tasting variations of cherries, apricots, peaches, figs and more. But this makes it hard to know which ones to buy. For Turks, there are some steadfast favorites, which I will happily share with you here. Starting with cherries, "Napolyon" are the biggest and richest in color variations that are in high demand in summer. Yet most vendors tend to have two kinds, one of which is referred to as "tarla," which means they came from a local field. While these tend to be smaller and the more affordable option, in many cases they also tend to be sweeter and thus even more delicious. The markets here also tend to have white cherries, which are worth a try and most vendors will allow you to take a sample, yet they are not as sweet as their deep red variations, nor in my personal opinion as tasty.

As for apricots, in Türkiye, there are two types that defy all other apricots you may have tried before in your life. Of these, "şekerpare," as the name infers, are pretty much as sweet as can be. They tend to hail from Malatya, Türkiye’s epicenter of apricots, and they are smaller in size and softer than other varieties but are absolutely the most delicious. Despite this variation being the most flavorful, there is another type of apricot, referred to as "Iğdır," which is the specific region they tend to come from. They are definitely worth trying and have a unique aroma compared to others. They tend to be larger and lighter in color, which may seem less appealing, but trust me once they soften and are ripe and in their prime, tasting one of these is a whole other experience.

As for other summer fruity delights, the peaches of Bursa are famous for their flavor, while "deve bastı," which translates into English as having been "stepped on by a camel," are an oddly flatter shaped peach that also has a unique and definitely worth-trying flavor. The nectarines here are huge and juicy and divine, while the white nectarines are smaller and harder yet also worth trying for their own sweet flavor derived from being a hybrid of nectarine and plum. Anamur is the type of banana, named after its source location that is always a top choice, despite being smaller and occasionally wider in size than imported variations. Meanwhile, a new introduction to the mix is dragon fruit, which has only recently become available and has an admittedly costly price. Figs, both purple and white, will be the biggest feature to pop up in the markets in the weeks to come.

How to choose the best watermelon

There’s no doubt that the most popular fruit come summer is the beloved watermelon, which is consumed by Turks first thing in the morning and last thing at night, as well as almost any time in between. However, it can be difficult to figure out how to choose the best watermelon out of the stacks that show up in the markets as well as those sold from the beds of vans pretty much anywhere through summer. But for those in the know, there are a few tips to follow when choosing the perfect watermelon. The first is that these melons are divided into two categories, female and male. The female melons are rounder and sweeter and the males are more oblong and juicier. If a melon has a huge yellow spot, then this means it is also sweeter as do spider web-like markings, which means the melon laid low on the soil and that bees had visited the fruit regularly as it developed. Lastly, the dryness of the stem is a sign of just how ripe the fruit was at picking.

Eat your greens

As for vegetables, the selection is more limited in summer versus winter and most of the produce, with the exception of tomatoes, tend to be green such as the chard, green beans and zucchini that shine in the summer month. However, this also means that bright yellow zucchini blossoms become available this season and they are generally stuffed with a mixture of rice, which is a delightful dish to order when you come across it.

Snacks and other foodstuffs

The farmers market is a great place to purchase nuts in bulk and in addition to all of the expected nut varieties, there is a special treat consisting of sesame-coated peanuts that make for the perfect sweet yet slightly salty snack. Olives and cheeses are divine at the market, and the vendors allow you to taste the different varieties to know what to choose. Typically, markets will have stands preparing gözleme, which is a pastry-like dish consisting of stuffed and folded over handmade phyllo doughs.

Olive oil is also sold customarily in repurposed plastic water bottles, which is a signature tell-tale sign that it was likely produced from the vendor’s own trees. You may also see a number of other oils as well as tinctures, which are most notably "kantaron yağı" and "kudret narı." Kantaron is the word for the herb St. John’s Wort and in Türkiye, it is used as an oil rub for the skin and revered for lessening the appearance of scars and stretch marks. "Kudret Narı" is Türkish for bitter gourd and is mashed in with honey, or seeped in olive oil, either of which, a spoonful is taken daily for its healing properties for digestive issues and is believed to strengthen the immune system. Meanwhile, honey, which you can also buy in the comb, is another sweet find at Turkish farmers markets.

Getting to the good stuff

The farmers markets are also an ideal venue to purchase souvenirs to take home, as traditional textiles and clothing are usually widely available. From peshtamel towels to şalvar pants, or all other sorts of clothing made from the Turkish 100% cotton "şile bezi" are all lightweight options to don in the summer heat. Farmers markets also tend to have stalls selling extra productions of clothing from well-known brands that may have had simple errors such as mislabeling, etc. that can be found in heaps on stalls and are sold at a discounted price. Colorful felt rugs are a fun item that can be found at markets as are accessories and even animal accessories, such as decorative bronze bells, which also make for a talk piece garden hanging. Last, but not least, there are hand-carved wooden spoons and other wooden cutlery, mainly made out of olive trees, that also make for a useful gift to take home.