I have a friend coming tomorrow from the UK. She's in town for just a few days and wants to get a carpet (or two, who knows?). Can anyone recommend some good places?

Thanks y'all!

I have two good adresses for carpets and kilims, "Semo" and "Yörük tradition", both in Kapaliçarsi. Good quality, fair prices (sometimes expensive, but it's for really good stuff).
I send you the contacts on PM

How much does she want to spend? I know some dealers of modern to antique. She should have a wander round the carpet places in the back of the Grand Bazaar.

Depends on what she is looking for. PM me if you want info on specific ones. I write about textiles, antique and new, and know most of the dealers, or know of them.

Maybe you can give a tour round the dealers!? )

There was an article in the latest Time Out about a place in the Kapalı Çarsı named EthniCon (Ethnic & Contemporary). Prices are fixed and you can have a gander on their website: http://www.ethnicon.com

Thanks for all the info people, but unfortunately my friend got some shite visa advice from the consulate in Turkey and now she's stuck at Sabiha Gokcen airport and can't get in! She was told that a) she didn't need a visa for 30 days and b) if she wanted to stay longer, she could buy a visa at the airport. Unfortunately, as she's a South African citizen, none of the above is true. So she's stuck out at the aiport, can't come into Turkey, can't buy a visa, can't pass begin and collect 200 quid. What a complete screw-up. She called the consulate, checked 4 websites and her guidebook and they all said she didn't need a visa. So I guess the carpet buying will have to wait for her next trip - unless someone knows who we have to threaten or pay off to get her in?

She can keep talking to immigration but they are right that she cant enter, the 30 day rule applies only to Official Passports, all others have to get a visa in South Africa http://www.mfa.gov.tr/MFA/ConsularInfor ... igners.htm

The regs for South Africans changed at LEAST 18 months ago, sounds like she didn't check out reputable web sites, or that she didn;t mention that she was South African when speaking with the consulate in London.

Yes, I am South African and I know that you need a visa before coming to Turkey. I know that the fault is her own, but seeing as this is Turkey, just wondered if anyone knew of any loopholes

Request for a private chat with the head guy, out of earshot ask, "how can we resolve this problem?" and have a 50 or $100 bill ready to plam over. Other than that unless you've got juice, it ain;t gonna happen.

Well, I called all the contacts I could think of (and I do have one or two good ones tucked away), but no dice. So unhappily my friend was deported back to the UK this afternoon and her boyfriend went to Ataturk airport to try and find the first flight out. She's probably going to apply for her British passport and then come back when the weather's a bit better.

[quote user="burbaco" post="69795"]There was an article in the latest Time Out about a place in the Kapalı Çarsı named EthniCon (Ethnic & Contemporary). Prices are fixed and you can have a gander on their website: http://www.ethnicon.com[/quote]

I know the owner, Mehmet Gürel, lives in Cihangir, nice guy but these are not typical Turkish carpets but are one special style, patchwork in different colors/tones of colors