Within the Kemeraltı bazaar district, the spice and dried-goods section is a world of its own — pyramids of saffron, dried figs, sultanas, mahlep, and the pungent resin of dried mastic from Chios piled in open sacks. İzmir's position as a major Aegean port made it historically one of the most important emporiums for dried goods from the surrounding region: figs from Aydın, sultanas from Manisa, saffron from Safranbolu.
Buying spices here is genuinely cheaper than anywhere else in Turkey, and the quality is excellent. Dried figs and sultanas make excellent gifts. The shopkeepers are accustomed to bargaining but are less aggressive than their Istanbul equivalents — İzmir's reputation for a more relaxed commercial culture is well earned.