Odds are you'll leave Turkey hauling a handspun carpet

The Turks make beautiful carpets. They also make terrific salespeople. Put the two together and odds are you will leave the country carrying a rolled-up Turkish carpet.

Carpet hustlers are everywhere, from the smiling stranger in the street inquiring "Where are you from?" to the tour guide who dumps you in a remote carpet factory for hours on end. Note that the price of the carpet will often be hiked up by 30% to cover the tout's commission.

Still, if you've got some bare polished floorboards or a blank wall at home just crying out for some colour, then Turkey is the perfect place to pick up a stunning handmade carpet or kilim (woven rug).

The ancient art of double-knotted carpet-weaving is still alive today, although you do have to wonder about the eyesight and posture of the women who squat day-in day-out beside large looms.

Purchasing a carpet requires well-honed haggling skills - after all, you don't want to buy something you could pick up cheaper at home. Get a feel for style, quality and price by visiting a range of shops and picking the brains of the owners.

Your best bet is to buy 100% wool, or if you really want to splash out, a combined silk and wool blend. Flip the carpet over and check for the frizzy ends characteristic of wool and also the tightness of the weave. While a tight weave is ideal, it could also indicate that it has been machine-spun which makes it poorer quality. Check to see if the little squares are different sizes: this is a sign that it has been hand-spun and is therefore more durable.

Before buying a carpet, make sure it can lie flat on the floor and also drag it outside to get a look at the colours in the sunshine. Many shops also sell carpets made in neighbouring countries, including Turkmenistan, Iran and Pakistan.