--- title: "Best Stationery Stores in Istanbul: 5 Shops to Visit" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-stationery-stores-istanbul/" description: "Five Istanbul stationery stores checked open on October 26, 2026: Galen Leather Galata, Panter on Istiklal, Mektup, Kâğıthane and Plumon, by area." category: "Stores" published: 2026-10-26 updated: 2026-10-26 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 14 --- # Best Stationery Stores in Istanbul: 5 Shops to Visit > Start with Galen Leather's Galata store (Boğazkesen Caddesi 84/A), Panter Kırtasiye on Istiklal Caddesi (No. 185/D) and Mektup Kırtasiye by Galatasaray High School (Yeniçarşı Caddesi 10/A). All three sit in Beyoğlu, within about 700 m (half a mile), and offer handmade pen cases with inks to test, imported pens and wax seals, and art papers beside fountain pens. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-stationery-stores-istanbul/ - Category: Stores - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-26 - Updated: 2026-10-26 ![A row of five Istanbul shopfronts climbing a hill whose signs read Galen, Panter, Mektup, Kâğıthane and Plumon, with a round stone tower at the top of the street](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/best-stationery-stores-istanbul-16x9.png) *The five stores in this guide, from Karaköy to Nişantaşı, checked on October 26, 2026.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Stores at a glance | Store | Address | Neighborhood | Known for | Official site | |---|---|---|---|---| | Galen Leather Galata | Boğazkesen Caddesi No. 84/A, Firuzağa, Beyoğlu, Istanbul | Galata (Tophane) | Galen Leather's first shop: its handmade leather pen cases, notebook covers and writing boxes, with pens, inks and Japanese notebooks | https://galenleather.com.tr/pages/galen-galata-magazasi | | Panter Kırtasiye (Viapera) | İstiklal Caddesi No. 185/D, Beyoğlu, Istanbul | Istiklal Caddesi (Tünel) | Stationery shop on Istiklal since 1983: Diamine inks, Retro 51 pens, Paperblanks and Brunnen notebooks, wax seals and dip pen sets | https://viapera.com/ | | Mektup Kırtasiye | Yeniçarşı Caddesi No. 10/A, Tomtom, Beyoğlu, Istanbul | Galatasaray | Stationery shop founded in 1992: fountain pens, handmade notebooks, art papers and paints, from Lamy and Pelikan to Fabriano and Schmincke | https://www.mektupkirtasiye.com/ | | Kâğıthane (House of Paper) | Fransız İş Geçidi No. 10, Kemankeş Kara Mustafa Paşa Caddesi, Karaköy, Istanbul | Karaköy | Paper-goods shop: notebooks, calendars, postcards and bags inspired by Istanbul, plus posters and gift wrap | https://www.kagithane.com.tr/ | | Plumon | Hak Pasajı No. 22B/32, Teşvikiye Caddesi, Teşvikiye, Şişli, Istanbul | Nişantaşı | Writing boutique: pens, papers and inks from international brands, with engraving, embossing, wax seals and gift boxes | https://www.plumon.com.tr/ | - Galen Leather Galata: Monday to Friday 10 am–6 pm, Saturday 11 am–7 pm, closed Sundays, per Galen's site; check before you go. Opened December 27, 2025; from the Tophane tram stop (T1), walk 8–12 minutes up Boğazkesen Caddesi, per Galen. Checked 2026-10-26 on https://galenleather.com.tr/pages/galen-galata-magazasi - Panter Kırtasiye (Viapera): Daily 10:30 am–8:30 pm, per Viapera's contact page; check before you go. Opposite the Odakule office building; Viapera, launched in 2013, is its online shop. Checked 2026-10-26 on https://viapera.com/pages/iletisim - Mektup Kırtasiye: Opens at noon in summer; Mektup asks visitors to call before coming, per its site; check before you go. Next to Galatasaray High School. Mektup says it is a shop, not an online store; you can ask it to order a product. Checked 2026-10-26 on https://www.mektupkirtasiye.com/ - Kâğıthane (House of Paper): Its site lists no shop hours; the company's office is in Büyükdere, Sarıyer. Checked 2026-10-26 on https://www.kagithane.com.tr/ - Plumon: The address is the one Plumon's site lists for its company; its site gives no shop hours. Checked 2026-10-26 on https://www.plumon.com.tr/ ## Key takeaways - We list 5 Istanbul stationery stores, each checked on its own website on October 26, 2026: 4 in Beyoğlu (Galata, Istiklal Caddesi, Galatasaray and Karaköy) and 1 in Nişantaşı. - Galen Leather opened its first shop, Galen Galata, on December 27, 2025, a few steps from the Galata Tower; it closes on Sundays, per its Turkish site. - Panter Kırtasiye has sold stationery on Istiklal Caddesi since 1983, in a shop that has sold stationery since the 1910s, and opens daily 10:30 am to 8:30 pm. - Mektup Kırtasiye, founded in 1992, lists more than 20 brands, from Lamy and Pelikan pens to Fabriano and Hahnemühle papers, and asks visitors to call before coming. - Turkey refunds VAT to visitors who live abroad on goods they take out of the country, on showing the invoice at customs when they leave, under Article 11/1-b of its VAT law. ## What are the best stationery stores in Istanbul? **For a first visit, walk Beyoğlu: Galen Leather Galata for leather pen cases and inks, Panter Kırtasiye on Istiklal Caddesi for imported pens and wax seals, and Mektup Kırtasiye in Galatasaray for paper and paints.** These three come first because they sit within about 700 m (half a mile) of each other and each does one thing in depth. | Store | Neighborhood | Known for | Official site | |---|---|---|---| | Galen Leather Galata | Galata | Handmade pen cases, inks to test | [galenleather.com.tr](https://galenleather.com.tr/pages/galen-galata-magazasi) | | Panter Kırtasiye | Istiklal Caddesi | Imported pens, inks, wax seals | [viapera.com](https://viapera.com/) | | Mektup Kırtasiye | Galatasaray | Fountain pens, art papers since 1992 | [mektupkirtasiye.com](https://www.mektupkirtasiye.com/) | | Kâğıthane | Karaköy | Istanbul-themed paper goods | [kagithane.com.tr](https://www.kagithane.com.tr/) | | Plumon | Nişantaşı | Engraving, embossing, gift boxes | [plumon.com.tr](https://www.plumon.com.tr/) | ## How did we choose these stores? **We picked shops that focus on stationery, pens or paper and were open on October 26, 2026, then weighed what each one stocks and does.** Our criteria: - **A dedicated focus** on stationery, writing or paper goods. - **Something you can only do there**, such as testing Galen's inks beside its pen cases or having a pen engraved at Plumon. - **Depth of range**, such as Panter's imported pens and Mektup's art papers. - **Standing in the stationery community**, from Galen Leather's Istanbul guide and Time Out Istanbul, cited below. - **Open now**, confirmed on each store's own site on October 26, 2026. We compiled this from the stores' own websites and that coverage; we have not visited them for this guide, and we do not rate them. ## Why is each store on the list? **Each store earns its place with a specific range or service, not general souvenirs.** - **Galen Leather Galata**: the Istanbul workshop's first shop, with its pen cases, notebook covers and writing boxes, plus Kaweco and Kilk pens and Tomoe River notebooks. - **Panter Kırtasiye** (Istiklal Caddesi): Diamine inks, Retro 51 pens, Paperblanks notebooks, wax seals and dip pens, from a shop selling stationery since 1983. - **Mektup Kırtasiye** (Galatasaray): fountain pens, handmade notebooks and art papers and paints, in Beyoğlu since 1992. - **Kâğıthane** (Karaköy): its own Istanbul-themed notebooks, calendars and postcards, in the Fransız Geçidi arcade. - **Plumon** (Nişantaşı): pens, papers and inks, with engraving, embossing and wax seals for gifts. ## Which Istanbul stores are best for fountain pens and ink? **Galen Galata is the strongest stop for pen people: Galen says you can browse, test inks and find items not sold online, beside its own pen cases and writing boxes.** Its Turkish site stocks pens from Leonardo Officina, Kaweco and Istanbul's Kilk, and inks from Robert Oster, Diamine and Kakimori. Panter, up the hill on Istiklal, imports Retro 51 and [Parafernalia](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/parafernalia-history/) pens and Diamine inks; a dip pen set costs ₺1,650 (about US$33). Mektup lists Lamy, Kaweco and Pelikan pens and J. Herbin inks. Read our [Galen Leather history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/galen-leather-history/) and compare colors in our [fountain pen inks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-fountain-pen-inks/) guide. ## Which Istanbul stores are best for paper and calligraphy? **Mektup is the paper stop: it lists Clairefontaine, Fabriano, Canson and Hahnemühle papers, handmade notebooks, and paints from Schmincke and Winsor & Newton.** It sits beside Galatasaray High School; call ahead, as it opens at noon in summer. For letter writing, Panter sells wax seals and dip pen sets, and Plumon offers embossing and wax seals for gifts. Kâğıthane's 2026 Istanbul skyline calendar is on sale at ₺720 (about US$15). Start with our [dip pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-dip-pens-for-beginners/) and [calligraphy pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-calligraphy-pens-for-beginners/) guides. ## How do you plan a stationery day in Istanbul? **Start downhill and walk up through Beyoğlu, and remember Galen Galata closes on Sundays.** 1. **Karaköy and Galata:** Kâğıthane in the Fransız Geçidi arcade, then Galen Galata on Boğazkesen Caddesi, 8–12 minutes up from the Tophane tram stop. 2. **Istiklal Caddesi:** Panter, opposite Odakule near the Tünel end, then Mektup on Yeniçarşı Caddesi by Galatasaray. 3. **Nişantaşı:** Plumon on Teşvikiye Caddesi, from Osmanbey metro station. Flying out? iGA Istanbul Airport lists a Montblanc shop by the A-B pier, airside. ![To-scale map of 5 Istanbul stationery stores, from Kâğıthane in Karaköy and Galen Galata to Panter and Mektup on Istiklal and Plumon in Nişantaşı](https://stationerytimes.com/images/best-stationery-stores-istanbul-map.svg) *Where the stores are, drawn to scale from OpenStreetMap shop and house-number data; check addresses before you go. Map data and store positions © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).* ## Can visitors get a VAT refund in Istanbul? **Yes: Article 11/1-b of Turkey's VAT law says visitors who don't live in Turkey pay VAT on goods they buy to take abroad, and get it back when they show the invoice or refund document at customs on leaving.** Ask the shop for tax-free paperwork at the till. Keep the goods and receipts with you for the customs check at the airport, and ask each shop whether it issues tax-free forms before you buy. ## Which Istanbul stationery stores did we leave out? **We left out Panel Kırtasiye in Erenköy, whose site blocked us with a security check on October 26, 2026, and Karum in Nişantaşı, whose site showed only a template page.** Both may well be open; check before you go. We also left out the Kilk pen shop in Üsküdar, whose site we could not reach, and two Sirkeci shops in Galen's guide with no website, Yeni Zaman Kırtasiye and pen repairer Murat Sönmez. More cities: see [all our stationery store guides, city by city](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/stores/), from New York and San Francisco to Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, London, Paris, Vienna and Istanbul. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best stationery store in Istanbul? For pen and notebook lovers, Galen Leather Galata at Boğazkesen Caddesi 84/A, Galen's first shop, with its handmade pen cases, inks to test and Japanese notebooks. For imported pens, inks and wax seals, Panter Kırtasiye on Istiklal Caddesi; for art papers and paints beside fountain pens, Mektup Kırtasiye in Galatasaray. ### Where to buy fountain pens in Istanbul? In Beyoğlu: Galen Galata sells pens from Leonardo Officina, Kaweco and Kilk, Panter Kırtasiye stocks Retro 51 and Parafernalia pens with Diamine inks, and Mektup lists Lamy, Kaweco, Pelikan, Waterman, Parker and Cross. In Nişantaşı, Plumon engraves the pens it sells. ### Where is the Galen Leather store in Istanbul? Galen Galata is at Firuzağa, Boğazkesen Caddesi No. 84/A, 34425 Beyoğlu, a few steps from the Galata Tower and Galataport, per Galen. It opens Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday 11 am to 7 pm, and closes on Sundays. ### Where to buy stationery in Istanbul? Beyoğlu has most of it: Panter on Istiklal Caddesi, Mektup by Galatasaray High School and Galen Galata on Boğazkesen Caddesi are within about 700 m (half a mile), and Kâğıthane is downhill in Karaköy. Plumon is in Nişantaşı, near Osmanbey metro station, one stop north of Taksim. ### Where can I buy wax seals in Istanbul? Panter Kırtasiye's online shop, Viapera, lists brass wax seal sets, custom seals and sealing wax, and dip pen sets from ₺1,650 (about US$33); ask at its Istiklal Caddesi shop, No. 185/D. In Nişantaşı, Plumon offers wax seals and embossing to finish gifts and letters. ### Can tourists get a VAT refund in Istanbul? Yes. Under Article 11/1-b of Turkey's VAT law, visitors who don't live in Turkey pay VAT when they buy goods they will take abroad, and get it back on showing the invoice or refund document at customs when they leave. Ask the shop for tax-free paperwork when you pay. ## Sources - [Galen Leather Türkiye: Galen Galata store, address, hours and directions (Turkish)](https://galenleather.com.tr/pages/galen-galata-magazasi) - [Galen Leather: Istanbul stationery stores guide (June 21, 2025, updated for the Galata store)](https://www.galenleather.com/blogs/news/istanbul-guide-for-galen-fans) - [Viapera (Panter Kırtasiye): our story (Turkish)](https://viapera.com/pages/hikayemiz) - [Viapera (Panter Kırtasiye): contact, shop address and hours (Turkish)](https://viapera.com/pages/iletisim) - [Viapera: online shop with prices (Turkish)](https://viapera.com/) - [Mektup Kırtasiye: home page, story, brands, address and hours (Turkish)](https://www.mektupkirtasiye.com/) - [Kâğıthane: online shop and shop address (Turkish)](https://www.kagithane.com.tr/) - [Plumon: online shop and company details (Turkish)](https://www.plumon.com.tr/) - [iGA Istanbul Airport: Montblanc, close to the A-B pier](https://www.istairport.com/en/services/shopping/stores/montblanc-close-to-a-b-pier) - [Turkish Legislation Information System: Value Added Tax Law No. 3065, Article 11 (Turkish, PDF)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuatmetin/1.5.3065.pdf) - [Time Out Istanbul: Panter Kırtasiye (Turkish)](https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/tr/alisveris-stil/panter-kirtasiye) - [Time Out Istanbul: Mektup Kırtasiye (Turkish)](https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/tr/alisveris-stil/mektup-kirtasiye) - [Time Out Istanbul: Kâğıthane (Turkish)](https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/tr/alisveris-stil/kagithane) - [Time Out Istanbul: Karum (Turkish)](https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/tr/alisveris-stil/karum)