I have an eight-hour layover in Istanbul coming up soon on Turkish Airlines. While I've headed into the city in other countries on other airlines, I've always done it with just my carry-on luggage and never needed to modify my checked bags.

In this case, I'm thinking about buying some gifts in Istanbul that I'd need to check. If I bring an empty bag on my flight to Istanbul as a carry-on, can I leave the airport during my long layover, then come back and check that bag, even if I already had a checked bag on my first flight?

Probably a simple question but I just wanted to know for sure. Thanks!