Before You Book

PREPARING TO GO TO Türkiye

 

CAPITAL

Ankara

LANGUAGE

Turkish is the official language of Türkiye. English is widely spoken in larger cities.

RELIGION

Islam (approx 95% of the population) other religions include Orthodox Christianity & Judaism.

Türkiye LOCAL TIME

Eastern European Time (EST) is 3 hours ahead of GMT.

ELECTRICITY

220 volts - Sockets are of the European, two-pronged variety.

PASSPORT & VISA

A valid passport is required by all nationals. All Passengers are responsible for securing proper documentation prior to joining the tour. Please ensure that passport/s are valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of return and contain between 2-6 blank “Visa” pages. You should have at least two free pages in your passport. Please access the Travel & Visa Requirements Section on the top of this page for the latest visa entry requirements for the country/ies you are visiting. Passports are required; in addition, travelers are also advised to check with local consulates for full details regarding visa requirements. Please note securing a valid visa for entry is the sole responsibility of the traveler.

LOCAL CURRENCY

The monetary unit in Türkiye is the New Turkish Lira. New Turkish Lira (TRY; symbol YTL) = 100 New Kurus (Ykr). Notes are in denominations of YTL200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of YTL1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 New Kurus.  XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Credit cards:

Visa is the most popular, closely followed by MasterCard. American Express is accepted in top-flight hotels, restaurants, and some gift shops. ATMs are widely found in most areas. In all smaller restaurants, bars, guesthouses, and shops cash is preferred. Many establishments in resort areas will accept Euros.

ATM:

ATMs are easily found in most urban areas. As with all transactions be careful with your card, taking care to keep it in sight, and be discreet with cash.

Banking hours:

Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1330-1700. Some banks in tourist areas and large cities are open daily. Cash can be exchanged in currency exchange offices (döviz bürosu) in all major cities and towns. Banks charge commission.

Cash can usually be exchanged commission free in currency exchange offices (döviz bürosu). Banks usually charge commission. Traveller's cheques can only be exchanged in banks with a passport. Travellers planning to exchange currency back from Turkish Lira to their own country before leaving Türkiye, or those making a major purchase which may need to be declared to customs, must retain transaction receipts to prove that the currency was legally exchanged.

Visiting mosques:

Both men and women are expected to wear clothing which comes to below knee level and to have their shoulders and chests covered.  Shorts, tanks tops and halters are completely inappropriate.  Women must cover their hair with a hat or scarf, and men should be bareheaded.  Shoes must be removed before entering the mosque, carry them with you unless you are with a guide who instructs you to leave them outside.  Many of the larger mosques provide plastic sacks for you to carry your shoes in.

There are usually signs which indicate whether picture taking is allowed; pay attention to whether flash is allowed.  Do not aim your camera at anyone who may be praying.

Do not enter a mosque during a prayer service, wait outside until it is finished. 

CLOTHING

As a general guideline, clothing should be lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. In Türkiye's hot summer months, cotton clothing is much more comfortable than man-made materials like nylon. You should bear in mind that in Türkiye there are few regions where local people have a conservative attitude towards dress; this is particularly true of Konya and Eastern Türkiye. Women, and also to a certain extent men, will find that the way they dress will often determine the degree of respect they receive from both men and women. In most other parts of Türkiye and particularly on the western coast you can dress much more casually. Make sure you allow for climate changes and remember that even in very hot countries, night-time and early morning temperatures can be extremely cold. You will generally find it is better to have several thin layers rather than one thick layer as it gives you more flexibility and warmth. A fleece can be invaluable.

COMMUNICATION & EMAILS

Telephone:

The cheapest way to make calls is from PTT telephone booths, which are found in all areas. These operate using phone cards, which can be bought from kiosks, or by using major credit cards.

Mobile phone:

Mobile phone coverage is generally good but can be patchy in some rural areas in eastern Türkiye.

Internet:

There are internet cafés throughout Türkiye, even in small towns and rural villages. Almost all hotels (including even small guesthouses and budget hostels) offer free Wi-Fi internet access, as do many restaurants, bars and cafés.

Post:

Turkish post offices are recognisable by their yellow PTT signs. Major post offices are open Mon-Sat 0800-2400, Sun 0900-1900; smaller post offices have the same opening hours as government offices.

Media:

The Turkish media tends to be self-censoring on controversial religious, cultural and political issues. Journalists, novelists, film-makers and broadcasters have been prosecuted under laws against ‘insulting' the country, the armed forces, and ‘Turkishness'.

English-language newspapers include The Turkish Daily News, whilst the main Turkish-language papers are Hürriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Zamam Cumhuriyet and Yeni Asir. An edition of the British Sunday Times is printed in Istanbul.

WEATHER & CLIMATE

Like Syria, Türkiye enjoys warm summers and cold winters. Being a large country there is no ‘average’ climatic condition and there are considerable variations between Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the coastal regions. The best time for travel is between March and October. In Central Anatolia (Cappadocia) there is a considerable variation between day and nighttime temperatures, with summer peaking at around 25° (Celsius). The climate is similar in Istanbul, which enjoys warm weather from April to September, with midsummer averages around 23° (Celsius). Around Izmir and Ephesus, the climate is warmer still, with average summertime temperatures occasionally exceeding 30° (Celsius).

Istanbul:

Izmir: (approx)

MEALS

Approximate costs for meals and snacks not included are shown below:

• Simple snack - $US 5-8
• Light meal – $US 8-10
• Fancy restaurant - $US 25-30

DRINKS

Approximate costs for drinks bought in a shop in the street are shown below. Prices in restaurants and hotels can be as much as double those specified.

• 1l of water - US$ 1.00
• 30cl bottle of soft drink - US$ 1.50
• 65cl bottle of beer - US$ 3.00

It is not recommended that you drink the local tap water in Türkiye however bottled water, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices are widely available throughout the country.

FOOD
Turkish people, quite rightly, are very proud of their cuisine. Turkish restaurants fall into two basic categories: restoran and lokanta. Most "restorans" offer a sort of a la carte menu, with foods on display that will be cooked to order. "Lokantas" on the other hand, have a selection of prepared dishes kept hot in ban maries, generally a wide and tasty selection of soups and stews. The Turks are great tea drinkers. While you are shopping in the bazaars you will regularly be offered apple tea. Naturally, coffee comes Turkish style - very strong. Although most of the population of Türkiye is Muslim, most of the hotels and restaurants we use do serve alcoholic drinks. Locally produced spirits (the main one is Raki) and wine are available everywhere and the local beer “Efes Pilsen" is quite good.

Turkish food combines culinary traditions from the people's nomadic past in Central Asia with influences of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Such mixed heritage when it comes to food can be the cause of fierce debate when brought up, in particular when it comes to discussing whether dishes are Greek or Turkish in origin. Debate aside, Turkish food is excellent, with wide variation, going far beyond the familiar kebab.

Meat is a large component of the Turkish diet, with lamb featuring heavily and dishes tend to be fragrantly spiced, although they are not as hot as those found in Indian cuisine. Vegetarians will find they are easily catered for, as meze – a selection of sauces, dips, and vegetables – can be found on almost every menu and it’s not unusual to them as a main meal. Dolma (stuffed vegetables) are also veggie-friendly dishes.

Guests are usually able to go into a kitchen and choose from the pots if they cannot understand the names of the dishes. A wide range of international cuisine is also available in the major cities, and standard German and British dishes along the coasts.

Specialties:

• Köfte (spicy sausage-shaped meatballs made of minced lamb).
• Shish kebab (pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled).
• Pide (the Turkish equivalent of pizza topped with cheese and eggs).
• Dolma (vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with pine nuts and currants).
• Lokum (Turkish Delight - originally made from dates, honey, roses and jasmine bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee).

Things to know:

Türkiye is a secular state and alcohol is widely enjoyed, although during Ramadan it is considered polite for visitors to avoid drinking alcohol in public. Some local restaurants do not serve alcohol. Wine and spirits are heavily taxed and therefore expensive compared with local beers, which are less heavily taxed.

Regional drinks:

• Raki (anisette, known as 'lion's milk', which clouds when water is added. Drinking raki is a ritual and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of meze).
• Ayran (a refreshing yoghurt drink).
• Çay (tea - usually drunk black and strong and served in small tulip-shaped glasses).
• Strong black Turkish coffee (traditionally brewed over hot coals and served very sweet).
• Turkish beer, red and white wines.

SUGGESTED TIPPING SCALE:

Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation and will be welcomed by the recipient, although if you decide not to tip in a particular circumstance, this doesn’t mean you’ll receive a lower level of service. Ultimately, tipping is discretionary and should be done at a level that feels comfortable.

Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:

HEALTH & MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES

As a general recommendation, it is advisable to check with your family doctor or travel clinic for latest health information.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance. Your home country health plan may only provide limited coverage while traveling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance; however, they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased. Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable.