TRAVEL TIPS FOR TURKEY

Visa requirements for Turkey vary depending upon your nationality. Turkish Visas for Americans, Australians, Canadian and U.K. citizens may be obtained upon entry to Turkey. As a guideline, you can visit the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website to see if you require a visa. However, as regulations change frequently, we recommend that you check with your nearest Turkish Embassy or Consulate for the latest information on visa and passport requirements for entering Turkey. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date in Turkey. 
 

It is important to have adequate health, travel and accident insurance while touring. No vaccinations are currently required for Turkey. It is best to bring your own medication along in its original prescription bottle but if you need something while in Turkey you will find Turkish Pharmacies to be well-stocked and very helpful.
 

Turkish standard time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, one hour ahead of Central European time and seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard time. There is one time zone in Turkey.
 

In the south and west the weather follows normal Mediterranean climate patterns with warm, mostly dry summers and mild winters. In the high plateau of Central Anatolia the summers are also hot and dry, but winters can be very cold, with varying precipitation (nights are mostly cool). In the north, especially the Black Sea region, rain is frequent, and in the mountains of the east is an alpine climate. The southeast, on the other hand, has a near desert climate. For a chart of average temperatures by month for regions around Turkey  click here.
 

There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency that may be brought into Turkey and no need to declare it, but as you leave Turkey, it is wise to spend or exchange your Turkish Lira for foreign currency. Currency and Exchange: The currency unit in Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TL or TRY). Traveler's checks are not widely accepted and will generally get a less favorable rate of exchange than cash. The best place to exchange cash is around the "Doviz" offices near the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, but may also be done at exchange offices or P.T.T. (Post) offices in other areas. There are bank machines (ATMs) almost everywhere in Turkey now and cash advance offices in tourist areas where you can use a credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard etc). Before leaving home check with your bank regarding fees and daily limits on your transactions. Larger shops generally accept US dollars, Euro, GBP, traveler's checks and credit cards, but small shops will accept only cash and you will need Turkish lira for local convenience stores or grocers. American Express is not widely accepted and personal checks nearly impossible to cash. A credit card is necessary to rent a vehicle.

Currency Converter
 

Banks are open from 8.30 until 12.00 and 13.30 until 17.00 (Monday-Friday). Some banks are open during lunch hours. Post Offices in the large cities are open Monday-Saturday 8.00 to midnight and Sunday 9.00 to 19.00. Smaller post offices are open Monday to Saturday from 8.30 to 17.00. Shop hours are generally from 9.00 to 21.00 Monday to Saturday, but mostly every day and later in tourist areas. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday and holidays. The Spice Market however is now open 7 days a week (at least in summer).
 

In a restaurant tip around 10%. For porters you should pay around 1 EURO per bag. Round up the bill for taxis. On group tours it is customary to pay around 5 EURO per person per day to the guide and about half of the amount to the minibus driver (up to your discretion). For private tours the amount should be higher if you like the service. Although prices are quoted here in Euros it is best to tip in the equivalent of Turkish Liras.
 

We recommend using a long distance calling card or buying a telephone card from a local kiosk or post office. For international calls dial the country code preceded by two zeros (i.e. 001 for the U.S. and Canada, 0044 for England etc). When calling from abroad remember that the country code of Turkey is 90. You may have to dial a prefix. For intercity calls within Turkey, you must first dial a 0, then the city code. When making a local call (inside a city or area) omit the city code. Istanbul has two city codes: 212 (European Side), 216 (Asian Side). If you have your laptop with you – consider installing Skype. Most of the hotels have wi-fi and it is easy and very cheap to call home.
 

Turkey’s infrastructure is now undergoing a major overhaul and great improvement has already been achieved in the past decade…
 

Train lines are now undergoing a major upgrade for high-speed train lines but the Istanbul – Kocaeli route has been disrupted so the Istanbul – Ankara route is not usable. Train travel in Turkey should be looking good in 2014 but for now train travel is still limited and slower than one would expect.
 

As far as overland travel the bus system is excellent with long-distances luxury overnight coaches between major cities that even include techno-buses where you can go online or watch a movie while traveling in total comfort. The overnight buses stop approximately every 3-4 hrs where you can get a snack, drink or complete meal and visit clean toilet facilities (for a small fee). Where the bus makes a stop is normally a complex including a restaurant, lavatories, gift shop and more but make sure to ask how long the stop is (minimum 15 minutes – maximum 30 minutes) and make a note where your bus is as many buses may be lined up outside the establishment. All coaches have heating and A/C and serve water and a snack. Do not be afraid to ask your steward/ess for information on your next stop. For major cities there are also courtesy buses to different parts of the city available free of charge. On shorter routes midi or mini-buses may be used.
 

Car rental is also an option with GPS available in some areas that can be programmed for your language. You do not need an international driving license and there is no age-limit for car rental. Car rental in Turkey is an excellent way to visit many areas of Turkey but it does not make sense to rent a car in Istanbul for example as parking is expensive or difficult to find and public transportation is very cheap and very good. Taxis in Istanbul are also reasonably priced but in some tourist areas such as Marmaris for example the tariff is higher. Make sure that the taxi meter is working properly. In Istanbul there is no longer a higher rate for night driving. In most parts of western Turkey roads are safe and in good repair, but be careful of night driving, and especially at sunset where farm machinery may be entering the road.
 

Not all taxis or taxi drivers are of high quality and there are still instances of overcharging tourists although they are rarer than before. Taxis are yellow and you will see the license plate number displayed both on the sides and on the roof of the taxi – taxis and all public transportation are now strictly non-smoking. We still recommend a transfer upon arrival in Istanbul just to make sure you have no hassle on your first day in the country and get quickly and safely to your destination.
 

Metro/Subways are not widespread in Turkey but Ankara and Istanbul have good systems. You can actually take the Metro from Istanbul Ataturk Airport into the historical district of Sultanahmet, but because of the long duration of the transit and the fact that you must change to the tramway hauling your luggage a distance a transfer or taxi is preferred. In Istanbul using metro, tramway and funicular can get you to a lot of places but there are also ferries from Europe to Asia or Princes Islands. The myriad of transportation possibilities in Istanbul is endless.
 

Domestic flights in Turkey can really help when you have limited time and the earlier they are purchased the cheaper they are. Turkish airlines is the best and even serves a sandwich and drink on routes as short as one hour, but there is fierce competition and taking other airlines like Onur, Atlasjet, Sunexpress, Pegasus etc is not a bad experience either. With direct flights you can really get around Turkey. It is important to note that there are now two airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Although Sabiha Gokcen is farther from the historical center it can be considered for your international flight as prices from the U.K. and other European countries can be must cheaper into this airport. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the historical center from IST (Ataturk Airport) and about 1 hr from SAW ( Sabiha Gokcen). Although Turkish Airline offers a shuttle service from both airports it unfortunately does not take you all the way to the historical center.
 

Turkey is a modern country and dress is in general casual and comfortable. In Istanbul and other large cities including beachside resorts and major tourist centers you may dress as you like except when visiting mosques. Keep in mind that neither shorts/short skirts nor bare shoulders are allowed in the mosques, and that a head covering for women is greatly appreciated. You will be required to remove your shoes upon entering a mosque. We do recommend dressing more conservatively if you are visiting the central, eastern or Black Sea area. Bring a visor/hat or covering to avoid sunburn and plenty of sunscreen, also a daypack with a jacket or sweater and extra drinking water. Wear layered clothing, which is easily washable and sensible shoes with good soles.
 

Most hotels have dry cleaning or laundry services, however you will need a minimum of 2 nights stay in order to get your laundry done.
 

Have small change when visiting a public toilet, as you will pay when exiting. Bring your own paper. There are two kinds of toilets in Turkey. One is the toilet you are used to at home, available in all hotels and almost everywhere, and the other is a squat toilet. Make sure that your pockets are empty before using the latter. BAY = Men / BAYAN = Women
 

Electrical appliances manufactured in the U.S. and various countries require the use of a standard two-prong adapter (continental style). A converter is also needed if the appliance doesn't have dual voltage (220 V) but note that converters do not generally work well for appliances like hair dryers. Hair dryers are available in nearly all hotels except for the very basic ones and if there is not one in the room request it and you shall find.
 

Turkish cuisine is considered one of the finest in the world and mostly you will normally encounter fresh meats and vegetables in a clean atmosphere even in simple establishments. You will experience a wide variety of regional culinary dishes on a typical tour. Although water is chlorinated in most cities we highly recommend drinking bottled water only. Many people inquire about the cost of dining in restaurants around Turkey and a general rule of thumb is that you will pay between 5 – 10 Euros for a lunch and normally 10 – 15 Euros for a dinner excluding the drinks. This is in normal local restaurants. Red meat, fish and alcoholic beverages are expensive in Turkey and a fish or steak dinner will tend to be more in the range of 15 – 20 Euros or more. Beer and Wine by glass prices are approximately 3 Euros and hard liquor is more expensive.

Ramadan starts on the 20th of July and ends on the 18th of August 2012. If you are staying in a hotel, the hotel will still provide a breakfast for the guests, but depending on how conservative they are, they may want to make it very early. You can find restaurants serving food throughout the day in larger cities and around major tourist areas. People who are traveling during Ramadan are not required to fast, so you can also find open restaurants where buses stop, at bus stations, etc.  If you are in an area where restaurants are closed, look for a bakery (firin) where they will be baking bread goods for the evening meal.  In general before sun sets, the restaurants fill up with people, who eat ravenously as soon as they are able to. You will always be able to buy food from shops at any time, and if you eat during daylight hours do so discreetly.  Ramadan ends with a three-day holiday, with most museums and businesses being closed until at least noon on the first day of the holiday.