From Wikitravel
|
Location |
|
Flag |
|
Quick Facts |
Capital |
Ankara |
Government |
Republican parliamentary democracy |
Currency |
Türk Lirası/Turkish Lira (TL) |
Area |
780,580 km2 |
Population |
73,193,000 (2006 est.) |
Language |
Turkish (official);
Kurdish, Zaza, Arabic, Azeri, Laz |
Religion |
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), Others 0.2% (mostly Christians and
Jews) |
Electricity |
220V/50Hz (European plug) |
Calling Code
|
+90 |
Internet TLD |
.tr |
Time
Zone |
UTC +2 |
Turkey (
Türkiye)
[1] is on the Mediterranean,
in the Anatolian region of West
Asia, with a small section in Southeastern
Europe separated by the Turkish
Straits (Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles). With the
Black Sea to the north and the Aegean Sea in the west and
Mediterranean Sea to the southwest, Turkey is surrounded by
Bulgaria and
Greece to the west,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan and
Georgia
to the northeast,
Syria,
Iraq and
Iran to the southeast.
Understand
There is evidence that the bed of the Black Sea was once an
inhabited plain, before it was flooded in prehistoric times by
rising sea levels. The biblical flood may be an account of this
event. Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı), at 5,165 m, is the
country's highest point while the legendary landing place of Noah's
Ark, lies in the mountains on the far eastern edge of the
country.
Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the Ottoman
Empire. Soon thereafter the country instituted secular laws to
replace traditional religious fiats. In 1945 Turkey joined the UN,
and in 1952 it became a member of NATO.
Holidays
The savvy traveler should remember that when traveling into, in
or around Turkey there are several holidays to keep in mind as they
can cause delays in travel, traffic congestion, booked up
accommodations and crowded venues. Banks, offices and businesses
are closed during official holidays and traffic intensifies during
all of the following holidays so do your research before you visit.
Do not be put off by these holidays, it is not that difficult and
often quite interesting to travel during Turkish holidays, simply
plan ahead as much as possible.
Official holidays
- Jan 1: New Year's Day (Yılbaşı)
- Apr 23: National Soveirignity and Children's Day (Ulusal
Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı)— anniversary of the establishment
of the Turkish Grand National Assembly
- May 1: Labour and Solidarity Day (Emek ve Dayanışma
Günü, also unofficially known as İşçi Bayramı, i.e.
Worker's Day) was long banned as a holiday for almost 40 years and
only restarted as a national holiday in 2009 because in years past
it usually degenerated into violence. The wary traveler would be
advised to not get caught in the middle of a May Day parade or
gathering.
- May 19: Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Holiday
(Atatürk'ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı)— the arrival of
Atatürk in Samsun, and the
beginning of the War of Independence
- Aug 30: Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı)— Celebration of
the end of the war for Turkish Independence over invasion forces. A
big Armed Forces day and display of military might by huge military
parades.
- Oct 29: Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı or Ekim
Yirmidokuz) is anniversary of the declaration of Turkish
Republic. If it falls on a Thursday for example, Friday and the
weekend should be considered in your travel plans. October 29 is
the official end of the tourist season in many resorts in Mediterranean Turkey and usually
there is a huge celebration at the town squares.
- Nov 10, 9:05 AM— Traffic usually stops and sirens blare for two
minutes starting at 9:05 AM, the time when Atatürk, founder of the
Turkish Republic, died in Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul in 1938. That moment
in time is officially observed throughout the country but
businesses and official places are not closed for the day. However,
do not be surprised if you are on the street, you hear a loud boom
and all of a sudden people and traffic stop on the sidewalks and
streets for a moment of silence in observance of this event.
Religious holidays
Ramadan dates
- 2010 (1431): Aug 11 - Sep 9
- 2011 (1432): Aug 1 - Aug 29
- 2012 (1433): Jul 20 - Aug 18
The festival of Eid ul-Fitr is held after the end of Ramadan and
may last several days. Exact dates depend on astronomical
observations and may vary from country to country.
|
Ramadan (
Ramazan in Turkish) is a
month long time of fasting, prayer and celebration during which
pious Muslims neither drink nor eat anything, even water, from sun
up to sun down. Businesses, banks and official places are not
closed during this time. In some parts of Turkey, such as most of
inland and
eastern
locations as locals are more conservative than people in the rest
of the country, it is considered to be bad taste to eat snacks or
drink sodas in front of locals in public places or transport—to be
completely on the safe side, watch how localfolk act—but
restaurants are usually open and it is no problem to eat in them as
usual, though some restaurant owners use it as an opportunity for a
much-needed vacation (or renovation) and shut their business
completely for 30 days. However, you will unlikely see any closed
establishment in big cities, central parts of the cities, and
touristy towns of
western and
southern
Turkey. At sunset, call for prayer and a cannon boom, fasting
observers immediately sit down for
iftar, their first meal
of the day. Banks, businesses and official places are NOT closed
during this time.
During Ramadan, many city councils set up
tent-like structures in the major squares of the cities to serve
passers-by (or those in poverty) warm meals during the sunset
(iftar), free of charge (much like soup kitchens, instead
serving full meals). Travellers can easily join in the queue, no
matter how 'foreign' they look (In fact, no one looks foreign in
Turkey where you can see locals who have blond hair with blue eyes
to those with curly black hair and dark complexion).
Immediately following Ramazan is the Eid-ul
Fitr, or the three-day national holiday of Ramazan
Bayrami, also called Şeker Bayrami (i.e. "Sugar" or
more precisely "Candy Festival") during which banks, offices and
businesses are closed and travel will be heavy. However, many
restaurants, cafes and bars will be open.
Kurban Bayrami (pronounced
koor-BAHN
bahy-rah-muh) in Turkish, (
Eid el-Adha in
Arabic) or sacrifice holiday is the most important Islamic
religious festival of the year. It lasts for several days and is a
public holiday in Turkey. Almost everything will be closed during
that time (many restaurants, cafes, bars and some small shops will
be open however).
Kurban Bayrami is also the time of the
annual pilgrimage (Hajj)
to Mecca, so both domestic and international travel is
intense in Turkey at this time. If you are in smaller towns or
villages you may even observe an animal, usually a goat but
sometimes a cow, being slaughtered in a public place. In recent
years the Turkish government has cracked down on these unofficial
slaughterings so it is not as common as it once was.
The dates of these religious festivals change according to the
Muslim lunar calendar and thus occur 10-11 days (the exact
difference between Gregorian and Lunar calendars is 10 days and 21
hrs) earlier each year. According to this,
- Şeker Bayramı falls Half-day on Thursday, September
9th, full-days on September 10th, 11th & 12th
(Friday-Saturday-Sunday) in 2010; half-day on Tuesday, August 30th,
full-days on August 31st, September 1st & 2nd
(Wednesday-Thursday-Friday) in 2011; and half-day on Saturday,
August 18th, full-days on August 19th, 20th & 21st
(Sunday-Monday-Tuesday) in 2012.
- Kurban Bayramı falls on November 16th , (Tuesday), and
continues for four days until the evening of November 20th
(Saturday) (but be aware that people will be traveling through
Sunday, November 21st) in 2010; November 6th, (Sunday), and
continues for four days until the evening of November 10th
(Thursday) (but most Turkish people will still be on holiday or
traveling on Friday, November 4th, through Sunday, November 13th)
in 2011; and October 25th (Thursday), and continues for four days
until the evening of October 29th (Monday, Turkey's Republic Day, a
major patriotic holiday), with travel effects through October 30th
(Tuesday) in 2012.
During both religious holidays, many cities (but not all)
provide
public transport for free (but note that
these do not include privately owned minibuses,
dolmuşes,
taxis, or inter-city buses). This depends on the place and time.
For example,
Istanbul's
public transport authority provided free transport in Eid-ul Fitr
2008, but not in Eid-ul Adha 2008 when it passengers have to pay a
discounted rate. For some years, it was all free in both holidays,
while in some others there was no discount at all. To be sure,
check whether other pessengers use a ticket/token or not.
Climate
The climate in Turkey has a vast diversity depending on the
diverse topography and latitude.
Aegean and
Mediterranean coastal areas enjoy
the typical Mediterranean climate. There is hardly a drop of rain
during the sunny and hot summer (May to October). Winters are mild
and rainy in these regions, and it very rarely snows at coastal
areas, with the exception of mountainous areas higher than 2000
metres of these regions, which are very snowy and are frequently
not passable. The water temperature in the Aegean and Mediterranean
Seas is warm during the long summer season (May to October) which
constitutes the swimming season and fluctuates between 23° and 28°C
from north to south.
The
region around the Sea of Marmara,
including
Istanbul, has a
transitional climate between an oceanic climate and a
semi-Mediterranean climate, but it does rain, albeit not a lot,
during the very warm summer (as showers which tend to last for
15-30 minutes). Its winters are colder than those of the western
and southern coasts. Snow is common at coastal areas, although it
doesn’t stay on the ground for long and is limited to only a few
days every winter. The water temperature in the Sea of Marmara is
also colder than the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, with the water
temperature reaching only between 20° and 24°C during the summer
(June, July and August) and the swimming season is restricted to
those summer months.
The
Black
Sea region has an oceanic climate (thanks to the protective
shield effect of Caucasus mountains) with the greatest amount of
precipitation and is the only region of Turkey that receives high
precipitation throughout the year. The eastern part of that coast
averages 2,500 millimeters annually which is the highest
precipitation in the country. Summers are warm and humid while the
winters are cool and damp. Snow is common at coastal areas,
although it doesn’t stay on the ground for long and is limited to
only a few days every winter, though mountains are very snowy as it
is expected to be and are frequently not passable, there are
glaciers around the year in the highest zones. The water
temperature in the whole Turkish Black Sea coast is always cool and
fluctuates between 10° and 20°C throughout the year, and is even
less suitable for swimming during the summer than in the Sea of
Marmara.
Most of the coastal areas have a high level of relative humidity
during most of the year which makes hot weather feel hotter and
cold weather feel colder than it actually is.
Interior areas like
Ankara,
generally have hot summers (though the nights are cool enough to
make someone who is wearing only a thin t-shirt uncomfortable
outdoors) and cold and snowy winters. The more easterly the
location is, the colder the winters are and the heavier the snow
is. The northeastern part (around
Erzurum and
Kars) is the only inland area which has cool and
rainy summers.
The
southeastern region near the
Syrian border has a desert-like climate, temperature is frequently
above 40°C during summers with no rain. Snowfall is occasional in
winter.
|
Aegean
Turkey
Greek and Roman ruins between azure sea on one side and silvery
olive grooves on the other |
|
Black Sea Turkey
Heavily forested mountains offering great outdoor sports such as
trekking and rafting |
|
Central Anatolia
Tree-poor central steppes with the national capital, Hittite and
Phrygian ruins, and moon-like Cappadocia |
|
Marmara Region
The most urbanized region with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments in
some of the country's greatest cities |
|
Mediterranean Turkey
Mountains clad with pine woods ascending right from the
heavily-indented coastline of the crystal clear sea |
- Ankara - the capital of
Turkey and its second largest city.
- Antalya - the fastest
growing city, hub to an array of beach resorts.
- Bursa - the first capital of
the Ottoman Empire on the foothills of Mt. Uludag, a national park
and a winter sports resort.
- Edirne - the second
capital of the Ottoman Empire.
- Istanbul - Turkey's
largest city, the former capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine
Empires, and the only city in the world to straddle two
continents.
- Izmir - Turkey's third
largest city.
- Konya- a Central Anatolian
city, former home to Rumi, and the site of his tomb.
- Sinop - an ancient fortress
and port city on the northernmost tip of Anatolia.
- Trabzon - the wonderful
Sumela Monastery is just outside the city and it is a great gateway
to exploring the Turkish Northeast.
- Bergama - located near
the ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon.
- Bozcaada - a small and
attractive island just opposite ancient Troy.
- Bodrum - nice and trendy
Aegean resort in Muğla.
- Cappadocia is an
area in Central Anatolia in Turkey best known for its unique
moon-like landscape (the "fairy chimneys"), underground cities,
cave churches and houses carved in the rocks.
- Datça - unspoilt local
resort at the tip of the Datça peninsula, Knidos nearby forms the
boundary between Mediterranean and Aegean.
- Gallipoli - site of
1915 Anzac landing and many WWI memorials, with the
Monument of Martyrs erected in the honor of the Turkish martyrs who
died in the Battle of Gallipoli being a great source of pride for
the nation, as well as being a symbol of Turkish courage and love
of country. Don't be afraid to visit memorials of the Anzac
soldiers though, people here are used to it and actually are more
friendlier towards you than other foreigners.
- Hasankeyf - old town
near Şanlıurfa.
- Marmaris - a little
touristy, but nice resort in Muğla.
- Olympos - tourist attraction for young
people, full of wooden tree-houses and rich night life.
- Safranbolu - old
town with Ottoman architecture.
- Selcuk - tourist town near
the ancient city of Ephesus.
Get in
Citizens of the following countries can get a sticker-type entry
visa at the point of entry into Turkey for a fee:
Valıd for nine months:
- The Netherlands (cost: €15)
Valid for three months:
- UK (cost: US$20 / €15 / £10)
- US (cost: US$20 /€15)
- Canada (cost: €45)
- Australia (cost: $20 / €15)
- Ireland (cost: €10)
- Italy (cost: €10)
- Portugal (cost: €10)
Valid for two months:
Valid for one month:
- Slovakia (cost: €10 or US$15)
- Azerbaijan, Moldova, Russia (cost: €10 or US$20)
- Serbia (cost: €10)
- Norway (cost: €20)
.^ SAN SALVADOR - EL SALVADOR .- Quick Search of Ocean Schedules for Container Shipping and Ocean Freight 2 February 2010 16:58 UTC www.jocsailings.com [Source type: Original source]
^ SAN JOSE - COSTA RICA .- Quick Search of Ocean Schedules for Container Shipping and Ocean Freight 2 February 2010 16:58 UTC www.jocsailings.com [Source type: Original source]
German citizens don't need a visa for stays up to 90 days and
can even enter with their national ID card
(
Personalausweis) or an expired passport/ID unless
arriving at the non-Council of Europe land border crossings (i.e.
from
Iran,
Iraq and
Syria). 1
[2]
More information can be found at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs website
[3].
By plane
Turkey's primary international gateway by air is
Istanbul's
Ataturk
International Airport [4].
Ankara's
Esenboğa
Airport handles a comparatively limited selection of
international flights, and there are also direct charters to
Mediterranean resort hot spots like
Antalya in the peak summer and winter seasons.
In 2005 customs at Istanbul international airport was rearranged to
the effect that one is now required to go through customs and
"enter the country" there, rather than first travel to a regional
destination and pass customs there. Luggage will generally travel
to the final destination without further ado, but on occasion you
may have to point it out to be sure it will be transported on. The
information given by flight attendants in the incoming flight may
not be adequate so until the procedure is changed (it is supposed
to be only temporary) it is wise to inquire on Istanbul airport.
Since one must pass security again for any inland flight, it is
advisable to hurry and not spend too much time in transit. There
are also some other regional airports which receive a limited
number of flights from abroad, especially from Europe and
especially during the high season (Jun-Sep).
Sabiha Gökçen Airport
(SAW [5])
Of special interest to those traveling on low-cost carriers,
this airport is situated some 50km east of
Istanbul's Taksim Square on the Asian side of
Istanbul. Airlines servicing this airport include
EasyJet [6],
Germanwings [7],
Condor
[8],
THY (Turkish
Airlines) [9] and
many more. It is interesting to point out that there is the
possibility of catching a plane from Emirates' budget carrier
Air Arabia [10] to
Sharjah (
United Arab Emirates) and from
there to
India for a very
competitive price. All those low-cost options though, entail
departure and arrival times in the middle of the night.
Airport Transportation
From Istanbul International airport, you can catch the light
rail, which will take you directly to the Otogar (bus station) or
to numerous stops within Istanbul (Aksaray is the last stop, near
Sultanahmet where most of the famous tourist sites are). It is
possible to be at the Otogar within less than one hour after
landing. Another way of getting to downtown Istanbul is by bus,
either on Havaş coaches (special airport shuttle leaving every
30min; first bus 4am, last bus midnight) to Taksim, Etiler,
Kozyatağı (Asian side) or on public buses (Line 96T) to Taksim.
Public bus and the light rail costs 1.30 TL, Havaş to/from Taksim
is 10 TL (2010). Taxi is about 30-35 TL to Taksim (2010) and 25-30
TL to Sultanahmet (2010). Travel times depend a lot on traffic, and
Istanbul is heavily congested!
From SAW, Havaş coaches depart regularly to Kozyatağı, and
Taksim for 10-13 TL respectively (2010). If you arrive in the
middle of the night, you can move to the departure hall after
passing customs and rest on very comfortable seats — you will even
find coin-operated Japanese massage chairs. Then, at about 4AM (but
better ask to be sure) the first Havaş bus will take you to town.
.^ Results can be sorted in ascending or descending order by the arrow next to the departure date, arrival date, transit time, carrier, vessel or voyage number > > Quick Schedule Search .- Quick Search of Ocean Schedules for Container Shipping and Ocean Freight 2 February 2010 16:58 UTC www.jocsailings.com [Source type: Original source]
^ Select a departure port or inland point Select an arrival port or inland point Select any carrier or a single ocean cargo carrier Use the sliding scale for the date range of the schedules Departure Point Departure Port or Inland Point .- Quick Search of Ocean Schedules for Container Shipping and Ocean Freight 2 February 2010 16:58 UTC www.jocsailings.com [Source type: Original source]
Check the company website.
[11] There is also a public bus
(line E-10) which operates 24 hours a day (once every hour between
midnight and 6AM, more frequent in the rest of the day) between
Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Kadıköy, the main centre of the city in
Asian side. It costs about 3.00 TL.
By train
You can still travel from Europe to Turkey by train, although
these days this is more of historical or perhaps even romantic
interest than fast or practical. The famed
Orient Express
from
London now travels no
further than
Vienna, but you
can take the daily
TransBalkan from
Budapest (
Hungary) via
Bucharest (
Romania), a two-night journey with a scheduled
3-hour stop in Bucharest. 1st/2nd class sleepers and couchettes are
available, but the train lacks a restaurant car so stock up on
supplies. From/to Greek stations there are two daily services, from
Istanbul to
Pythion every
morning and from Istanbul to
Thessaloniki every night. There are also
daily trains to Istanbul from
Sofia (
Bulgaria).
By car
From
Central
Europe, getting to Turkey is not too difficult. In any case
you'll need your International Insurance Card (Green Card). Pay
attention to "TR" not being canceled and be sure your insurance is
valid for the Asian part of Turkey, too. Otherwise you will have to
buy Turkish car insurance separately.
National driving licences from some of the
European countries are accepted. If you are not
sure about your situation, obtain an international driving licence
beforehand.
Major roads from Europe are:
E80 enters Turkey at Kapıkule border gate (NW
of
Edirne, SE of Svilengrad)
from
Bulgaria
E87 enters Turkey at Dereköy border gate (north
of
Kırklareli, south
of Tirnovo) from Bulgaria
Major roads from
Middle East enter Turkey at
numerous border gates around
Antakya (Antioch), from
Syrian cities such as
Aleppo and
Latakia, Habur border gate (south of Silopi,
north of
Zakho) from
Iraq, and
Dogubeyazit border gate (near Ararat) from
Iran.
Major roads from
Caucasia enter Turkey at
Sarp/Sarpi border gate from
Georgia
(south of
Batumi) and Türkgözü
border gate south of
Akhaltsikhe (this is the nearest border
gate from
Tbilisi). The
border with
Armenia is
currently closed, thus impassable by car.
There are also other border gates (unlisted here), from all the
countries Turkey has a common land border with (except Armenia),
leading to secondary roads passable with a car.
By bus
Europe
From
Bucharest there
is a daily bus to Istanbul at 4PM for 125 Lei. There are also
several daily buses from
Constanta,
Romania and from
Sofia,
Bulgaria and from there you can get
connections to the major cities of Europe. Another possibility is
the bus from
Athens in
Greece via
Thessaloniki. You may
also find smaller bus companies offering connections to other
countries in the Balkans.
Iran
There is a direct bus to
Istanbul from
Teheran in
Iran which takes approx 48hrs and costs US$ 35.00
for a one-way ticket between Istanbul or Ankara and Tehran.
- Dogubeyazit/Bazerghan This Turkey/Iran
border crossing is easyly (and fast) done by puplic transport. Take
a bus to Bazerghan and a shared taxi to the border (ca. 2-3$).
Cross the border stretch per pedes and catch a a frequent minibus
(ca. 5 TL, 15 minutes) to Dogubeyazit. Check the security situation
in the region, due to the unsolved PKK conflict.
Make sure you get a clear idea about exchange rates if you want
to change TL or Rial as the official bank at the border does not
exchange these currencies and you have to deal with the plentyful
black market.
Syria
From
Aleppo in
Syria a 3hr bus to
Antakya costs S£250 departing
at 5AM. There is also a minibus service at 3PM for S£350. From
Antakya you can get connecting buses to almost anywhere in Turkey,
however initial prices may be overinflated and often inconvenient
times. If travelling through to Istanbul, there are bus services
from Damascus with bus changes along the way at
Antakya. Purchasing a bus ticket in Damascus
will be significantly cheaper than in Aleppo or Antakya. If
traveling from Syria it is worthwhile to purchase additional
supplies of snacks and drinks before leaving the country - these
are significantly more expensive at bus stations in Turkey.
By boat
Many people arrive in
Bodrum on one of the hydro-foils or ferries that
run from most of the close Greek islands into the port. A fairly
pretty way to arrive. While many of the lines that originate and
terminate in
Istanbul have
recently been discontinued (due to bankruptcy), there are still
summer departures direct to Eastern Italy.
Get around
By plane
Major cities are served by airlines as well, with reasonable
prices, beating the bus travel experience especially over longer
distances. Tickets can be conveniently bought at the Istanbul
domestic terminal and local ticket offices of Turkish Airlines
[12] , Onur Air
[13] , Fly Air
[14] ,
Pegasus Airlines
[15] and Atlasjet
[16] among others . Many of
the large cities have daily connections to the traffic hubs Ankara
and Istanbul, others will have flights on specific days only. Upon
arrival at regional airports there will often be a connecting Havas
bus, which is much, much cheaper than taking a taxi. They may wait
for half an hour, but will be available after the arrival of major
flights. In some spots a whole fleet of minibusses will be waiting
for an important flight, and then they will head out for cities in
the region. For instance, flying to Agri in the East a connecting
minibus will head for Dogubeyazit within twenty,thirty minutes or
so, so you don't have to travel into Agri first, then wait for a
Dogybeyazit bus. Do ask for such easy connections upon arrival!
By bus
Turkey has a good long-distance bus network with air-conditioned
buses, reserved seats and generally good-quality service, at least
with the major operators. There are now a few firms providing
luxury buses with 1st class seats and service. Standard buses,
however, have seats narrower than those of economy class on
airplanes. Buses are often crowded, and smoking is strictly
prohibited. Cellphone use is also restricted on many buses.
Bus travel is convenient in Turkey. Go to the Otogar (bus
station) in any of the major cities and you can find a bus to
almost any destination within half an hour, or a couple of hours at
the most. Buses are staffed by drivers and a number of assistants.
During the ride you will be offered free drinks, a bite or two, and
stops will be made every two hours and a half or so at well-stocked
road restaurants. The further east you travel, the less frequent
buses will be, but even places as far as Dogubeyazit or Van will
have regular services to many places hundreds of kilometers away.
Only the smallest towns do not have a bus straight to Istanbul or
Izmir at least once every two days.
Finding the right bus quickly does require some help and thus
some trust, but be careful. Scammers will be waiting for you, and
some may assist you in buying a ticket to a bus that won't depart
in the next two hours. Sometimes there simply is no other bus, but
on other occasions you will be sitting there while other buses with
the same destination start well ahead. If you have some time to
spare: check the departure (and arrival) times of other companies,
that may save you time overall. Still, if you indicate you really
want to leave NOW (use phrases like "hemen" or "shimdy", or
"adjelem var" - I am in a hurry ), people will realize you are in
hurry, and off you go on the next bus departing for your
destination.
If you have several operators to choose from, ask for the number
of seats in the buses you compare. Roughly, a larger capacity
implies a greater comfort (all bus-seats have approximately the
same leg-room, but larger 48-seat buses are certainly more
comfortable than a 15-seat Dolmus, which may be considered a 'bus'
by the company selling the seat). Also, the bus company with the
largest sign is usually the one with the most buses and routes. If
possible, ask other travellers you meet about their experiences
with different operators: even big operators have different
standards of service, and even with the same operator the standards
may vary from region to region.
Don't be surprised if halfway down to some strange and far-off
destination you are put out of the bus (your luggage will often be
already standing next to it) and transferred to another. The other
bus will "buy" you, and will bring you to the destination. This may
even happen for 'direct' or 'non-stop' tickets.
Sometimes long-haul bus lines will leave you stranded on some
ring-road around a city, rather than bringing you to the centre.
That can be annoying. Inquire ahead (and hope they don't lie). On
the other hand, many companies will have "servis aracı" or service
vehicles to the centre, when the Otogar is on the periphery of a
city, as they nowadays often are. In some cities these service
vehicles are used by many companies combined, and a fleet of them,
to different parts of the metropolis, will be waiting. The company
may also choose to combine the passengers of multiple buses;
meaning that you may have to wait until another bus or two arrives
before departing. Keep your ticket ready as proof you were on a bus
(though most of these services are run on good faith). In some
cities (including Ankara, discluding Istanbul), the municipality
have prohibited the use of service buses due to their effect on
traffic. In that case, you might have to take a public bus or metro
to get to your destination. One should probably avoid using taxis
(at least departing from the Otogar) since they usually tend to
abuse their monopolic position by refusing to go to closer
destinations, behaving rudely towards the passenger, charging on
the night tariff, etc. If you have to take a taxi, it is usually
suggested that you do it from outside the bus terminal.
Seating within buses is partly directed by the "koltuk numarası"
or seat number on your ticket, partly by the ritualistic seating of
women next to women, couples together and so forth. So don't be too
annoyed if you are required to give up your seat. In general, as a
foreigner, you will have the better seat much of the time.
One hint: it often is easiest to take a seat in the back,
whatever the number of your koltuk, and not be bothered for much of
the ride. This is particularly true if you travel alone, and want
to keep it that way, even though the last row may be reserved for
the driver-off-duty, who wants to sleep. And remember: many buses
pick up short-track fare along the ride, and park them in the last
two or three rows. Also keep in mind that the back of the bus may
be more noisy compared to the front, since that is where the engine
is located.
If you have a bicycle it will be transported free of extra
charge. In most buses it fits in the luggage area of the bus- Make
sure you have the tools to fold your bike as small as possible
(height matters most)
Another alternative to local bus travel in Turkey is the 'Fez
Bus'. A Hop on hop off travel network that links Istanbul to all
the best places to see in western Turkey, and a few that are a bit
off the tourist trail. The bus runs hostel to hostel and they have
an english speaking tour leader on board that lets you know about
everything there is to do. The pass can last a few days or all
summer and there are departures every other day. It may be a just
little more expensive than the local bus, but really flexible and a
lot less hassle. The main office in Istanbul is in Sultanahmet next
to the Orient Youth Hostel on Yeni Akbiyik Cd.
By train
Offering considerably cheap, but slower travel compared with the
bus, TCDD (Turkish Republic State Railways) operate passenger
trains all over the country.
However, as Turkey has fewer than 11,000 km of rail network in the
total, many cities and tourist spots are out of rail coverage.
Istanbul-
Ankara and Istanbul-
Edirne lines are the only lines
that are electrified, so the rest of the lines are serviced by
diesel trains. The services from Istanbul to the East change their
locomotives at Ankara station, and services to the South change
their locomotives at Enveriye station, the remote one of two
stations in
Eskişehir (located about two-thirds distance
to Ankara from Istanbul). No steam locomotives run on Turkish
railways regularly, except occasional ceremonies.
Istanbul-Ankara rail line is the busiest and the most ridden
one. There are several daily trains on this line, and a ride takes
between 6.5 to more than 10 hours, depending on the train one takes
and the delays, which are quite frequent. From Istanbul’s
Haydarpasa station on the Asiatic side, one can find a direct train
to almost all cities and towns in Asian Turkey served by a rail
line, exceptions being
Izmir,
Balıkesir, Manisa,
Zonguldak, and
Samsun.
TCDD also offers two “train+bus” lines in summer months. One of
these is Istanbul-
Antalya,
and the other is Ankara-
Akçay (on the northern
Aegean shore). In this kind of travel,
for example one buys a ticket for Antalya at Haydarpasa station,
rides the train until the transfer station (Dinar in this case),
and takes the bus awaiting there for passengers to Antalya. Bus fee
is included in the train ticket price, no additional payment is
made in the bus. Train+bus travel takes a little more time than
completely bus travel but it is almost half in expense.
Other major cities or tourist spots that can be reached by rail
from Istanbul directly are Edirne (from Sirkeci station on the
European side, not Haydarpasa), Eskişehir,
Denizli (near
Pamukkale),
Konya,
Adana,
Kayseri (where
Cappadocia is a few hours
bus ride away),
Gaziantep,
Diyarbakır,
Erzurum (a few minutes away from Palandöken ski
centre),
Kars, and
Tatvan on the shore of Lake
Van.
If you have determined to reach to Izmir from Istanbul only on
rail, you should first catch a train to Ankara (or to further
east), then transfer in Eskişehir station to one of the trains
operating between Ankara and Izmir (you will need another ticket
unless you have a pass like Interrail ticket). You can also buy a
combined ticket, catch the fast ferry from Istanbul to
Bandirma (on the southern
coast of Marmara) and take the train heading for Izmir there with
the same ticket. From there on, you can catch the regional train to
Selçuk, where Roman city
of
Ephesos and Virgin Mary's
House, which is a declared pilgrimage destination for Catholics,
are a few kilometers away. So is Şirince, a cute village famous for
the wines it produce. Also, Kuşadası is only half an hour bus ride
away from Selçuk.
1st and 2nd class tickets are available, while some trains are
consisted of only 1st class cars. 1st class usually means a pullman
car (which has large leg-rooms between the seats, and most of which
has air-conditioners nowadays), and 2nd class usually means
compartment having 6 or far worse 8 seats. 8-seated compartments
are not widespread, still ask before in order to avoid having a
ticket for one. Also, 2nd class tickets do not have seat numbers
written on them, so you should rush into the train to find a
suitable empty seat.
Many trains have couchettes and sleeping cars, however even some
of the night trains lack one, so ask before choosing your
departure.
Although none of the regional trains –which operate between
nearby cities- have a dining car, most long-distance trains have
one. However, dining cars of the trains heading for eastern Turkey
may have a limited menu and beverage list or there might be no
dining car at all due to the low interest of the passengers of
these lines. Have some supplies, especially if you are going to
take one of the services to the East, but don’t worry if you don’t
have any time to get anything. In the stations where the train
stops for 15 minutes or more, you will find a kiosk or a buffet to
buy some snacks and drinks. You can also buy some snacks –or even
fresh fruits during spring and summertime- from vendors “jumping”
into the cars in smaller stations as well. Dining cars are closed
between 12:30AM and 6:30AM in all trains except Fatih Express, the
daily night train between Istanbul and Ankara, the dining car of
which is open until 1:30AM-2AM.
All cars have lavatories, although they may not be always so
clean or have toilet paper.
Smoking is generally allowed on the first cars, so avoid buying
a ticket for this car if you are not a smoker or buy one for this
car if you would like to smoke during your journey. You may be
asked “smoking or non-smoking” in the ticket window, if there are
still empty seats at the both parts, but probably only in Turkish.
(Sigara içilmeyen=non-smoking, write this on a paper and
show it to the official in doubt)
Inter Rail and
Balkan flexipass tickets are valid in all trains in Turkey (except
international trains operating between Turkish and Iranian/Syrian
stations), but holders of these tickets may have to get a seat
number before ride, free of charge, especially in the trains that
are consisted of only 1st class cars. TCDD also offers
Tren
Tur pass cards which lets its holder a month of free rail
travel on any Turkish train (Again,
Tren Tur is not
accepted in international trains operating between Turkish and
Iranian/Syrian stations
and the international train
operating between Istanbul and Thessaloniki) .
Tren Tur
card is considerably cheaper than one-zone Interrail tickets, but
be sure to get a seat number in the stations before you get into a
train that is consisted of only 1st class cars.
TCDD offers 20% discounted tickets for students. On board the
trains, discounted ticket holders are usually asked for a valid
student ID card during the ticket check. If the holder of a
discounted ticket fails to show a student ID card, then he/she is
punished with a penalty to pay the full price+20% more for his/her
journey.
Train tickets can be bought online, at the station of departure
(however, you can also buy your ticket for an Anatolian destination
at the Sirkeci station, the main station of Istanbul on the
European side), some of the central postoffices, authorized tourism
agencies or from the automatic ticket machines which are rarely
located at the main stations of the big cities. Credit cards are
accepted only in major stations, be sure to have enough cash if
you’ll buy a ticket in a small town station a few minutes before
the train departs.. If you are buying your ticket from a station,
remember that only booths of a limited number of very central
stations accept foreign currency alongside Turkish lira, you can
pay only in Turkish lira in the rest. Getting on a train without a
valid ticket could land you with a fine, but purchasing a ticket on
the train is often possible at a higher price.
A reservation is recommended during summer, on Fridays and
Sundays, and before domestic religious feasts, when a one-week
break is common and trains get really crowded.
For reservation and timetables, see
[17]
Bosphorus Bridge, a part of Turkish highway system, connecting
Europe and Asia
Like all of its neighbours (except Cyprus off the southern coast
of Turkey), driving is on the right side of the road in Turkey.
Though it is legal to drive a vehicle with driver positioned on the
right (which were designed for countries driving on the
left) it is not very comfortable and is risky indeed (the
driver cannot see the coming traffic and so on…).
It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. Maximum
permitted amount of alcohol in blood for drivers is 0.05 grams per
litre (g/1000 ml), that is roughly equal to two cups (a cup=500 ml)
of beer or two glasses (a wine glass=330 ml) of wine. The use of
seat belts both at the front and back line is obligatory.
Turkish signboards are almost identical to the ones used in
Europe, and differences are often insignificant. The place names
written on green background lead to motorways (which you should pay
a toll, unless it is a ring road around or within a city); on blue
background means other highways; on white background means rural
roads (or a road inside a city under the responsibility of city
councils); and on brown background indicates the road leads to a
historical place, an antique city, a place of tourist interest or a
city out of Turkey (these signboards used to be on yellow
background till a few years ago, so still there is a chance of
unreplaced yellow signboards existing here and there). Also keep in
mind that these signboards are not always standardized; for
instance, some of the blue ones may be leading into the rural
roads.
As Turkey uses the metric system, all distances on the
signboards are in kilometers, unless otherwise stated (such as
meters, but never in miles).
Fuel
Despite bordering countries which have the richest oil
resources, fuel in Turkey is ridiculously expensive, in fact one of
the most expensive in the world because of the
very heavy taxes. For example, a litre of unleaded gasoline costs
more than 2.90 TL (~€ 1.50/~US$ 1.90, that makes ~US$ 10.40 per
gallon!). Diesel and LPG is less damaging to your wallet (and to
the environment in case of LPG), but not that drastically.
Petrol stations (benzin istasyonu) are frequently lined
along the highways, most (if not all) serving round the clock and
accepting credit cards (you have to get out of the car and enter
the station building to enter your PIN code if you are using credit
card). In all of them you can find unleaded gasoline
(kurşunsuz), diesel (dizel or motorin),
and LPG (liquid petroleum gas, LPG). In many (if not most)
of them you can also find CNG (compressed natural gas,
CNG). Though, petrol stations in the villages off the
beaten track are exception, all they offer is often limited to only
diesel, which is used for running the agricultural machinery. It is
advised to keep the gas tank full if you are going to stray away
from main roads. Also petrol stations along the motorways
(toll-ways) are rarer than other highways, usually once every 40-50
kms. Make sure to fill your tank in the first station you’ll pass
by (there are signs indicating you are soon going to pass by one)
if your “tank is getting empty” alert signal is on.
Biofuels are not common. What most resembles a biofuel available
to a casual driver is sold in some of the stations affiliated with
national chain Petrol Ofisi under the name
biyobenzin. But still it is not mostly biofuel at all – it
consists of a little bioethanol (2% of the total volume) stirred
into pure gasoline which makes up the rest (98%). Biodiesel is in
an experimental stage yet, not available in the market.
Repair shops
In all cities and towns, there are repair shops, usually located
together in complexes devoted to auto-repairing (usually rather
incorrectly called sanayi sitesi or oto sanayi
sitesi in Turkish, which means “industrial estate” and
“auto-industrial estate” respectively), which are situated in the
outskirts of the cities. And all cities and towns,there are big 3 s
plants.(sales,service,spare parts).these are more corporate than
sanayi sitesi these called oto plaza..
Renting a car
You may rent a car to get around Turkey from an international or
local car rental agent. If you are traveling by plane you may find
car rental desks in arrival terminals of all airports such as IST
Ataturk Airport, Istanbul.
By dolmuş
The minibus (or Minibüs as called in Istanbul) is a
small bus (sometimes car) that will ride near-fixed routes. The
ride may be from the periphery of a major city to the centre or
within a city, but may also take three to four hours from one city
to the next, when the route is not commercial for large busses.
They sometimes make a detour to bring some old folks home or
collect some extra heavy luggage. You will find them in cities as
well as in inter-city traffic. All during their journey people will
get in and out (shout “Inecek var” – “someone to get off” – to have
it stop if you’re in). The driver tends to be named “kaptan”
(captain), and some behave accordingly. The fare is collected all
through the ride. In some by a specially appointed passenger who
will get a reduction, in others by a steward, who may get off
halfway down the journey, to pick up a dolmuş of the same company
heading back, and mostly by the driver himself. If the driver
collects himself, people hand money on from the back rows to the
front, getting change back by the same route. On some stretches
tickets are sold in advance, and things can get complicated if some
of the passengers bought a ticket and others just sat inside
waiting – for maybe half an hour - but without a ticket.
The concept of dolmuş in Istanbul is somehow different
than the rest of Turkey. The vehicles are different, they take max.
7 sitting passengersand non standing. they do not tend to take
passengers along the way, they depart immediately when they are
full, and many of them operate 24 hours a day. The name derives
from “dolmak”, the verb for “to fill”, as they used not to start
the journey without a decent number of passengers. They usually
leave when they are full, but sometimes start at fixed hours,
whatever the number.
By boat
Fast ferries (hızlı feribot) are fast
(50-60km/hour) catamaran-type ferryboats that connect for instance
Istanbul to the other side of the Marmara Sea. They can cut travel
time dramatically. Again for instance leaving from the Yeni Kapi
jetty in Istanbul (just a bit South-West of the Blue Mosque) you
can be at the Bursa Otogar in two hours, with less than an hour for
the actual boat ride to Yalova. Similar services are operated to
connect several parts of Istanbul with the Asian side, or places
farther up the Bosporus. And this type of fast ferry is
increasingly seen all over the country wherever there is enough
water.
There are also ferry connections between Istanbul and
Izmir and between Istanbul and
Trabzon in the eastern
Black Sea
region, ships operating on the latter line also stop at all of
the significant cities along the Turkish Black Sea coast. However
both of these lines are unfortunately operating only in summer
months.
All inhabited Turkish islands have at least one daily cruise to
the nearest mainland city or town during summer. But as winter
conditions at the seas can go harsh, the frequency of voyages drop
significantly due to the bad weather.
Perhaps one of the best cruising grounds in the world, Turkey
offers thousands of years of history, culture and civilization set
against a stunning mountainous backdrop. The coastline is a mixture
of wide gulfs, peaceful coves, shady beaches, uninhabited islands,
small villages and bustling towns. Many of these locations are
still only accessible by boat. Rare in the Mediterranean, one can
still find some seclusion on a private charter in Turkey. In fact,
Turkey offers more coastline than any other Mediterranean country.
The best way to see Turkey is from your own private yacht on your
own schedule. Turkey offers some of the most exquisite yachts in
the world known as gulets.
By bicycle
Special lanes devoted to bicycles are virtually non-existent,
except a few quite short routes –which are built mainly for sport,
not transportation- along coastal avenues or parks in the big
cities like Istanbul or Izmir. Terrain of the country is mostly
hilly, another factor which makes long-distance
cycling in Turkey more difficult.
If it is the case that you have already made up your mind and give
cycling a try in your Turkey trip, always stay as much on the right
side of the roads as possible; avoid riding a bicycle out of cities
or lightened roads at night, do not be surprised by the drivers
horning at you, and do not enter the motorways, it is forbidden.
You could better prefer rural roads with much less traffic density,
but then there is the problem of freely roaming sheepdogs, which
can sometimes be quite dangerous. Rural roads also have much much
less signboards than the highways, which turns them into a
labyrinth, in which it is easy to get lost even for non-local
Turkish people, without a detailed map.
- Great Explorations [18]offers a 10 day/
9 night cycling tour along the coast, beginning in Bodrum and
finishing in Antalya staying in 3&4-star hotels. By
incorporating a 'blue-cruise' between Gocek and Olympos, the busier
and hilliest sections are avoided and you get to enjoy a few days
exploring the Aegean Sea by yacht.
Air can be pumped into tyres at any petrol station without a
charge. Bicycle repair-shops are rare in cities and cannot be
easily found, motorcycle repair shops can be tried alternatively
(however, they are very reluctant to repair a bicycle if they are
busy with their customers who have motorcycles).
In Istanbul’s Princess’ Islands, renting a bike is an amusing,
cheaper, and obviously more animal-friendly alternative to hiring a
horse-drawn carriage. On these islands well-paved roads are shared
only by horse-drawn carriages, bicycles and public service vehicles
(like ambulances, police vans, school buses, garbage trucks
etc).
By thumb
Almost every driver has an idea about what universal
hitchhiking sign (“thumb”) means.
Don’t use any other sign which may be equivalent of a signal
meaning a danger. In addition to the thumb, having a signboard with
the destination name certainly helps. Waiting for someone to take
you generally doesn't exceed half an hour, though this dramatically
varies depending on the density of traffic (as is elsewhere) and
the region, for example, it usually takes much longer to attract a
ride in
Mediterranean Turkey than in
Marmara
Region. Best hitchhiking spots are the crossroads with traffic
lights, where ring-roads around a city and the road coming from the
city center intersect. Don’t be so away from the traffic lights so
drivers would be slow enough to see you and stop to take you; but
be away enough from the traffic lights for a safe standing beside
the road. Don’t try to hitchhike on motorways, no one will be slow
enough to stop, it is also illegal to enter the motorways as a
pedestrian. Don’t start to hitchhike until you are out of a city as
cars may head for different parts of the city, not your
destination, and if not in hurry, try to avoid hitchhiking after
night falls, especially if you are a lone female traveller.
Although the drivers are taking you just to have a word or two
during their long, alone journey, always watch out and avoid
sleeping.
On some occasions, you may not be able to find someone going
directly to where your destination is, so don’t refuse anyone
stopped to take you –refusing someone stopped to take you is
impolite-, unless he/she is going to a few kilometres away, and if
he/she would go to a road that doesn’t arrive at your destination
in a coming fork. You may have to change several cars even on a
100-km course, changing in each town after town. However, because
of the enormous numbers of trucks carrying goods for foreign
markets, you can find unexpectedly long-haul trips from, say a town
in western Turkey to as far as, for instance, Ukraine or southern
Germany.
Not many, but some drivers –especially van drivers- may ask for
money (“fee”) from you, refuse and tell them that if you would have
money to waste, then you would be on a bus, not standing beside a
road.
Drivers staying in the area may point downwards (to the road
surface) or towards the direction they’re driving or flash their
headlights while passing, indicating that they wouldn't make a good
long-haul ride. Smile and/or wave your hand to show courtesy.
On foot
Turkey has two long-distance
waymarked hiking
trails, one of them is the famous
Lycian Way, between
Fethiye and
Antalya, the other one is the Saint Paul Trail,
between Antalya and Yalvaç up to the north, in the Turkish Lakes
District. Both are about 500 km, and signed with painted stones and
signboards. Since Lycian Way is much older, it has more facilities
for shopping and accommodation in the villages situated along or
near its route.
Eastern
Black Sea region covers very beautiful quite long
trekking routes between the greenest of green
plateaus well above the clouds as well, and some tourism agencies
in the main cities of Turkey are offering guided trekking tours
–including the transportation- in this region.
Inside the cities, there are white-, or rarely yellow-painted
pedestrian crossings (zebra crossing) on the main
streets and avenues, which are normally pedestrian-priority spots.
However, for many drivers, they are nothing more than ornamental
drawings on the road pavements, so it is better to cross the
streets at where traffic lights are. Still, be sure all the cars
stopped, because it is not unusual to see the drivers still not
stopping in the first few seconds after the light turns to red for
vehicles. As a better option, on wide streets, there are also
pedestrian overpasses and underground pedestrian passages
available. In narrow main streets during rush hour, you can cross
the street anywhere and anytime, since cars will be in a
stop-go-stop-go manner because of heavy traffic. Also in narrow
streets inside the residential hoods, you need not to worry about
keeping on the sidewalk, you can walk well in the middle of the
road, only to step aside when a car is coming.
Talk
The sole official language of Turkey is
Turkish.
Turkish is an Altaic language and its closest living relatives are
other Turkic languages, which are spoken in southwestern, central
and northern Asia; and to a lesser degree by significant communites
in the Balkans. Because Turkish is an agglutinative language,
native speakers of Indo-European languages generally find it
difficult to learn. Since 1928, Turkish is written in a variant of
the Latin alphabet (after so many centuries of using the Arabic
one, evident in many historical texts and documents) with the
additions of ç/Ç, ğ/Ğ, ı/I, i/İ, ö/Ö, ş/Ş and ü/Ü, and with the
exclusions of Q, W and X.
Kurdish is also spoken by an
estimated 7-10% of the population. Several other languages exist,
like Laz in the North-East (also spoken in adjacent Georgia), and
in general people living near borders will often be speaking the
language at the other side too, like Arabic in the South-East.
Thanks to migration, even in rural areas most villages will have
at least somebody who has worked in Germany and can thus speak
German. The
same goes for other West-European languages like Dutch (often
mistakenly called "Flemish" there) or French. Recent immigration
from
Balkans means there is
also a possibility to come across native Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian,
and Albanian speakers mainly in big cities of western Turkey, but
don't count on this. English is also increasingly popular among the
younger generation. The "Universities" that train pupils for a job
in tourism pour out thousands of youngsters who want to practice
their knowledge on the tourist, with varying degrees of fluency.
Language universities produce students that nowadays are pretty
good at their chosen language.
Buy
In 2005, Turkey dropped six zeroes from its currency, thus
making each post-2005 lira worth 1,000,000 pre-2005 lira (or so
called "old lira"). During the transition period between 2005 and
2009, the currency was briefly called new lira (yeni lira)
officially. Since Jan 1, 2009, a new series of banknotes and coins
have been introduced and the currency is again simply called lira
(officially Turkish Lira, Türk Lirası,
locally abbreviated TL, ISO 4217 code:
TRY), which is divided into 100
kuruş (abbreviated kr). Since Jan
1, 2010, neither pre-2005 nor pre-2009 banknotes and coins (those
bearing yeni lira and yeni kuruş) are
not legal tender, but can be exchanged at certain
banks till Dec 31, 2010 (for coins) and Dec 31, 2019 (for
banknotes).
Banknote nominations are in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lira,
whereas coin nominations are in 1 (very rare in circulation), 5,
10, 25, 50 kuruşes and 1 lira.
Money exchange – There are legal exchange
offices in all cities and almost any town. Banks also exchange
money, but they are not worth the hassle as they are usually
crowded and do not give better rates than exchange offices. You can
see the rates office offers on the (usually electronic) boards
located somewhere near its gate. Euro and American Dollars are the
most useful currencies, but Pound Sterling (Bank of England notes
only, not Scottish or Northern Irish notes), Swiss Francs, Japanese
Yen, Saudi Riyals, and a number of other currencies are also not
very hard to exchange. It is important to remember that most
exchangers accept only banknotes, it can be very hard to exchange
foreign coins. In some places, where there is a meaningful
explanation for it, more uncommon currencies can also be exchanged,
too, for example Australian Dollars may be exchanged in
Canakkale where
grandchildren of Anzacs gather to commemorate their grandfathers
every year, or in
Kaş, which is
located just across the Greek island of Kastelorizo, which in turn
has a large diaspora in Australia. As a general rule, if a place
attracts many visitors from a country, then it is usually possible
to exchange that country’s currency there.
Tourism-oriented industries in tourism-oriented towns, as well
as shops where big amounts of money change hands, like
supermarkets, in most parts of the country, generally accept
foreign currency (usually limited to Euro and American Dollars
only), but the rates they accept the currency are usually a little
lower than those of exchange offices. Ask first if they accept
foreign currency.
€ 1 = 2.17 TL
US$ 1 = 1.51 TL
GB£ 1 = 2.41 TL
(all as of Dec 25, 2009)
Credit cards and ATMs - Visa and Mastercard are
widely accepted, American Express much less so. Starting from June
1, 2007 all credit card users (of those with a chip on them) have
to enter their PIN codes when using the credit card. Older,
magnetic card holders are exception to this, but remember that
unlike some other places in Europe, salesclerk has the legal right
to ask you a valid ID with a photo on to recognize that you are the
owner of the card. ATMs are scattered throughout the cities,
concentrated in central parts. It is possible to draw Turkish Lira
(and rarely foreign currency) from these ATMs with your foreign
card. Any major town has at least one ATM.
ATMs ask whether to provide instructions in English or in
Turkish (and sometimes some other languages, too) as soon as you
insert a foreign card (or a Turkish card which is not the operating
bank’s own). When withdrawing money from ATMs, if the ATM in
question does not belong to the bank that you already have an
account in, they charge some percentage (generally 1%-one per cent)
of what you withdraw from your account each time. This percentage
is higher for advance withdrawing with your credit card.
No establishments require a commission surcharge when using a
credit card.
Tipping - A 10% of the total bill or simply
rounding up to the next lira for smaller purchases is welcome,
though this is not a custom to be strictly followed. Tipping
ceremony is performed like this, especially in the restaurants and
cafes: first you ask for the bill, the waiter/ress brings the bill
inside a folder, and puts it on the table and goes away. You put
the money into the folder (with the bill), and after a few minutes
later waiter comes back to collect the folder. A few minutes more
later, waiter comes again with the same folder in his/her hands and
leaves it once more on the table. This time there is change in it.
You leave the amount of change you think waiter deserves and close
the folder. The waiter comes again last time a few minutes later to
take it. If you think they don’t deserve any tip, walking out into
the street without leaving anything is totally okay, and there is
no need to feel ashamed. Some establishments charge an additional
10% on your bill that you have to pay, that is the
“service charge”, and sometimes it is not declared to the customer
until the bill shows up. There is obviously not a reason to leave
any more tip in that kind of places. It’s also a bit odd to tip in
self-service restaurants and cheap&dirty bars.
Taxi drivers usually tend to round up what the meter says to the
next lira and give your change accordingly. So tipping is not
necessary. If you insist on taking your exact change back,
ask for para üstü? (pronounced something like “pah-rah
oos-too”, which means “change”). Driver will be reluctant to give
it at first, but you will succeed eventually.
Supermarket cashiers usually round up the total sum to the next
5 kuruş if you pay in cash (the exact sum is extracted when paid by
a credit card though). This is not a kind of involuntary tip, as
the 2-3-4 kuruşes don’t go into their pockets. It is simply because
they are not adequately supplied with enough 1 kuruş coins as it is
very rare in circulation. So don’t be surprised if the change given
to you is short of a few kuruşes from what should be given to you
according to what the electronic board of the till says. It is
totally okay to pay the exact sum if you have enough number of 1
kuruş coins.
Bargaining – In Turkey,
bargaining is a
must. One can bargain everywhere that doesn’t look too luxurious:
shops, hotels, bus company offices, and so on. During your
bargaining, don’t look so impressed and interested, and be patient.
Since foreigners (especially Western people) aren’t expected to be
good at bargaining, sellers are quick to reject any bargaining
attempt (or are at least quick to look like so), but be patient and
wait, the price will fall! (Don’t forget, even if you are
successful at your bargaining attempt, when you get your credit
card out of your wallet, rather than cash, the agreed price may
rise again, though probably to a lower level than the original
one)
VAT refund - You can get a VAT refund
(currently 18% or 23% on most items) if you are not a citizen or
permanent resident of Turkey. Look for the blue “Tax-Free” sticker
on the windowpane or entrance of the shops, these kind of shops are
the only places you can get a VAT refund. Don’t forget to take the
necessary papers from the shop that will enable you for a VAT
reclaim when leaving Turkey.
Although Turkey is in a customs union with the European Union
for some goods, unlike the situation in the EU, there is currently
not an initiative to abolish duty-free shops in the airports.
What to buy?
Apart from classical tourist souvenirs like postcards and
trinkets, here are a few of what you can bring back home from
Turkey.
- Leather clothing – Turkey is the biggest
leather producer in the world, so the leather clothing is cheaper
than elsewhere. Many shops in Laleli, Beyazıt, Mahmutpaşa districts
of Istanbul (all around the tram line which goes through
Sultanahmet Square) are specialized on leather.
- Carpets and kilims – Many regions in Turkey
produce handmade kilims and carpets. Though the symbols and figures
differentiate depending on the region in which the carpet is
produced, they are generally symbollic expressions based on ancient
Anatolian religions and/or nomadic Turkic life which takes shape
around shamanic beliefs more than 1000 years ago. You can find
shops specialized on handmade carpets and kilims in any major city,
tourist spot and Sultanahmet Area.
You seriously cannot go anywhere in Turkey without someone
trying to sell you a carpet. People will approach you on the
street, engage in a little friendly conversation about where you're
from, how do you like Turkey, and "would you like to come with me
to my uncle's shop? It's just around the corner, and has the best
authentic kilims." It can be irritating if you let it get to you,
but remember that a large part of these people's economy comes from
tourist's wallets so you can't blame them for trying.
- Silk - Dresses and scarves. Although can be
found in many parts of the country, silk fans should head for Bursa and before that, pick up
basics of bargaining.
- Earthenware - Handmade Cappadocian pottery (amphoras, old-style
plates, flowerpots etc) are made of local salty clay. Salt content
of clay, thanks to salt spray produced by the Salt Lake –which is
the second largest lake in Turkey- in the heartland of Central
Anatolia, is what makes local earthenware top quality. In some
Cappadocian towns, it is possible to see how these artifacts are
produced, or even to experience producing one, at the dedicated
workshops. Tiles with classical Ottoman motives that are produced
in Kütahya are also
famous.
- Turkish delight and Turkish
coffee – If you like these during your Turkey trip, don’t
forget to take a few packages back home. Available everywhere.
- Honey – The pine honey (çam balı) of
Marmaris is famous and has
a much stronger taste and consistency than regular flower honeys.
Although not easily attained, if you can find, don’t miss the honey
of Macahel valley, made out of flowers of a temperate
semi-rainforest, which is almost completely out of human impact, in
the far northeastern Black Sea Region.
- Chestnut dessert – Made out of syrup and
chestnuts grown on the foothills of Mt. Uludağ, chestnut dessert
(kestane şekeri) is a famous and tasty product of Bursa. There are many variations,
such as chocolate coated ones. Chestnut dessert can be found in
elsewhere, too, but relatively more expensive and in smaller
packages.
- Meerschaum souvenirs – Despite its name
meaning “sea foam” which it resembles, meerschaum
(lületaşı) is extracted only in one place in the world:
landlocked Eskişehir province in the extreme northwest
part of Central Anatolia Region. This mineral, similar to gypsum at
sight, is chipped into smoking pipes and cigarette holders. It has
a soft and creamy texture and makes for a great decorative item.
Available at some shops in Eskişehir.
- Castile (olive oil) soap – Natural, a silky
touch on your skin, and a warm Mediterranean atmosphere in your
bathroom. Absolutely cheaper than those to be found in Northern and
Western Europe. Street markets in the Aegean Region and southern Marmara
Region is full of olive oil soap, almost all of which are
handmade. Even some old folk in the Aegean Region is producing
their castile soaps in the traditional way: during or just after
the olive harvest, neighbours gather in yards around large boilers
heated by wood fire, then lye derived from the wood ash is added to
hot water and olive oil mix. Remember – supermarkets out of the
Aegean Region are generally offering no more than industrial tallow
based soaps full of chemicals. In cities out of the Aegean Region,
natural olive oil soap can be found in shops specialized in olive
and olive oil. Some of these shops are even offering ecological
soaps: made of organic olive oil and sometimes with additions of
organic essential oils.
- Other soaps unique to Turkey are: laurel soaps
(defne sabunu) which is produced mainly in Antioch, soaps of Isparta enriched
with rose oil which is produced abundantly in the area around
Isparta, and bıttım sabunu, a soap made out of the oil of
seeds of a local variety of pistachio tree native to the mountains
of Southeastern Region. In Edirne, soaps shaped as various
fruits are produced. Not used for their lather, rather they make a
good assortment when different “fruits” are placed in a basket on a
table, they fill the air with their sweet scent as well.
- Olive-based products apart from soap - Other
olive-based products to give a try are olive oil shampoos, olive
oil based eau de colognes and zeyşe, abbreviation from the
first syllables of zeytin şekeri, a dessert similar to
chestnut desserts, but made from olives.
WARNING! To export or to take out the antiques
which are more than 100 years old from Turkey is subject to heavy
restrictions or in many cases outright forbidden. If it is the case
that someone offers you to sell antiques, either he/she is a liar,
just trying to sell cheap imitations or he/she is committing a
crime, which you are about to be a part of, if you accept to be the
purchaser.
Adana kebap, a skewer of minced meat spiced with chili and
topped with
pide bread, a speciality of
Adana
Turkish cuisine combines Mediterranean, Central Asian,
Caucasian, and Arabic influences, and is extremely rich. Beef is
the most important meat (lamb is also common but pork is very hard
to find although not illegal), and eggplant (aubergine), onion,
lentil, bean, tomato, garlic, and cucumber are the primary
vegetables. An abundance of spices is also used. The main staples
are rice (pilav), bulgur wheat and bread, and dishes are
typically cooked in vegetable oil or sometimes butter.
There are many kinds of specialized restaurants to choose from,
since most do not prepare or serve other kinds of food. Traditional
Turkish restaurants serve meals daily prepared and stored in
benmarry. The meals are at the entrance so you can easily see and
choose. Kebapçis are restaurants specialized in many kinds of
kebap. Some Kebab restaurants serve alcohol while others don't.
There are subtypes like ciğerci, Adana kebapçısı or İskender
kebapçısı. Fish restaurants typically serve meze (cold olive oil
dishes) and Rakı or wine. Dönerci's are prevalent through country
and serve döner kebap as a fast food. Köfeci's are restaurants with
meatballs (Köfte) served as main dish. Kokoreçci, midyeci,
tantunici, mantıcı, gözlemeci, lahmacuncu, pideci, çiğ köfteci,
etsiz çiğ köfteci are other kinds of local restaurants found in
Turkey which specialization in one food.
A full Turkish meal at Kebab restaurant starts with a soup,
often lentil soup (mercimek çorbasi), and a set of
meze appetizers featuring olives, cheese, pickles and a
wide variety of small dishes. Meze can easily be made into a full
meal, especially if they are consumed along with rakı. The
main course is usually meat: a common dish type and Turkey's best
known culinary export is kebab (kebap),
grilled meat in various forms including the famous döner
kebap (thin slices of meat shaved from a giant rotating spit)
and şişkebab (skewered meat), and a lot more others.
Köfte (meatball) is a variation of the kebab. There are
hundreds of kinds of köfte throughout Anatolia, but only about 10
to 12 of them are known to the residents of the larger cities, kike
İnegöl köfte, Dalyan köfte, sulu köfte etc.
Eating on the cheap is mostly done at Kebab stands, which can be
found everywhere in Istanbul and other major cities. For the
equivalent of a couple dollars, you get a full loaf of bread sliced
down the middle, filled with broiled meat, lettuce, onions, and
tomatoes. For North Americans familiar with donairs wrapped in pita
bread, don't try to make the comparison. Pitas and wraps are almost
unseen in Turkey, they like their bread thick and crusty.
Vegetarians
Vegetarian restaurants are not common, and can be found only in
very central parts of big cities and some of the tourist spots.
However, every good restaurant offers vegetable dishes, and some of
the restaurants offering traditional “ev yemeği” (“home food”) have
olive-oil specialities which are vegetarian in content. A
vegetarian would be very happy in the Aegean region, where all
kinds of wild herbs are eaten as main meals, either cooked or raw,
dressed with olive oil. But a vegetarian would have real difficulty
in searching for food especially in Southeastern region, where a
dish without meat is not considered a dish. At such a place,
supermarkets may help with their shelves full of canned vegetables,
or even canned cooked olive-oil courses and fresh fruits. If you
are a vegetarian and going to visit rural areas of Southeastern
region, better take your canned food with you, as there will be no
supermarkets to rescue you.
Some Turkish desserts are modeled on the sweet and nutty Arabic
kind: famous dishes include baklava, a layered pastry of
finely ground nuts and phyllo dough soaked in honey and spices, and
Turkish Delight (lokum), a gummy confection of rosewater
and sugar. There are also many more kinds of desserts prepared
using milk predominantly, such as kazandibi, keşkül, muhallebi,
sütlaç, tavuk göğsü, güllaç etc.
Breakfast
Turkish Breakfast, tend to comprise of çay (tea), bread, olives,
feta cheese, tomato, cucumber and occasionally spreads such as
honey and jam. This can become very monotonous after a while. A
nice alternative to try (should you have the option) is
Menemen a Turkish variation on scrambled
eggs/omelet. Capsicum (Red Bell Pepper), onion, garlic and tomato
are all combined with eggs. The meal is traditional cooked (and
served) in a clay bowl. Try adding a little chili to spice it up
and make sure to use lots of bread as well for a filling hot
breakfast. Bread is omnipresent in Turkey, at any given meal you'll
be presented with a large basket of crusty bread.
Drink
Ayran is a popular drink of water and yoghurt not
unlike the Finnish/Russian buttermilk or Indian
lassi, but always served without sugar (and, in fact,
typically with a little salt added). A version loved by the locals
köpüklü ayran is a delicacy if you're travelling by bus
over the Toros (Taurus) Mountains. Ask for yayık ayranı or
köpüklü ayran.
Turkish coffee (kahve), served in tiny
cups, is strong and tasty, just be careful not to drink the slugdy
grounds at the bottom of the cup. It is much different than the so
called Turkish coffees sold abroad. Sade kahve is served
black, while as şekerli, orta şekerli and çok
şekerli will get you a little, some or a lot of sugar in your
cup.
Instant coffees, cappuccinos and espressos are gaining more
popularity day by day, and can be found with many different
flavours.
Tea (çay) is also very popular in the
country. Be careful, if your tea is prepared by locals, it can be
much stronger than you're used to. Although it is not
native-typical and a rather touristic feature, you have to taste
the special apple tea (elma çayı) or
island tea (adaçayı) ( sage )of
Turkey!
Boza is a traditional cold, thick drink that
originates from Central Asia. It is fermented bulgur with sugar and
water additions.
Vefa Bozacisi [19] is the
most known and traditional producer of boza in
Istanbul. In Ankara, you get excellent Boza
from Akman Boza Salonu in the old city in Ulus. Boza can also be
found on the shelves of many supermarkets, especially in winter,
packaged in 1-litre PET bottles. However these bottled bozas lack
the sourness and consistency of traditional boza, they are sweeter
and less dense.
Sahlep is another traditional hot drink, made
from milk, orchid root and sugar, typically decorated with
cinnamon. It is mostly preferred in winter and can be found in
cafes and patisseries (pastane). You can also find instant
sahlep in many supermarkets sold with the name Hazır
Sahlep.
Red Poppy Syrup is one of the traditional
turkish drinks made of red poppy petals, water and sugar by natural
ways.
Bozcaada is famous
with red poppy syrup.
[20]
International brands of colas,
sodas and fruit-flavoured sodas
are readily available and much consumed alongside some local
brands. Please note, in Turkish, soda means
mineral water, whereas what is called as soda in
English is gazoz or sade gazoz in Turkish.
While a significant proportion of the Turks are devout Muslims,
alcoholic beverages are legal, widely available, and thoroughly
enjoyed by the locals. The local firewater of choice is
rakı, an anise-flavoured liquor double distilled
from fermented grape skin. It is usually mixed with water and drunk
with another glass of iced water to accompany it. You may order
'tek' (single) or 'duble' (double) to indicate the amount of rakı
in your glass. Rakı is a national drink of Turkey. Make sure to try
it but don't overindulge as it is very potent! Remember not to mix
it with anything else. There is a wide selection of different types
in supermarkets. Mey
[21], and Efe
Rakı
[22] are two of the biggest
producers. Only the connaisseurs know which type is the best.
Yeni Rakı which is a decent variety has the wıdest
distribution and consumption.
As for Turkish
wine, the wines are as good as
the local grape varieties. Kalecik Karası from
Ankara, Karasakız from
Bozcaada, Öküzgözü from Elmalı, Boğazkere from
Diyarbakır are
some of the most well-known varieties. The biggest winemakers are
Kavaklıdere
[23], Doluca
[24], Sevilen
[25], and Kayra
[26] with many good
local vineyards especially in the Western part of the country. In
addition liquory fruit wines of
Şirince in
İzmir are well worth tasting. One specific sweet
red wine to try while you're there is Talay Kuntra
[27].
There are two major Turkish breweries. Efes
[28] and Tekel Birası
[29] are two widely
known lagers. In addition, you can find locally brewed Tuborg,
Miller, Heineken and Carlsberg too.
Sleep
Accommodation in Turkey varies from 5-star hotels to a simple
tent pitched in a vast plateau. So the prices hugely vary as
well.
All major cities and tourist spots have 5-star hotels, many of
them are owned by international hotel chains like Hilton, Sheraton,
Ritz-Carlton, Conrad to name a few. Many of them are concrete
blocks, however some, especially the ones out of cities, are
bungalows with private gardens and private swimming pools.
If you are into holiday package kind of thing in a
Mediterranean resort, you’d for
sure have better rates when booking back at home rather than in
Turkey itself. Difference is considerable, compared with what you’d
pay when booking at home, you may end up paying twice as much if
you simply walk in the resort.
It is possible to rent a whole house with two rooms, a kitchen,
a bathroom, and necessary furnitures such as beds, chairs, a table,
a cooker, pots, pans, usually a refrigerator and sometimes even a
TV. Four or more people can easily fit in these houses which are
called
apart hotels and can be found mainly in coastal
towns of
Marmara and Northern
Aegean regions,
which are more frequented by Turkish families rather than
foreigners. They are generally flats in a low-story apartment
building. They can be rented for as cheap as 25 YTL daily (not per
person, this is the daily price for the whole house!), depending on
location, season and the duration of your stay (the longer you
stay, the cheaper you pay daily).
Youth hostels are not widespread, there are a few in Istanbul,
mainly around Sultanahmet Square where Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
are, and still fewer are recognized by Hostelling International
(HI, former International Youth Hostel Federation, IYHF). However,
pensions (pansiyon) provide cheaper accommodation than
hotels, replacing the need for hostels for low-cost accommodation,
regardless of their visitors’ age. Please note, pansiyon
is the word in Turkish which is also used for small hotels with no
star rankings, so somewhere with this name does not automatically
mean it must be very cheap (expect up to 50 YTL daily per each
person). B&Bs are also generally covered by the word
pansiyon, as most of them present breakfast (not always
included in the fee, so ask before deciding whether or not to stay
there).
Olympos to the southwest of Antalya is known for its pensions
welcoming visitors in the wooden tree-houses or in wooden communal
sleeping halls.
Recently, Bugday Association has launched a project named
TaTuTa (acronym from the first syllables of
Tarım-Turizm-Takas: Agriculture-Tourism-Barter [of
knowledge]), a kind of WWOOF-ing, which connects farmers practicing
organic/ecological agriculture and individuals having an interest
at organic agriculture. The farmers participating in
TaTuTa share a room of their houses (or a building in the
farm) with the visitors without charge, and the visitors help them
in their garden work in return. For more about
TaTuTa, see
[30]
There are many private estates dotting the whole coastline of
Turkey, which the owner rents its property for campers. These
campsites, which are called
kamping in Turkish, have basic
facilities such as tap water, toilets, tree shade (this is
especially important in dry and hot summers of the
western and
southern
coasts) and some provide electricity to every tent via
individual wires. Pitching a tent inside the cities and towns apart
from campsites is not always approved, so you should always ask the
local administrator (village chief
muhtar and/or gendarme
jandarma in villages, municipalities
belediye
and/or the local police
polis in towns) if there is a
suitable place near the location for you to pitch your tent.
Pitching a tent in the forest without permission is OK, unless the
area is under protection as a national park, a bioreserve, a
wildlife refuge, a natural heritage or because of some other
environmental concern. Whether it is an area under protection or
not, setting fire in forests apart from the designated fireplaces
in recreational (read “picnic”) areas is forbidden anyway.
Caravan/trailer parks cannot be found as much as they used to
be; only a few remain from the 70s. The most known one is the one
in Ataköy, near the Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul.
However, caravan riders can stay overnight in numerous resting
areas along the highways and motorways, or virtually in any place
which seems to be suitable. Filling the water tanks and discharging
wastewater effluent seems to matter most.
- Naile's Art Home [31] is a marbling
paper (Ebru) gallery and workshop located in Cappadocia.
- Kayaköy Art School [32], located in Kayaköy, a ghost town near
Fethiye is offering art
classes in summer, specializing on photography, painting, and
sculpture.
- You can take the Ottoman Turkish classes in
Adatepe, a village frequented by intellectuals near Küçükkuyu/Altınoluk in the
northern Aegean Region. You can also participate in
philosophy classes [33] taking
place every summer in nearby Assos, organized as a continuation of the ancient
“agora”/”forum” tradition of Mediterranean cities.
- Glass workshops located around Beykoz on the
northern Asian banks of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, are offering
one-day classes that you can learn making (recycled) glass and
ornaments made of glass.
- There are many language schools where you can
study Turkish in most of the big cities. Ankara University
affiliated Tömer [34]
is one of the most popular language schools in Turkey and has
branches in many big cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir
among others.
- Many Turkish universities (both public and
private) are participating in pan-European student
exchange programs (Socrates, Erasmus, and the like). Some
also have agreements with non-European universities, too. Check
with your own university and the one that you intend to study in
Turkey.
Work
Work as an English teacher is reasonably easy to stumble
upon.
Being that import-export is huge in Turkey, there are also many
opportunities outside of teaching, though these are often much more
difficult to find and require some legalwork.
You need to have a work permit to work in Turkey. The control
over illegal workers have grown stricter in the past five years
with the consequence of deportation, so take the work permit issue
seriously.
However, if you own your own company in Turkey you are allowed
to "manage" it without having a work permit. Setting up what is
known as an FDI (foreign direct investment) company is relatively
straightforward, takes a few days and costs around 2300 ytl (April
07). You don't need a Turkish partner, the company can be 100%
foreign owned and required a minimum of two people as share
holders. Running costs for a company average about 2500 ytl per
year for a small to medium enterprise, less for an inactive
company.
Owning a company allows you to be treated as Turkish in respect
of purchasing real estate and bypasses the need for military
permission and allows you to complete a sale in one day if
required.
Stay safe
Dial 155 for police, from any telephone without
charge. However, in rural areas there is no police coverage, so
dial 156 in such a place for jandarma
(Military Polices) , a military unit for rural security.
Big cities in Turkey, especially Istanbul, are not immune to
petty crime. Although petty crime is not especially directed
towards tourists, by no means are they exceptions. Snatching,
pickpocketing, and
mugging are the most common kinds of petty crime. However, recently
with the developing of a camera network which watches streets and
squares –especially the central and crowded ones- 24-hour a day in
Istanbul, the number of snatching and mugging incidents declined.
Just like anywhere else, following common sense is recommended.
(Please note that the following recommendations are for the big
cities, and most small-to-mid size cities usually have no petty
crime problems at all) Have your wallet and money in your front
pockets instead of back pockets, backpack or shoulder bag.
Don’t exhibit your camera or cellphone for too long if it is a
new and/or expensive model (they know what to take away, no one
will bother to steal a ten-year-old cell phone as it would pay very
little). The same goes for your wallet if it’s overflowing with
money. Have a wide space off and quickly move away when you see two
persons nearby suddenly bursts into a quarrel, they may be acting
to fight to have your attention while a third person is peeling you
off from your valuables (or simply one of the two fighting, who
acts like falling over you after a hard fist, does this “duty”). Be
on alert, everything just happens so quickly. Watch your belongings
in crowded public transport, especially in trams and urban
buses.
Avoid dark and desolate alleys at night. If you know you have to
pass such a place at night, don’t take excessive cash with you,
instead deposit your cash into the safe-box at your hotel. Stay
away from demonstrating crowds if the demonstration seems to be
turning into an unpeaceful one. Also in resort towns, when going to
beach, don’t take your camera or cell phone with you if there will
be no one to take care of them while you are swimming. And lastly,
when you realize your wallet is taken away, before going to a
police station to file a report, look into the trash cans near
where you think it was stolen, as tossing the wallet into the
nearest garbage can is what most thieves do in Turkey, for not
getting busted in possession of the wallet which proves he/she is
the thief. Your money will probably be not in it, but there is a
chance that your credit cards and papers are still there.
See also
scams section
of
Istanbul article to
have an idea about what kinds of scams you may come across with in
other parts of the country too, especially the touristy ones, not
just Istanbul.
Though slightly off-topic be advised to carry passport or other
means of identification at all times. One may not be requested to
show them for a long period, then all of a sudden a minibus is
checked by the traffic police (or the military, particularly in
Eastern Turkey), or one runs into an officer of the law with time
on his hand, and one must show papers. Hotels may request you to
hand your passport in until you paid the bill, which puts you into
an awkward situation. Referring to the police always made them hand
the passport back, once the registration procedure was finalized.
Showing a personal visiting card, one or two credit cards or
knowing the address of a respectable hotel may solve the no-papers
situation, but any self-respecting officer will tell you that you
are in the wrong, and will be sorry next time. If treated politely
however police and military can be quite friendly and even offer
rides to the next city (no joke intended).
If you intend to travel to
Eastern or
Southeastern Anatolia, stay ahead
of the news. Although it offers many beautiful sights such as the
ruins of Antioch, the situation is far from secure due to ethnic
strife and protests, sometimes resulting in violence. The region is
far from a war zone, but take precaution when visiting this
volatile place. The real risk of threat is not very big though, if
you stick on major routes and follow common sense rules (such as
avoiding demonstrations).
- Animals – Turkish wilderness is home to both
poisonous and non-poisonous snake (yılan)
species. In fact, humid forests of northeastern Black Sea
region is habitat of a small-sized but one of the most
poisonous snakes in the world. Southern and especially southeastern parts (even cities!)
of the country has large numbers of scorpions
(akrep), so exercise caution if/when you are sleeping on
open rooftops, which is common in southeastern region in summer. If
you are bitten by one, seek urgent medical aid.
As for wild mammals, presumably the most dangerous ones are
wolves, bears and wild
boars. All of these animals live only in mountainous areas
(of almost all regions) and your chance of sighting one is very low
(except boars which are not so rare). Wolves and bears do not
attack if you don’t follow or disturb them (or, particularly, their
youngs) aggressively, however boars are known to attack even with
the slightest provocation.
The biggest animal threat comes from
stray dogs
(or sheepdogs in rural areas). Don’t assume you will come across
gangs of aggressive stray dogs next to the gate of
Hagia Sophia, or the
beach club however. They are mostly found in rural areas and
non-central parts of the cities. They are usually discreet and are
usually afraid more of you than you are afraid of them.
Rabies (
kuduz) is endemic in Turkey (and
most of the world)
[35],
so anyone bitten by a dog or other carnivore should seek urgent
treatment, despite what you may be told by your hotel or other well
meaning strangers.
Many stray dogs you’ll see in the cities bear plastic “ear
rings”. Those ear tags mean the dog is cleaned up, vaccinated
(against rabies and a number of other diseases), sterilized, and
then returned back to the streets as this is the most humane
treatment (compare with keeping them in a cage or a cage-like
environment or putting them to sleep). The process is going on, so
we can assume stray dog problem in Turkey will disappear in natural
ways sometime in future.
Stay healthy
Dial 112 from any telephone, anywhere, free of
charge for an ambulance.
Food safety - Food is generally free of
parasitical or bacterial contamination, but be prudent anyway. Look
at where local people are prefering to eat. Do not eat stuff that
is sold outdoors, at least in summer and at least which local folk
don’t eat. They can spoil fairly quickly without needed
refrigation. Wash throughly and/or peel fresh fruits and
vegetables. They may be free of biological contaminants but their
skin is probably heavily loaded with pesticides (unless you see the
not-very-common certified organic produce marker on, of course).
Food in western regions of the country is OK for (western)
travellers for the most part, but the more east, south, and
northeast you go, the more unaccustomed contents in the food you’ll
come across, like goat or goose meat or hot/heavy spices. These
contents may or may not cause
diarrhea, but it is wise to have at
least some anti-diarrhea medicine nearby, especially if you are
going to travel to places a bit off-beaten-track.
Water safety - However tempting it may be on a
hot day, try to avoid water from public water tanks and fountains
(şadırvan), frequently found in the vicinity of mosques.
Also, though tap water is always chlorinated, it is better to drink
only bottled water. Bottled water is readily available everywhere
except the most remote, uninhabited spots.
The most common volumes for bottled water are 0.5 litre and 1.5
litre. 5 lt, 8 lt, 10 lt, and gigantic 19 lt bottles (known as
office jar in the West, this is the most common variety used in
households, delivered to houses by the employees of specialized
water selling shops, because it is far too heavy to carry) can also
be found with varying degrees of possibility. General price for
half-a-litre and one-and-a-half-litre bottled water is YTL 0.50 and
YTL 1.25 repectively in kiosks/stalls in the central parts of the
cities and towns (can be much higher in a touristy or monopolistic
place such as beach, airport, café of a much-visited museum, kiosk
of a roadside recreation facility), while it can be as cheap as YTL
0.15 and YTL 0.35 respectively in supermarkets during winter (when
the number of bottled water sales drop) and a little higher in
summer (still cheaper than kiosks, though). Water is served free of
charge in intercity buses, packaged in 0.25 lt plastic cups,
whenever you request from the steward. In kiosks, water is sold
chilled universally, sometimes so cold that you have to wait the
ice to thaw to be able to drink it. Supermarkets provide it both
reasonably chilled and also at room temperature.
If you have no chance of finding bottled water –for example, in
wilderness, up in the eastern highlands- always boil your water; if
you have no chance of boiling the water, use chlorine tablets
–which can be provided from pharmacies in big cities-, or devices
like LifeStraw. Also avoid swimming in fresh water, which you are
not sure about its purity, and at seawater in or near the big
cities –unless a beach which is declared safe to swim exists. And
lastly, afterall, be cautious about water, not paranoid.
Hospitals – In Turkey, there are two kinds of
hospitals (hastane)-private and public. Private hospitals
are run by associations, private parties, and private universities.
Public hospitals are run by the Ministry of Health, public
universities, and state-run social security institutions. Private
hospitals provide health care in standards equal to Western Europe,
though standards of public hospitals are inferior compared with the
Western Europe. All mid-to-big size cities, as well as major resort
towns, have private hospitals, more than one in many cities, but in
a small town all you can find will probably be a public hospital.
Avoid public hospitals as much as possible, as they are generally
really crowded. Although this is not legal, you may also be denied
entry to the public hospitals for expensive operations if you don’t
have a state-run national (Turkish) insurance or a necessary amount
of cash for prepayment which replaces it, though showing a
respected credit card may solve this problem. A travel health
insurance is highly recommended because the better private
hospitals operate with the “user-pays” principle and their rates
are much inflated compared with the public hospitals. Also make
sure your insurance includes air transport (like a helicopter) if
you are going to visit rural/wilderness areas of Black Sea or
Eastern regions, so you can be dispatched to a city with
high-standard hospitals on time. In the outlying hoods of cities,
there are usually also policlinics which can treat simpler
illnesses or injuries. In the villages all you can find are little
clinics (sağlık ocağı, literally “health-house”) which
have a very limited supply and staff, though they can effectively
treat simple illnesses or provide antibody against, for example,
snake bite. On road signage, hospitals (and roads leading to
hospitals) are shown with an “H” (over the dark blue background),
whereas village clinics are shown with a red crescent sign, Turkish
equivalent of red cross.
There is an emergency ward (acil servis) open 24 hours
a day in every hospital. Suburban policlinics don’t have to provide
one, but some of them are open 24-hr anyway. Village clinics do
certainly have a much limited opening hours (generally 8 am to
sunset).
Dentists – There are lots of private dentist
offices in the cities, especially along the main streets. Look for
the diş hekimi signs around, it won’t take long before you
see one. Most dentists work on an appointment, although they may
check or start the treatment on your turning up without an
appointment if their schedule is okay. A simple treatment for a
tooth decay costs about 40 YTL on the average.
Ordinary toothbrushes and pastes (both local and international
brands) can be obtained from supermarkets. If you want something
special, you may check out pharmacies. It is okay to brush teeth
with tap water.
Pharmacies - There are pharmacies
(eczane in Turkish) in all cities and many towns.
Pharmacies are open from 8:30AM until 7PM, however every town has
at least one drugstore on duty overnight (nöbetçi eczane),
all other pharmacies in the town usually display its name, address
and telephone numbers on their windows. Most basic drugs, including
painkillers such as Aspirin, are sold over the counter,
although only in pharmacies.
Mosquitoes - Keeping a
mosquito repellent handy is a good idea.
Although the risk of
malaria
anywhere in the country is long gone (except the southernmost areas
near the Syrian border which used to have a very low level of risk
until up to 1980s), mosquitoes can be annoying especially in
coastal areas out of cities, including vacation towns at nights
between June and September. In some towns, especially the ones near
the deltas, mosquito population is so large that people desert the
streets during the “mosquito raid” which occurs between the sunset
and one hour after that. DEET-containing aerosol repellents (some
are suitable to apply to the skin while others, the ones that are
in tall tin cans are for making a room mosquito-free before going
to bed, not to be applied onto skin, so choose what you buy wisely)
can be obtained from supermarkets and pharmacies. There are also
solid repellents coming in a tablet form which are used with their
special devices indoors having an electricity socket. They release
scentless chemicals into the air of the room which disturb the
senses of mosquitoes and make them unable to “find” you. The
tablets, together with their devices, can also be obtained from
supermarkets and pharmacies. Beware! You shouldn’t touch those
tablets with bare hands.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
(
Kırım-Kongo kanamalı ateşi in Turkish, shortly
KKKA) is a serious viral disease and transmitted by a
tick (
kene) species. It can kill the
infected person in a very short time, usually within three or four
days. This disease has claimed more than 20 lives in Turkey within
the past two years. The biggest risk is in the rural parts
(
not urban centres) of Tokat, Corum, Yozgat,
Amasya, and
Sivas provinces, all situated in an area where
disease-carrying tick thrives because of the area’s location
between the humid climate of maritime Black Sea Region and arid
climate of Central Anatolia. Authorities recommend to wear light
coloured clothing which makes distinguishing a tick clinged to your
body easier. It’s also recommended to wear long trousers rather
than shorts if you plan to walk through dense and/or tall grass
areas (the usual habitat for ticks). If you see a tick on your body
or clothing, in
no means try to pull it out since
this may cause the tick’s head (and its mouth where it carries the
virus) sticking inside your skin. Instead, go to the nearest
hospital immediately to seek urgent expert aid. Being late to show
up in hospital (and to diagnose) is number one killer in this
disease. Symptoms are quite like that of flu and a number of other
illnesses, so doctor should be informed about the possibility of
Crim.-Cong. hemorr. fever and be shown the tick if possible.
Coastal Black Sea Region, Marmara Region, Aegean and
Mediterranean coasts, and East Anatolia are generally deemed free
of this disease (and also free of the disease-carrying species of
tick) with no casualties. But in the name of being cautious, you
should head for the nearest hospital anyway if you are bitten by
(most likely an innocent) tick. Also remember that if you should
head for the danger zone described above, ticks are not active in
winter. Their active period is April to October, so is the danger
period.
Public restrooms - Though many main squares and
streets in the cities have a public restroom, if you cannot manage
to find one, look for the nearest mosque, where you will see a
public restroom in a corner of, or below its courtyard. Despite the
fact that there is no shortage of cheap toilet papers anywhere in
the country, however, you are unlikely to find toilet paper in
almost any of the public restrooms (except lavatories of
restaurants –including the road restaurants, hotels and most of the
cafés and bars, of course). Instead, you are likely to find a bidét
or a tap. So it is a good idea to have a roll of toilet paper in
your backpack during your walkings for sightseeing. It is best to
take your single roll of toilet paper from home or bathroom of the
hotel you’re staying at, because the smallest size available in
Turkey market is 4-rolls per package (8-rolls per package being the
commonest) which would last very long (actually longer than your
trip, unless you will do all the road down to India overland). It
isn’t expensive but it takes unnecessary backpack space, or
unnecessary landfill space if you won’t use it liberally and won’t
take the unused rolls back to home as an unusual souvenir from
Turkey. In the better places on the road in the country there are
rest rooms that are maintained and an attendent ready to collect
YTL.50 to YTL 1. from the tourist for the privilege of using one.
Restroom is tuvalet in colloquial Turkish, though you’ll
more likely to see WC signs, complete with diagrams and
doors signed Bay or Bayan (with their rather
crude translations: ‘Men’, ‘Women’).
Menstrual products – Different types and
designs of disposable pads are widely available. Look around in the
supermarkets. However, Turkish women prefer tampons much less than
European women do, so they are rarer. They are available only in
some of the pharmacies.
Hamam - If you haven't been to one, you've
missed one of life's great experiences and never been clean. You
can catch your inner peace with history and water in a bath
(hamam). See hamams in
Istanbul.
Respect
Things to do:
Turks are a very friendly, polite and hospitable people,
sometimes even to a fault.
- When you are invited into a Turkish home, make sure to bring
them a gift. Anything is fine from flowers to chocolate and indeed
something representative from your country (but not wine and other
alcoholic beverages if you are about to meet the host or if you do
not know them well enough, as many Turks, for religious reasons or
not, do not drink alcoholic beverages, and that is why it would be
considered inappropriate as a gift). When you arrive at the house
take off your shoes just outside or immediately inside the door,
unless the owner explicitly allows you to keep them on. Even then,
it might be more polite to remove your shoes. And if you really
want their respect, thank your host for the invitation and
compliment them. When inside the house, don't ask for anything for
they will surely offer it. The host will make sure to make you feel
at home, so don't take advantage of their kindness.
- People in Turkey respect elderly people, so in a bus, tram,
subway and in other forms public transportation, young(er) people
will always offer you a place to sit if you are an old(er) person
as well as a handicapped or a pregnant person or have children with
you.
- It is respectful to bend slightly (not a complete bow) when
greeting someone older or in a position of authority.
- Try to use some Turkish phrases. They will be complimentary if
you try, and there is no reason to be embarrassed. They realize
that Turkish is very difficult for foreigners and won't scoff at
all at your mistakes; on the contrary, they will be delighted for
trying it, even if they may not always be able to understand your
pronunciation!
Things to avoid:
Turkish people understand that visitors are usually not aware
with Turkish culture and customs and tend to be tolerant of
blunders in this regard by foreigners. There are however, which
will meet with universal disapproval, and these should be avoided
at all costs:
Politics:
- Turks in general have very strong nationalistic views, and
would view any criticisms of their country and expressions and
attitudes insulting the Turkish flag, the republic and Atatürk -
the founding father of the republic as very offensive and with
varying degrees of hostility. To avoid getting into the bad raps of
your hosts, it is advisable to only praise the country and avoid
bringing up anything negative about it.
- Don't mention the Armenian Genocide, Kurdish separatism and the
Cyprus problem. These are extremely sensitive topics and are
definately to be avoided. Turkish society has a highly emotional
approach to these issues.
Religion:
- Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, though secular, and
although you will see varying degrees of Islamic practice in
Turkey, with most Turks subscribing to a liberal form of Islam, it
is extremely rude to insult or mock some of its traditions, and
ensure that you do not speak badly of the Islamic religion. In
regard to the Call to Prayer, which is read 5 times a day from the
speakers of the numerous mosques throughout Turkey. Do not mock or
mimick the recordings, as Turks are extremely proud and sensitive
of their heritage and culture, and will be very offended.
Social custom and ettiquette breaches:
- Don't try to shake hands with a devout Muslim (that is veiled)
woman unless she offers her hand first, and with a devout Muslim
(often recognizable with a cap and beard) man unless he offers his
hand first.
- Don't blow your nose during meals, even discreetly. This is
considered extremely rude.
- Don't pick your teeth during meals, even discreetly. This is
considered extremely rude.
- Do not put your feet up while sitting and try not to show the
bottom of your feet to someone. This is considered rude.
- Don't point with your finger at someone, even discreetly. This
is considered rude.
- Don't chew gum while having a conversation and during public
occasions. This is considered extremely rude.
- Don't touch someone without permission. This is considered
extremely rude.
- Don't bear hug or back slap someone, especially in formal
situations and occasions and with someone you just met and/or you
do not know well enough. This is considered very rude.
Certain gestures, common in the western world, are considered
rude expressions in this culture. People tend to be tolerant if
they can see you are a foreigner. They know you are probably doing
it subconsciously, but if you take the time to keep these in mind,
you won’t have any misunderstandings. Making an ‘O’ with your thumb
and forefinger (as if to say “OK!”) is rude because you are making
the gesture for a hole - which has connotations refering to
homosexuality in the Turkish psyche. Avoid clicking your tongue.
Some people do this subconsciously at the beginning of a sentence.
It is a gesture of dismissal.
Other things to watch
for:
- Public displays of affection in larger cities and tourist
resorts is tolerated but might invite unnecessary stares from the
public. In more rural areas it is frowned upon and is to be
avoided. Gay and lesbian travellers should avoid any outward signs
of affection, as this will definately invite unnecessary stares
from the public. However overt displays of affection regardless of
sexual orientation is regarded as inappropriate.
- Avoid shouting or talking loudly in public and especially on
public transportation (Talking on a mobile phone on public
transportation is not considered rude, unless the conversation is
too "private").
Mosques
Because of religious traditions, all women are required to wear
head scarves and not to wear miniskirts or shorts upon entering a
mosque as well as as churches and synagogues. The same goes for the
tombs of Islamic saints, too, if the tomb is not named “museum”
officially. If you don’t have a shawl or a scarve to put on your
head, you can borrow one at the entrance. However wearing-a-scarve
rule is somewhat relaxed recently, especially in big mosques of
Istanbul in which seeing a tourist is not a rarity. On such
mosques, no one is warned about their clothes, or because of their
lack of head scarves. Even if you’d have to wear a head scarve, no
need to worry about how head scarves can be worn properly, just put
it onto the crown of your head (you may wrap it under your chin or
behind your neck, lest it slip), that will be excessively
adequate.
Also, men are required to wear trousers, not shorts, upon
entering a mosque, however nowadays no one is warned about their
clothes (at least in big cities). You may find when entering a
mosque in more rural areas you will be expected to follow all
traditional procedures.
During the prayer time, worshippers choose to line in the front
rows of the mosques, at such a time stay behind and try not to be
noisy. During the Friday noon prayer, which is the most attended,
you might be asked to leave the mosque, don’t take it personally,
it is because the mosque will be very crowded, there just won’t be
enough room for both the worshippers and the sightseers. You will
be able to enter back as soon as worshippers are out of the
gate.
Unfortunately for
rock bottom budget
travellers, mosques are not good examples of Turkish
hospitality. Unlike some other Middle Eastern cultures, eating,
drinking, smoking (which is strictly banned), talking or laughing
loudly, sleeping or just lying, even sitting on the ground inside
the mosques is frowned upon in Turkish culture. Public displays of
affection is definately taboo.
All shoes should be removed before entering any mosque. There
are shoes desks inside the mosques, though you can choose to hold
them in your hand (a plastic bag which would be used only for this
purpose would help) during your visit. Some mosques have safeboxes
with a lock instead of shoe desks.
Although there are “official” opening hours, which are typically
shorter than what the mosque is actually open, at the entrances of
the most sightseen mosques, they don’t really mean anything. You
can visit a mosque as long as its gates are open.
Despite the odd tourists who do not conform to the dress code,
it is best to dress conservatively and to follow all traditional
procedures, when entering mosques, tombs and other places of
worship; not only because it is required but also a sign of
respect.
Gay and lesbian travelers
Turkey is considered to be quite safe for gay and lesbian
travelers, and violence against homosexuals is quite rare. There
are no laws against homosexuality in Turkey, but same-sex
relationships are not recognized by the government and flaunting
your orientation openly is very likely to draw stares and
whispers.
Contact
Dial 112 for an ambulance in anywhere, from any
telephone, without a charge. In case of a fire, dial
110; for police, call 155.
However, in rural areas there is not a police coverage, so dial
156 for gendarme, a military unit for rural
security. All these numbers are free of charge and can be called
from a telephone booth without inserting a calling card, or any
phone including cell phones.
Telephone
You can find telephone booths on streets, post-offices and
almost any public building. Phone cards are available in two types:
Magnetic cards (which are becoming obsolete) and newer cards with a
chip on them. You can also use your credit card on the phones
operating with chipped-cards, although it may not always work.
Cards are available in 30, 60 or 120 units and can be obtained at
post offices, newspaper and tobacco kiosks. All phones in the
booths have Turkish and English instructions and menus, many also
have German and French in addition. There are also telephones
available in private kiosks where you pay cash after your call.
These telephones are more expensive than the ones at the
booths.
It is estimated that approximately 96% of the population of
Turkey lives within the coverage areas of Turkey’s three cell phone
line providers. Line providers from most countries have roaming
agreements with one or more of these companies.
Telephone area codes for some cities and their towns are:
212-Istanbul European side; 216-Istanbul Asian side, and the
Princess’ Islands; 232-Izmir, Çeşme, Foça; 256-Aydin, Kuşadası;
252-Mugla, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye; 242-Antalya, Kaş, Kemer,
Alanya; 312-Ankara; 384-Nevsehir, Most of
Cappadocia (though a few well-known
Cappadocian towns which are parts of the province of Aksaray have
382 as their area code); 286-Çanakkale, Gallipoli; 224-Bursa,
Uludag; 258-Denizli, Pamukkale; 332-Konya; 352-Kayseri. Dial
0 prior to telephone code for intercity calls.
Numbers starting with 0800 are pay-free, whereas the ones
starting with 0900 are high-fee services. 7-digit numbers starting
with 444 (mainly used by companies) are charged as local calls
wherever they are dialed in Turkey.
Dial 00 prior to country code for international
calls. International country code of Turkey is
90.
Post
Post offices are recognizable by their yellow-black “PTT” signs.
Letters and cards should be taken to a post office since the
postboxes on the streets are rare. Nevertheless, Turkish Post (PTT)
prints some beautiful stamps. Sending international letters to most
countries now cost only 0.80 TL (about €0.40). Please check the PTT
Webpage for the most current rates
[36] Main post offices in
cities are open between 8:30AM and 8:30PM, whereas post offices in
towns and smaller post offices in cities are usually open between
8:30AM and 5:30PM.
Poste restante letters should be sent to an address in the
format of: official full name of the addressee (because the
receiver will be asked for an ID card, passport or anything that
can proof he/she is the receiver)+POSTRESTANT+name of the
quarter/hood/district if in a city where there are more than one
post office or name of the town where the post office is+postal
code (if known, not obligatory)+the name of the province which the
quarter/town of the post office is within. The receiver should pay
0.60 TL (fee of a domestic letter) to take his/her letter.
Internet
“Internet-cafés” or “net-cafés” are available even in small
towns. All of them have good DSL connections, and price for
connection is about more or less 1 TL/hour . Most, if not all, of
these internet-cafés also have cd-writers which are available for
anyone who makes an additional payment. Free wireless connections
are available at some airports, hotels and restaurants/cafés
(especially in big cities). Please see the Turkish Telecom web page
for information on Telecommunication services
[37] .
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