22 Things to Know Before You Travel to Turkey

22 Things to Know Before You Travel to Turkey

Turkey is a vast country with many exciting destinations for culture, history, nature and city lovers. There’s a bit of everything in each part of the country no matter where you go. From the mesmerising fairy chimneys and hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia to the gorgeous coves of the Turkish Riviera, or the thrilling cobblestoned history-filled streets of Istanbul, you really can’t visit Turkey only once.

If this is your first time visiting Turkey, then read on. Even if you’ve been before, we’ll indeed teach you something you didn’t know before!

Booking accommodation

If it’s your first time visiting Turkey, we recommend following our suggestions. When you’re visiting a city, pick a central location with access to the sites you want to see. The traffic is a real pain, especially in Istanbul, but it’s also impossible to walk everywhere. So make sure to be a walking distance to at least the important sites, then explore other neighbourhoods. 

If you’re going to visit a coastal town, however, the best beaches are usually not near the city centre. We recommend booking a hotel stay which provides shuttle services to the town. 

As Right Holidays, we compiled great 2022 summer deals in Turkey for our customers. If you’re looking for a personalised holiday, reach out to us at sales@rightholidays.co.uk.

Booking flights to Turkey

The best airlines flying to Turkey are Turkish Airlines, AnadoluJet, SunExpress, and Pegasus Airlines. So whether you’re flying internationally or domestically in Turkey, make sure to book with these airlines. 

The weather in Turkey

Turkey experiences all seasons, and depending on where you’re going; you can expect sun, rain or even snow. In general, throughout the winter months, Turkey is cold and rainy apart from a few destinations in the Southern part of the country. 

The best time to travel to Istanbul is in April, May, June, September and October when the temperature goes up to 25-27 degrees Celsius, and the weather is usually sunny. 

If you are headed to Turkey for a summer holiday, you can go to the Aegean coast or the Mediterranean coast in May, June, July, August and September, but beware of the summer heat. The summer temperatures in Turkey go up 35 degrees Celsius, August being the hottest month.

January to March is a great time to go skiing in Turkey, and you can find great deals when you book ahead.

Money

Although most cafés, restaurants and shops accept credit cards in Turkey, you must carry cash for taxis, tipping and some traditional shops. As of May 2022, £1 equals 19 Turkish liras. For reference, a loaf of bread costs about £1, a cup of coffee costs about £1.5, and a pint of beer costs about £2.5. 

If you use the ATMs in Turkey frequently, you would pay a lot of money to the banks. So you should instead bring cash in your currency and exchange it. If you have a digital bank card such as Monzo, you might pay less in transaction costs.

Sim Card

Once you arrive in Turkey, you should buy a Sim Card from a local provider such as Turkcell. They have an app you can easily use to add money or buy a monthly package. You can buy a package with up to 70 GB of internet. Their smallest package costs about £3. 

Turkish cuisine

Although Turkish cuisine is known for its delicious and rich meat dishes, fresh fish and seafood, and colourful fruits, most local restaurants also provide a wide variety of vegetarian dishes. These are “zeytinyagli” dishes made from fresh vegetables cooked with olive oil. All fish and kebab restaurants have meat-free mezes on their menu, including herbs, hummus, and eggplant salad.

Turkey has one of the richest cuisines in the world, and every region and town has its own specialities. For example, if you go to the Central Anatolia region, you’ll find lots of incredible traditional dishes with meat, but if you go to the Mediterranean or Aegean Coast, you can expect to find lighter foods with vegetables and a lot of great seafood.

Locals drink Turkish tea and coffee every day, and it’s pretty common to be offered complimentary tea after a meal.

Tap Water

The tap water in Turkey is safe to boil for tea and brush your teeth with, but it’s not used for drinking. Most households either have water filters or buy dispenser size water bottles. You have to pay for the water in most cafés and restaurants, so it’s a good idea to carry a reusable water bottle with you.

Electrical Outlets

Europeans visiting Turkey won’t need an adapter as the outlets are the same as the European ones, with two sockets. Make sure to bring a power adapter compatible with type C plugs.

Turkish language

If you’re visiting one of the big cities such as Istanbul or Ankara, you’ll find that most people speak English (even some cab drivers). However, it’s still good to learn a few Turkish words and sayings, because not everyone can communicate with you in English. The pronunciation is different from most languages, but you can start reading the language easily.

Please and thank you are the most important ones, “lütfen” (lewt-fen) and “teşekkürler” (tesh-egg-cure-lar). 

Social etiquette

Turkish people are generally friendly and passionate. Great hospitality is genuinely in the DNA of most people, and giving gifts is an important part of the culture. If you stay with Turkish people, it’s custom to bring something with you when you visit them. Also, Turkish people never wear shoes at home.

You don’t have to worry about clothing in big cities, Southern or Western regions of Turkey; most people dress appropriately for the weather (i.e. shorts, skirts, bikinis, etc). However, some regions (especially central Anatolia) in Turkey are more religious and conservative when it comes to clothing. Women are expected to wear a headscarf when they are visiting mosques.

Also, please don’t forget, Turks kiss on both cheeks and insist forever if you ever try to refuse food. 

Public Transport

Most cities, especially major cities like Istanbul and Ankara, are well-connected with public transport such as trams, buses, minibuses and the subway. You can get a travel card in a city and tap the same card for any public transportation you want to use. However, in coastal towns or smaller cities, you’ll mostly find buses or minibuses that operate with cash. There is no Uber in Turkey, but you can download the Bi’ Taksi app to get around with taxis.

Tipping

The service charge isn’t included in the price in many places, so tipping at least 10% of your bill’s total is common practice. You won’t be able to tip your waiter or waitress with a credit card, though, so carrying some cash would help.

Public toilets

Many foreign travellers are afraid of public toilets in Turkey, but you usually don’t come across “alla turca” toilets unless you are travelling in the rural parts of the country. 

For any traveller, it’s a good idea to carry toilet paper or wet wipes in any country they are visiting. In Turkey, most toilets have a dedicated cleaner, and you must pay a small charge in cash to enter. 

Visa

Turkey requires visas from some countries and territories, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Cyprus (EU part), Dominica, East Timor, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Vanuatu. Most people with European passports are exempt from a visitor visa for up to 90 days.

That’s it! You’re now ready to explore Turkey and experience a unique culture and its people. If you need help planning your trip, why not reach out to us at sales@rightholidays.co.uk to arrange your flights, accommodation, transfer from and to the airport and more!