It’s no surprise that Turkey has become such a popular destination as it has it all. The country is steeped in History, and there are literally hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins. Turkey is the heartland of classical Hellenic culture and the ruins of Pergamum and Ephesus are testimony to this.
In the central Anatolian region, Nevsehir is the gateway to Cappadocia, a region of soft stone where wind and rain have created a spectacular surrealist landscape of rock cones, pinnacles and ravines. During Byzantine times, homes, chapels and underground cities were carved into this soft rock. These troglodyte dwellings of volcanic tufa are one of Turkeys main attractions today.
Turkey has many natural attractions, tucked away waiting to be discovered. Another popular national, natural attraction is Pamukkale, the calcified, scallop shaped basins and frozen waterfalls beneath the Hieropolis ruins, that are said to have been a resting place of Alexander the Great, and his army, between battles.
To the East is a vast mountainous region, rich with impressive forts and medieval castles. Horse riding and Skiing are popular in these areas, though tourism as a whole is far less developed.
The Black Sea coast is home to beautifully atmospheric villages and densely forested areas, and though not as warm as the Mediterranean climate, attracts a lot of foreign visitors interested in Turkish culture.
The Turkish people are very proud of their heritage and have an incredibly strong bond with each other. They customarily call each other ‘Abi’ (brother) and ‘Abla’ (sister). The Turks are very warm, relaxed hospitable people and are extremely friendly to foreign visitors.
Geography
Turkey is effectively divided into two parts, the smaller of which (Thrace) lies within south-eastern Europe (3%), and the larger part Anatolia (97%), that lies within south-western Asia.
The European side is mainly rolling hills and it’s the Bosphorus Strait that separates Thrace from Anatolia.
Anatolia is predominantly a high plateau, surrounded by mountains to the North, East and South. The Black Sea Mountains in the north border the Black Sea, whereas the Taurus Mountains in the south, border the Mediterranean Sea. These mountain ranges run east to west and come together in the east of the country to form a vast mountainous region, the highest point being Mt. Ararat at 5,165m. The Rivers Tigris and Euphrates are born in the East and cover the upper Mesopotamia region of Turkey. To the southeast, bordering Syria, lies a wide steppe-like plain.
Turkey has land borders with Greece to the west, Bulgaria to the northwest, Georgia and Armenia to the northeast, Iran to the east, Iraq to the south-east and Syria to the south.
Climate
Turkey's weather varies considerably both throughout the year and throughout the country. The European part of Turkey, along with the Mediterranean coastline, has a very hot Mediterranean climate with warm winters. These coastal regions generally receive more rainfall and milder winters. The interior central plateau regions experiences hot dry summers and bitterly cold winters, becoming more severe the further east you go. The mountainous areas around much of the high plateau have a continuous covering of snow throughout much of the year. The plains just north of the Syrian border are the hottest part of Turkey, with a typically desert climate of very hot summers and very cold winters. The cold nights and winters become harsher the further east you travel.
Western Turkey: Spring (late March to May) brings average temperatures of around 15°C before the weather gradually warms up with sunny days interspersed with rain showers. The summer (June to the end of October) is hot and sunny while the winter (November to March) is cool and wet. Western Turkey's beaches are some of the Mediterranean's finest in the summer.
Central Turkey: Winter here (November to March) is cold with regular snowfalls. The weather warms in spring though it remains cold at night and first thing in the morning. Summer (June to September) is hot and dry here with temperatures reaching the mid 30°C's.
Eastern Turkey: Summers here are also hot (from June to September) but by the end of October you can expect the first of the snows, which can get quite heavy in the middle of winter (November to March), bringing quite severe weather conditions the further east you travel. Winter skiing can be good in places like Erzerum.
Bring light clothing during the summer and warmer clothing during winter and very warm and protective clothing if visiting the interior or mountain regions during winter.
 |
|
Istanbul.. |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Rain (mm) |
109 |
92 |
72 |
46 |
38 |
34 |
34 |
30 |
58 |
81 |
103 |
119 |
|
Sun (hrs) |
3 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
|
Temp(Max) |
8 |
9 |
11 |
16 |
21 |
25 |
28 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
15 |
11 |
|
Temp (Min) |
3 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
12 |
16 |
18 |
19 |
16 |
13 |
9 |
5 |
|
Days of Rain* |
12 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
9 |
12 |
|
Hum (%) |
75 |
72 |
67 |
62 |
61 |
58 |
56 |
55 |
59 |
64 |
71 |
74 |
|
|
|
Ankara |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Rain (mm) |
33 |
31 |
33 |
33 |
48 |
25 |
13 |
10 |
18 |
23 |
31 |
48 |
|
Sun (hrs) |
3 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
11 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
|
Temp (Max) |
4 |
6 |
11 |
14 |
23 |
26 |
30 |
31 |
26 |
21 |
14 |
6 |
|
Temp (Min) |
-4 |
-3 |
-1 |
4 |
9 |
12 |
15 |
15 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
-2 |
|
Days of Rain* |
8 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
|
Hum (%) |
70 |
67 |
52 |
40 |
38 |
34 |
28 |
25 |
31 |
37 |
52 |
71 |
|
|
|
Izmir |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Rain (mm) |
112 |
84 |
76 |
43 |
33 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
53 |
84 |
122 |
|
Sun (hrs) |
4 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
13 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
|
Temp (Max) |
13 |
14 |
17 |
21 |
26 |
31 |
33 |
33 |
29 |
24 |
19 |
14 |
|
Temp (Min) |
4 |
4 |
6 |
9 |
13 |
17 |
21 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
9 |
6 |
|
Days of Rain* |
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
|
Hum (%) |
62 |
51 |
52 |
48 |
45 |
40 |
31 |
37 |
42 |
49 |
58 |
64 |
* denotes number of days with at least 1.0 mm of rainfall
Currency
New Turkish Lira (YTL)
1 US$ = YTL 1,5 approx.
1 UK£ = YTL 2,5 approx.
(Note: As of 28 December 2004 the Old Turkish Lira has been devalued to the New Turkish Lira - 1,000,000 Old Turkish Lira is now equivalent to 1 New Turkish Lira).
Common coins
-
1 New Kurus
-
5 New Kurus
-
10 New Kurus
-
25 New Kurus
-
50 New Kurus
-
1 New Lira
Common notes
-
1 New Lira
-
5 New Lira
-
10 New Lira
-
20 New Lira
-
50 New Lira
-
100 New Lira
NB Most hard currencies can be changed at the banks, which usually open from 8.30am to Noon, and from 1.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Exchange Offices also change money though they prefer it to be cash as opposed to travellers’ cheques.
Travellers’ cheques in major currencies are accepted at most banks, though a commission will be charged.
ATM’s are prevalent throughout most cities, towns and even resorts. Cirrus and Plus systems are also widely accessible though ATM’s. Visa Cards are also accepted in many places. Other cards are acceptable in different establishments; however, if you’re thinking of paying with a card, check whether they accept that card first.
Cash advances can usually be made on Visa cards and through your own bank cash cards (via an ATM), but there will be a surcharge. Check with your card supplier for exact charges.
Remember to keep some receipts when you are changing money or will not be able to change your lira back into a hard currency.
Holidays
|
New Year’s Day |
- |
1 st January |
|
Kurban Bayrami (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
- |
February (2004)* |
|
National Sovereignty Day/Children’s Day |
- |
23 rd April |
| Commemoration of Ataturk/Youth & Sports Day |
- |
19 th May |
|
Victory Day |
- |
19 th August |
|
Republic Day |
- |
29 th October |
|
Ramazan (Ramadan in other Muslim countries) |
- |
October (2004)* |
* Religious festivals run in conjunction with various phases of the moon, therefore the actual dates will change from year to year. Kurban Bayrami is a 4-day festival, which though may vary from region to region, generally seems to disrupt schedules for up to 10 days. Ramazan is a 30-day festival where a good Muslim will neither eat nor drink during daylight hours. The end of the Ramazan is a time of great festivity, where the last 3 days, known as Ramazan Bayrami is a national holiday where banks and offices are closed.
For exact dates of holidays and festivals for the coming year please
click here
NB Banks and government offices are closed during the holidays above.
Religion
Almost the entire population are Muslim, 99.8% (mostly Sunni). The other 0.2% comprises mostly Christian and Jews.
Vaccinations
Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary and are subject to change. You must consult your GP on current vaccinations needed for your destination. You can also visit our travel health website at:
TravelHealthZone
This has links to up-to-date information on vaccination requirements as well as much more general travel health information and advice.
For direct, up-to-date information on vaccination requirements for Turkey please
click hereCustoms
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Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. You should also take the time beforehand to understand Islamic customs, as you will be expected to respect them in Turkey.
-
Dress conservatively, when away from the poolside or beach areas. Remember, that in a Muslim country, shorts and singlets in public are indecent and can provoke a hostile reaction.
-
Don’t point at people, show your bare feet to anyone or provide a public show of intimacy with your partner in public, as all of these actions are considered either offensive or rude.
-
When entering a mosque, always ensure you are modestly dressed and remove your shoes before entering. Women should cover up their arms, head and shoulders and wear long skirts, though robes are commonly loaned out to inappropriately dressed women.
-
Tipping is quite customary throughout Turkey. In cheaper establishments a few small coins will usually suffice. However, the more pricier the establishment, the more you may be expected to tip. Though a 10-15% service charge will be added to the bill, you can still expect to pay between 5-10% on top of that to the serving staff.
-
Expect to haggle for just about everything, especially in the Bazaars. Remember that haggling is best conducted with a smile and a light-hearted approach.
Kurdish separatism remains a very real issue in Turkey. The secessionist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have proclaimed several cease fires since 1992, though hostilities looked like escalating when the Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan was arrested in early 1999. However, since the arrest, the situation has begun to improve, partly due to a more liberal attitude by the government towards the Kurds and also in part to Turkey's aspirations to join the European Union.
Caution should be exercised if considering travelling in certain parts of south-eastern and eastern Turkey, as some of these areas are PKK strongholds. You should check with your consulate or embassy before travelling to these areas.
Street robbery and pick pocketing are common in the touristy areas of Istanbul and some coastal resorts. Be wary of strangers offering food and drink, which may be drugged. A number of sexual reports have been reported in coastal areas.
As with all countries, a measure of common sense will go a long way. Act and dress respectfully, keep away from political gatherings, don’t travel alone at night and try not to become paranoid.
For more specific, up-to-date security information and how this may affect your tour, please visit our
regional security page.
Visas
Most foreign nationals require a visa. However, Visa requirements often change and you should check the requirements before travelling. www.turkconsulate-london.com is a very useful website with up to date information about visa requirements. For more information contact the Turkish Consulate in London on (+44) 0906 834 7348
Rutland Lodge
Rutland
Knightsbridge
London SW7 1BW
Tel: 020 7591 6900
Fax: 020 7591 6911
Visas are generally available for most nationalities (but not all!!) at the point of entry and usually valid for up to 90 days. If you are flying in to Istanbul and do not have the relevant visa, go to the visa counter on your left just before the passport control area to obtain the necessary visa. Passport control will send you back to the visa section if you do not have a valid visa. It's a good idea to have the correct change in the correct currency for your visa or you may end up paying too much.
Flights (from the UK)
Flights to Turkey are widely available from the UK. Most flights will go to Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, though other major airports include Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya and Dalaman.
Flights from across the Atlantic are also frequent as part of the USA-Europe-Istanbul route.
- UK to Istanbul Return – less than UK£200(Low Season), high season can be UK£300+
But shop around, as low price fares to Turkey can often be found. It is not unusual to find a return flight for as little as UK£140, but these sell out quickly.
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With its important geographical position as a link between Europe and Asia, Turkey has, over the centuries, developed a unique blend of east and west. Dating back to the 7 th Century, Turkey has a rich cultural heritage equal to that of ancient Egypt. Through the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, Turkey has absorbed the very best of the histories of these great empires. This can still be seen today in its food, dance and architecture, and its many ancient monuments.
Turkey has a coastline of over 6,000kms, with almost 1,000kms following the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. The hot Mediterranean climate provides the perfect setting, with many idyllic beaches to choose from. Olu-Deniz was voted Europe’s most beautiful beach of 1995.
Bodrum – Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of the ancient wonders of the world). 
