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Turkey

Turkey is a paradise of sun, sea, mountains, and lakes that offers the vacationer a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains and lakes.

Turkey also has a magnificent past, and is a land full of historic treasures from 13 successive civilizations spanning 10,000 years. Even if you spend only a short time in Turkey, you can see a lot of this great past.

There is no doubt that one visit will not be enough, and you will want to come back again and again as you discover one extraordinary place after another. All of them, no matter how different, have one thing in common: the friendly and hospitable people of this unique country.

In Turkey, suede and leather are particularly important, along with all kinds of clothes and other goods such as handbags, belts, shoes, etc., at prices which surprise and please the visitor. In the large stores in main cities, dresses, trousers, and coats, made of extremely fine leather and suede, can be found. if you are looking for something a little more unusual, there is the "nargile" (hubble-bubble pipe); or buy a backgammon set and learn the national Turkish game. Your only difficulty shopping in Turkey will be deciding what to choose from the many hundreds of tempting bargains.

Turkish Cuisine & Dining Out
Would someone come to Turkey just to eat out? Yes, they would. Turkish food is famous throughout the world. The painstaking preparation of simple, but fresh ingredients brings out the richness of their flavors in a way that never fails to delight. The range is enormous, from the many soups to an astonishing variety of hors d'oeuvres (meze) followed by meat and fish dishes. Then pause awhile to contemplate the famous Turkish sweets and pastries before finishing with Turkish coffee. All Turkish food is prepared from fresh ingredients. The country produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and, being surrounded on three sides by sea, the range of fish to be found is considerable.

Among alcoholic drinks are the light Turkish beer, local wines, and the national drink, 'raki'(an anisette), which clouds when water is added, giving it the popular name of "lion's milk." The drinking of raki is a rite in itself, and it is traditionally accompanied by a variety of "meze" (hors d'oeuvres). Wherever you go, coffee or tea will be offered to you. Bottled drinking water and mineral water are easily found everywhere. Tap water is drinkable but the taste is not good because it is chlorinated.

Especially in large cities like Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, you can also find restaurants which feature Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, French, Swiss, German and Italian cuisine.

Monetary System Click Here For Currency Exchange
The national monetary unit is the Turkish lira (TL). The coinage is in 10,000, 25,000, 50,000 and 100,000 lira pieces. Bank notes are of 100,000, 250,000, 500,000, 1,000,000, 5,000,000 and 10,000,000 lira. The exchange rates for foreign currencies are published daily. Eurochecks can be cashed immediately as can traveller's checks upon producing identification. The most widely accepted credit cards are American Express, Eurocard, Diner's Club, Visa and Mastercard. Exchange offices in touristic places are generally open until midnight.

Note: You may exchange traveller's checks at Post Offices in some touristic places and at certain banks.

Postal System
Turkish post and telephone offices are easily recognizable by their "PTT" and "Turk Telekom" signs. Major post offices are open 8:00 - 24:00, Mon.- Sat.; and 9:00-19:00, Sun. Small post offices have the same hours as government offices

Poste restante letters should be addressed "postrestant" to the central post office ("Merkez Postanesi") in the town of your choice. It is only necessary to produce an identification card when collecting your letter.

This service is for sending or receiving documents front other countries. Fax Office Fax service is available for sending or receiving documents from other countries.

Valuable Dispatch This service is for sending valuable belongings or important documents. Other PTT services.

It is possible to exchange money at some PTT branches at the current international exchange rate. International postal orders and traveller's checks can also be exchanged. An express postal service (Acele Posta Servisi - APS) operates from Turkey to 72 other countries for letters, documents, and small packages.

Stamp collectors will be delighted with the wide range of special stamps available to them from the philatelic section. International subscriptions are also available.

Phone calls
The most economic way to telephone in Turkey is from a PTT telephone booth (found in all towns). Tokens in three sizes for local, inter-city, and international calls can be purchased from all PTT offices. Telephone cards are also available.

Working Hours
Government Offices 8:30 - 12:30; 13:30 - 17:30 (closed Sat. and Sun., open daily in tourist areas) Banks 8:30 - 12:00; 13:30 - 17:00 (closed Sat. and Sun., open daily in tourist areas) Shops 9:30 - 19:00 (In tourist areas, closing times vary some close around midnight) Covered Bazaar, Istanbul 7:00 - 19:00 (closed Sun.)

On the first day of the Seker and Kurban religious holidays all shops and bazaars are closed. (The Seker Bayrami and Kurban Bayrami are 3 days and 4 days long respectively),

Summer hours In the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey, government offices and many other establishments are closed in the afternoon during the summer months. These summer hours are fixed each year by the provincal governors.

Official Holidays
Jan. 1 - New Year's Day
Apr. 23 - National Independence and Children's Day
May 19 - Ataturk Commemoration and Youth and Sports Day
Aug. 30 - Victory Day (final rout of invading forces in 1922).
Oct. 29 - Republic Day (anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic).

Museums
Most Turkish museums are open every day of the week, except Mondays. Palaces are also closed only on Mondays. The famous Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays instead of Mondays. in order to receive permission for photos or films in museums or at ancient ruins, a fee, which varies according to the entrance fee, is charged. The photographing or filming, for commercial use, of yet unpublished objects which are copyrighted, requires a special permit from the general Directorate of Antiquities and Museums. In Ankara most museums are closed on the first day of religious holidays.

Miscellaneous Facts
Local time: GMT : 2 hrs. (Summer).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, all over Turkey The voltage is clearly marked on all hotel outlets
Tap water: Safe to drink in all cities, since it has been chlorinated.
Weights and measures: Metric system.
Foreign newspapers: Available in large cities and tourist areas.
Interpreters guides: Ministry of Tourism Offices and travel agents can provide professional interpreters & guides. Travel agents are obliged to provide a professional interpreter guide on all of their tours.
Doctors and dentists: Doctors and dentists can be found in Turkey's major hospitals and, in addition, there are certain foreign-operated hospitals in Istanbul .

Foreign Language Broadcasts On Radio Television
Tourism Radio: Aims at introducing Turkey to foreigners visiting the country giving historical, geographical, social, economic and touristic information, as well as current events, and, of course music. Air time: Daily from 7:30-12:45 and 18:30-20:00 local time.

Suggested Itineraries
Turkey is a country of diverse scenery, climate, and historical monuments, so travelers are sometimes overwhelmed by the choice of places to visit. Therefore, some 15-day itineraries have been suggested below. For assistance in organizing your route consult any Turkish Tourist Information Office or private travel agency organizing package tours in Turkey.

Istanbul is the obvious place to start and end your tour. It is a fascinating city, rich in historical treasures left from its days as the capital of the Byzantine and, subsequently, the Ottoman Empires. There are also many places of natural beauty, the Istanbul Bogazi (Bosphorus) being one of the most popular.

Hotels - Guest Houses Camping - Restaurants
Hotels: A certain number of hotels throughout the country are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism which means that they abide by certain regulations and standards for facilities, and these are given the name "touristic." There are other establishments registered with local authorities, and these too meet a certain standard with regard to facilities and services.

At seaside resorts and tourist centers on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, there are a number of motels which generally offer satisfactory services (restaurants, a private beach, and all mooring facilities). There are also spacious holiday villages with high standards.

Guest Houses: With reasonable prices, guest houses provide tourists with the comforts of home throughout Turkey For help with reservations contact:

Camping: The camping sites registered with the Ministry of Tourism are still few in number, but they are all situated on the principal routes, near towns and tourist centers. The camping sites are very comfortable and often have restaurants and occasionally chalets with rooms; some have private beaches.

These camping sites are generally open from April or May until October.

Restaurants: There are many top-notch restaurants in Turkey, particularly in Istanbul and Ankara where international cuisine is quite prevalent. There are also a large number of small, family restaurants which offer simple but tasty dishes at moderate prices. The meze (hors d'oeuvres) are often accompanied by raki or wine. Fish and shellfish are fresh and very tempting. At most of the establishments along the road, there is spit-roasted lamb, salads with tasty dressings, and fresh vegetables stuffed with savory rice. If you don't know the names of the dishes, you can always go to the kitchen and choose from the dishes displayed.

Nightlife
There are boundless choices where nightlife in Turkey is concerned. In Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, the State Symphony Orchestra and State Opera and Ballet offer the works of Turkish and foreign composers under the direction of world famous Turkish and foreign directors. Alongside the Turkish theatre, there are foreign theatrical groups which come to Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir from time to time. For a different view of nightlife in Turkey, there are nightclubs and colorful shows. Wherever you are, you will be able to go into a nightclub and taste some Turkish food while enjoying yourself until morning. The discos in resort areas and large cities have the latest facilities.