Information for Visitors
General information about Turkey - Useful Information
While planning your trip to Turkey do not forget to check your passport if it is valid for at least 3 months. Depending on your nationality most probably your stay as a tourist is limited up to 3 months (for one entrance). More on passport, visa, customs and tax refund… Incase you loose your passport you should immediately contact your countries embassy or consulate in Turkey.
Incase you need specific entry information or obtain a visa for Turkey you should contact one of the embassies of Turkey abroad.
Passport is not required for domestic flights within Turkey but you should have at least one legitimating document with you in case it is needed.
If you are visiting Turkey in summer time (particularly July and August), you may need a sun hat and sun cream to protect yourself against sun burning, also people with sensitive skin should have something to cover their shoulders. If you are visiting Turkey in winter time (Dec, Jan, Feb), you will need your warm clothes as the temperature may drop down as low as -15 C (5 F) especially in the central eastern parts of Turkey. Also, bring your umbrellas and raincoats with you.
Major Credit Cards and Traveler’s checks are accepted in big cities however you may need to carry some cash with you. US dollars and Euro’s are also widely excepted. Turkish money is a convertible one but DO NOT exchange your money to Turkish lira’s in your home town, the rate you get is much lower than what you get in Turkey. You could easily exchange money on arrival at airports or borders.
Many people in big cities could speak a foreign language. Although it might not be perfect, you could communicate. It is always useful to have a dictionary with you and learn some basic words.
Telephoning from your hotel room might be expensive, the alternative would be to use the public phones available out on the streets, or in some hotel lobbies. All you need is to buy a telephone card from Post Office (recognizable by “PTT” sign), which is in 30, 60 and 100 counters. One 30 counter card would be enough for a quick international call.
Time Zone: Turkey’s time zone is Eastern European Time ( +2 GMT )
Turkey uses the metric system as measurements.
Traffic is running from the right in Turkey. While crossing streets in big cities, make sure that the vehicles are at a reasonable distance to allow you cross the street safely. In Turkey, cars have the privilege to use the streets. You can safely walk on the pedestrian walk ways
The mosques are open to everyone. You will have to leave your shoes at the entrance or carry them in your hands, women in most mosques are required to cover their heads with a scarf and naked parts of their legs and shoulders. If you don’t have anything with you, they will give you some scarves at the entrance for free. Silence is required inside the mosques, it is suggested that you shouldn’t laugh loudly inside as this may offend people praying. Most of the mosques are closed to visits at prayer times. Turkey is a secular country with a population that is mostly Moslem. Turkey is a secular country where religion and politics is slightly separated. The weekends are Saturdays and Sundays, while Fridays are working days, even though in the Moslem belief Friday is the holy day.
In some of the museums or palaces you are not allowed to take pictures or use flash, before you go in, just check if there is a sign with a camera crossed over, which means keep you camera in your hand bags, or check them in. Also, as an universal rule you are not permitted to touch any of the artifacts displayed.Photographing the Turkish ladies in the rural areas may offend them. The procedure is, just direct your camera towards them, if they say no, or mean it with gestures, just leave it. Some people including ladies love to be photographed, and will probably give you their address hoping to receive a copy from you.
If you are traveling independently, check which dates that the museums are open to visits. Most of the museums are closed to visits at least one day a week. Archaeological sites can be visited everyday from 9 AM to 5 PM ( this may change from summer to winter ).
Offices and banks are generally open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday to Friday, with a break between 12:00 to 1:30 PM
National / Official Holidays in Turkey:
Apr 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (anniversary of the establishment of Turkish Grand National Assembly)
May 19 Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day (the arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, and the beginning of the War of Independence)
Aug 30 Victory Day (victory over invading forces in 1922)
Oct 29 Republic Day (anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic)
Ramazan Bayramı / Sugar Feast :Three-day festival when sweets are eaten to celebrate the end of the fast of Ramazan. (A Moslem moveable feast) (The dates of these religious festivals change according to the Muslim lunar calendar and thus occur 12 days earlier each year.)
Kurban Bayramı / Slaughter Feast : (A Moslem moveable feast) Four-day festival when sacrificial sheep are slaughtered and their meat distributed amongst the poor, neighbors and within the family.
There is no restriction on the sale and use of Alcohol in Turkey. The famous local anis drink “Rakı” is widely consumed in Turkey. The “Rakı Culture” is sitting long hours at the dinner table, eating “meze”’s and chat with each other on regular and personal subjects. While most people prefer Rakı, wine is also famous in Turkey. The local wine production in northwest and mid Anatolia is worth to mention. Many foreigners do tell that the local beer, specially the “Efes Pilsen” brand does have a wonderful taste. You only should if possible avoid drinking in public during the month Ramadan (The vesting month). As a tourist you will not be effected from the Ramadan, the night life will continue in rural areas.