Want to visit Turkey? Located partly in Europe and partly in Asia, Turkey is a rich place to visit. In addition to being a coastline to the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Aegean Sea, Turkey still keeps the Anatolian culture alive. Here are some tips to know before you travel to Turkey!
Enjoying beaches and the sun, visiting historical cities, having a live city life, hiking, tasting different flavors, being in touch with nature… If you are planning to visit Turkey, it is a country where you can spend time according to your personal preferences and tastes. After this intriguing introduction, let’s get started. Hadi!
First Step: Do you need a visa to visit Turkey?
As it should be before each journey, I would recommend you to check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page prior to your trip. Although some countries do not need to have a visa, some of the countries should hold it. As it depends on which country do you come from. Here you can check the official information for Turkey.
Second step: Technical information:
- Travel adapter for Turkey: F type which is the basic European outlet. The standard voltage is 220 V.
- Some websites are not operating in Turkey: Like Booking.com and PayPal. Wikipedia was blocked as well, but the block was lifted in 2020.
- Credit cards are widely accepted: Almost everywhere you can pay by card. But if you pay by cash, you get more discounts 😉
- Discount: Ask for a discount when you go to bazaars or outdoor markets; even in small shops.
- Tap Water: Don’t drink tap water, it’s not safe. In some smaller cities tap water may be clean enough to drink. But generally big cities (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bodrum etc.) are out of this scope.
- Smoking indoors: Be aware that smoking in public areas like restaurants and bars is prohibited, but it does sometimes happen. You should stick to the rules though and don’t join in. Otherwise you have to pay a fine.
- Crosswalk: Be careful when crossing the street, check the double sides because they don’t really stop.
- Toilet tap: No, we aren’t using alla turca toilets at all. And an important tip for you is every toilet has a water nozzle strategically aimed in a precise direction to clean up after a poop (AKA bidet). Yes, this seems like such a hygienic and civilized practice.
Notes on social and cultural habits:
- Hospitality: When someone offers you a cup of tea or Turkish coffee, say yes. It is a sign of hospitality in Turkey.
- Nazar Boncuğu: The “Evil Eye” is actually meant to protect you. They are nailed to the outside of houses or in an entryway, hung from car rearview mirrors and worn as jewelry.
- Kisses: Greetings are done by kissing both the cheeks: muck muck!
- Street cats and dogs: Don’t be surprised to see street animals. They are part of our lives and we always feed them.
- Lokma (pastry – deep fried dough): You might see in some spots that people are giving away some lokma which is traditionally, forty days after someone passes away, close relatives of the deceased cook large quantities of lokma for neighbours and passersby. Go, get yours and eat them.
- Atatürk and Turkish Flag: There is a great respect for the Turkish flag and the founder of the country, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Wherever you go, you will see the Turkish flag and the pictures of Atatürk. It’s a way of showing our gratitude and longing. Also another important information is the flag. It cannot be sat or stepped on for any reason. This is the case not only for the Turkish flag, but for all flags. (When you visit Turkey, you can learn at least a little bit about its history that will make you familiar with the country even before you set foot in it.)
Do you want some suggestions? Here they are:
- Transportation card: Strongly suggested to get a transportation card in each city you will travel. It’s much cheaper and easier to have an internal trip. There are machines everywhere where you can get the card and charge it. For example: in Istanbul there is “İstanbul Kart” that you can use for all public transport. Bus, tram, train, metro, metrobus, funicular, and even for ferry.
*According to Covid-19 restrictions in Turkey, passengers are not allowed to use any public transportation without HES code ( Life Fits into Home) , and getting a HES code is not enough itself. You need to match your code and your Istanbul card. (Or Izmirim card/ Muğla Kent Card…)
- Museum card: You can get a museum pass if you are planning to visit many places in Turkey. Such as; Topkapı Palace, Rumeli Fortress, Ephesus, Bodrum Castle, Pamukkale etc. (There are different options so you need to check it out on the website. If you are a student in Turkey or have a residence permit; then it’s even much cheaper for you.)
- Download Google Translate: Turkish-English / English -Turkish. Although English is spoken in most of the touristic areas, if you are a good explorer, Google Translate will make your job easier in the small streets you enter.
- Shopping heaven: Turkey is a very diverse and affordable place in the textile industry. This also applies to food and beverage and souvenirs. The shopping variety of the country ranging from traditional and modern products makes Turkey an attraction center for shopping lovers.
- Flea Market: If you are more fan of reusing, I suggest you discover flea markets. In Istanbul there are many of them while there are only two options in Bodrum.
- ASK ME people: When you walk around Istanbul, you will see some young people with a t-shirt written “ASK ME” on it. If you need any help or have any questions, these people are the best to consult.
- Learn some basic Turkish: You don’t have to learn many things. But if you use some Turkish words, people would love it! For example: Merhaba – hello, teşekkürler – thanks, tamam – okay/fine/enough, günaydın – good morning, görüşürüz – see you
- Try different food – Eat as much as you can: In general, Turkish cuisine is rich and a wide combination. As there is a lot of variety, there is always something for your own taste. In fact, Turkish cuisine is vegetarian-friendly. Although meat and seafood seem to predominate.
What you should eat in Turkey:
Adana or Urfa Kebap, döner, dürüm, şiş, iskender kebap, lahmacun, pide, mantı (dumplings), çiğköfte (spicy bulgur rolls), içli köfte (stuffed meatballs)… Dolma (stuffed pepper), sarma (stuffed grape leaves), çorba (soup), köfte (meatball), kokoreç (lamb intestine sandwich)…
Dessert: Hatay künefe, Gaziantep baklava, Maraş dondurma (ice-cream), kadayıf, lokma, helva, kazandibi, lokum (Turkish delight)
Traditonal local meals:
Istanbul: Kumpir (in Ortaköy), simit, wet hamburger (in Taksim), balık-ekmek (fish&bread in Eminönü). Rakı-Balık (Fish&Rakı in Meyhane)
Aegean Region(Ege Bölgesi): Cold vegetable dishes with olive oil, sea food, meze (appetizer)
İzmir: Kumru, boyoz, gevrek, midye dolma (stuffed mussels)
Bodrum: Bodrum döner with vegetables, Çökertme Kebabı, kabak çiçeği dolması, keşkek, lokumlu pilav, rakı-sea food
There will be another article on the blog just about food! More details to follow soon 😉
Bonus suggestions:
- Laser hair removal: If you are planning to stay longer in Turkey, and if you are interested with laser hair removal I suggest you to have it here. It is much cheaper than most of the European countries. And there are so many options in parallel with the latest technology.
- Hair transplant: Since the past years, hair transplantation is quite popular in Turkey. There are a lot of places where you can get a quality hair transplant in Istanbul. Plus, it’s cheap!
| DO’S | DON’TS |
| Do visit different parts of Turkey: Istanbul, Pamukkale, Cappadocia, Aegean coast… | Don’t cross the crosswalk without checking both sides |
| Do accept tea/coffee offer – sign of hospitality | Don’t drink tap water anywhere |
| Do shopping – it’s cheap and quality | Don’t smoke indoors |
| Do talk to the locals – Turkish people love talking and telling stories | Don’t talk about politics with people you don’t know. Try to avoid it. |
| Do swim in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean – discover the paradise corners of Turkey | Don’t walk in front of a person who is praying |
| Do break your stereotypes (if you have any) | Don’t place the flag on the floor |
| Do eat as much as you can. Turkish cuisine is wide and diverse, enjoy different tastes | Don’t be afraid of adhan (ezan) at morning twilight. “Call to prayer” has to be done loudly five times a day |
These are my humble recommendations from someone who has lived in a multi-cultural environment for years, and had to chance to observe. Hope that you will enjoy your trip to Turkey! Görüşürüz! 😉
