Turkey travel tips that come in handy

Turkey is an amazing country that gave many places and cities to visit. The country’s economy is largely dependent on the tourist industry and has been able to perform well. Always have better information about that place when you first want to go somewhere than before you go so that you don’t get surprised in that place. In this article, we will review the very important points you need to know before traveling to Turkey.

Turkey travel tips that come handy

There are awesome places and cities to visit in Turkey. Many tourists travel to Turkey every year. The number of migrants moving to Turkey has also increased greatly. As migrants need to know everything before moving to Turkey, travelers must also have sufficient information about the country before they travel. Below we will discuss these points.

1. You need to apply for a visa to enter Turkey

To see what your country’s particular requirements are for entering Turkey check Turkey‘s Ministry of Foreign affairs page. The multi-entry visa lasts for up 90 days. Many tourists are encouraged to live in Turkey after traveling to Turkey. Some seek Turkish citizenship and passport after settling in Turkey. Since Turkey is an immigrant country, there are many ways to get Turkish citizenship and we have to say that getting Turkish citizenship has its own advantages and disadvantages.

2. Wifi can be spotty and limited for foreigners

To get the passcode to access the free wifi, most wifi spots require a European or Turkish number. This includes the Istanbul airport. When you land at the airport you may need to get your online visa so it’s a critical issue to be aware. Having an international phone plan and getting a Turkish SIM card maybe it’s the best way. Another way is to have a friend with a Turkish number who can spot you the passcodes to get online.

Make sure to take a SIM card ejector tool with you so you can remove your SIM card tray to put in the SIM card if you choose to buy a Turkish SIM card. One point which makes the process easier is to use eSIMs. To use this you have to have a new phone which supports eSIMs so you could choose to get a Turkish eSIM card instead of s physical SIM card. You don’t have to worry about changing out your existing SIM card because eSIM cards are downloaded onto your phone.

Renting portable wifi is another way. You can order online for collection at your hotel or accommodation.

3. Some websites are banned in Turkey

If you are in Turkey you don’t allow to book your stay on booking.com.

Wikipedia is banned in Turkey. So before you get there get all your research or use the cache function on Google.

4. Weather in Turkey

Depending on what part of Turkey you will be visiting you face different weather. Spanning across two continents with diverse topography makes it a huge country. Turkey is a four seasons country and has a desert dry climate to sizzling hot summer to cold snowy winter. Northeastern is generally colder. The center close west of Cappadocia is desert hot/cold. The Mediterranean area includes Istanbul has hot summer and mild winter.

When people ask how to move to Turkey, our answer is to first specify for yourself what region you are looking for and what kind of lifestyle you have. Because there is every kind of region and climate in Turkey. For example, if you are looking to work and enjoy bustling and vibrant cities, villas for sale in Istanbul Europe are perfect for you. But if you are looking for a peaceful and beautiful place with city facilities to spend your retirement, Yalova Villas are the perfect option for you.

5. Best time to visit Turkey

If you prepare adequately for the heat, you can still have a lot of fun in the summer. Bring a UV umbrella, and sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. In peak summer time from 12 PM to 5 PM there will be certain places where you feel unbearable such as Ephesus and Cappadocia.

If you are the type of person looking for beach resorts and a beautiful holiday home, we recommend you check out Antalya villas and Kusadasi villas.

Winter is cold and has snow in certain parts. The high peak season for tourism is spring. In spring everything is gorgeous and it’s not yet as hot.

Another great time to go is the fall season. Around this time the weather is temperate in most parts of Turkey.

6. Deciding where to stay in Turkey?

Be careful to choose the place which can meet your needs. You will stay at places like Hotel Les Ottomans in Istanbul if you like luxury accommodation. Hilton is another hotel if you like to stay at a more affordable widely known hotel. In addition, there are Air BnB, or hostels, which can house your family at an affordable rate whilst on vacation.

7. How to dress in Turkey?

There is very diversity in topography, politics, and culture in Turkey. That’s why we say you need to know everything before buying a property in Turkey as a foreigner. Thus you may see a woman in a little black dress and turn the corner and find a woman with everything covered but her eyes. For instance, if you are looking for a house in Turkey and you want to feel like you’re in Los Angeles, you should buy one of the Izmir villas.

Bring both conservative clothes for when you notice a change in culture and you don’t want to stand out if you ask what to wear in Turkey. You can bring more summery clothes for parts of Turkey where you feel more comfortable.

8. Language and difficulties in communicating

English is an international language but it is not spoken widely in Turkey. So memorizing a few Turkish words are essential. If you have allergies, disabilities, or food limitations learn how to say the essentials in Turkish for those things.

9. Cost of traveling and living in Turkey

There are many reasons that make Turkey a good place to live but perhaps the most important is affordable costs in Turkey. Due to the facilities that the country offers for living, the cost of living in Turkey is very low compared to other countries.

The cost for street food ranges from 1 $ and for a plate at a cute restaurant is 5 $. Some fees are checked at the bottom:

Flights: 20$ to 60$ each way within the country

Bla Bla Car: about 1 $/hour

Public transportation: starting at 15 Cents (1 lira). Rarely more than 1 $ (4lira) each way

Museum entrances: about 5 $ to 10 $ USD (30 to 60 lira) for foreigners.

Organized day tour: starting at 30 $ USD and up for a full day of fun with lunch.

Accommodation: this, of course, depends on what part of Turkey. but it starts at 10 $ night at hotels, 20 $ nights at Airbnbs, 30 $ night at hotels.

IST airport to historic centers: 15-20 $ USD (130lira)

Maybe you know, there is an Istanbul welcome card starting at $ 75 USD. With this card, you could access many popular places such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Place, and a Bosphorus Cruise. In addition, you will get 10 public transportation tickets that can be used on buses, terms, ferries, and the metro.

10. How to get around Turkey?

Getting around Turkey is easy. If you have lots of time and you have a super budget take buses which are about 10 $ to 20 $ each way. Another way is to book a flight for 20 $ to 60 $ each way in Turkey. you save time and energy in this type of travel and maybe is the best way.

Public transportation works efficiently within the cities. And the last point is there are even trains that run through some parts of the country.

11. Taking taxis in Turkey

Taxis in Turkey are famous for cheating and scamming. Sometimes the taxi drivers will pretend they got lost and don’t understand you. They won’t stop and just wrack up the meter. Be careful. Because they turn the meter off quickly so you don’t see the final price.

The advice is always to turn on your GPS thus they know that you know where you are.

12. Is it safe for a single woman to travel through Turkey?

Because Turkey is located in the Middle East, some people think that Turkey can be a country of insecurity, especially for women. But that’s not the case at all, and Turkey is safe for women alone.

As you know, Turkey is a Muslim country and Muslim women completely cover their bodies with clothes. But in this case, Turkey is a country that accepts tourists all season of the year, and some of these tourists on Turkish beaches do not cover their bodies and dress to their tastes, which does not attract anyone’s attention.

However, if you feel uncomfortable with some people’s eyes, cover your arms and feet. Women should also take care of their drinks at night and not treat strange men intimately because they may misunderstand.

13. What is the Currency in Turkey?

The Turkish lira is the currency in Turkey. There have been a lot of changes to its value in the past few years. The government cut the inflation zeros and pegged it 1:1 with the US dollar. However, it didn’t last long.

14. History, politics & religion in Turkey

The Turkish people are divided into two parts. One part prides itself on its secular and progressive movement while other parts of Turkish society want more conservative and integrate Islam more into the everyday part of life including public institutions.

We suggest you to reading up on Mustafa Ataturk. He is one of the most impactful and key historical figures of Turkey after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

15. Food in Turkey, Turkish cuisine

Turkish cuisine is influenced by something like Ottoman cuisine (central Asian, Middle East, Eastern European), myriad cultures, and conquerors that passed through its lands and the silk road. Today, most of the flavors used in Turkish cuisine include red chili, pepper, black pepper, mint paprika, olive oil, cumin, and yogurt.

Breakfast in Turkey is consist of a range of different cheeses along with olives, bread, different jams, and honey. Sometimes the breakfast includes of special kind of spicy sausage called sucuk which is eaten with eggs. There is a popular morning dish called Menemen which is made up of scrambled eggs cooked up with sautéed vegetables.

The good news that exists for meat lovers is that there is meat in most main Turkish cuisines like Kofte (Turkish meatballs) and Kuzu tandir (slow-cooked lamb with rice). One of the popular street food in Turkey is Lahmacun which is consist of flatbread topped with minced meat lemon and yoghurt.

About dessert, you can be happy because there is a sticky, nutty, syrupy, delight, which is baklava, or feast on a cube or two of Turkish delight.

16. Top places to visit in Turkey

The places of view and the work that can be done in any place are so high that we do not have the opportunity to mention them in this article and we will only review some of the most important things for you.

• Istanbul, Landmarks in the city ranging from palaces and beautiful buildings to stunning scenery and beaches
• A must place to visit for a first-time traveler in Turkey is Cappadocia
• Izmir, The city of Izmir and its historical sites, you can also have a day trip to Ephesus, Cesme/ Alacati, and Pamukkale.
• Antalya, you can have a trip to a beach town like Fethiye. If you want to explore Antalya you can use a cable car, boat trip, and waterfalls tour.
• Marmaris, be sure to take a boat cruise along the Dalyan Canal, enjoy a mud bath, and visit turtle beach.

17. Turkey is shopping heaven

When traveling to Turkey, make sure you have empty gems to buy with you. Along with markets, bazaars, and artisan craft shops your head may spin from the abundance of gorgeous and low-priced things to shop for rugs, towels, jewelry, books, cooking ware, copper crafts, ceramics, paintings, pillowcases, special souvenirs, antiques.

Anyone of any taste can experience a good and discounted purchase in Turkey.

18. Is bargaining acceptable in Turkey?

Bargaining is quite common in Turkish markets and you can get a discount on buying anything from the seller. To be able to finish your purchase at a good price, try to smile and be polite during the transaction. The next thing is not to let the seller know the guardian you want. Be sure that if the seller is not bothered about the sex you want to buy, he or she will definitely lower the price to tempt you to buy.

19. What to pack for Turkey?

Usually, if you research the equipment you need to bring with you before traveling anywhere, you can make a better trip. You don’t need a lot of necessary equipment to travel to Turkey like in other countries. Some of these items are listed below:

• Turkish electrical adapter
• A good camera
• Packing cubes
• Sweater for a cold night in the desert
• Hat for sunny days
• Travel Insurance
• Flowy long dresses (perfect for hot weather)
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Scarf for visiting mosques
• Bathing suits for Turkish baths
• Compact travel towel

Turkish summers are the best time for activities outside the home. So if you’re having this kind of fun, be sure to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and all the stuff on the beach you need.

If you are traveling to Turkey in winter, be sure to bring warm clothes with you as the temperature reaches -15°C. And more importantly, don’t forget the umbrella because most Turkish cities are rainy.

Unavoidable Turkey travel tips

Thank you for accompanying us until the end of this article. In this article, we reviewed the recommendations you need to know before traveling to Turkey. As we said in previous articles, most tourists are encouraged to buy property in this unique country after traveling to Turkey. If you are also looking to invest and buy a property in Turkey, theAlkhail agency can give you unparalleled buying advice and give you the best experience of buying a property.