Turkey

Turkey is not in the Schengen Area, so it has its own entry process. Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality — many passport holders (including UK, US, Canadian, Australian and most EU citizens) can currently enter visa-free for tourism, typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period; citizens of many other countries must obtain a visa before arrival.

Turkey runs an official online e-Visa system. If your nationality requires a visa, this is usually the fastest route — apply only through the official evisa.gov.tr site, as many lookalike sites charge inflated fees.

Passport validity matters and the rule is not uniform — the e-Visa system requires validity at least 60 days beyond your stay, but airlines and border officers commonly enforce a stricter six-month rule, so travel with at least six months' validity and a blank page. Verify your own passport's rules on the official e-Visa site before booking.

The currency is the Turkish lira (₺). The lira has seen years of high inflation and steady depreciation, so prices rise noticeably over time and exchange rates move fast — don't exchange large sums at once; change or withdraw modest amounts as you go.

Cards are widely accepted in cities, hotels, restaurants and shops, and contactless is common — but carry some cash for taxis, small cafés, bazaar stalls and rural areas. Withdraw from ATMs attached to recognised banks, and decline the machine's offer to convert to your home currency.

Tipping (bahşiş) is appreciated but not heavily formalised. In restaurants, 5–10% is normal (check whether a service charge is already on the bill). Round up for taxis, and tip in cash, in lira.

Turks are known for warm hospitality. A handshake is a standard greeting; among friends, cheek-kisses are common. You'll often be offered çay (tea) — accepting it is a friendly gesture, not an obligation to buy. Removing your shoes when entering a home is customary.

Mosque etiquette: mosques welcome respectful visitors outside prayer times. Dress modestly — both men and women cover shoulders and knees, and women cover their hair with a scarf (many major mosques lend scarves at the entrance). Remove your shoes before stepping onto the carpet, and keep your voice low.

Bargaining is expected in bazaars and tourist markets but not in shops with fixed prices. During Ramadan, many locals fast from dawn to dusk; it is courteous to be discreet about eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight, especially away from tourist areas. Avoid disrespecting Atatürk, the republic's founder, whose image is widely revered.

Most visitors arrive at Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side; some budget and domestic flights use Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. From IST, the M11 metro is the cheapest way into the city; airport buses and taxis are alternatives.

In Istanbul, get an Istanbulkart as soon as you arrive — a refillable contactless card that works across the metro, trams, ferries, buses and Marmaray rail, with cheaper fares than single tickets. The scenic Bosphorus ferries between the European and Asian sides are both transport and a highlight.

Turkey is a large country, so domestic flights are often the smartest way to cover distance — frequent, competitively priced routes link Istanbul with Cappadocia, Antalya, Izmir and more. Intercity buses are an extensive, comfortable and inexpensive alternative. For city taxis, use the meter or the BiTaksi or Uber apps to avoid fare disputes.

For data, you have three options: a local SIM (Turkcell, Vodafone or Türk Telekom — sold at airport and city stores, with passport registration required), a travel eSIM bought online before you arrive, or international roaming. Local plans give the most data per lira; eSIMs are the easiest. Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels, cafés and restaurants.

One quirk worth knowing: Turkey registers mobile devices by their hardware ID, and a foreign phone used with a Turkish SIM can be blocked from Turkish networks after about 120 days. This is NOT a concern for a normal holiday — it only affects long stays, and using your home SIM on roaming does not trigger it.

Turkey's major cities and tourist regions — Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts — are generally safe for visitors. Government advisories place Turkey at an overall 'increased caution' level, mainly reflecting terrorism risk and the situation near the borders.

The border region is the key exception: advisories tell travellers not to go within 10 km of the Syria and Iraq borders, and tensions in the southeast have been heightened recently — standard tourist itineraries are well away from these areas. Avoid political demonstrations anywhere in the country.

Common scams include taxi overcharging, restaurants that lure visitors in and then present a huge bill, and pickpocketing in crowded spots; be cautious accepting drinks from strangers and avoid cheap, illegally produced spirits. Tap water is chlorinated and broadly safe in big cities but heavily mineralised — most people drink bottled water. The nationwide emergency number is 112.

Power: Turkey uses 230V, 50Hz, with Type C and Type F (European-style two-round-pin) sockets. Travellers from the UK, US and elsewhere need an adapter.

Language: the official language is Turkish. English is widely spoken in hotels, tourist sites and major-city tourism, less so in rural areas.

Best time to visit: spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer mild, pleasant weather and thinner crowds. Summer is hot, especially inland, though ideal for the coast; winter is cold inland but atmospheric in Istanbul.

Time zone: Turkey observes UTC+3 year-round and does not change clocks for daylight saving.