Turkey - the Bridge between Asia and Europe

Geography: Turkey is a large country of 780,000 square km (about the size of Texas USA) of which 97% is in Asia and 3% in Europe. It has 7,200 km of coastline on three different seas – the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

Population: 69 Million

Religion: 99% Moslem. Turkey is a secular state with complete freedom of worship for non-Moslems.

Visa: All British passport holders are required to obtain a visa for entry in Turkey. Visas for tourist visits not exceeding 3 months are issued at all ports of entry in Turkey. The fee for each visitor is L10 (payable in sterling) and applies to every individual, even if travelling on a single passport. Turkish Consulate

Health: Vaccination is not required by Turkish Authorities. The Turkish health care system is of a good standard, with many modern, clean hospitals. Walk in private clinics are commonly available which offer an exceptional level of service at a very reasonable price. Turkey is not in the EU so you MUST HAVE travel insurance. Most travel insurance companies cover Turkey under standard European policies. Please check with your insurance company.

 
Currency: Turkish Lira. It is approximately 2.6 million TL to one GBP. Note: In January 2005 six zeros are being removed from the currency. Thus it will be approximately 2.6 TL to 1 GBP. Currency Converter

Dialling Code: 90

Electricity: 230v, 50 HZ

Weights and Measures: Metric

Local Time: GMT + 2

Opening Hours:
Government Offices: 08:30 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 17:30 (Mon-Fri)
Banks: 08:30 – 12:00 & 13:30 – 17:30 (Mon-Fri)
Offices & Banks are closed Saturdays and Sundays
Shops: 9:30 – 13:00 & 14:00 – 19:00 closed on Sundays

Official Holidays
1st January – New Year’s Day
21st March - Nevruz
23rd April – National Sovereignty & Children’s Day
19th May – Youth & Sports Day
30th August – Victory Day
29th October – Republic Day
10th November – Anniversary of Ataturks Death

When to Go: Turkey is a great place to visit from spring through to autumn, with the peak season being from July through to mid-September. Turkey doesn’t really have a winter tourism season, with many of the airports closing to international flights and many tourist towns becoming empty. Turkish Climate

Costs: Turkey is a comparably cheap country with meals available from just a couple of pounds upwards. L10 will buy a good two-course meal with drink.
Tipping is customary in restaurants and is appreciated by the taxi drivers.

Essential Purchases: Firstly for gentlemen, do not worry about getting your haircut before going on holiday to Turkey. The barbers are exceptional, and for just L5 you can have haircut, a shave and a little disconcerting the first time, naval and ear hair removed with a low heat flame. Turkish delights are a personal favourite with a huge range of flavours to choose from, as is the apple tea. Leather goods and all clothing are of excellent quality yet very cheap in price. Expect to pay L3-L4 for a good quality shirt. The rugs are of the finest quality, again at an excellent price. Negotiate with the shop owner for a good discount to get an excellent bargain.