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| ⇒ Country Profile: Turkey |
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 Introduction
Turkey proudly sits astride two continents: a position that has given rise to a culture that reflects both East and West. It is a country where European aspirations sit comfortably alongside Asian traditions and the volatile atmosphere of the Middle East morphs seamlessly into the relaxed outlook of the Mediterranean world.
Turks have only lived here since medieval times when they arrived as land-hungry nomads from Central Asia. Before that it was Byzantine territory and Istanbul - then Constantinople - was the political centre of a vast Christian empire. Romans, Persians, Lycians and Phrygians were former occupants of the same territory, and earlier still, Hittite tribes had built an Anatolian empire before collapsing around the time of the Trojan Wars.
Such a rich history has left an indelible mark and Turkey abounds with historic sites and archaeological wonders set in a varied and beautiful landscape. The Mediterranean coastline is punctuated with well-preserved Greco-Roman cities such as Pergamom and Ephesus, while the austere and rugged Anatolian plateau has cave churches hidden away in the improbable fairytale landscape of Cappadocia. Istanbul, still very much the pulse of the nation, has even more to offer, with Roman aqueducts, Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques and palaces.
With history at every turn, it is tempting to portray Turkey as a quaint, time-locked country that adheres to tradition but this is far from the truth. The modern republic's first leader, Kemal Ataturk, saw to it that Turkey was reinvented as a modern secular state following the demise of the Ottoman Empire. What you see today, thanks to Ataturk's comprehensive modernisation, is a healthy combination of ancient tradition and contemporary outlook. This outlook sees little contradiction in having modern European ways tempered by Islam and time-honoured traditions of hospitality.
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Contact Information
Keys Facts
Location
Southeastern Europe/Asia Minor.
Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Area
783,562 sq km (302,535 sq miles).
Population
70.6 million (2008 estimate).
Population Density
93 per sq km.
Capital
Ankara. Population: 3.9 million (2007 estimate).
Geography
Turkey borders the Black Sea and Georgia and Armenia to the northeast, Iran to the east, Iraq to the southeast, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean Sea to the west and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Asia Minor (or Anatolia) accounts for 97% of the country's area and forms a long, wide peninsula 1,650km (1,025 miles) from east to west and 650km (400 miles) from north to south. Two east-west mountain ranges, the Black Sea Mountains in the north and the Taurus in the south, enclose the central Anatolian plateau, but converge in a vast mountainous region in the far east of the country. It is here that the ancient Tigris and Euphrates rivers rise.
Government
Republic since 1923.
Head of State
President Abdullah Gul since 2007.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan since 2002.
History
Turkey's economy has recovered well from a crisis in 2001. With IMF support, the mildly Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) government introduced structural reforms and sweeping institutional and social reforms in order to initiate EU entry negotiations in October 2005.
The pace of reform has slowed since amid criticism over issues such as human rights and Northern Cyprus. The government also faces pressure from the fiercely secular military, suspicious of the AKP's Islamic credentials.
Abdullah Gul became president in August 2007 - the country's first head of state with a background in political Islam.
The Kurdish separatist PKK (Kurdish Workers' Party) broke their 2006 ceasefire when they ambushed and killed Turkish soldiers near the Iraqi border in September 2007. The subsequent bombing of PKK fighters in northern Iraq by Turkish warplanes drew international criticism in late 2007. Further incursions into Iraqi territory were made in early 2008.
Language
Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken by a minority in the southeast. French, German and English are widely spoken in major cities and tourist areas.
Religion
Muslim, mostly Sunni, with a very small Christian minority. Turkey is a secular state which guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Social Conventions
Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Hospitality is very important and visitors should respect Islamic customs. Informal wear is acceptable, but beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. Smoking is widely acceptable but prohibited in cinemas, theatres, buses, coaches and dolmuşes (collective taxis).
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Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2010-December 2011 period.
Holidays
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
23 Apr National Sovereignty and Children's Day.
1 May May Day Public Holiday (Istanbul only).
19 May Commemoration of Ataturk and Youth and Sports Day.
30 Aug Victory Day.
28 Oct - 29 Oct (28th is a half-day) Republic Day.
2011
1 Jan New Year's Day.
23 Apr National Sovereignty and Children's Day.
1 May May Day Public Holiday (Istanbul only).
19 May Commemoration of Ataturk and Youth and Sports Day.
30 Aug Victory Day.
30 Aug - 31 Aug Ramazan Bayrami (End of Ramadan).
28 Oct - 29 Oct (28th is a half-day) Republic Day.
6 Nov - 7 Nov Kurban Bayrami (Feast of the Sacrifice).
Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to the phases of the moon and change each year. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Ramazan Bayrami, Muslims fast during the day and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Generally, centres of tourism are unaffected. Some disruption may continue into Ramazan Bayrami itself. Ramazan Bayrami and Kurban Bayrami may last anything from three to 10 days, depending on the region. Transport and hotels are very busy during these holidays, so book in advance.
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Accommodation
Istanbul's Ottoman Boutique Hotels
Some of the Ottoman mansions in the historic district of Sultanahmet and the suburbs on the Bosphorus have been converted into small boutiques hotels that offer comfortable and atmospheric accommodation, close to many of the city's main attractions.
Hotels
In recent years, Turkey has made a considerable effort to develop its hotel facilities. A large number of faceless concrete high-rises have gone up at some resorts along the Aegean and Mediterranean coast to provide accommodation for visitors on package tours. Away from these there are smaller boutique hotels that offer real character.
Grading: Hotels registered with the Ministry of Tourism are graded from 1 star (1 yildizli) to 5 stars (5 yildizli). There are also unclassified hotels that have no stars, which can range from poor to acceptable. Classification is based on the standard of service and facilities. Motels and holiday villas are first class (1 sinif) or second class (2 sinif). There are other establishments registered with local authorities, and these too correspond to a certain standard in regard to facilities and services. There is also a national hotel association, TUROB (see Accommodation Information below).
Guest Houses
Guest houses (pensions) can be found in holiday resorts and major towns. The guest houses in the region of Cappadocia are sometimes found in caves dug into the soft volcanic rock. Some guest houses also double as hostels, offering dormitory accommodation as well as private en suite rooms.
Self Catering
Villas and apartments can be rented, especially on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and also in Cappadocia and the larger cities. Time share properties are also starting to take-off in Turkey, most usually in the resorts along the Aegean or Mediterranean coast and in Istanbul.
Camping/Caravanning
There are numerous sites, but facilities are generally limited.
Youth Hostels
There are a number of excellent youth hostels in Turkey. The Yucelt Interyouth Hostel in Istanbul (see Accommodation Information below) is a member of Hostelling International. In recent years a number of private hostels aimed at backbackers have opened for business, especially in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district. Some hostels also offer private rooms in addition to dormitory accommodation.
Accommodation Information
TUROB (Touristic Hotels and Investors Association)
Cumhuriyet Cad. Pak Apt. Kat 6 D: 12, Harbiye (Divan Oteli Yani), 34437 Şişli-Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: (212) 296 2464.
Website: www.turob.org
Yucelt Interyouth Hostel
Caferiye Sok No 6/1, Sultanahmet 34400, Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: (0212) 513 6150.
Istanbul Hotels Guide
Website: www.istanbulhotelsguide.com
Turkey Hostels
Website: www.turkey-hostels.com
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Communication
Telephone
Country code: 90.
The cheapest way to make calls is from PTT telephone booths, which are found in all areas. These operate using phone cards, which can be bought from kiosks, or by using major credit cards.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mostly good, but can be patchy in some rural areas in eastern Turkey.
Internet
Internet cafes exist in main urban areas. Some restaurants and hotels have Wi-Fi Internet access.
Post
Turkish post offices are recognisable by their yellow PTT signs.
Post office hours: major outlets Mon-Sat 0800-2400, Sun 0900-1900; smaller post offices have the same opening hours as government offices.
Media
The Turkish media is dominated by several large corporations that own the main newspapers and private television channels. The Turkish press is fairly free and outspoken in most areas, although a significant number of journalists have been prosecuted under highly controversial laws against 'insulting' the country, state institutions or 'Turkishness'. These are viewed by many, including the European Commission, as against the right to freedom of expression. Kurdish-language broadcasts have been introduced in order to meet EU criteria on minorities.
Press
- The main newspapers are Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Zamam Cumhuriyet and Yeni Asir.
- English-language daily newspapers include The Turkish Daily News.
TV
- Four state-run channels are operated by the state broadcaster, Turkish Radio and Television (TRT).
- Private channels include ATV, Kanal D, Show TV and Star TV.
- CNN Turk is the Turkish channel of news network CNN.
Radio
- TRT stations include TRT 1 (cultural and educational), TRT 3 (classical, jazz and popular music) and TRT 4 (Turkish folk and classical music).
- Best FM, Show Radyo and Capital Radio are commercial stations.
- Radyo Foreks broadcasts news.
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Entertainment
Food and Drink
Turkish food combines culinary traditions from the people's nomadic past in Central Asia with influences of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Guests are usually able to go into a kitchen and choose from the pots if they cannot understand the names of the dishes. A wide range of international cuisine is also available in the major cities, and standard German and British dishes along the coasts.
Things to know: Turkey is a secular state and alcohol is widely enjoyed, although during Ramadan it is considered polite for visitors to avoid drinking alcohol in public. Some local restaurants do not serve alcohol.
National specialities:
- Kofte (spicy sausage-shaped meatballs made of minced lamb).
- Shish kebab (pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled).
- Pide (the Turkish equivalent of pizza topped with cheese and eggs).
- Dolma (vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with pine nuts and currants).
- Lokum (Turkish Delight - originally made from dates, honey, roses and jasmine bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee).
National drinks:
- Raki (anisette), known as 'lion's milk', which clouds when water is added. Drinking raki is a ritual and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of meze (small savoury appetizers).
- Ayran (a refreshing yoghurt drink).
- Chai (tea - usually drunk black and strong and served in small tulip-shaped glasses).
- Strong black Turkish coffee (traditionally brewed over hot coals and served very sweet).
- Turkish beer, red and white wines.
Legal drinking age: 18.
Tipping: A service charge is included in hotel and restaurant bills. It is customary to leave a small tip (10 to 15%) for barbers, hairdressers, Turkish Bath attendants and waiters in smarter establishments. In inexpensive cafes and restaurants a small gratuity is appreciated. When using taxis, passengers should just round up the fare.
Nightlife
Turkey's newfound economic prosperity and cultural shift to the West has stimulated many new nightclubs to open for business in recent years. Istanbul has the largest variety with an abundance of clubs in the Taksim Square area that stay open until the early hours. Some clubs have a strong Turkish character, with live Turkish music, while others are fairly indistinguishable from those in western Europe and play anything from house and techno to heavy metal. Istanbul also has quite a few jazz bars. Cover charges tend to be on the high side.
Belly dancing is a Turkish tradition but these days it tends to be put on mostly for the tourists. Shows are often staged at large hotels. The tradition is to tip the dancer by placing a folded note in an appropriate part of her costume.
Turks like to dine in tavernas called meyhane, where traditional food is accompanied by folk music and dancing. Traditionally these were all-male, rather sleazy establishments but most modern-day meyhane are comfortable places for foreign visitors of either sex to visit.
There are theatres with concerts in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir and most towns have cinemas, although the recent advent of home DVD payers is now taking its toll. Turkish baths (hamam) are popular and a Turkish institution. Even the smallest town will generally have a hamam and larger towns and cities usually have one for each individual neighbourhood. Baths are either designated specifically for men or women, or a single hamam will have separate opening times to accommodate males and females.
In July 2009, Turkey introduced a ban on smoking in public places including restaurants, bars and cafes.
Shopping
Istanbul's Kapali Carsi Bazaar has jewellery, carpets and antiques for sale. There are also a large number of shops selling carpets and Turkish handicrafts in the Sultanahmet district. The Egyptian Bazaar near Galata Bridge is a good place to buy food products. Turkish handicrafts include a rich variety of textiles and embroideries, articles of copper, onyx and tile, mother-of-pearl, inlaid articles, leather and suede products, jewellery and, above all, carpets and kilims. Nargiles (water pipes) and musical instruments also make good, reasonably priced souvenirs, as do spices like saffron and sumac.
Outside Istanbul, most other cities and larger resorts have a market area where visitors can buy souvenirs and handicrafts. Often this is a covered bazaar area where the goods on sale are manufactured in workshops adjacent to the shops that sell the produce. Bargaining is essential, although you are unlikely to reduce the asking price by all that much unless it was completely unrealistic to start with. Begin bargaining at a price somewhat below what you are genuinely willing to pay. If buying an old carpet or kilim, it is important that the seller issues an invoice (fatura) that states the carpet's estimated age and purchase price in order to satisfy customs that it is not an antiquity. Beware of so-called 'antiques' peddled at some archaeological sites like Ephesus. These are of very doubtful antiquity and, besides, would be illegal to export if they were genuine.
Shopping hours: Daily 0930-1900 in tourist areas. Closing hours vary, with some shops staying open until midnight. Outside tourist areas shops may close at lunchtime and on Sundays. Istanbul covered market: Mon-Sat 0800-1900 (closed Sunday).
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Getting There
Getting There by Air
The national airline is Turkish Airlines (TK) (website: www.turkishairlines.com).
Approximate Flight Times
From London to Istanbul is 3 hours 45 minutes and from New York is 9 hours 50 minutes.
Main Airports
Ankara (ESB) (Esenboga) (website: www.esenbogaairport.com) is 33km (21 miles) northeast of the city. To/from the airport: Havas buses (website: www.havas.net) travel every 30 minutes between the airport and the city centre from 0430 to 2400 (journey time - 50 minutes). Taxis are also available. Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank/bureau de change, restaurants and bars.
Istanbul (IST) (Ataturk, formerly Yeşilkoy) (website: www.ataturkairport.com) is 24km (15 miles) west of the city (journey time - 30 to 50 minutes). To/from the airport: Havas runs a regular bus service between the airport and the city centre. Taxis are available. Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank/bureau de change, bar, restaurant and car hire.
Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) (website: www.sgairport.com) is 40km (25 miles) from Istanbul, on the Asian side. To/from the airport: There are shuttle bus services to Taksim Square in the city (journey time - 45 minutes) and to Ataturk International Airport (journey time - 60 to 70 minutes). Taxis are available 24 hours. Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank, ATMs, business centre and restaurants/cafes.
Izmir (IZM) (Adnan Menderes) (website: www.adnanmenderesairport.com) is 18km (11 miles) south of the city. To/from the airport: Havas buses meet domestic flights and travel hourly from the city centre (journey time - 50 to 60 minutes). Facilities: Bank/bureau de change, ATMs, duty-free shops, bar, restaurant and car hire.
There are other international airports at Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and Trabzon.
Departure Tax
US$50 is levied only on Turkish nationals not resident overseas departing from Turkey.
Getting There by Water
Main ports: Antalya, Bandirma, Ceşme, Istanbul, Izmir, Marmaris and Mersin.
To/from Italy: Marmara Lines (tel: 49 7031 866 010, sales agent in Germany; website: www.marmaralines.com) operates direct ferries in the summer from Ancona-Ceşme and from Brindisi- Ceşme. MedEuropean Seaways (tel: (216) 392 8346; website: www.mesline.com) runs a ferry between Brindisi-Ceşme.
To/from Cyprus: There are three routes with sea buses, car and passenger ferry services: Alanya-Girne, Tasucu-Girne, operated by the Fergun Shipping Company (website: www.ferries-turkey.com) and Gazimagusa-Mersin.
To/from Greece: There are privately operated ferry lines between Turkey and the Greek islands: Lesbos-Ayvalik, Chios-Ceşme, Samos-Kuşadasi, Cos-Bodrum, Rhodes-Bodrum, Rhodes-Marmaris and Rhodes-Fethiye.
To/from Ukraine: Ukrferry (tel: +380 482 344 059, in Ukraine; website: www.ukrferry.com) operates ferries between Odessa-Istanbul and Ilyichevsk-Derince.
Cruise ships stop in Istanbul, Kuşadasi and Antalya.
Note: All ships, including private yachts, arriving in Turkish waters must go to one of the following ports of entry: Akcay, Alanya, Anamur, Antalya, Ayvalik, Bandirma, Bodrum, Botas (Adana), Canakkale, Ceşme, Datca, Derince, Didim, Dikili, Fethiye, Finike, Giresun, Gulluk, Hopa (Artvin), Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kaş, Kemer, Kuşadasi, Marmaris, Mersin, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Soke, Tasucu (Silifke), Tekirdağ, Trabzon and Zonguldak.
Getting There by Rail
Train journeys can be made to Istanbul via some of the major European cities. The journey from London takes three days: Eurostar to Paris, Orient Express to Vienna (overnight), Avala to Budapest, overnight Ister to Bucharest and finally the Bosfor to Istanbul. There is also a less comfortable couchette car from Budapest to Istanbul. Other international rail routes go to Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Germany and Serbia. For more information contact Turkish Railways (TCDD) in Istanbul (tel: (212) 527 0050; website: www.tcdd.gov.tr).
Rail Passes
InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows for 22 days or one month continuous travel, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting There by Road
There are entry points by road from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, the Syrian Arab Republic and Iran. From London, drivers may either choose the northern route via Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, or the southern route through Belgium, Austria, Italy with a car-ferry connection to Turkey.
Coach: There are regular services between Turkey and Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Switzerland, as well as Jordan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic. It is possible to travel by coach from London to Istanbul, changing in Frankfurt (journey time - approximately 70 hours). Tickets are available from National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website: www.nationalexpress.com).
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Sightseeing
- Discover Istanbul's Old City which was the capital of the Christian Byzantines and then the Islamic Ottoman empire. Highlights include the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofya Museum and the city's Archaeological Museum.
- Explore the northern suburbs of Istanbul by ferry-boat, criss-crossing the Bosphorus to visit villages that stretch up to the mouth of the Black Sea.
- Visit the old Ottoman city of Bursa south of Istanbul, with its beautiful 15th-century Green Mosque, covered bazaar and Islamic Art Museum. Close to the city is the 2,543m (8,343 ft) mountain of Uludağ with glacial lakes and a winter ski resort.
- Witness the bizarre sport of grease wrestling at the Kirkpinar Festival (website: www.kirkpinar.com) outside Edirne in early summer, or the even stranger spectacle of camel wrestling that takes place in mid winter at Selcuk on the Aegean coast.
- Tour the WWI battlefields and the memorials commemorating the 250,000 British, Turkish and ANZAC troops that died on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Cross the Dardanelles, the straits dividing Europe and Asia, and visit the ruins of ancient Troy.
- Take in the grandeur of the remains of the Hellenistic and Roman city of Ephesus (modern Selcuk). Founded in the 13th century BC, it has been carefully restored and is now one of the most spectacular ancient sites in the world.
- Visit Bodrum (website: www.bodrum-info.org), site of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Mausoleum of Mausolus, and now Turkey's finest Aegean resort. Dominated by the Castle of St John, the town is renowned for its shopping, dining and nightlife.
- Experience the charm of the Mediterranean city of Antalya, with its atmospheric old town and harbour, Kaleici. Visit the superb Archaeological Museum and tour the many historic sights surrounding the city.
- See the mysterious Lycian tombs that litter the coastline around the resorts of Kaş and Kalkan.
- Seek out the superb Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the Ethnographic Museum in Ankara. The Turkish capital is overlooked by many visitors but has some excellent museums.
- Visit the historic town of Safranbolu, between Istanbul and Ankara, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its Ottoman architecture.
- Tour Konya, capital of the Selcuk empire and one of Turkey's great religious centres. The city is home to the Mevlana Tekkesi, the monastery and mausoleum of Mevlana Celaddin Rumi, one of Islam's most celebrated mystics and founder of the Whirling Dervishes (website: www.whirlingdervishistanbul.com).
- Do not miss Cappadocia. Marvel at the spectacular landscape of rock cones, pinnacles and ravines. There are cave houses, underground cities and subterranean churches to explore, plus visitors can stay in a cave hotel too.
- See the spectacular 14th-century Greek Orthodox Sumela Monastery, 54km (34 miles) from Trabzon. Set into a sheer cliff, 300m (1,000ft) above the valley floor, it contains some magnificent frescoes.
- Use the far eastern city of Van as a base to travel along the south shore of Lake Van and catch a boat out to the 10th-century Armenian church (website: www.akdamarkilisesi.com) on Akdamar island, famous for its intricate stone reliefs depicting biblical scenes.
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Things To Do
- Shop in the world's largest covered market, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, then head uptown to browse for cut-price fashion goods and clothing in the department stores along Istiklal Caddesi or upmarket Nisantasi.
- Take a ferry from the Eminonu dock in Istanbul to the Princes' Islands, a tranquil summer getaway popular with Istanbulis where cars are banned and horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the transport of choice.
- Sip tea or smoke a nargile as you watch the sunset at one of the traditional cafes beneath Istanbul's Galata Bridge.
- Trek the Lycian Way, which stretches for 500km (311 miles) between Fethiye and Antalya, providing a month's walking through some of Turkey's most spectacular scenery (website: www.lycianway.com).
- Experience white-water rafting on the Dalaman River (website: www.oludenizbeach.com/rafting.html, the Koprulu River, the Zamanti River or the Coruh River, which is rated by professionals as one of the top rafting descents in the world.
- Relax in a steamy Turkish bath, known as a hammam, and have a scrub and massage. In Istanbul, the most popular historic baths are the Galatasaray Hammam in Beyoğlu and Cağaloğlu Hammam in Sultanahmet, though local baths are often just as good.
- Catch a ceremony by the renowned Whirling Dervishes (website: www.whirlingdervishistanbul.com), who are members of the Mevlevi Order and who perform the famous whirling dance (Sema). Their amazing ceremony can be seen in Konya, where the Order originated, or in Istanbul.
- Go trekking in the wild Kackar mountain range of Turkey's northeast, close to the Georgian frontier.
- Bathe in the warm therapeutic waters of natural travertine pools at Pamukkale near Denizli in the Aegean region (www.pamukkalethermal.com).
- Wander through the very Middle Eastern-feeling bazaar at Şanliurfa in the southeast, close to the Syrian border, and pay a visit to the cave where Abraham is said to have been born.
- Escape the foreign tourist hordes and join holidaying Turks at one of the small Black Sea coast towns like Unye or Giresun - less crowded, cooler and greener than the Mediterranean coast.
- Take an early morning hot-air balloon flight over the stunning, other-worldly moonscape of Cappadocia in central Anatolia (website: www.kapadokyaballoons.com).
- Look for fragments of Noah's Ark, reputed to have washed up here, on the slopes of 5,165m (16,945ft) Mount Ararat in Turkey's far eastern region (website: www.ararattrek.com).
- Examine the Ottoman architect Sinan's finest achievement at the 16th-century Selimiye mosque at Edirne in Thrace close to the Bulgarian border.
- Charter a gulet, a traditional wooden boat (website: www.boatingturkey.net), for a leisurely cruise along the Aegean or Mediterranean coast. Itineraries of a week or more are possible, with a variety of destinations and ports of call.
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Transport
Getting Around by Air
Turkish Airlines (website: www.turkishairlines.com) provides an important network of internal flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Dalaman, Izmir and Trabzon to all of the major Turkish cities. Recent liberalisation of the domestic air industry has allowed the proliferation of cheap, no-frills carriers operating routes from Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and Izmir to the main regional airports. Private airlines include Atlasjet (website: www.atlasjet.com), Corendon Airlines (website: www.corendon-airlines.com), Onur Air (website: www.onurair.com.tr), Pegasus Airlines (website: www.flypgs.com) and SunExpress (website: www.sunexpress.com.tr).
Getting Around by Water
A frequent car ferry crosses the Dardenelles at Gallipoli, from Canakkale to Eceabat and Gelibolu to Lapseki. Istanbul Fast Ferries (tel: (212) 444 4436; website: www.ido.com.tr) operates frequent seabus services from Bostanci, Kadikoy, Kartal, Yalova and Buyukada Island to Bakirkoy, Karakoy, Yenikapi, Yalova, Avcilar and Bandirma. Deniz Cruise & Ferry Lines (tel: (212) 444 3369; website: www.denizline.com.tr) serves the Istanbul-Izmir route. Local travel agents can make reservations.
Getting Around by Rail
Many trains of the Turkish Railways (TCDD) (tel: (212) 527 0050; website: www.tcdd.gov.tr) have sleeping cars, couchettes and restaurant cars. Some are air-conditioned. Fares are comparatively low, but are more expensive for express trains. Discounts of 20% are available for students (though a Turkish student card may be required), groups, round-trips and passengers over 60. Children aged seven and under travel free. Tickets can be purchased at TCDD offices at railway stations and TCDD-appointed agents. The journey from Istanbul to Ankara takes between 6 hours 30 minutes and 10 hours, depending on the type of train.
Rail Passes
A Train Tour Card issued by TCDD allows for 30 days' unlimited travel on the Turkish train network. Tour cards are available for express trains and sleeping car trains. Validity begins on the first day that the card is used.
InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Turkey. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Getting Around by Road
Road conditions and standards of driving in Turkey can be poor. Serious road accidents are common. Traffic drives on the right. In case of an accident, call the traffic police (tel: 154) and do not move your car until they have arrived. The Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (tel: (212) 282 8140; website: www.turing.org.tr) provides insurance and advice for foreign drivers.
Coach: Many private companies provide frequent services between Turkish cities. Services are generally faster than trains. Tickets are sold at the bus station or the companies' offices in town centres. Shop around for the best prices and most convenient departure times. Coaches depart from the bus stations (otogar) in large towns and from the town centre in small towns. There is generally a service bus (servis) from the centre to the bus station. The best coach operators are Varan (tel: (212) 551 5000; website: www.varan.com.tr) and Ulusoy (tel: 444 1888, within Turkey only; website: www.ulusoy.com.tr).
Car hire: Both chauffeur-driven and self-drive cars are available in all large towns and resorts. All international companies are represented.
Regulations: The minimum driving age is 18 and front seat belts are compulsory. Children under 12 may not sit in the front. The speed limit is 120kph (75mph) on dual carriageway, 90kph (56mph) on highways and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas.
Documentation: An International Driving Permit or photo-ID licence is necessary. Green Card International Insurance, endorsed for all Turkish territory (or Turkish third-party insurance obtained at a frontier post) and car ownership documents are also required. A 'carnet de passage' is required for those continuing to the Middle East. Cars can be brought into Turkey for a maximum of six months in any year. For longer stays, it is necessary to apply to either the Ministry of Finance and Customs or the Turkish Touring and Automobile Club.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Bus and trolleybus: Extensive conventional bus (and some trolleybus) services operate in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. There are buses in all other large towns. These are generally reliable, modern and easy to use. Tickets are bought in advance from kiosks and validated on board. In Istanbul, an Akbil electronic pass can save money on bus, tram, ferry and metro journeys.
Taxi: There are many types of taxi, share-taxi and minibus in operation. Taxis are numerous in all Turkish cities and towns and are recognisable by their chequered black and yellow bands. All taxis have a meter which must be switched on at the start of the journey. For longer journeys, the fare should be agreed beforehand. A dolmuş is a collective taxi or minibus which follows specific routes. Each passenger pays according to the distance travelled to specific stops. The fares are fixed by the municipality. The dolmuş provides services within large cities to suburbs, airports and often to neighbouring towns. This is a very practical means of transport and much cheaper than a taxi. Taxis may turn into a dolmuş and vice versa according to demand.
Ferry: There are extensive cross-Bosphorus and short-hop ferries in Istanbul.
Metro: Ankara has a two-line metro system, as does Istanbul. Further expansion is planned in both cities.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Ankara to other major cities/towns in Turkey.
| Air | Road | Rail |
| Istanbul | 0.45 | 6.00 | 7.00 |
| Izmir | 0.50 | 7.00 | 10.00 |
| Antalya | 1.00 | 8.00 | - |
| Erzurum | 1.15 | 11.00 | 18.00 |
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Weather
Temperatures in Ankara vary between -4°C (25°F) and 30°C (86°F). Marmara and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild, wet winters. The east of the country is mountainous with warm summers and very cold, snowy winters. The southeast has very hot summers and cold winters. The Black Sea coast is the wettest part of the country, especially in the northeast.
Required Clothing
Light- to medium-weights and rainwear.
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