We recently took a trip to Turkey to test our Istanbul and Cappadocia circuit. Based on our experience we leave you our advice for your trips to Turkey, for any questions do not hesitate to call or write to us, we will be happy to solve all your concerns prior to traveling to Turkey.
Tips on documentation and entry requirements to Turkey:
You will need a passport and visa. More information on documentation required to travel to Turkey.
Tips on which places to visit in Turkey:
During our visit, you can find the places that we liked and surprised us the most in what to visit in Istanbul.
Tips on using mobile and Internet in Turkey:
Our advice is that you remove the data and activate your corresponding roaming rate. For Internet connections, Mapatours buses have Wi-Fi, and so do hotels. If you need internet and have a free mobile phone at the airport, they sell sim cards for € 25 with data, sms, minutes, enough for a month.
Currency and exchange tips in Turkey:
The official currency of Turkey is the Turkish lira. The change is usually made in banks, hotels and exchange houses. There is the possibility of paying directly with a credit card or withdrawing Turkish lira directly from your ATM. The places with the best exchange rates are exchange houses and banks, the difference is that the bank charges you a commission.
Those who exchanged money at the Madrid airport (Barajas) for € 50 obtained 120 Turkish liras, while those who exchanged money at the exchange houses at Istanbul airport obtained an exchange of 150 Turkish liras for € 50. You can visit this page for more information about the same.
More information about the currency in Turkey
Electricity and plugs
The electrical current is 220 volts. The plug in Turkey is the same as the European one, so you don’t need a plug adapter to travel to Turkey.
Time difference and schedules
The time in Turkey is GMT + 2 so one hour more than in Spain. Store hours are usually from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., except Sundays. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. In the tourist areas of Turkey some establishments remain open 24:00.
Language
The official language of Turkey is Turkish, although Kurdish, Armenian, Greek and Arabic are also spoken in some regions of the country. However, in English you will understand each other perfectly everywhere, and in many places also in Spanish.
Gastronomy and tips for eating well in Turkey
Turkish restaurants are usually open 24 hours a day and often offer a large selection of soups, entrees, salads, vegetables, meat and fish, as well as Turkish delicacies, desserts and magnificent fruit. Turkey’s beer and wine are of great quality.
You cannot leave Turkey without having tried:
- Soups: lentil soup does not sound as rich as it tastes.
- Arnavut cigeri, çerkez tavugu, or tarama: roe sauce with fish.
- Their meats: the lamb prepared in an authentic doner kebap.
- The typical baklavas: puff pastry and honey sweets filled with pistachios
- Pilav: Borekler puff pastry dishes made of minced meat, vegetables and cheese, cheeses and Turkish aubergines and cucumbers
We recommend accommodation with breakfast or half board just to enjoy Turkish cuisine.