Turkey Local Customs

  Kirsehir
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      Boza for take out
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Turkey

676.

local food   Istanbul

local food, Istanbul

 33 Reviews  This syrupy sweet treat - dessert ring - is made from semolina and deep fried. It's very rich. You can find these in street carts all around Istanbul. Not one of my favorites, but a definite must-try! 

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677.

mosques etiquette   Istanbul

mosques etiquette, Istanbul

 26 Reviews   It was nice to see and hear how Muslims pray in real, how they are invited for a pray, how they clear their bodies before pray, bowing at pray time or putting shoes after going out of mosques. Most... 

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678.

clothes   Istanbul

clothes, Istanbul

 9 Reviews   Istanbul has all the seasons like winter, spring, summer and fall. So check the weather report before your visit. The city is with more than 14 million people and very cosmopolite. Unlike some... 

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679.

tea and coffee   Istanbul

tea and coffee, Istanbul

 31 Reviews  Being a coffee lover, I assumed that I was going to love Turkish coffee. But after my first glass of Turkish tea (cay), I was hooked!! We found every excuse to stop in one of the many cafes for a... 

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680.

turkish words   Istanbul

turkish words, Istanbul

 14 Reviews  The Foreign Service Institute is a branch of the US Department of State, so all their materials are copyright-free--anybody can use them without charge. Some generous people who owned the tapes or... 

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681.

nargileh   Istanbul

nargileh, Istanbul

 11 Reviews  This is an old looking teahouse where you also get the chance to try out a nargileh (water smoking pipe which bubbles when you suck air out of it). There are a few establishments inside but the one to... 

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682.

raki (drink)   Istanbul

raki (drink), Istanbul

 8 Reviews  In meyhane culture it is very important to stay sober and cool, act reasonable while drinking. I’ve been in meyhanes in which waiters can kick you out if you get drunk and start to sing or talk... 

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683.

hospitality   Istanbul

hospitality, Istanbul

 15 Reviews  Yes, hospitality is a real characteristic of Turkish people, and my room in Dolmabahce Palace was very comfortable. I didn't want to abuse their hospitality, and that's why I didn't accept to stay... 

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684.

bargaining   Istanbul

bargaining, Istanbul

 12 Reviews   In Istanbul, and, I believe, other parts of Turkey as well, it is hard to imagine selling without bargaining. Even in shops, if you see it is like private owned, prices are not always fixed and it is... 

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685.

shoes   Istanbul

shoes, Istanbul

 8 Reviews  Getting your shoes polished won't be a problem. On the major street you will find men that handle their antique tools with great enthousiasm. My advice is to pick out a seasoned shoe shiner and not... 

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686.

phone numbers   Istanbul

phone numbers, Istanbul

 3 Reviews  International telephone access code of Turkey is 90.Then area codes. For Istanbul it is 212 (European side) and 216 (Asian side), Ankara 312 and Izmir 232. All telephone numbers are have seven digits... 

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687.

music   Istanbul

music, Istanbul

 8 Reviews  In Istanbul people listen to all kinds of music, from rock to pop to jazz to metal to electronica, you name it and there's probably a club for it. Every year there is an International Jazz Festival,... 

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688.

tipping   Istanbul

tipping, Istanbul

 2 Reviews  Turks are generally a welcoming race of people, eager to help and proud to show off their country. Sometimes the help can become overbearing. People here, once they've assisted you in any small... 

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Medical Services / Pharmacies

by Weissdorn

With Turkish doctors, you are in good hands. The medical education of Turkish doctors is up to European standards. Many doctors have studied elsewhere in Europe, and speak English, German or French fluently. They have specialized to tourists’ needs along the Turkish Riviera and the Turkish Aegean. Along these areas there are a number of hospitals and clinics available that speak English fluently. The pharmacies are called “Eczane”, and can be identified easily with their white and red signs. The mostly sell medication that has been produced in a Western Industrial Nation, which either has been licensed in Turkey or has been imported.

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Population

by Weissdorn

Turkey has a present population of approximately 63 million people. The population continues to increase. 50% of the population is under 25 years of age, and only 10% of the population is over 65. The population is distributed intensely in the west (such as cities like Istanbul), and more sparsely in the east (such as regions like East Anatolia).

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Climate

by Weissdorn

A mild Mediterranean climate is usual along the entire Mediterranean Coast, with warm summers and mild winters. In the interior of the country and in Istanbul, one can expect to find colder winters. The temperatures along the Mediterranean and Aegean Coasts:Water Temperatures: 18 – 24°C The lowest temperatures between January and February:12 – 16°CThe warmest temperatures between May and October:25 – 33°C Dry Period: From May through NovemberRainy Period: From December through April

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Government and Economy

by Weissdorn

The name, Mustafa Kemal, with the titles Pascha (illustrious one) and Ataturk (Father of the Turks) which the state awarded him with, is inseparable from political development in Turkey. Ataturk founded the modern Turkish Republic in 1923. One of the basic institutions in Turkish Government is secularism, the strict separation between church and state. Under Ataturk’s rule, radical reforms were issued to turn Turkey into a modern European state. Theses were, for example, the adoption of measuring time according to Western standards; a reform to dressing laws (no religious garb in public buildings); incorporating the Latin alphabet into their language, instead of the Arabic; the language reform (Turkish expressions instead of Arabic ones); and the adoption of European law. Separation between church and state is still an important institution today in Turkey. The capital of Turkey is...

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Blue Eyes

by Weissdorn

No, not the ones from James Dean, but the ones that ward off the 'evil eye'. Too many nice things can make the evil eye jealous and make it seek its revenge on these people or their things. This means you need protection, say the Turks with a smile, that you need a nazar boncugu , the blue eye, a round, blue piece of glass, with a giant 'eye' in glass in a different colore, which wards of the evil eye. Nazar means 'look' in Arabic. Because they used to believe that people who had blue eyes could withstand the work of the evil eye the best, the believe soon came about that blue eyes ward off evil, or that even things that look like blue eyes could ward off evil. The nazar boncugu is sort of an offering, that absorbs the power of the evil eye, and will break when it's full.This superstition was known in Ancient Egypt and by the Hittites. Pearls, that were thought to ward off the evil...

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Foreign Yacht Equipment Requirements

by Weissdorn

The same equipment regulations apply for foreign yachts as they do in their home countries. If the home countries do not have legal regulations, then the recommended equipment standards issued by the home country boating associations apply. Flare guns can be taken into Turkey as part of the safety equipment. Charter yachts have to be equipped with sewage tanks. Air tanks for diving have to be sealed against use. Diving with air/gas tanks is illegal in Turkey, the only exception is in authorized diving schools.

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Customs

by Weissdorn

You can only do this at a legal Port of Entry. The official Greek/Turkish Ports of Entry in this area are: Ayvalik Mytilini (Lesbos); Çesme Chios; Kusadasi Vathy or rather Pythagoreion (Samos); Güllük Patmos; Bodrum or Datça Kos; Datça, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kemer and Antalya Rhodos and Simi (new). The basic run-down is: Take the Cruising Permit, in which all current crew members must be listed, and go to the Harbor Master (Liman Baskani) and then to the Customs Office. The Cruising Permit will be retained and an immigration form will be issued that has to be filled out, and taken to the the Passport Police (Emniyet Amirligi), who stamps all of the crews' passport. In the Customs Office (Gümrük) the yacht or all other property has to crossed out of the passport, in case it was entered.

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Anchoring a Boat in Turkish Bays

by Weissdorn

Drifting off sometimes happens (but it's not punishable by law). The only way to combat this problem is to let out more chain than Western sailing schools teach you to. The recommended three to fives times the water depth level is simply too little. Most charter yachts have 50 meters, and even letting out that much for 5 meters depth still isn't enough! The rule of thumb is the more, the better!

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Yacht Service

by Weissdorn

What could be easier and more hassle-free that the excellent friendly service you get in the harbors in Turkey. When you tie up at the mooring or anchor, there is always a friendly native to take on your lines on land (of course at no charge), and then will usually ask you if he can go shopping for you. Promptly he will whip out a shopping list in German/English/French for you to check off. Have dirty laundry, want your trash disposed off or want your ship hosed down? Also no problem. The great tip is that this service really doesn't cost much more than if you went to the grocery store yourself, and spent your vacation time on chores. The service is also as reliable as it is friendly.

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Theft/Terrorism

by Weissdorn

Theft and robbery are extremely seldom in Turkey. You should be careful in harbors anyway, since theft on board from other Europeans has been known. When we go to port, it is recommended that you store spare cash is unlikely places such as together with your dirty laundry. Terrorism is being constantly monitored in tourism areas since 1997, due to the Party of Kurdish Communist (PKK) terrorism activities, which have abruptly curbed, ever since their leader, Abdullah Öcalan has been sentenced and imprisoned in 2000. Due to Turkey’s unique secularism (the only Islamic state where Islamic Law does not apply), the military, police and National Guard are constantly on the alert for “seeds” of Islamic fundamentalism imported from their neighbors, such as Iran and Iraq. Islamic fundamentalism in forms of public gatherings, social clubs, or political parties are not tolerated, and are...

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Local traditions and culture in Turkey

Top 3 Hotels in Turkey

Esans Hotel  Istanbul

 7 Reviews and 181 Opinions  a very new hotel. very near to grande museums and sophia dome. sea is very near to hotel. we enjoy... 

 Hotels in Istanbul

Welcome Barut Hotels Lara Spa  Antalya

 5 Reviews and 511 Opinions  This was our first time in Turkey and first time in an all-inclusive hotel. i have to say - we all... 

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El Vino Hotel  Bodrum

 2 Reviews and 272 Opinions  This small property is both central (10 min walk to the bazaar and waterfront) and secluded and... 

 Hotels in Bodrum

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Local Customs: Cities in Turkey
  1. Istanbul Local Customs
  2. Marmaris Local Customs
  3. Antalya Local Customs
  4. Bodrum Local Customs
  5. Alanya Local Customs
  6. Kusadasi Local Customs
  7. Ankara Local Customs
  8. Icmeler Local Customs
  9. Izmir Local Customs
  10. Ephesus Local Customs
  11. Fethiye Local Customs
  12. Bursa Local Customs
  13. Goreme Local Customs
  14. Pamukkale Local Customs
  15. Kalkan Local Customs
  16. Selcuk Local Customs
  17. Konya Local Customs
  18. Trabzon Local Customs
  19. Bitez Local Customs
  20. Dalyan Local Customs
  21. Troy Local Customs
  22. Eskisehir Local Customs
  23. Kemer Local Customs
  24. Bergama Local Customs
  25. Cesme Local Customs
  26. Adana Local Customs
  27. Van Local Customs
  28. Gokceada Local Customs
  29. Dogubayazit Local Customs
  30. Edirne Local Customs
  31. Sivas Local Customs
  32. Safranbolu Local Customs
  33. Buyukada Local Customs
  34. Bogazkale Local Customs
  35. Diyarbakir Local Customs
  36. Alacati Local Customs
  37. Sile Local Customs
  38. Gallipoli Local Customs

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi, my wife and I organize trips for high school students (groups of approx. 35 ppl) and our next trip is scheduled for June-July... 

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A: Hi, Turkey is stable, with broad-minded politians & people. I had never thought about visiting TR, till I all of a sudden & surprisingly decided! Why? A VERY... 

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