Top Turkey hotels
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Tipping is not included in restaurant prices. For this reason it is normal that guest leave a 5-10% tip. The waiter will usually bring the bill to the table in an attractive little box. Then he will discretely leave. Handling money in Turkey, unless you are negotiating a price is considered poor taste and/or crude. It is considered polite to give someone money with the right hand, since money is vaguely regarded as sinful.
Because we will usually be on the water every day, sun cream with the highest sun protection factor is recommended for anyone who does not have Factor IV skin (African Heritage). The yachts are equipped with Bimini Tops (sun awnings), but because of the water reflection, the highest sun protection is recommended, even for Mediterranean skin types (Factor III), to remain outdoors for 12 or more hours. We will be traveling between the 36th and the 38th parallel, which means you can expect up to 14 hours of sunshine each day.
Only GSM (Non-North American cell phones) standard mobile celluar telephones function in Turkey. Otherwise, you can call in port from a phone both. You will need phone booth chips or chip cards, which can be purchased at the post office. The post offices are usually open from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. You can only phone to the U.S. with public phones that are marked “international”. There is at least one in every harbor. A regular phone call to the U.S. will cost around 5 dollars. If you want to be reached on board, there will be a functioning mobile phone with a German telephone number on board.
Police – 155 (24 hours)Jandarma (National Guard) – 156 (24 hours)Country-wide Crisis Management Center – 0090-312-419-9946 or 9947 (24 hours)Ankara Crisis Management Center – 0090-312-427-5455 (24 hours)Istanbul Crisis Management Center – 0090-212-455-5600/99 (24 hours)Adana Crisis Management Center – 0090-322-458-8341Izmir Crisis Management Center – 0090-232-489-6767 0090-232-478-1701 or 1702
Photography is basically allowed everywhere. The only restrictions are that military and police personnel and institutions may not be photographed. Occasionally an extra fee may be required for photographing in museums. It is recommended that you bring your own film, because quality film is only available from photo shops. In some of the tourist sites you can buy film, but often the storage quality of this film cannot be recommended. Íf you have a digital camera, bring enough flash cards, because they are not readily available everywhere.
The official currency is the Turkish Lira. You really shouldn’t exchange money in the U.S., because the exchange rate is more often than not better in Turkey. Banks are open from Monday – Friday from 8:30 am until 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Traveler’s checks are accepted in many shops. In larger cities you can pay with your credit card, or withdraw money from an ATM.
There is a 12 volt car battery network on board the yachts. You can recharge your electrical appliances with regular 12 volt car adapters if they accept one. When we are in harbors, we will be hooked up to land electricity, and the regular power outlets on board will function, which are 220 Volts / 50 cycles. If you going to buy an adapter, buy one for going to Germany. If you don’t want to or cannot charge on board, you can recharge at the restaurant for no extra charge with your German adapter. Bring extra batteries for you appliances. Your camera or walkman will always go on the brink, exactly at the wrong moment, when we are 3 miles out to sea, and don’t plan to make harbor for another 3 hours (Murphy's Law).
Water should only be consumed if it comes out of a bottle. The yachts have reservoir tanks (usually well over 100 liters) but these tanks contain chemical compounds to prevent biological growth in the tanks. Although drinking the tap water on the boat will not kill you nor infect you, it will upset your digestion track, and almost always cause diarrhea. The boats will always contain enough bottled drinking water so that every person has at least 3 liters of drinking water for each day. The tap water on board is for doing the dishes and washing/showering. Coffee and food should also be prepared with bottled water. The same goes for brushing your teeth. Do not use tap water to rinse your mouth out.
In the summer months, light clothing is recommended, since Turkey has a climate similar to Mexico. For the boat, you will need sport shoes with a soft rubber light-coloured sole. Dark soles leave ugly marks on the deck and will make your skipper unhappy. Boat shoes are recommended, because of the special gripping sole, which will keep you from slipping on wet decks.Please bring a sport or duffle bag, and not a suitcase. A suitcase cannot be transported or stowed like a sport bag can. You will most probably not need raingear. But a light all-purpose windbreaker is good, because if it gets really windy, especially on cloudy days, it's nice to have around.Pool, boat or hiking sandals, with a closed heel strap are all recommended, because sometimes the deck is too hot to walk around on barefoot, plus, I discovered that some bays have sea urchins, and to avoid stepping on them with your bare...
The official language is Turkish. Turkish belongs to the Ural-Altan language group, and is related to Finnish, Hungarian and Mongolian. In the more popular tourist areas, one can expect to find people who speak English, German or French.
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...
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...
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...
Reviews and photos of Turkey attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Turkey sightseeing.
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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...
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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