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- Located in the most Western part of the Balkans, Turkey borders eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. In addition, it borders the Black Sea to the north; the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara to the west; and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
- Population is about 67,8 mln
- Area 483,000 square miles
- Capital: Ankara (3.4 million), Major cities: Istanbul 9.4 million, Ankara 3.4 million, Izmir 2.4 million, Bursa 1.2 million, Adana 1.2 million
| Resident Representatives
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| Contact details for your representative are shown on
your holiday itinerary. A Balkan Holidays appointed representative
will meet you at the airport on your arrival and introduce
you to your resort at Welcome Meeting soon after. A notice
board on the foyer of your hotel will give details of
the representative's visiting hours, information about
the resort and its facilities, sights of special interest
and your homewards journey. All excursion should be
booked through you representative, who can recommend
those of particular interest and value, and must be paid
for in cash or occasionally credit cards. We can accept
no responsibilities for excursions which are not booked
through you rep. |
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| Money,
Currency Exchange, Banks |
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The official monetary unit in Turkey is the New Turkish Lira.
Exchange rate is not fixed and fluctuates within
3-5%. Scottish notes are not accepted. Please, note that
old or marked notes and coins are not accepted. Travellers
cheques carry higher commission. Check the current exchange
rate on Yahoo!
Finance Converter.
Please, do not rely on credit cards for local purchases thought they are accepted in some hotels and stores.
Cash machines
are available in most cities and resorts. |
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| Meals
and Drinks |
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Turkish cuisine is considered to be one of the three main cuisines of the world due to its variety of recipes and its distinctive tastes. Olive oil is one of the most frequently used ingredients. Dolma (stuffed) dishes are the queen of Turkish dishes which are olive-oil based. Vegetables such as vine leaves, green peppers, tomatoes and aubergines are stuffed with rice and spices and served cold. Green beans, leeks and artichokes cooked in olive oil are served as main or side dishes.
Turkish cuisine is rich on desserts and drinks |
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| Hotel and Resort
Facilities |
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| All hotel and resort facilities which are open to the
general public (swimming pools, discos, nightclubs health
centres, saunas, etc.) are chargeable on the spot - even
for residents of the hotel - unless otherwise specified
in the brochure/web site. There is also a small charge
for the use of all public toilets, even in hotels. |
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| Voltage |
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| For electric razors, etc. 220-240 AC is the local voltage,
and a continental adapter is required. |
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| Religious Information |
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| Nominally, 99% of the population is Muslim. Most belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. About 15-20% of the population are Alevi Muslims. There is also a small but significant Twelver Shi'a minority, mainly of Azeri descent. |
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| Health & Safety |
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There is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey. We believe that international terrorist groups, as well as indigenous ones, are currently active in Turkey. Further attacks, including in tourist areas, could well occur.
Crime
Street robbery and pickpocketing are common in the major tourist areas of Istanbul. You should be wary of approaches from strangers offering to change money or offering food and drink, which may be drugged.
Road Safety
You should take particular care when travelling by road throughout Turkey, as road conditions and driving standards can be poor. Serious traffic accidents are common particularly at night.
For a stay of more than six months an international Driving Licence is required. An ‘A’ category standard motorcycle licence is required to hire motorcycles over 50cc in Turkey. An ‘A1’ category ‘light motorcycle’ is only suitable for motorcycles below 50cc. Please note provisional driving licences are not recognised. A translation of your licence into Turkish may be required by the rental company. It is against the law not to wear a helmet.
Contravention of the above could result in a heavy fine.
Do not drink and drive. The Police will breathalyse drunk drivers, fine them on the spot (currently 340 New Turkish Lira) and immediately confiscate their licence for six months.
Rail Safety
There have been 3 major train accidents for the last 3 years on Turkey's railways.
Health
Do not travel without comprehensive medical insurance (including cover for medical repatriation), as private medical treatment is very expensive. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which concerns free medical treatment in EU countries is not valid in Turkey. The EHIC has now replaced form E111.
Please refer to the Embassy website for details of English speaking hospitals and doctors, http://britishembassy.org.tr.
You should seek medical advice before travelling and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date, especially if you intend to visit rural areas. For further information on health, check the Dept of Health's website at: www.dh.gov.uk.
The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be low. However, as a precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.
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| Car Hire |
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| Car hire is available in the bigger resorts and cities. |
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| Safety
Deposit Boxes |
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| Most hotels have the facilities to hold
small valuable items at the reception or in the room, for
you during your holiday. Usually this service is paid
locally and costs £1.00-3.00 per day. In some hotels the
use of SDB can be free of charge and this will be mention
in the hotel's description. |
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| Linen
Change |
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| In the hotels, bed linen is normally changed
weekly and towels every 3-4 days. Please inform your rep
if linen change is less frequent. |
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| Cot
hire & Baby supplies |
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| Cots can be hired from hotels reception
from approximately £2.00 per day, subject to availability.
We strongly recommend that parents take supply of baby
food, powdered milk and nappies with them as it is sometimes
difficult to obtain these locally. |
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| Important
Telephone Numbers |
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- Traffic Police: 154
- Police: 155
- Fire: 110
- Emergency: 112
- International Operator: 118
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| Formalities |
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| UK Nationals who wish to visit Turkey for less then 90 days may obtain a tourist visa by presenting a valid UK passport at any of Turkey's ports of entry. A £10 visa fee, payable in cash only, is the only requirement.If
you hold travel documents or passports of other nationalities,
you should check with the respective consulates whether a visa
is required. For more information please visit the Turkish Embassy website. For any further travel advise please check with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. |
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| Any problems should be reported to our representatives
in the holiday centres immideately so that they can be dealt
with whenever possible on the spot. There is a number on your
itinerary that can be reached 24 hours a day (answerphone),
or your hotel will have list of times when your representative
will be available in person. |
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 Country
details |
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42 years of experience
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