Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
DIRECTORY
Directory PRACTICALITIES
Turkey uses the metric system for weights and measures. Basic conversion charts appear on
the inside front cover of this book.
Electrical current is 220V AC, 50Hz. Wall sockets are the round, two-pin European type. You
In general, you can expect to spend less
can buy adaptors at most electrical shops for around €1.7. Power cuts are a fact of life so you
CONTENTS than €25 per person (sometimes much less) in
need a surge protector.
places we list as budget options; €25 to €55 in
Accommodation 646 For the news in English, pick up the Turkish Daily News or the New Anatolian. The Turkish
those we list as midrange; and more than €55
Activities 648 Airlines in-flight magazine, Skylife, is an excellent, glossy monthly magazine, as is Cornucopia,
in places we list as top end. Prices in İstanbul
Business Hours 651 published three times per year and full of excellent articles on Turkish life and culture.
are considerably higher than those elsewhere
Children 652
in the country – expect to pay at least €10 per TRT3 provides news broadcasts on Saturday in French (5.15pm), English (7.15pm) and Ger-
Climate Charts 653
person more in a double room in İstanbul. man (10.15pm) on 88.2 MHz in İstanbul, 91.6 MHz in Antalya and 92.8 MHz in Van. BBC World
Courses 653
Out east prices are lower. Breakfast is usually Service can be heard in southern coastal Turkey on 1323 KHz.
Customs 654
included in the price of all accommodation.
Dangers & Annoyances 654 Digiturk offers more than 300 different TV channels (including CNN, Fox Sports, Euro News,
If you are planning a stay of a week or more
Disabled Travellers 656 BBC Prime and BBC World).
in a coastal resort, check the prices in package-
Discount Cards 657
holiday brochures before leaving home. British,
Embassies & Consulates 657
French and German tour companies in par-
Festivals & Events 658
ticular often offer flight-and-accommodation facilities are fairly rare and are most likely to you’re greeted by silence and stony stares in a
Food 658
packages to places such as Kuşadası, Bodrum, be on Orman Dinlenme Yeri (Forestry De- hotel reception, it may be better to move on.
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 659
Marmaris, Dalyan, Fethiye, Antalya, Side and partment land). You usually need your own Moving up a price bracket, one- and two-
Holidays 659
Alanya for much less than you would pay if you transport to reach these. Other facilities in- star hotels may cost around €15 to €35 for a
Insurance 660
make your own bookings. land tend to be barren, overcrowded options double room with shower but are less oppres-
Internet Access 661
These days most accommodation has web- on the outskirts of towns and cities. sively masculine in atmosphere, even when the
Legal Matters 661
sites for making advance reservations. Once If there are no designated camping grounds, clientele is mainly male. Three-star hotels are
Maps 661
on the travellers’ circuit you will find that ask about at hotels and pensions. Often they usually used to catering for women travellers.
Money 661
many pensions operate in informal chains, will let you camp in their grounds and use Hotels in more traditional Turkish towns,
Post 662
referring you from one to another. If you’ve their facilities for a small fee (€3 to €6 per however clean and comfortable, normally
Shopping 663
enjoyed staying in one place you will probably person). Otherwise, camping outside official offer only Turkish TV, Turkish breakfast and
Solo Travellers 665
enjoy its owner’s recommendations, but of camping grounds is often more hassle than none of the ‘extras’ that are commonplace in
Telephone 665
course you should hold hard to your right not it’s worth. Not only may the police drop by to pensions.
Time 666
to sign up to anything sight unseen. check you out and possibly move you on but Prices are usually set by the local authorities
Toilets 666
Note that along the Aegean, Mediterranean, also, out east, wolves and Kangal sheep dogs and should be displayed at the reception desk.
Tourist Information 667
the Black Sea coasts and in some parts of Cap- can be a real threat. We recommend female You should never pay more than these official
Visas 667
padocia, the vast majority of hotels, pensions travellers always stick to official camp sites prices; often you will be able to haggle for a
Women Travellers 668
and camping grounds close from mid-Oc- and camp where there are plenty of people lower (sometimes much lower) price.
Work 668
tober to late April. These dates are variable, around – especially out east. Unmarried foreign couples don’t usually
though; see p20 for more information. have any problems sharing rooms, although
ACCOMMODATION Hostels out east you’ll usually be given a twin room
Turkey has accommodation options to suit all Apartments Given that pensions are so cheap, Turkey has even if you asked for a double. However,
budgets with concentrations of good, value- Apartments for holiday rentals are usually no official hostel network, even though a few some establishments still refuse to accept an
for-money pensions and hotels in all the places thin on the ground. Wherever possible we places claim to be affiliated to the Interna- unmarried couple when one of the parties is
– such as İstanbul, Çanakkale, Selçuk, Fethiye have listed them in this book; otherwise your tional Youth Hostelling Association (IYHA). Turkish. The cheaper the hotel, and the more
and Göreme – most visited by independent best bet is to try www.ownersdirect.co.uk or However, there are plenty of hostels offering remote the location, the more conservative its
travellers. The rates quoted in this book are www.holidaylettings.co.uk. If you’re inter- dormitories in touristy destinations. Dorm management tends to be.
for peak season (May to September) and in- ested in hiring an apartment along the coast beds usually cost from €7 to €11 per night. Not surprisingly, the most difficult places to
clude value-added tax (KDV); room prices (eg Kaş, Antalya, Bodrum) your best bet is to find really good cheap rooms are İstanbul, An-
can be discounted by up to 20% during the low contact local real estate agents (emlakci) who Hotels kara, İzmir and package-holiday resort towns
season (October to April, but not during the hold lists of available holiday rentals and are Hotels range from the dirt cheap to the bou- such as Alanya. In most other cities and resorts,
Christmas period and major Islamic holidays; used to dealing with foreigners. tique. The cheapest hotels (around €10 per good, inexpensive beds are readily available.
see p659). double room) are mostly used by working-
Places within easy reach of İstanbul and Camping class Turkish men on business and are not BOUTIQUE HOTELS
Ankara (eg Safranbolu) may hike their prices Most camping facilities are along the coasts suitable for lone women. While we don’t Increasingly, old Ottoman mansions, caravan-
at summer weekends. and are usually privately run. Inland, camping want to restrict women’s freedom of choice, if serais and other historic buildings are being
DIRECTORY 648 D I R E C T O R Y • • A c t i v i t i e s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com D I R E C T O R Y • • A c t i v i t i e s 649
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refurbished or completely rebuilt as hotels shelters of minimal comfort in forested set- Boat Trips also dive off Kaş’ shores, too (p373), and it’s a
equipped with all mod cons and bags of char- tings near the beach. A few of these places Many people want to take a boat trip along much nicer place to base yourself.
acter. Most of these options are in the mid to are real tree houses, but many are just tented the Aegean or Mediterranean coast, preferably A growing number of people enjoy diving
upper price range. Some are described in this platforms. They’re fun, backpacker hang-outs, in a graceful gület (wooden yacht). There are off the Gallipoli (Gelibolu) Peninsula to look
guide; many more are in the excellent Little with bars, communal dining and internet endless possibilities, ranging from day trips at old WWI wrecks; see p190 for more details.
Hotel Book, by Sevan and Müjde Nişanyan, connections. On the negative side, there’s out of Kuşadası, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye, You can also dive in Ayvalık (p213), which is
available in bookshops in İstanbul or through little security and there have been instances Antalya and all the smaller places in between famous for its red coral.
www.nisanyan.net. of guests falling ill as a result of what they’ve to chartering a gület for a week-long tour of Scubaturk.net (www.scubaturk.net) is an İstanbul-
eaten or drunk. And sewage treatment seems the coastline. Marmaris is another yachting based group with details about diving schools
Pensions & Guesthouses to be an ongoing challenge, so consider swim- centre, while Göcek and Alanya also have throughout the country; check out their photo
In all of the destinations popular with travel- ming well away from the camps and check marinas. Yachts generally sail from May to gallery for inspiration!
lers you’ll be able to find simple family-run for odours before you check in. We have also October.
pensions and guesthouses (they are one of a heard of isolated cases of drugged beverages The most popular option is probably the Horse-Riding
kind) where you can get a good, clean single/ – see p381. four-day, three-night boat trip from Kale Whether or not Cappadocia means ‘Land of
double for around €20/30. Many also have The success of Olympos has started to (near Olympos) to Fethiye or vice versa; for Beautiful Horses’, as some locals would have
dorm rooms and sometimes family rooms. spawn tree houses elsewhere in Turkey (eg at more details see p356. See p337 for more in- you believe, the area is certainly wonderful for
These places usually offer a choice of sim- Saklıkent, near Fethiye). More will probably formation on how to charter your own gület exploring on horseback, and a couple of agen-
ple meals, book exchanges, laundry services, have appeared by the time you read this. and p357 for tips on what to look out for. cies in Avanos (p513) can organise rides of
international TV services etc, and it’s these different durations. You can also ride through
facilities that really distinguish them from ACTIVITIES Canyoning & Abseiling the mountainous Dilek National Park on the
traditional small, cheap hotels. Most pensions Outdoor-activity aficionados have started to The glorious 18km-long Saklıkent Gorge, south Aegean coast (see p264).
also have staff who speak at least one foreign take notice of Turkey. Water sports abound, near Fethiye, is a thrilling spot for canyon-
language. be it thrashing the white-water in Yusufeli, ing, and the icy-cold waters will add punch Hot-Air Ballooning
In a few places a handful of old-style ev paddling over submerged ruins near Kaş or to your squeals. You can organise trips for six If you’ve never tried going up in a hot-air bal-
pansiyonu (home pensions) survive. These blissfully doing nothing on the sundeck of a hours or even overnight (see p364). Abseilers loon then don’t miss the chance at Cappadocia,
are simply rooms in a family house that are gület (wooden yacht). Up high you can rec- head straight for the greatest rockscape in the where several companies compete for your
let to visitors at busy times of year and won’t onnoitre the best place for your towel while country, Cappadocia. Ask at Middle Earth Travel trade. It’s not cheap, but looking down on one
normally have these extra facilities let alone paragliding over Ölüdeniz, catch the breeze (%271 2528; www.middleearthtravel.com) in Göreme of the world’s most fascinating landscapes is
anyone who speaks English. Nor do they usu- over Cappadocia in a hot-air balloon or tackle (p501) for details. bound to be one of the highlights of your trip.
ally advertise their existence in a formal way: the wind at famous Alaçatı. In the mountains, See the boxed text, p512, for more details.
ask locals where to find them and look out for Turkey has two way-marked long-distance Cycling
kıralık oda (room for rent) in the windows. trails, which are popular with trekkers (see The most popular cycling routes are those Mountaineering
In smaller tourist towns such as Fethiye, Pa- p78), and abseiling, skiing and mountaineer- along the coasts, particularly along the west- Turkey’s highest mountain is also its most
mukkale and Selçuk, touts for the pensions may ing are options as well. ern Mediterranean coast between Marmaris famous: Mt Ararat. Mountaineers can tackle
approach you as you step from your bus and All of these activities you can organise and Antalya, with detours to nearby sites. Ararat (Ağrı Dağı; 5137m), near Doğubayazıt,
offer you accommodation. Some may string yourself, through your hotel, or check out the The coastal road between Amasra and Sinop but you need to be cashed-up, organised and
you a line about the pension you’re looking for tour operators offering activity-based tours on on the Black Sea passes by some beautiful extremely patient with all the bureaucracy. See
(it’s burnt down; was destroyed by earthquake; p684. Other tour operators are listed in the scenery (see p539). Mountain biking around p589 for more information. It may be easier
the owner died) in the hope of getting you to various destination chapters; those specialis- Cappadocia is popular, too, and plenty of (and cheaper) to opt for climbing Süphan
their lair, where they may extract a commission ing in trekking are listed on p87. places hire decent mountain bikes. Serious Dağı (Mt Süphan; 4434m), on the north side
from the owner. Taxi drivers sometimes like overlanders head out east: some cross to Iran of Lake Van instead (see p636).
to play this game as well. Most people like to Bird-Watching and cycle all the way to India or beyond. Two relatively easy mountains to climb are
politely decline these offers and go to the pen- Turkey is on an important migration route for For practical tips on cycling in Turkey, Hasan Dağı (Mt Hasan; 3268m) and Erciyes
sion of their choice; however, sometimes it’s birds travelling from north to south and vice see p679. Dağı (Mt Erciyes; 3916m), both in Cappa-
worth taking them up – especially if you’re on versa, and spring and autumn are particularly docia. It’s perfectly possible to arrange these
a budget – as these touts are often working for good times to visit the country to watch migrat- Diving climbs yourself; alternatively you could talk to
newly opened pensions offering cheap rates. ing birds. There are several bird sanctuaries Marmaris, Bodrum and Kaş are Turkey’s main Middle Earth Travel in Göreme (p501).
Before you let them take you to the pension (kuş cennetler, bird paradises) dotted about diving centres. Bodrum is a great place to
make it known you’re only looking and are the country, although unfortunately they are take a PADI course with good marine life and Paragliding
under no obligation to stay. often popular with noisy, picnicking Turks coral for experienced divers. It also has plenty Ölüdeniz (p359) is home to paragliding in
who frighten the birds away. See p64 for more of wrecks and the possibility that a handful Turkey, and pros come each year to challenge
Tree Houses on birds and conservation issues in Turkey. might open for exploration by the time you each other at the International Air Games
Olympos (p379), on the Western Mediter- East of Gaziantep it’s possible to visit one read this (see p276). Marmaris (p337) has a every October. If you’re new to dangling your-
ranean coast near Antalya, is famous for its of the last nesting sites of the eastern bald ibis larger, more established scene, a legacy of its self in the air, you can tandem paraglide with
‘tree houses’ – rough-and-ready permanent at Birecik (p599). sponge-diving traditions (see p338). You can one of the many operators offering flights.
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Swimming & Water Sports Mediterranean, is an excellent stopover for
Turkey’s beautiful coasts and beaches are a mud bath rich in mineral salts said to aid THE PLEASURES OF THE TURKISH BATH
perfect for water sports from mid-May to skin complaints and rheumatism. A similar After all that vigorous activity few things could be better than relaxing in the nearest hamam
September. The Aegean and Mediterranean spa complex with even an open-air pool is (Turkish bathhouse).
coasts offer plentiful opportunities for water- Kurşunlu Banyo in Termal (p287). Asthma The steam bath was an institution that passed from the Romans to the Byzantines, and thence
skiing, snorkelling, sea-kayaking, scuba div- sufferers might want to head to the two caves to the Turks. It was once a much-anticipated weekly outing for women especially, an opportunity
ing and swimming – unlike the chilly Black near Alanya (p404) – apparently if you inhale to gossip with friends, groom and pamper, and for mothers to size up potential matches for their
Sea coast. the air inside the caves you’ll be cured! sons. Although modern bathrooms have reduced the need for public bathing, the tradition of
There are excellent swimming beaches on For a slightly odd treat visit Balıklı Kaplıca the leisurely soak is still alive, albeit on a much reduced scale. And unfortunately some of the
Bozcaada (p206); in the Dilek National Park (p480), where teeny ‘doctor’ fish nibble on finest old baths have raised prices for tourists, putting them out of reach for most locals. At the
(p263); from Behramkale to Edremit (p212); your toes, supposedly curing your skin of same time they have reduced the quality of their service on the assumption that tourists don’t
on the Bodrum peninsula (p281); at İztuzu psoriasis. know what to expect and won’t be coming back again anyway – boo hiss.
Beach, near Dalyan (p351); and at Altınkum Many people feel anxious the first time they go to a hamam. So what should you expect
(p239), near Çeşme. One of the finest is Patara White-Water Rafting when you cross the threshold? First up, you usually need to choose and pay for the service
Beach (p366). Note that Black Sea waters, The foaming white challenges of the Çoruh you’d like at the door. Then you enter the camekan, where you’ll be shown to a cubicle where
especially close to İstanbul, can be treacherous Gorge near Yusufeli (p572) are relatively you can undress, store your clothes, lock up your valuables and wrap the peştemal (cloth) that’s
for swimmers. undiscovered by all but those-in-the-know. provided around you. You’ll be given a pair of nalın (wooden clogs), which you’ll need to attempt
Sea-kayaking is a must over the sunken Rapids junkies swear these are some of the to wear to prevent slipping on the marble floors. Then an attendant will lead you through the
city of Üçağız (Kekova) near Kaş (see p373). best in the world. Other options include some soğukluk (cold room, though it’s usually warm) to the hararet (steam room) where you sit and
Canoeing is possible on the Patara River, also gentler rapids near Çamlıhemşin (p560), the sweat for a while.
near Kaş (p373). Köprülü Kanyon near Antalya (p396) and It’s cheapest to wash yourself with the soap, shampoo and towel you brought with you.
along the Kızılırmak and Zamantı rivers near The steam room will be ringed with individual basins (kurna), that you fill from the taps above.
Trekking Avanos (p513). Check out Saklıkent Gorge, When sluicing the water over yourself with a plastic scoop you should try not to get soap into
Whatever your level of ability, Turkey is a near Fethiye, as well (see p364). the water in the basin. Also try to avoid splashing your neighbours, especially on a Friday when
great place for trekking. Turkey has two way- someone who has completed their ritual wash would have to start all over again if soaked by
marked long-distance paths: the Lycian Way Windsurfing a non-Muslim.
(see p78) and St Paul’s Trail (p81). Serious windsurfers need no introduction But to wash yourself is to miss most of the fun. It’s far more enjoyable to let an attendant
The Kaçkar Mountains offer some of the to Alaçatı (p240), near Çeşme. For the rest do it for you, dousing you with warm water and then scrubbing you with a kese (a coarse cloth
best mountain hiking, whether you approach of us, it’s the windsurfing hotspot of Europe mitten), loosening dirt you never suspected you had. Afterwards you’ll be lathered with a sudsy
from the eastern Black Sea coast near Ayder – well, it’s almost Europe. Beginners can take swab, rinsed off and shampooed.
(p85) or from Yusufeli (p572) on the southern comprehensive courses; pros can try their When all this is complete you can have a massage, an experience worth having at least once
side of the range, though the snow-free season hand with kites. It’s definitely worth check- during your trip. Some massages are carried out on the floor or a table, but usually you’ll be
is very short. ing out. spread out on the great marble slab called the göbektaşı (belly stone) beneath the great central
For more information on treks available in dome. In touristy areas the massage is likely to be pretty cursory and, unless you’re prepared
Turkey, see p87. Winter Sports to pay the extra for an ‘oil massage’, you may be disappointed. Elsewhere, however, a Turkish
Ski facilities in Turkey are fairly basic by Eu- massage can be an unforgettable and invigorating experience.
Well-Being ropean or US standards but infinitely cheaper Bath etiquette dictates that men should keep the peştamal on at all times. In the women’s
Turks need no introduction to pampering and less cliquey and they provide a great op- section, the amount of modesty expected varies considerably: in some baths total nudity is fine,
themselves. Spend an afternoon in a hamam portunity to after-party with the locals. Snow in others it would be a blunder to remove your knickers; play safe by keeping your underwear on
(Turkish bathhouse) and you’ll soon see why is generally good and may last well into spring, under your peştamal until inside the hot room where you can decide what is appropriate. If you
(see opposite). The well-being industry has especially at the country’s best ski fields, Pal- want to shave your legs or armpits, you should do this in the camekan rather than in the bath.
therefore found a natural home in Turkey, and andöken ski resort (p569), near Erzurum. Traditional hamams have separate sections for men and women or admit men and women at
opportunities for yoga, health retreats and the There is also decent skiing at Uludağ (p301), separate times. Opening hours for women are almost invariably more restricted than for men. In
like are blossoming over the country. If you’re near Bursa, and on Davraz Dağı (p317), near tourist areas some hamams are more than happy for foreign men and women to bathe together
a yoga devotee bring your mat. There are in- Eğirdir. We also saw ski lifts being constructed and charge a premium price for the privilege. In traditional hamams, women are washed and
numerable perfect spots to asana in the coun- on the slopes of Nemrut Dağı (the one near massaged by other women – no Turkish woman would let a male masseur anywhere near her.
tryside, and many towns have classes you can Van; p635) when we visited, so another ski Women who accept a massage from a male masseur should have their massage within view of
join for a few hours, such as in Antalya (p387), resort in eastern Anatolia could be operating companions and protest loudly at the first sign of impropriety.
which also has meditation instruction. by the time you read this.
Kabak (p363) is a remote beach community An alternative to skiing is snowshoeing,
firmly devoted to well-being, with relaxed whereby you walk over snow on special shoes. BUSINESS HOURS summer the working day in some cities, includ-
accommodation offerings, yoga courses and Kirkit Voyage in Avanos (p513) can arrange Government departments, offices and banks ing the Aegean and Mediterranean regions,
even a spring-water swimming pool. for you to explore beautiful Cappadocia on usually open from 8.30am to noon and 1.30pm begins at 7am or 8am and finishes at 2pm.
The Sultaniye Hot Springs and Mud Baths snowshoes – but only in years when there is to 5pm Monday to Friday. Shops are open from During the month of Ramazan the working day
(p351), close to Dalyan, along the western plenty of snow, of course. 9am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. During the is generally shortened to 2pm or 3pm.
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In tourist areas food and souvenir/carpet Most hotels can arrange some sort of babysit- carelessly secured building sites are also a fact can exceed 45°C, making travel in the east
shops are usually open from around 8am to ting service if you ask, but kids’ clubs are few of life in Turkey. very uncomfortable.
11pm or later if it’s very busy. Elsewhere, gro- and far between and agencies are nonexistent. If you looking for childcare while in Tur- The Black Sea coast gets two to three times
cery shops are usually open from 7am to 7pm Many of the seaside towns have children’s play key, you may want to get some tips from Child the national average rainfall, along with more
or 8pm daily; other shops are usually closed equipment, but elsewhere, including İstanbul, Wise (www.childwise.net/choose-with-care-php). moderate temperatures, making it rather like
on Sunday. Friday, the Muslim Sabbath, is a the situation is grim. Check the equipment for Central Europe but pleasantly warmer. See
normal working day in Turkey. safety before letting your child use it. CLIMATE CHARTS When to Go in the Getting Started chapter
Many museums close on Monday, espe- It’s important to remember that bus jour- For meteorologists, Turkey has seven dis- (p19) for more information.
cially in İstanbul. From April to October mu- neys can be very long and that buses do not tinct climatic regions, but from the point of
seums usually open half an hour earlier and have toilets on board; trains, planes or auto- view of most casual visitors, the most im- COURSES
close 1½ to two hours later. mobiles might be the best option. Most car- portant distinctions are between the coast Cookery
Internet cafés usually open from around rental companies provide child-safety seats with its moderate winter temperatures and Cercis Murat Konağı (%0482-213 6841; www.cercis
9am until late at night, or until the last cus- for a small extra charge. In Turkey, traffic and hot, humid summers, and the inland areas murat.com in Turkish at time of research), run by Ebru
tomer has left. treacherous road surfaces make travelling by with their extremely cold winters and exces- Baydemir, runs cookery courses in her restau-
stroller an extreme sport. sively hot summers. The further east you rant in gorgeous Mardin, southeastern Anato-
CHILDREN Always double check the suitability of pre- travel, the more pronounced these climatic lia. Come here for lessons by female chefs – a
Practicalities scriptions you may be given while in Turkey extremes become, so that much of eastern rarity anywhere in the country, let alone out
Çocuklar (children) may not be well catered for children – see p690 for more information. Turkey is unpassable with snow from De- east! See p629 for more information.
for in Turkey, but they are the beloved cen- Check out Lonely Planet’s Travel with cember through to April, with temperatures Gökpinar Retreat (%0252-313 3888; www.caravan
trepiece of family life and your children will Children, by Cathy Lanigan, which has lots sometimes falling to around -12°C. In July turkey.com), run by Caravan Travel, offers an
be welcomed wherever they go. Your baby or of practical information and advice on how and August temperatures rise rapidly and all-inclusive week-long cooking retreat in a
young child’s journey through the streets will to make travel with children as stress-free as
be peppered with Maşallah (glory be to God) possible. ANTALYA 57m (187ft)
Average
Max/Min KAYSERI 1067m (3503ft)
Average
Max/Min
and your child clutched into the adoring arms °C Temp °F in Rainfall mm °C Temp °F in Rainfall mm
of strangers, sometimes even against his/her Sights & Activities 40 104 12 300 40 104 12 300
will. You might want to learn your child’s age Beaches aside, in terms of things to see and do 30
10 250 30 86
10 250
86
and sex in Turkish – ay (month), yil (year), Turkey doesn’t have a lot of attractions that 8 200 8 200
erkek (boy) and kız (girl). You might also have been designed with children in mind. 20 68
6 150
20 68
6 150
want to make polite inquiries about the other With the exception of the Rahmi M Koç 10 50
4 100
10 50
4 100
person’s children, present or absent: kaç tane museum (p123) in İstanbul, most Turkish 0 32 0 32 2
2 50 50
çocuklariniz varmı? (how many children do museums would leave them bored to tears, -10 14
-10 14 0 0 0 0
you have?) and there are no zoos or activity centres easily J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D
Pasteurised UHT milk is sold in cartons accessible and worthy of mention. For other
everywhere, but fresh milk is harder to find. ideas on how to keep your kids entertained in Average
ÎSTANBUL 28m (75ft)
Average
TRABZON 191m (626ft) Max/Min
Also hard to find is baby food, and what you İstanbul, see p134. Max/Min
8 200 8 200
bringing a supply with you. Migros super- rafting all great options. 20 68 20 68
6 150
markets have the best range of baby food in Apart from the coasts, the area of the coun- 10 50
6 150
10 50
the country. Alternatively you could rely on try most likely to appeal to older children is 4 100 4 100
0 32 0 32
hotel and restaurant staff to prepare special Cappadocia, with its underground cities, cave 2 50 2 50
dishes for your children. Most Turkish women dwellings and kooky landscapes. -10
J F MAM J J A S O N D
14 0
J F MAM J J A S O N D
0 -10
J F MAM J J A S O N D
14 0
J F MAM J J A S O N D
0
fied rice cereal in all supermarkets. High chairs ideas of safety consciousness rarely meet the °C Temp °F in Rainfall mm °C Temp °F in Rainfall mm
in restaurants are the exception, not the rule. norms of countries such as the UK or the 40 104 12 300 40 104 12 300
Disposable bebek bezi (nappies or diapers) USA. The traffic must be at the forefront of 30 86
10 250 30 86
10 250
are readily available. The best brands are parents’ minds constantly, and we’ve already 20 68
8 200
20 68
8 200
Prima or Huggies, sold in pharmacies and mentioned the broken-down and poorly de- 6 150 6 150
10 10 50
supermarkets – don’t bother with the cheaper signed play equipment (grrr). Watch out for 50
4 100 4 100
local brands. Oh, and if you find a public open power points in hotels, crudely covered 0 32 2 50
0 32 2 50
baby-changing facility in the country please electric mains and open stairwells on the -10 14 0 0 -10 14 0 0
J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D
let us know! streets. Serious potholes, open drainage and
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small village out of Bodrum for €500. There in the Turkish Daily News and on the expat taken very seriously. Be warned that even if
are sometimes other low-key courses run- website www.mymerhaba.com. Teach Yourself TRAVEL ADVISORIES such remarks were never made, Turks have
ning at the retreat simultaneously, such as Turkish, by David and Asuman Çelen Pollard, For the latest travel information log on to been known to claim they were in the heat of
carpet weaving or belly dancing. Jiggling the is by far the best of the many books on teach- the following websites: a quarrel, which is enough to get the foreigner
waistline may be the perfect antidote to a day’s ing yourself Turkish. www.smartraveller.gov.au Australian carted off to jail.
taste-testing. Schools to learn Turkish include: Government’s Travel Advisory & Consular Assistance
Heritage Travel (%0384-271 2687; www.goreme. EF Language School (%0212-282 9064; www.turkish Service. Traffic
com), based in Göreme, Cappadocia, runs one- lesson.com; Aydin Sokak S Blok 12, 1 Levent, İstanbul) www.fco.gov.uk/travel UK Foreign & Com- Unfortunately Turkey has a terrible record
week cuisine tours (€1050). Spoken Turkish (%0212-244 9000; www.spokeneng monwealth Office. when it comes to road safety, which means
İstanbul Food Workshop (%0212-534 4788; www.is- lishtr.com; İstiklal Caddesi 212/7, Beyoğlu, İstanbul) A www.travel.state.gov US Department of that you must drive defensively at all times.
tanbulfoodworkshop.com; Yıldırım Caddesi 111, Fener, İstanbul) newcomer on the scene offering less intensive courses than State/Bureau of Consular Affairs. It’s particularly unwise to drive in the dark on
runs small-group workshops in a cosy semi- its competitors, but relatively untested. country roads where tractors may be ambling
professional kitchen. These two- to 20-hour Taksim Dilmer (%0212-292 9696; www.dilmer.com; along with unlit trailers. See p681 for more
sessions (€20 to €170) are for serious foodies. İnönü Caddesi, Prof Dr Tarık Zafer Tunaya Sokak 18, Taksim, other crowded places. Keep an eye out for information. When travelling long distances,
Add one of their lectures on 15th- and 16th- İstanbul) anyone lurking near ATMs. it’s worth paying slightly more to use a bus
century Ottoman palace culinary culture, no Tömer (%0212-230 7083; www.tomer.com.tr; Abide-i In Turkey safety seems a low priority. Holes company with relief drivers, rather than risk
less, and you’re guaranteed top-class kudos Hürriyet Sokak 43, Şişli, İstanbul) Affiliated with Ankara in pavements go unmended and unlit at night; being driven by someone who may be at the
at your next dinner soiree. The Australian– University and with many branches throughout the country. precipitous drops go unguarded; safety belts wheel for a straight 18 hours.
Turkish team have recently started gourmet are worn only as long as it takes to drive past a As a pedestrian note that there is no such
tours of İstanbul too. Handicrafts police officer before being released; lifeguards thing as right of way, despite the little green
If you’re more interested in a no-fuss intro- If you’re interested in making pottery, you on beaches are conspicuous by their absence. man. Give way to cars and trucks in all situa-
duction to whipping up a few tasty Turkish might like to head to Avanos, the small Cap- Don’t even ask yourself how safe it is for a tions, even if you have to jump out of the way.
specialities you’re probably better off with the padocian town famous for its ceramics. There dolmuş driver to be negotiating a bend while
classes at the Sarnıç Hotel (%0212-518 2323; www. are so many workshops there, such as Chez simultaneously counting out change! Things Scams & Druggings
sarnichotel.com; Küçük Ayasofya Caddesi 26, Sultanahmet, Galip (www.chez-galip.com), offering informal short are changing slowly, but parents of young Turkey is one of the friendliest and most wel-
İstanbul). Four-hour introductions to Turk- courses that it’s best to just go and see what children in particular will need to be on their coming countries on the planet, but there will
ish cookery in English, French and Dutch suits. guard at all times. always be a few sharks in the mix. Although
cost €40. After the lesson, you adjourn to the Travellers interested in learning weaving At the time of writing, travelling in the it wouldn’t do to be paranoid about potential
rooftop to polish off the results. Group sizes can also contact Chez Galip or Gökpinar Re- southeast is safe as the unrest there appears to scams, it does pay to be careful, especially in
are capped at 10, but work better when there treat (%0252-313 3888; www.caravanturkey.com). Musa have largely subsided. However, the Kurdish İstanbul.
are a few less attendees. Başaran (%0212-517 0099; musabasaran@ihlas.net.tr) issue is far from resolved, so be sure to check One of the most popular scams targeted at
offers 10-hour introductions (€80) for small the situation before setting out. single men is the nightclub-bar shake-down
Belly-dancing groups in his private studio in İstanbul. Herit- – it mostly happens in İstanbul. You prob-
Gökpinar Retreat (%0252-313 3888; www.caravantur age Travel (%0384-271 2687; www.goreme.com), based Flies & Mosquitoes ably know the scene: you’re strolling through
key.com) runs week-long belly dancing courses in Göreme, runs 10- to 15-day kilim-weaving In high summer, mosquitoes can make a stay Sultanahmet, when you’re approached by a
from April to November at its retreat near tours where you stay in a nomad village and along the coast a nightmare. Some hotel rooms dapper young man who starts up a conversa-
Bodrum from €490, including meals, transfers learn all about carpet making (€1600). come equipped with nets and/or plug-in bug- tion. After your initial hesitation, and once
and 12 hours of lessons. Another option in busters, but it’s a good idea to bring your own you realise he’s not affiliated with a carpet
İstanbul is Les Arts Turcs (p135), where you can CUSTOMS mosquito coils to burn as well. As dusk falls, shop, you start chatting away. He’s says he’s
have as many or as few lessons as you’d like. One carton (200) cigarettes, 1.5kg of coffee, 10 remember to cover your arms and legs or at off to meet friends for a drink in Beyoğlu,
cigars and two bottles of wine can be imported least to slather yourself with insect repellent. as there’s nowhere to party in Sultanahmet.
Language duty-free. There’s no limit to the amount of In some towns the authorities try to combat Would you like to go along? Woohoo! You
İstanbul is the most popular place to learn new Turkish liras or foreign currency you can the more general problem of insects by send- go into a bar and are approached by some
Turkish, though there are also courses in bring into the country. ing out vans that belch repellent into the sky, girls by which time it’s way too late to back
Ankara, İzmir and a few other spots around Items valued over US$15,000 must be de- usually at about the time in the evening when out. When the bill arrives, lo and behold the
the country. Tömer and Taksim Dilmer (see clared and may be entered in your passport everyone has just sat down on a terrace for girls’ outrageously expensive drinks appear
right) are the most popular schools, but both to guarantee that you take the goods out of dinner. Some people might consider these on it. It’s no good claiming you have no cash
have their fans and detractors. To lessen the the country when you leave. It’s illegal to take dubious clouds of noxious fumes to be as on you – you’ll be frogmarched to the near-
risk of disappointment, ask to sit in on a class antiquities out of the country. alarming as the insects they’re supposed to est ATM and ‘persuaded’ to cough up. If this
before you commit, as the quality of your ex- be eradicating. happens to you make sure you report it to the
perience definitely depends on the teacher and DANGERS & ANNOYANCES tourist police; some travellers have taken the
your classmates. Prices start from €280 for 80 Although Turkey is by no way a dangerous Lese-Majesty policeman back to the bar and received some
hours of teaching spread over four weeks. country to visit, it’s always wise to be a little The laws against insulting, defaming or mak- or all of their money back.
If you’d prefer private tuition expect to cautious, especially if you’re travelling alone. ing light of Atatürk, the Turkish flag, the Drugging isn’t a common problem, but
pay from €25 per hour; tutors often advertise Be wary of pickpockets in buses, markets and Turkish people, the Turkish Republic etc are it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. In this
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situation a single guy is approached by two DISABLED TRAVELLERS disability, however obvious it may seem to Spain (%91 319 8064; www.tcmadridbe.org; Calle de
or three so-called friends, often claiming to be On the whole, Turkey is a challenging desti- you. Trams are wheelchair-accessible too. Rafael Calvo 18 2A-B, Madrid)
from Egypt or Lebanon or Romania and often nation for disabled (engelli or özürlü) travel- Switzerland (%031 359 7070; www.tr-botschaft.ch;
accompanied by the fig leaf of a woman. Fall lers. Ramps, wide doorways and properly Organisations Lombachweg 33, 3006 Berne)
for this one, and you risk finding your drink equipped toilets are extremely rare, and Braille Some information resources dedicated to UK (%020-7591 6900; www.turkishconsulate.org.uk;
spiked and waking up in some unexpected and audio information at sights nonexistent. disabled travellers include: Rutland Lodge, Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, London
location with all your belongings, right down Crossing most streets is particularly challeng- Access-Able (www.access-able.com) Includes a small list SW7 1BW)
to your shoes, missing – or worse. When the ing; everyone does so at their peril. of tour and transport operators in Turkey. USA (%202-612 6700; www.turkishembassy.org; 2525
missing person billboards in 2005 went up for Airlines and the top hotels and resorts have Accessibility.com.au (%02-9692 9322; www.accessi Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, DC 2008)
a Korean tourist, most locals knew the fate of some provision for wheelchair access, and bility.com.au; Suite 6, The Cooperage, 56 Bowman St,
this unlucky young man – a month later his ramps are beginning to appear in a few other Pyrmont NSW 2001, Australia) Embassies & Consulates in Turkey
body was found on the outskirts of İstanbul. places, but very slowly. Hotel Rolli (p417) Radar (%020-7250 3222; www.radar.org.uk; 12 City Most embassies and consulates in Turkey are
Most likely he was a victim of a drugging in Anamur is that rare thing – a hotel truly Forum, 250 City Rd, London EC1V 8AF, UK) open from 8am to noon Monday to Friday
gone wrong. adapted for wheelchair-users. Mephisto Voyage Society for the Advancement of Travel for the although some embassies of Muslim countries
Moral of these stories? Single men should (see p511) offers special tours in Cappadocia Handicapped (SATH; %212-447 7284; www.sath.org; may be open Sunday to Thursday. Often they
not accept invitations from unknown folk in for mobility-impaired people, utilising the 347 Fifth Ave, No 610, New York, NY 10016, USA) also open in the afternoon for people to pick
large cities without sizing the situation up Joelette system. up visas. Exceptions to these opening hours
very carefully beforehand. You could also Increasingly, dropped kerb edges are being The Physically Disabled Support Association (Bedensel are included below. If you need to ask the way
invite your new-found friends to a bar of your introduced to cities, especially in western Tur- Engellilerle Dayanışma Derneği; www.bedd.org.tr in Turkish to an embassy say: ‘[Country] başkonsolosluğu
choice; if they’re not keen to go, chances are key – in cities such as Edirne, Bursa and İzmir only) has helpful information for visitors to nerede?’
they are shady characters. they seem to have been sensibly designed. Turkey, but is unfortunately only in Turkish. For details on getting visas to neighbouring
We’ve also heard reports about two fe- Selçuk, Bodrum and Fethiye have been iden- You could email and someone with English countries, see p674.
male travellers claiming to have their drinks tified as relatively user-friendly towns for might be able to help. Armenia Contact Russian embassy.
drugged at a camp in Olympos. See p381 for people with mobility problems because their Australia (h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara
more information. pavements and roads are fairly level. Some DISCOUNT CARDS (Map p442; %0312-459 9521; www.embaustralia.org.
towns – and even a few service stations – now Currently the only really useful card to lay tr; Uğur Mumcu Caddesi 88\7, Gaziosmanpaşa); İstanbul
Smoking have toilets adapted for disabled access, but your hands on is the International Student (%0212-243 1333; fax 243 1332; 2nd fl, Suzer Plaza,
Turks smoke here, there and everywhere. these are the exception not the rule. Identity Card (ISIC); you’ll need a letter from Asker Ocağı Caddesi 15, Elmadağ, Şişli)
Our favourite example was a driver holding Check out www.everybody.co.uk for infor- your college or university to prove that you Azerbaijan (h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) embassy in
a newborn with his left hand and a cigarette, mation on the facilities for disabled travellers are a student before you will be able to get one Ankara (%0312-491 1681; Baku Sokak 1, Or-An); İstanbul
the gear stick and the steering wheel with his offered by various airlines. Turkish Airlines legally. With an ISIC card you should be able (%0212-284 9579; Sumbul Sokak 17, Levent 1); Kars
right! Anti-smoking laws are on the drawing offers 40% discounts to disabled travellers to get discounts of at least 50% on most (but (h9.30am-12.30pm Mon-Fri; %0474-223 6475, 223
board, but until they come into effect you’ll who are also eligible for discounts on trains by no means all) museum entry fees. You can 1361; fax 223 8741; Eski Erzurum Caddesi)
have to endure smoking in restaurants, cafés, and at some museums. In İstanbul, disabled also get 20% off domestic and international Bulgaria (h9-11am Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara (Map
bars and hotel lobbies. Public transport is people are eligible for free bus travel. How- train tickets. p442; %0312-427 5142; Atatürk Bulvarı 124, Kavaklıdere);
usually smoke-free. Taxi drivers will usually ever, to qualify for these discounts you may Edirne (%/fax 0284-214 0617; Talat Paşa Caddesi 31);
butt out if you ask them to. have to show a doctor’s letter as ‘proof’ of your EMBASSIES & CONSULATES İstanbul (h9am-noon Mon-Fri) (%0212-281 0114;
Turkish Embassies Abroad Mehmet Ahmet Adnan Zeygün Caddesi 44, Ulus, Levent 2)
The following are Turkish embassies in se- Canada (h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Thu, 9.30am-12.30pm
HAVE WHEELS, WILL TRAVEL Curtis Palmer (New Zealand) lected cities around the world. For other Fri) embassy in Ankara (Map p442; %0312-409 2700; Cin-
I am a C6, C7 quadriplegic who loves to travel. I travel with my partner who assists me where countries see the list on www.mfa.gov.tr. nah Caddesi 58, Çankaya); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-
places are not accessible. Travelling around Turkey for six weeks was a total joy. I had some dif- Australia (%02-6295 0227; www.turkishembassy.org. 251 9838; fax 272 3437; İstiklal Caddesi 373/5, Beyoğlu)
ficulties, but no more than when I travel around Europe. au; 60 Mugga Way, Red Hill, ACT 2603) France (h9am-12.30pm Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara
What makes Turkey such a joy is the people. Turkish people are very laid-back and extremely Canada (%613-789 4044; www.turkishembassy.com; (Map p442; %0312-455 4545; Paris Caddesi 70,
helpful. Whenever we faced a dilemma there was never a shortage of willing helpers. 197 Wurtemburg St, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 8L9) Kavaklıdere); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-334 8730;
Admittedly access was testing at times, and independent travel would be very strenuous. We France (%01 56 33 33 33; www.tcparbsk.com; 184 blvd fax 334 8727; İstiklal Caddesi 8, Taksim)
chose to stay in hostels and pensions, and this often meant my partner had to bump me up Malesherbes, 75017 Paris) Georgia (h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara
and down lots of steps. This proved to be more rewarding than expensive hotels, though, as the Germany (%030-275 850; www.tcberlinbe.de; Runge (%0312-442 6508; Hilal Mahallesi Caddesi 31, Yıldız);
people were both friendly and helpful. The bathrooms mostly had one step into them and were Str 9, 10179 Berlin) Trabzon (Map p550; %0462-326 2226; fax 326 2296;
small with handheld showers. Accessible toilets were rare, and most were squat toilets. Greece (%01-724 5915; 8 Vassileos Gheorgiou B St, Pertev Paşa Sokak 10; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri); İstanbul (Map
We used dolmuşes and tourist coaches to get around, which meant ‘bumming’ my way up 10674 Athens) pp94-5; %0212-343 9258; Cumhuriyet Caddesi 169)
the steps, to the astonishment of onlookers. Ireland (%01-668 5240; turkembassy@eircom.net; 11 Germany (h9am-noon Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara
A lot of tourist sites were big obstacles, but getting in free made up for not being able to Clyde Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4) (Map p442; %0312-455 5100; fax 427 8926; Atatürk
see everything. Italy (%06-445 941; www.ambasciataditurchia.it; Via Bulvarı 114, Kavaklıdere); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-
Palestro 28, 00185 Rome) 334 6100; fax 249 9920; İnönü Caddesi 16, Taksim)
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Iran (h8.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-4.30pm Mon-Thu & Camel Wrestling On the last Sunday in January be restaurants, places for quick, cheap feeds country: for those working in the big cities it
Sat, 8.30am-12.30pm Fri & Sun) embassy in Ankara (Map in Selçuk for the camel wrestle of a lifetime. Be a savvy and cafés. Restaurants are the smarter places may be the only time of the year they get to
p442; %0312-468 2820; fax 468 2823; Tahran Caddesi 10, spectator with our wrestling low-down on p250. where you can expect to find tablecloths and see their families.
Kavaklıdere); Erzurum (%0442-316 2285; fax 316 1182; off alcoholic drinks. Expect to pay between €15 All banks, businesses and most shops are
Atatürk Bulvarı); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; h8.30-11.30am March and €30 without drinks to eat in a restaurant closed on public holidays; however, most res-
Mon-Thu & Sat; %0212-513 8230; fax 511 5219; Ankara Nevruz Kurds and Alevis celebrate the ancient Middle in most parts of Turkey (more in İstanbul, taurants, grocery shops, supermarkets and
Caddesi 1/2, Cağaloğlu) Eastern spring festival on 21 March with much jumping less way out east). businesses catering for foreign tourists will
Iraq embassy in Ankara (%0312-468 7421; fax 468 4832; over bonfires and general jollity. Banned until a few years Quick eats include all the many lokantas remain open. Note that just prior to and after
Turan Emeksiz Sokak 11, Gaziosmanpaşa) ago, Nevruz is now an official holiday with huge parties, that dish up soups, stews and grills – they the holidays banks will be extremely busy and
Netherlands (h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara particularly in Diyarbakır, that last well into the morning. rarely serve alcohol. A meal is likely to cost ATMs may run out of cash during the holiday
(Map p442; %0312-409 1800; fax 409 1898; Hollanda Cad- you only between €4 and €10, even in the period. It’s well worth planning ahead so
desi 3, Yıldız); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-393 2121; April big cities. you don’t end up having to change money at
fax 292 5031; İstiklal Caddesi 393, Beyoğlu) Children’s Day Every 23 April is celebrated with an Cafés fall somewhere between the two cat- inflated rates.
New Zealand embassy in Ankara (Map p442; international children’s festival, with kids invited to egories. They are usually much smarter than
%0312-467 9056; fax 0312-467 9013; level 4, Iran countrywide events. lokantas but not as formal as restaurants. Islamic Holidays
Caddesi 13/4, Kavaklıdere); İstanbul (%0212-251 3895; Anzac Day The disastrous WWI battles for the Dardanelles Most offer a selection of pastas, sandwiches The official Turkish calendar is the Gregorian
nzhonconist@hatem-law.com.tr; İnönü Caddesi 92/3, are commemorated with dawn services at Gallipoli on 25 and salads – you’ll pay between €7 and €15. one used in Europe, but religious festivals
Gümüşuyu) April. There will probably be alcohol available and are celebrated according to the Islamic lunar
Russia (h10-11am Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara (Map may well be music in the evening. calendar. Dates in the Major Islamic Holidays
p442; %0312-439 2122; fax 438 3952; Karyağdi Sokak June & July table, below, are estimates; exact dates are not
5, Çankaya); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-292 5101; Aspendos Opera & Ballet Festival From mid-June GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS confirmed until the moon is sighted.
visavi@turk.net; İstiklal Caddesi 443, Beyoğlu); Trabzon to early July this festival is an excellent excuse to enjoy a Homosexuality is legal in Turkey and atti- Turkey celebrates all the main Islamic
(Map p549; %0462-326 2600; fax 326 2101; Şh Refik performance in one of the finest Roman theatres in the tudes are changing thanks to the hard work holidays of which the most important are
Cesur 6, Ortahisar) world (p395). of groups such as Kaos GL (www.kaosgl.com), but the month-long Ramazan and, two months
Syria embassy in Ankara (%0312-440 9657; fax 438 International İzmir Festival Mid-June to mid-July, İzmir, prejudice remains strong and there are spo- later, Kurban Bayramı. Since these holidays
5609; Sedat Simavi Sokak 40, 06680 Çankaya); İstanbul Çeşme and Ephesus host opera, classical and dance (p230). radic reports of violence towards gays – the are celebrated according to the Muslim lunar
(%0212-232 6721; fax 230 2215; Maçka Caddesi 59/5, Kafkasör Kültür ve Sanat Festivalı In the last week- message is discretion. İstanbul has a flour- calendar, they take place around 11 days ear-
Teşvikiye) There is a newly opened consulate in Gaziantep, end of June join the crush at the bull-wrestling matches at ishing gay scene (see p147), as does Ankara. lier each year.
but at the time of research it was processing visa applica- Artvin (p575). Elsewhere there may only be a bar or two. An unofficial half-day holiday for ‘prepara-
tions only for Turkish nationals. Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Competition Every June, For more information, contact Turkey’s tion’ precedes the start of major public and
UK embassy in Ankara (%0312-455 3344; fax 455 3351; Turkey’s greatest oil wrestlers slug it out for supremacy in gay and lesbian support group, Lambda İstanbul religious holidays; shops and offices close
Şehit Ersan Caddesi 46/A, Çankaya; h9am-12.30pm & Edirne (p171). (www.lambdaistanbul.org) and Kaos GL, based in about noon, and the actual festival begins at
2-4pm Mon-Fri); İstanbul (Map pp100-1; %0212-334 6400; Kültür Sanat ve Turizm Festival During the last week- Ankara, which publishes the country’s only sunset. Of the religious festivals, only Şeker
fax 334 6407; Meşrutiyet Caddesi 34, Tepebaşı, Beyoğlu; end of July Doğubayazıt hosts a culture and arts festival gay and lesbian magazine (in Turkish only). Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı are also public
h9am-12.30pm & 2-3.30pm Mon-Fri); Marmaris (%0412 celebrating Kurdish music, dance and theatre (p587). Gay-friendly travel agents include Sunset holidays.
6486; fax 412 5077; Yeşil Marmaris Travel Agency & Yacht Gay & Lesbian Travel (www.turkey-gay-travel.com) and
Management Bldg, Barbaros Caddesi 249; h9.30am-noon August Absolute Sultans (www.absolutesultans.com). RAMAZAN
Mon-Fri & 2.30-5pm Mon-Thu in summer) Hacı Bektaş Veli Festival From 16 to 18 August, sleepy The Holy Month (Ramadan in other Muslim
USA (h8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) embassy in Ankara little Hacıbektaş comes alive for the annual pilgrimage for HOLIDAYS countries) is similar in some ways to Lent.
(Map p442; %0312-455 5555; fax 467 0019; Atatürk followers of the Bektaşı order of dervishes (p517). When you’re planning your trip, it’s worth Fasting during Ramazan is one of the five
Bulvarı 118, Kavaklıdere); Adana (%0322-346 6262; fax International Ballet Festival Can you think of a more noting the dates of Turkish holidays. You pillars of Islam, and for 30 days devout Mus-
346 7916; Girne Bulvarı No 212 Guzelevler Mahallesi); atmospheric location than the Castle of St Peter in Bodrum should book accommodation and transport lims let nothing pass their lips during daylight
İstanbul; %0212-335 9000; fax 335 9102; Kaplıcalar for this annual festival? See p276 for more. ahead of time wherever possible if you’re plan- hours: no eating, drinking, smoking or even
Mevkii 2, İstinye) ning to travel during a holiday or a few days downing an Aspirin. Pregnant or nursing
December either side of one. The biggest Islamic holiday, women, young children, the infirm and aged,
FESTIVALS & EVENTS Mevlâna Festival This Konya festival, honouring Kurban Bayramı, sees locals travel all over the and travellers are not obliged to fast.
Turkey has loads of festivals – İstanbul seems Celaleddin Rumi, the great poet and mystic who founded
to have something on almost every week! (See the Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes, usually lasts from
p135 for details of some of these.) The follow- around 10 to 17 December (see p486). MAJOR ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
ing are some of the national standouts: Islamic year New Year Prophet’s Birthday Ramazan begins Şeker Bayramı Kurban Bayramı
FOOD
January For information about what you’ll find on 1428 20 Jan 07 31 Mar 07 13 Sep 07 12 Oct 07 20 Dec 07
New Year’s Day A surrogate Christmas on 1 January, Turkish menus, see p68. 1429 10 Jan 08 20 Mar 08 2 Sep 08 1 Oct 08 8 Dec 08
with the usual decorations, exchange of gifts and greeting In the Eating sections of this guide, we 1430 29 Dec 09 9 Mar 09 22 Aug 09 21 Sep 09 28 Nov 09
cards. usually subdivide eating establishments into
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Before dawn, drummers wake the faithful week. Transport is packed, and hotel rooms, INTERNET ACCESS For most travellers driving is the only
so they can eat before sunrise. Traditionally, particularly along the coasts, are scarce and Laptop Computers thing likely to land them in trouble with the
a cannon shot signals the end of the fast at expensive. If you plan to carry your notebook or palmtop law. You may be stopped by blue-uniformed
sunset whereupon everyone sits down to an For more about the part played by food in with you, remember that the power supply trafik polis. You can be fined on the spot for
iftar (the break of fast meal). these festivals, see p70. voltage in Turkey may differ from that at speeding. However, if you know you have
During Ramazan, some restaurants may home, which entails the risk of damage to done nothing wrong and the police appear to
be closed from dawn to nightfall, but most Public Holidays your equipment. The best investment is a be asking for money, play dumb. Inevitably,
eateries catering to tourists remain open. As New Year’s Day (Yılbaşı; 1 January) universal AC adaptor that will enable you though, you’ll have to pay up if they persist.
non-Muslims, you’re allowed to eat and drink National Sovereignty & Children’s Day (Ulusal to plug your appliance in anywhere without If you have an accident, don’t move the
when you like – and in the big cities you’ll Egemenlik ve Çocuk Günü; 23 April) Commemorates the first frying the innards. See www.kropla.com for car before finding a police officer and ask-
find lots of nonfasting Muslims beside you meeting of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1920. more information. ing for a kaza raporu (accident report). The
– but it’s still best to be discreet, especially in Youth & Sports Day (Gençlik ve Spor Günü; 19 May) In four- and five-star hotels, most phone officer may ask you to submit to an alcohol
conservative towns. Dedicated to Atatürk and the youth of the Republic. connections are made using the American- breath-test. Contact your car-rental company
Ramazan is not an official public holiday, Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı; 30 August) Commemorates style clear plastic RJ11 plug, so it’s easy to within 48 hours.
although many businesses operate in a half- the republican army’s victory over the invading Greek army plug in a laptop. Many of these hotels also You could also fall foul of the laws on lese-
hearted manner, opening late and closing at Dumlupınar during the War of Independence. have WLANs. In cheaper and older hotels, majesty (see p655), antiquities smuggling or
early. Not surprisingly tempers can fray faster Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı; 29 October) Com- the phones often use a larger white or beige illegal drugs. It goes without saying that Turk-
than usual at this time, and driving can be a memorates the proclamation of the republic by Atatürk three-prong Turkish plug. In such cases you’ll ish jails are not places where you want to
bit more erratic. in 1923. need to find an electrical shop and buy a cable spend any time.
with one of these plugs on one end and an
ŞEKER BAYRAMI School Holidays RJ11 plug on the other. MAPS
A three-day festival that celebrates the end You need to take Turkish school holidays You’ll can find wi-fi in many airports, cafés Street Maps
of Ramazan, Şeker Bayramı (Sweets Holi- into account when planning your trip. Along and top-end hotels throughout the country. Turkish tourist offices stock OK-quality street
day; Ramazan Bayramı) is so named because with increasing affluence has come a swell- See www.winet.turktelekom.com.tr for the maps of Adana, Ankara, Antalya, İstanbul and
during this festival children go from door to ing domestic tourism market that gets into hot spots. İzmir. Of the local privately produced street
door asking for sweet treats. Their elders go its stride in mid-June and continues right maps, Map Medya’s are best. It produces
visiting, and everybody drinks lots of tea in through until mid-September. During those Internet Cafés proper street maps of many western Turkey
broad daylight after the long fast. Banks and months many coastal towns, especially along Turks took to the internet like ducks to water. cities (€3). You can pick these up in İstanbul
offices close; hotels, buses, trains and planes the north Aegean coast between İstanbul and Wherever you go, you’ll be two steps from an at Azim Dağıtım (Map pp96-7; %0212-638 1313; Klodfarer
are booked solid. İzmir, get very busy and transport can become internet café, and most have ADSL connec- Caddesi 6, Sultanahmet; h9am-7pm Mon-Sat) or in the
very crowded. tions. Most hotels, pensions, travel agencies good bookshops along İstiklal Caddesi.
KURBAN BAYRAMI and carpet shops are also hooked up. Fees are
The most important religious and secular INSURANCE usually around €2 for an hour. Internet cafés Touring Maps
holiday of the year, Kurban Bayramı (Fes- A travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss are usually open from 9am til late at night, or Turkish tourist offices stock a free sheet Tour-
tival of the Sacrifice) is just as important to and medical expenses is a very good idea. A until the last customer leaves. ist Map (1:850,000) – it’s OK at a pinch, but
Muslims as Christmas is to Christians. The huge variety of policies is available, so check The best internet cafés have English key- it’s usually out of date. The best sheet map of
festival commemorates İbrahim’s near- sac- the small print. boards. Others will have Turkish keyboards, the whole country you can buy is the Türkiye
rifice of İsmael on Mt Moriah (Quran, Sura Some policies specifically exclude ‘danger- in which case you need to be aware that Karayolları Haritası (1:1,000,000; €3), by Map
37; Genesis 22), the same story as the biblical ous activities’, which can include scuba diving, Turkish has two ‘i’s: the familiar dotted ‘i’, Medya, updated twice a year.
one about Abraham and Isaac. motorcycling and even trekking. Some poli- and the less familiar dotless ‘ı’. Unfortunately For detailed touring, the Köy Köy Türkiye
Every year around four million cows and cies don’t recognise locally obtained motor- the one in the usual place on a Turkish key- (Turkey Village by Village; 1:400,000; €17) atlas
sheep are sacrificed for Kurban Bayramı. cycle licences. board is the dotless ‘ı’; ensure you are using is the best. The Oto Atlas Türkiye (Road Atlas
Every head of household who can afford to Some policies will pay your medical ex- the correct dotted ‘i’ when typing in email Turkey) at 1:600,000 is another good option.
buys a beast to sacrifice. Immediately after penses directly, while others will reimburse addresses. Map Medya also produces excellent regional
early morning prayers on the first day of the you later. For more on health insurance, see Likewise, on a Turkish keyboard you will maps. You can buy these in İstanbul.
holiday the animal’s throat is slit. It’s then p687. have to create the ‘@’ symbol by holding down
flayed and butchered, and family and friends Note that some insurance policies may the ‘q’ and ALT keys at the same time. MONEY
prepare a feast. Part of the meat is given to the not cover you if you travel to regions of Turkey’s currency is the Yeni Türk Lirası (New
needy; the skin is donated to a charity, which the country where your government warns LEGAL MATTERS Turkish Lira; YTL). Lira comes in coins of 1,
then sells it to a leather products company. against travel. Similarly if you decide to It’s important to remember that when you 5, 10, 25 and 50 kuruş and a 1 lira coin, and
These days you won’t see the sacrifices in cancel your trip on the advice of an official are in Turkey you are subject to Turkish law, notes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lira.
the cities, but out in the countryside it’s a warning against travel your insurer may not not the law of your home country. Beyond Prices in this book are quoted in more stable
different story. cover you. urging the Turkish authorities to treat you euros. For details on costs in Turkey, see p19.
Kurban Bayramı is a four- or five-day See p682 for details on motor and health fairly, your embassy won’t be able to help you For exchange rates, see the Quick Reference in
holiday, and banks usually close for a full insurance, respectively. if you break the law. the inside front cover of this book.
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After decades of rampant inflation – as high shops and hotels, although banks tend to local mail. See www.ptt.gov.tr for information If you’re wondering about the meaning
as 70% – the Turkish lira started to stabilise in make heavy weather of it. Places that don’t on post offices and rates. behind the ubiquitous blue-glass eyes, see
2003; by 2004 inflation was down to around charge a commission usually offer a worse Turkish postanes (post offices) are indi- (p232).
12%. The Yeni Türk Lirası was introduced in exchange rate instead. cated by black-on-yellow ‘PTT’ signs. Main Note that most shops close on Sunday ex-
January 2005. However, it still makes sense to Although Turkey has no black market, for- post offices in large cities are open from 8am cept in prime tourist locations.
wait until you arrive in Turkey to change your eign currencies are readily accepted in shops, to 8pm daily. Smaller post offices keep more
money into lira since you will probably get a hotels and restaurants in many tourist areas. limited hours (8.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm Carpets & Kilims
better exchange rate inside the country than Exchange rates for several major curren- to 5.30pm) and may be closed on Saturday Turkey is famous for its beautiful carpets
outside. Turkish lira are virtually worthless cies are listed on the inside front cover of afternoon and all day Sunday. and kilims (flat-weave rugs). Most carpet
outside Turkey, so make sure you spend them this book. Most post offices in tourist areas offer shops have a range of pieces made by a vari-
all before leaving. poste-restante services, generally from 8.30am ety of techniques. Besides the traditional pile
Restaurateurs and shop owners don’t often Tipping to noon and 1.30pm to 4pm. To collect your carpets, they usually offer double-sided flat-
carry large-denomination notes on them, so In the cheapest restaurants locals leave a few mail, go to the merkez postane (main post woven mats such as kilims. Most are beauti-
try to keep a supply of small money on you coins in the change tray. Elsewhere you should office) with your passport. Letters should be ful traditional designs and techniques, but
for small payments. tip about 10% to 15% of the bill. Some more addressed as follows: Name, Poste Restante, many are patchwork or other contemporary
expensive restaurants automatically add a Merkez Postahane, District, Postcode, City, designs.
ATMs 10% or 15% servis ücreti (service charge) to Province, Turkey. There are no guarantees As well as Turkish carpets, most carpet
ATMs dispense new Turkish lira to Visa, Mas- your bill, but there’s no guarantee this goes you will receive mail, so never have anything shops sell pieces from other countries, in
terCard, Cirrus and Maestro card holders. Look to the staff, so you may want to tip the staff valuable or important sent to you. particular from Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan
for these logos on the machines; they are found directly. Letters sometimes take several weeks to and the ex-Soviet republics of Azerbaijan,
in most towns. Virtually all the machines offer Tips are not expected in cheaper hotels. arrive (packets even longer), so plan ahead Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. If it matters
instructions in English, French and German. In more expensive places a porter will carry accordingly. that your carpet is actually from Turkey, bear
It’s possible to get around Turkey using only your luggage and show you to your room. For in mind that Iran favours the single knot and
ATMs, provided you remember to draw out doing this (and showing you how to turn on Parcels Turkey the double knot. Turkish carpets also
money in the towns to tide you through the the lights and the television) he’ll expect about If you decide to ship something home from tend to have a higher pile, more dramatic
villages that don’t have them, and keep some 3% of the room price. Turkey, don’t close your parcel before it has designs and more varied colours than their
cash in reserve for the inevitable day when the It’s usual to round up metered taxi fares to been inspected by a customs official. Take Iranian cousins.
machine throws a wobbly, or it’s a holiday. the nearest 50 kuruş, so round up YTL4.70 to packing and wrapping materials with you to The carpet market is lucrative and the hard-
You can usually draw out about €350 per day. YTL5. Dolmuş drivers never expect a tip. the post office. Parcels sent by surface mail sell antics of some dealers have tended to bring
Note that if your card is swallowed by a In Turkish baths you should tip around to Europe cost around €14 for the first 1kg, the trade into disrepute, putting off some
stand-alone ATM booth, it may be tricky 10% to 20% to the masseuse/masseur. In the then €2 per kg thereon; to USA, €14 for the potential purchasers. To ensure you get a good
getting it back in a hurry – these booths are tourist-oriented hamams the fixed price may first 1kg, then €4 thereon; and to Australia €15 buy, spend time visiting shops and compar-
often run by franchisees rather than by the already be so high that you may assume that for the first 1kg, then €5 thereon. ing prices and quality. It’s also worth taking a
banks themselves. service is included, but it usually isn’t and a If you’d prefer the security of an interna- look in the shops at home before you leave so
tip is appreciated. tional courier, DHL, for example, charges €85 that you’ll know what’s available and for what
Cash If you are shown around a site that is not for a 2kg parcel to Europe, €105 for the USA prices at home. When deciding whether to
US dollars and euros are the easiest curren- normally open to the public or are given a and €140 to Australia. buy a particular carpet it might help to follow
cies to change, although many banks and guided tour by the custodian, you should We receive occasional complaints from some of the guidelines listed here:
exchange offices will change other major cur- certainly tip them for their trouble. A few YTL readers who have bought a beautiful kilim and A good-quality, long-lasting carpet or
rencies such as UK pounds and Japanese yen. for 10 or so minutes is usually fine. agreed to have the shopkeeper ship it out, only kilim should be 100% wool (yüz de yüz
You may find it difficult to exchange Austral- to find a much cheaper item arriving. This is yün). Is the wool fine and shiny, with
ian or Canadian currency except at banks and Travellers Cheques only likely to happen if the shop is a fly-by- signs of the natural oil? Recycled or cheap
offices in major cities. Our advice: don’t bring them! Banks, shops night one. Shops that have been in business a wool feels scratchy and has no sheen, and
and hotels usually see it as a burden to change long time have no vested interest in ripping the cheapest carpets may be made from
Credit Cards travellers cheques and will either try to get you off their customers and are usually well used mercerised cotton or ‘flosh’. Another way
Visa and MasterCard/Access are widely ac- to go elsewhere or charge you a premium for to shipping parcels worldwide. to identify the material is to turn the car-
cepted by hotels, shops, bars and restaurants, changing them. pet over and look for the fine, frizzy fibres
although not by pensions and local restau- SHOPPING common to wool. But bear in mind that
rants outside main tourist areas. You can also POST Travellers are usually surprised and delighted just being made of wool doesn’t guaran-
get cash advances on these cards. Amex cards Postcards to Europe cost €0.55, and to all by the range and quality of things to buy in tee a kilim or carpet’s quality. If the dyes
are rarely accepted. other destinations €0.65. Letters to Europe Turkey. Sure, there are plenty of chintzy souve- and design are ugly, even a 100% woollen
cost €0.65, and to all other destinations €0.80. nirs, but most of what you buy here won’t end piece can be a bad buy.
Moneychangers Post your letters in the post office: the yurtdışı up in the cupboard within a week of returning. Check the closeness of the weave by turn-
It’s easy to change major currencies in ex- slot is for mail to foreign countries, the yurtiçi Goodies here are increasingly being exported ing the carpet or kilim over and inspecting
change offices, some post offices (PTTs), for mail to other Turkish cities; the şehiriçi for to designer boutiques round the world. the back. In general, the tighter the weave
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and the smaller the knots, the higher the There’s nothing wrong with a dealer of- are handsome and some are still eminently Meerschaum
quality and durability of the piece. fering you a patched or repainted carpet useful. New copperware tends to be of If you smoke a pipe, you know about meer-
Beware the salesman who asserts that provided they point out these defects and lighter gauge, but will still have been made schaum (lületaşı). The world’s largest and
all his range are coloured with natural price the piece accordingly. by hand. finest beds of this hydrous magnesium silicate,
dyes. Chemical dyes have been the main Copper vessels should not be used for this soft, white stone, are found near the city
method of colouring in the country for Ceramics cooking or eating unless they have been of Eskişehir (p303). This porous but heat-re-
the last 50 years. There is nothing wrong After carpets and kilims, Turkey’s beautiful tinned inside: that is, washed with molten sistant material is used most famously to make
with chemical dyes, but natural dyes and ceramics would have to be the most successful tin that covers the toxic copper. If you in- pipes. Artful carving of the stone produces
colours tend to be preferred and therefore souvenir industry. Many of the tiles you see tend to use a copper vessel, make sure the pipes portraying anything from turbaned
fetch higher prices. Spread the nap with in shops have been painted using a silkscreen interior layer of tin is intact or negotiate to paşas to mythological beasts.
your fingers and look at the bottom of printing method and this is why they’re cheap. have it kalaylı (tinned). Be sure to ask about
the pile. Both natural and chemical dyes One step up are the ubiquitous hand-painted the price of the tinning in advance as teneke SOLO TRAVELLERS
fade (despite what the salesman might bowls, plates and other pieces; these are made (tin) is expensive. Turkey is a great country for solo travellers
tell you). If you see the colours are lighter by rubbing a patterned carbon paper on the since most hotels and pensions have a per-
on the surface than deep in the pile, it’s raw ceramic, tracing the black outline, and Inlaid Wood head charge or offer discounts for lone travel-
often an indication that the surface has filling in the holes with colour. The most ex- You’ll find cigarette boxes, chess and tavla lers; only rarely will you have to pay the full
faded in the sun, but not necessarily that pensive pieces are hand-painted by master (backgammon) boards and all sorts of items price of a double (except at the Hilton, Shera-
it is an antique. craftspeople, without the use of patterns. inlaid with different coloured woods, silver ton and their ilk). However, single travellers
Unless you know something about an- Note that many ceramics have been covered or mother-of-pearl on sale all over Turkey. do need to develop a thick skin as most Turks
tique carpets and kilims, which are always in lead-based glaze so it’s probably safest to Make sure what you’re buying actually is inlay couldn’t conceive of going anywhere alone
more expensive, it’s probably best to stick use them as ornaments. – these days, alarmingly accurate imitations (except, perhaps, on business). Wherever you
with new productions. New carpets can exist. Also, check whether the ‘silver’ is not go you’ll have people double-checking with
be made to look old, and damaged or Copper actually aluminium or pewter. you that you’re really alone and expecting you
worn carpets can be rewoven (good work, Gleaming copper vessels will greet you in to justify your solitary status.
but expensive), patched or even painted. every souvenir shop. Some are old, most Jewellery If you, too, are having doubts about soli-
Turkey is a wonderful place to buy jewellery, tude then Turkey’s many small pensions are
whether new or old. Jewellers’ Row in any great places to meet potential travelling com-
THE ART OF BARGAINING market is a dazzling strip of glittering shop panions, as are the hostels in İstanbul.
Traditionally, when customers enter a Turkish shop to make a significant purchase, they’re offered windows filled with gold for brides-to-be. Lone women inevitably have a harder time
a comfortable seat and a drink (çay – tea, coffee or a soft drink). There is some general chitchat, Serious gold-buyers should check the daily of it, although the problems rarely go much
then discussion of the shop’s goods in general, then of the customer’s tastes, preferences and re- price for unworked gold of so-many carat further than the occasional unsolicited knock
quirements. Finally, a number of items in the shop are displayed for the customer’s inspection. in the daily papers. Watch carefully as the on the hotel door at midnight; see p668 for
The customer asks the price; the shop owner gives it; the customer looks doubtful and makes jeweller weighs the piece in question, and then more information.
a counteroffer 25% to 50% lower. This procedure goes back and forth several times before a price calculate what part of the price is for gold and
acceptable to both parties is arrived at. It’s considered very bad form to haggle over a price, what part for labour. TELEPHONE
come to an agreement, and then change your mind. Silver is another matter. You can certainly Türk Telekom (www.telekom.gov.tr) has a monopoly
If you can’t agree on a price it’s perfectly OK to say goodbye and walk out of the shop. In find sterling silver jewellery (look for the hall- on phone services, and service is efficient if
fact, walking out is one of the best ways to test the authenticity of the ‘last’ offer. If shopkeepers mark) but beware nickel silver and pewter-like costly. You can direct-dial within Turkey and
know you can find the item elsewhere for less, they’ll probably call out, ‘OK, it’s yours for what imitations. Silver, too, is sold by weight as overseas with little difficulty. When calling
you offered.’ Even if they don’t stop you, there’s nothing to prevent you from returning later and well as labour. Turkey from overseas the country code is
buying the item for what they quoted. %90, and you drop the 0 on the area codes.
To bargain effectively you must be prepared to take your time, and you must know something Leather The international access code to call abroad
about the items in question, not to mention their market price. The best way to do this is to look On any given Kurban Bayramı (Festival of from Turkey is %00.
at similar goods in several shops, asking prices but not making counteroffers. Always stay good the Sacrifice), more than 2.5 million sheep
humoured and polite when you are bargaining – if you do this the shopkeeper will too. When get the axe in Turkey. Add to that the normal Kontörlü Telefon
bargaining you can often get a discount by offering to buy several items at once, by paying in day-to-day needs of a cuisine based on mutton If you’re only going to make one call, it’s best
a strong major currency, or by paying cash. and lamb, and you have a huge amount of raw to look for a booth with a sign saying kontörlü
If you don’t have sufficient time to shop around, follow the age-old rule: find something you material to be made into leather; hence the telefon (metered telephone); you make your
like at a price you’re willing to pay, buy it, enjoy it, and don’t worry about whether or not you country’s thriving leather industry. call and the owner reads the meter and charges
received the world’s lowest price. Jackets are one of the most popular pur- you accordingly. The cost of a local call de-
In general, you shouldn’t bargain in food shops or over transport costs. Outside tourist areas, chases. To be sure of a good buy, examine the pends on what the phone’s owner charges for
hotels may expect to ‘negotiate’ the room price with you. In tourist areas pension owners are piece thoroughly. Try it on just as carefully each kontör (unit). In touristy areas you can
usually fairly clear about their prices, although if you’re travelling in winter or staying a long and see whether the sleeves are full enough, get rates as low as €0.25 per minute to Europe,
time it’s worth asking about indirim (discounts). the buttonholes are positioned well and the the UK, USA and Australia. These rates are,
collar rubs. however, almost twice as much International
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Phonecards (see below), but may be the best line (ie the phone in your hotel room) or a TOURIST INFORMATION Residency Permits
option if you’re only making a quick call. public phone. You call the national toll-free Every Turkish town of any size has an of- If you plan to stay in Turkey for more than
number, put in the PIN umber on the card ficial tourist office run by the Ministry of three months, you can apply for an ikamet
Mobile Phones and dial away. Companies such as IPC and Tourism. They’re usually open from 8.30am tezkeresi (residence permit), which is usually
Turks adore mobile (cep, pocket) phones, and Bigalo offer the best rates (note, these are to noon or 12.30pm, and from 1.30pm to valid for one to two years. You’ll need to
reception is excellent throughout nearly all of not the cards with the Türk Telecom logo). 5.30pm Monday to Friday, with longer hours contact the local emniyet müdürlüğü (security
the country. Mobile phone numbers start with For a 300-kontör IPC card (which costs €3) and at weekends in summer in popular tourist police) and show that you have some means of
a four-figure code beginning with %05. you can speak for 20/6 minutes to a land- locations. Unfortunately only a handful have supporting yourself (savings, a steady income
If you want use your home phone in Tur- line/mobile in Australia, and around 26/6 staff who know anything about the area or from outside the country) or legal work within
key, note that Turkey uses the standard GSM minutes to a landline/mobile to the UK, Eu- who speak any language other than Turkish. the country. As the permit costs a whopping
(Global System for Mobile Communications) rope and the USA. IPC cards are available If the information you need is not already in €320 for a year, many expats find it more
network operating on 900MHz or 1800MHz. in 300, 1000 (€8.50) and 1500 (€17) kontör this book, you are unlikely to find it by visit- convenient and cheaper to cross the border
Most phones are GSM so they should be fine lots. It’s worthwhile sticking to a reputable ing a tourist office. Your best bet is usually every three months.
but some US-, Canadian- and Scandinavian- phonecard company (such as IPC or Bigalo) to seek out a sympathetic tour operator or
bought mobiles phones are not compatible. as with other companies’ cards credit has pension owner. Visa Extensions
You should set up an international roaming been known to disappear or calls won’t go Following is a select list of tourist offices In theory a Turkish visa can be renewed once
facility with your home phone provider before through. These cards are widely available outside Turkey: after three months at the nearest branch of the
you leave home. Mobiles can connect with Tur- in the street-side booths in tourist areas of France (%01 45 62 78 68; www.infoturquie.com; 102 emniyet müdürlüğü, but the bureaucracy and
key’s Turkcell (www.turkcell.com.tr), Telsim (www.telsim. İstanbul and Ankara but can be difficult to Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris) costs involved mean that it’s much easier to
com.tr) or Avea (www.avea.com.tr) networks. find elsewhere. You cannot use these cards Germany Berlin (%030-214 3752; www.tuerkei-kultur leave the country (usually to a Greek island)
If you want to buy a SIM card while you’re through mobile phones. -info.de; Tauentzien Str 9-12, 10789) Frankfurt (%069-23 and then come back in again on a fresh visa.
in Turkey, it’s a good idea to stick to the big 3081; www.reiseland-tuerkei-info.de; Baseler Str 35-37, Unless you speak Turkish, dealing with the
networks – Turkcell, Avea or MyCep (Telsim) TIME 60329 Frankfurt) emniyet müdürlüğü is complicated.
– as you’ll get good coverage over the country Turkish time is two hours ahead of GMT/ UK (%0207-839 7778; www.gototurkey.co.uk; 4th fl,
as well as competitive rates. A SIM card with UTC. Daylight saving (summer time) runs 29-30 St James’s St, London SW1A 1HB) Working Visas
Turkcell costs around €17 and usually includes from 3am on the last Sunday in March until USA New York (%212-687 2194; www.tourismturkey. It’s best to obtain a çalışma vizesi (working
some free kontör (unit); you’ll need to show 4am on the last Sunday in October. Dur- org; 821 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017) Los Angeles visa) from the Turkish embassy or consulate
your passport and ensure the seller sends your ing daylight saving time, when it’s noon in (%323-937 8066; 5055 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 850, Los before you leave your home country. At least
details through to Turkcell to activate your ac- İstanbul it’s 2am in Los Angeles and Vancou- Angeles, CA 90036) Washington DC (%202-612 6800; two months before your departure date sub-
count. You can buy prepaid phone cards at any ver, 5am in New York, 10am in London, 6pm 2525 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, DC 20008) mit in person the completed visa form, your
of the little streetside booths around the country. in Tokyo, 7pm in Sydney and 9pm in Auck- passport, a photo of yourself, your proof of
Expect to pay around €7/14 for 120/300 kontör land. See www.timeanddate.com to calculate VISAS employment (a contract or letter from your
with Turkcell, a little more with MyCep or Avea, other time differences. Nationals of the following countries (among employer) and the required fee (between €140
but it depends on what specials are on. Turks use the 24-hour clock. others) don’t need a visa to visit Turkey for and €200, depending on your nationality).
up to three months: Belgium, Denmark, Fin- After about three weeks (Inşallah, God will-
Pay Phones & Phonecards TOILETS land, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, ing), your passport will be returned with the
Türk Telekom payphones can be found in Although most hotels and public facilities Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Nationals visa stamped inside.
most major public buildings and facilities, have sit-down toilets, you’ll also see hole-in- of Australia, Austria, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Once you arrive in Turkey with a work
public squares and transportation termini. the-ground models in Turkey. The custom Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, permit, you must obtain a ‘pink book’ (a
International calls can be made from all pay- is to wash yourself using the left hand with the UK and USA do need a visa, but this is combined work permit and residence permit)
phones. All payphones require cards that can water from a jug or to use the little copper just a sticker bought on arrival at the airport from the emniyet müdürlüğü (security police).
be bought at telephone centres or, for a small tube in the toilet, which spurts water where or border post rather than at an embassy in If your employer doesn’t do this for you, apply
mark-up, at some shops. There are two sets of needed. You then dry yourself with tissues, advance (make sure to join the queue to buy with your passport, five passport photos and
cards in use: magnetic strip floppy cards and which you usually provide yourself. In most your visa before the queue for immigration). the processing fee (€320 for a year, but check
ones with chips on them called Smart cards. slick, modern bathrooms you can flush paper How much you pay for your visa (essentially as it rises regularly). Your pink book should
In general, both cards cost about the same. A directly down the toilet, but in many places a tourist tax) varies; at the time of writing be ready in three or four working days and
30-unit card (€1.50) is sufficient for local calls; if you do this you may flood the premises. If British, Australians and US citizens paid €15, replaces the visa in your passport. It’s renew-
50 units (€2.75) for short domestic intercity you’re not sure, play it safe and put it in the Canadians €45, Spanish, Italians and Irish able every year as long as you can prove you’re
calls; and 100 units (€4.75) for longer domestic bin provided. €10. No photos are required and the proce- still working.
intercity calls or short international chats. The Fairly clean public toilets can usually be dure is straight forward. Most people who are working in Turkey
newer phones also accept major credit cards. found at major attractions and transport hubs. The standard visa is valid for three months illegally (as private English tutors, for exam-
In an emergency it’s worth remembering that and, depending on your nationality, usually ple) cross the border into Greece, Northern
INTERNATIONAL PHONECARDS every mosque has a basic toilet. allows for multiple entries. See the Ministry Cyprus or Bulgaria every three months rather
The cheapest option for international calls Most public toilets – even in restaurants or of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.gov.tr) for the latest than bother with the cost and hassle of trying
is with phonecards that you use with a land- cinemas – require payment of around €0.30. information. to extend their visa or get residency. In theory
© Lonely Planet Publications
DIRECTORY 668 D I R E C T O R Y • • W o m e n T r a v e l l e r s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com D I R E C T O R Y • • W o r k 669
DIRECTORY
an immigration officer could query a passport while that was undoubtedly a dreadful one- it’ll be private tuition (which pays from €17 to shops, leaving the country every three months
full of recent Turkish stamps. However, in our off, if conversation in the lobby invariably €30 per hour) or at a private language school to renew their visas. This sort of work has the
experience most of them happily turn a blind grinds to a halt as you cross the threshold it (where you can expect around €11 an hour). advantage that you can take it or leave it at
eye to this bending of the rules. might suggest that this is not really a great If you have teaching qualifications (at least a will. But be warned that the authorities take a
Note that rules seem to change regularly, so place for a woman. If there is a knock on your Bachelor of Education, majoring in English) dim view of foreigners ‘stealing’ local jobs and
see www.e-konsolosluk.net and the Turkish hotel door late at night, don’t open it; in the you should arm yourself with a TEFL certifi- that there are occasional shake-outs when they
embassy or consulate in your home country morning, complain to the manager. cate as well to place yourself within reach of rush around threatening people with prosecu-
for the latest information about visa require- We recommend female travellers always the best jobs. Universities will not hire without tion (it rarely actually happens).
ments. stick to official camp sites and camp where teaching qualifications, nor will most der-
there are plenty of people around – especially shanes, and the best private language schools Volunteer Work
WOMEN TRAVELLERS out east. A female traveller was raped in mid- expect at least a TEFL. Pay can be from €750 There are a slowly growing number of vol-
Travelling Turkey as a female traveller is easy 2006 while camping beside a waterfall near to €1400 per month, often with accommoda- unteering opportunities in Turkey, offering
and enjoyable, provided you follow some sim- Van with her male companion and, while tion, flights home and a work permit thrown everything from working on organic farms to
ple guidelines. Tailor your behaviour and your this is a very rare occurrence, it’s a risk you in. The best time of the year to job hunt is helping out on an archaeological dig. Volunteer
clothing to your surrounds. Look at what need to weigh up nonetheless. We should near the end of the summer school break, Abroad (www.volunteerabroad.com) is a UK-
local women are wearing. On the streets of also mention that we’ve heard reports about around mid- to late August, when schools based company listing volunteering opportu-
Beyoğlu in İstanbul you’ll see skimpy tops two female travellers claiming to have been are desperate for teachers to replace those nities through international organisations in
and tight jeans, but cleavage and short skirts drugged with drinks at a camp in Olympos. who found a spot on a beautiful beach and Turkey. Local operators include:
without leggings are always a bit of a no-no. See p381 for more information. decided to stay. Alternative Camp (www.alternativecamp.org) A fully
Having a banter with men in restaurants and Restaurants that aim to attract women As well as those job-hunting resources volunteer-based organisation running camps for disabled
shops in western Turkey can be great fun, usually set aside a special room (or part of listed in the introduction to this section, you people around the country.
especially since most won’t necessarily think one) for family groups. Look for the term aile may also want to log onto www.eslcafe.com Genctur (www.genctur.com) A portal for various volun-
anything of it. Out east it’s a different story. salonu (family dining room). and www.tefl.com. teering schemes throughout the country, and a good first
Passing through some towns you can count point of call to see what’s on offer in Turkey.
the number of women you see on one hand, WORK Tourism Ta Tu Ta (www.bugday.org/tatuta) Organises work on
and those you do see will be headscarved and Some travellers come to Turkey for a week Many travellers also find work illegally for some 60-odd organic farms around the country, where you
wearing long jackets. Life here for women is and end up staying for months, or even a room and board in pensions, bars and carpet can stay for free or for a small donation to cover costs.
largely restricted to the home. This is not the lifetime. However, jobs aren’t all that easy
place to practice your Turkish (or Kurdish) to find (Turkey has a high unemployment
for hours on end with the local kebapci and level) and most people end up teaching Eng-
expect him not to get the wrong idea. Keep lish, though there are other opportunities of
your dealings with men formal and polite, course. Job hunters may have luck with the
not friendly. You certainly don’t need to don Turkish Daily News and the expat websites
a headscarf, but long sleeves and baggy long www.mymerhaba.com, www.expatinturkey.
pants should attract the least attention. com and http://istanbul.craigslist.org.
Men and unrelated women are not expected
to sit beside each other in long-distance buses, Nannying
and lone women are often assigned seats at One of the most lucrative nonspecialist jobs
the front of the bus near the driver. If you’re available to foreigners (from €550 to €850 per
not told where to sit, avoid sitting at the back week) involves nannying for the wealthy city
since that seems to have ‘back-of-the-cinema’ elite; work mainly restricted to English-speak-
connotations in some men’s minds. We have ing women who must be prepared for long
also received reports of some yardımcıs (con- hours and demanding employers. Contact
ductors) on night buses harassing their female Anglo Nannies (%0212-287 6898; www.anglonannies.com;
customers. If that happens to you, complain Bebek Yolu Sokak, Ebru Apt No 25/2 Etiler, İstanbul, 80630), the
loudly, making sure that others on the bus main agency dealing with placements.
hear, and repeat your complaint on arrival
at your destination – you have a right to be Teaching English
treated with respect. When travelling by taxi It is also possible to earn a decent living as an
avoid getting into the seat beside the driver. English teacher, either privately, for a univer-
When looking for a hotel, you may have sity, a private dershane (school), or for one
to accept that the cheapest fleapits are not of the many private language schools around
suitable for lone women and stick with family- the country.
oriented midrange hotels. In 2001 a Taiwanese If you don’t have any teaching qualifica-
tourist was murdered in an Urfa hotel and, tions, you can usually still find a job, though
© Lonely Planet Publications
670 lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G T H E R E & A W AY • • A i r 671
reasonable safety record, and service is usually Singapore Airlines (SIA; www.singaporeair.com)
Tickets
For contact details for most of these airlines If you’re after cheap flights, the cheapest
in İstanbul, see p155. routes between Europe and İstanbul are fly-
CONTENTS THINGS CHANGE... Aeroflot (airline code AFL; www.aeroflot.com) ing through Germany to Turkey, and with
The information in this chapter is particu- Air France (AF; www.airfrance.com) EasyJet, which flies between London (Luton)
Getting There & Away 670
larly vulnerable to change. Check directly Alitalia (AZ; www.alitalia.com) and İstanbul, and Switzerland (Basel) and
Entering the Country 670
with the airline or a travel agent to make American Airlines (AA; www.aa.com) İstanbul. Sometimes you can also find them
Air 670
sure you understand how a fare (and ticket Azerbaijan Airlines (AHY; www.azal.az) by booking on less-usual airlines eg Cyprus
Land 673
you may buy) works and be aware of the British Airways (BA; www.britishairways.com) Turkish Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines.
Sea 677
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
security requirements for international Condor (DE; www.condor.de) Some airlines offer student fares too. Other-
Tours 678
travel. Shop carefully. The details given in Corendon Airlines (CAI; www.corendon.com) wise Turkey is not the best destination for
Getting Around 678
this chapter should be regarded as point- Cyprus Turkish Airlines (KTHY; www.kthy.net) special deals.
Air 679
ers and are not a substitute for your own EasyJet (EZY; www.easyjet.com) It’s a good idea to book at least two months
Bicycle 679
careful, up-to-date research. Emirates Airlines (EK; www.emirates.com) in advance for flights to/from Turkey if you
Boat 679
Fly Air (FLM; www.flyair.com.tr) plan to arrive in the country any time from
Bus 679
German Wings (GWI; www25.germanwings.com) early April until late August.
Car & Motorcycle 681
the border for two to three hours – or even Hapag Lloyd (HFwww.hlx.com) Flights quoted in this chapter are for peak
Dolmuşes & Midibuses 683
longer if your fellow passengers don’t have Iberia (IB; www.iberia.com) season and include airport taxes.
Hitching 683
their paperwork in order. Iran Air (IR; www.iranair.com)
Local Transport 683
Japan Airlines (JL; www.jal.co.jp/en) Australia
Tours 684
Passport KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines (KL; www.klm.com) You can fly directly to İstanbul with Emir-
Train 684
Make sure your passport will still have at Lufthansa (LH; www.lufthansa.com) ates, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore Airlines
least three months’ life in it after you enter Olympic Airways (OA; www.olympicairlines.com) for around A$1200/1890 (one-way/return)
Turkey. Onur Air (OHY; www.onurair.com.tr/eng/) from Sydney or Melbourne. You can often get
GETTING THERE & AWAY AIR
Pegasus Airlines (PGT; www.flypgs.com) cheaper flights with European airlines such as
Lufthansa, but you’ll have to transit in a Eu- İzmir and Ankara to Ercan airport at Lefkoşa of the season. Typical return charter fares, Crossing the border with your own vehicle
ropean city first (ie Frankfurt for Lufthansa), (Northern Nicosia). bought in advance, are UK£149/199 for should be fairly straightforward. No special
before catching a flight back to İstanbul – very one/two weeks. Charter flights to Turkey go documents are required to import a car for
frustrating! Middle East & Asia from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick, Lon- up to six months, but be sure to take it out
Three well-known agencies for cheap fares If you want to fly to/from Turkey from any of don, Manchester, Nottingham and Newcastle. again before the six months is up. If you
are STA Travel (%1300 733 035; www.statravel.com.au), the central Asian countries, you can usually Try online charter flight agents Just the Flight overstay your permit, you may have to pay
Flight Centre (%133 133; www.flightcentre.com.au) and pick up a flight with Turkish Airlines or the (%0870-758 9589; www.justtheflight.co.uk) and Thom- customs duty equal to the full retail value
Best Flights (%1300 767 757; www.bestflights.com.au). country’s national carrier. Turkish Airlines sonfly.com (%0870-190 0737; www.thomsonfly.com). of the car! If you want to leave your car in
flies İstanbul–Tbilisi (Georgia) and İstanbul– Other recommended travel agencies in the Turkey and return to collect it later, the car
Canada Baku (Azerbaijan) for around €300 each way. UK and Ireland: must be put under a customs seal, which is a
Most flights from Toronto, Ottawa and Van- Azerbaijan Airlines also offers direct flights STA Travel (%0870-163 0026; www.statravel.co.uk) tedious process.
couver connect with İstanbul-bound flights between Baku and İstanbul or Ankara, and Trailfinders (%0845-058 5858; www.trailfinders.co.uk) For more on each country’s border cross-
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
in the UK and continental Europe. One-way/ these are generally cheaper. Because the bor- Usit Unlimited (%01 602 1904; www.usitworld.com) ings, see the relevant country headings
return fares from İstanbul start at around der between Turkey and Armenia is closed, following.
C$950/1550 with Lufthansa and Air Canada. you can’t travel overland between the two USA
Try Travelcuts (%1866-246 9762; www.travelcuts.com), countries, but you can fly. Both Armavia Air- Turkish Airlines offers flights to İstanbul Armenia
Canada’s national student travel agency, or lines and Fly Air have two flights a week each from New York from about US$1400 return. At the time of writing, the Turkish–Armenian
Airlineticketsdirect.com (% 1877-679 8500; www way between İstanbul and Yerevan. Turkish From Los Angeles fares start at US$1650 border was closed to travellers. The situation
.airlineticketsdirect.com). Airlines has daily flights to Tehran and Tabriz return. Try Delta and American Airlines, could always change so it’s worth checking
(Iran), for as little as €120. too. You’ll probably get a marginally cheaper (the Russian embassy handles Armenian dip-
Continental Europe One of the cheapest ways to get between flight with Lufthansa or KLM-Royal Dutch lomatic interests in Turkey).
Generally, there’s not much variation in fares northeast or southeast Asia and Turkey is Airlines, but you’ll have to change planes in If you want to travel from Turkey to Arme-
to Turkey from one European city or another. to fly via Dubai. Emirates Airlines flies to Europe. nia (or vice versa) you can fly (see opposite) or
Most European national carriers fly direct to İstanbul and over nine destinations in India, Some leading US travel agencies: travel by bus via Georgia. At least three buses
İstanbul for around €200 return. Cheaper re- to Pakistan and further afield to Hong Kong Expedia (%800-397 3342; www.expedia.com) weekly depart from Trabzon’s otogar heading
turn flights can be found for around €160 but and Bangkok. Fly Air flies to Khartoum STA Travel (%800-781 4040; www.statravel.com) for Yerevan – see p554.
usually involve changing planes en route, so if for €250. Singapore Airlines often has very Travelocity (%888-872 8356; www.travelocity.com)
you fly İstanbul–Paris with Lufthansa, you’d good deals on its website between Asia and Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan)
fly via Frankfurt each way. STA Travel (www İstanbul, with return flights between Den- LAND At least two daily buses depart from Trabzon’s
.statravel.com/worldwide.htm) has offices throughout pasar and İstanbul as low as €480, Singapore If you are planning to travel overland, you’ll be otogar heading for Tbilisi, where you can
Europe. If you plan to visit a resort, check with and İstanbul for just €450. spoilt for choice since Turkey has land borders change for a bus to Baku – see p554.
your local travel agents for flight and accom- with eight countries. Bear in mind, however, You can also cross from Turkey to the
modation deals. New Zealand that Turkey’s relationships with most of its Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhichevan via the
Germany has the biggest Turkish com- Fares to İstanbul from Auckland start at neighbours tend to be tense, which can affect remote Borualan–Sadarak border post, east
munity outside Turkey, which has enabled NZ$1500/2400 one way/return on Air New the availability of visas and when and where of Iğdır (see p586). From there you’ll need
some great deals between the two countries. Zealand, but Singapore Airlines and Qantas you can cross. Always check with the relevant to fly across Armenian-occupied Nagorno-
Lufthansa has direct flights to İstanbul, Ankara fares are also worth checking. embassy for the most up-to-date information Karabakh to reach the rest of Azerbaijan and
and İzmir from €160. There are also a number Flight Centre (%0800 243 544; www.flightcentre before leaving home (see p657). Baku.
of charter airlines offering flights between .co.nz) and STA Travel (%0508-782 872; www.statravel
several German cities and İstanbul, Antalya, .co.nz) are recommended travel agencies. Border Crossings Bulgaria & Eastern Europe
Bodrum, Dalaman and İzmir. Try Condor, Crossing land borders by bus and train is It’s fairly easy to get to İstanbul by direct
Hapag Lloyd, German Wings or Corendon UK & Ireland fairly straightforward, but expect delays of train or bus from many points in Europe via
Airlines (see p671 for contact details). British Airways, Turkish Airlines and EasyJet between one and three hours. You’ll usually Bulgaria. There are three border crossings
In France, OTU Voyages (%01 55 82 32 32; www offer direct flights between London and Tur- have to get off the bus or train and endure a between Bulgaria and Turkey. The main bor-
.otu.fr) is aimed at student travel, but can sup- key. British Airlines flies into İstanbul (from paperwork and baggage check of all travel- der crossing is the busy Kapitan–Andreevo/
ply discount tickets to travellers of all ages. UK£200 return), Dalaman, Ankara and İzmir. lers on both sides of the border. This is a Kapıkule, 18km west of Edirne on the E5. The
Voyageurs du Monde (%08 92 68 83 63; www.vdm Turkish Airlines usually has direct flights only relatively quick process if you’re on a bus, closest town on the Bulgarian side is Svilen-
.com) and Nouvelles Frontières (%08 25 00 07 47; www between İstanbul (from UK£200 return) and but naturally takes a longer when there’s a grad, some 10km from the border. You have
.nouvelles-frontieres.fr) are also recommended. London. EasyJet flies direct between London trainload of passengers. Before you ditch the to hitch a lift or hire a taxi rather than walk be-
In Italy, CTS Viaggi (%199 501150; www.cts.it) (Luton) and İstanbul from UK£80 return. idea of trains, however, be aware that delays tween the Greek–Turkish border posts. Petrol,
is one of the major travel agencies. In Spain, For most cheap flights you can generally can be caused by the long line of trucks and foreign-exchange facilities, restaurants and
we recommended Barcelo Viajes (%902 11 62 26; expect to fly to Turkey with a transit in a cars banked up at some borders – especially accommodation are available at this crossing,
www.barceloviajes.com). European city (though EasyJet flies direct). at the Reyhanlı–Bab al-Hawa border between which is open 24 hours daily. For more details,
Turkish Airlines and Cyprus Turkish Air- Or you could look into charter flights, which Turkey and Syria – not the number of fellow see p172. There is a second, newly opened,
lines have daily direct services from İstanbul, are usually cheaper at the beginning and end passengers. crossing at Lesovo–Hamzabeyli, some 25km
674 G E T T I N G T H E R E & A W AY • • L a n d lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G T H E R E & A W AY • • L a n d 675
TRANSPORT
only €31 (valid 15 days), with two photos, and having their visa issued in three days. Please let
us know your wacky adventures in getting an Azerbaijani visa. Northern Cyprus
Visas for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are available on arrival. If you’re plan-
Bulgaria ning to visit Greece or the Greek islands, remember that relations between the Greek Cypriot–
Currently citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the USA administered Republic of Cyprus (in the south) and the TRNC remain chilly. Also, if you enter
can obtain a free 30-day tourist visa at any Bulgarian border. Citizens of other EU countries are the TRNC and have your passport stamped you may later be denied entry to Greece. The Greeks will
able to get a 90-day visa. only reject a stamp from the TRNC, not a stamp from Turkey proper, so have the Turkish Cypriot of-
ficial stamp a piece of paper instead of your passport, a procedure with which they are familiar.
Georgia
Most nationalities (including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, EU countries and the Russia
USA) can obtain a 90-day tourist visa upon arrival at any Georgian border. Single-entry visas valid The Russian consulate in Trabzon will refer you to Burcu Turizm virtually next door. You will need
for one month cost €8. See www.mfa.gov.ge for the latest information. one photograph and €95 for a visa to be issued the same day.
Greece Syria
Nationals of Australia, Canada, all EU countries, New Zealand and the USA can enter Greece for Getting a visa to Syria can be taxing as the rules seem changeable. At the time of writing all
up to three months without a visa. foreigners wanting to enter Syria need a visa, and most must get it in advance. Some travellers
have got visas at the border, but many have been knocked back. It’s best to play it safe and
Iran apply in your home country, although you can get visas in Ankara or İstanbul. Visa costs vary
All would-be visitors to Iran need to get a visa in advance. There is an embassy in Ankara and depending on the nationality, ranging from A$41 for Australians to £32 for UK citizens. Most
consulates are located in İstanbul and Erzurum. You will need two photos and a copy of the most foreigners also need a letter of recommendation from their embassy. You will not be granted a
important pages of your passport. You must pay a non-refundable application fee of €40 and visa if you have Israeli stamps in your passport.
north of Edirne; it’s a quieter option dur- Metro Turizm (%0212-658 3232; www.metroturizm Essentially the Bosphorus Express leaves route. Travelling in the sleeper cars is always
ing the busy summer months than Kapitan- .com.tr; ticket office 107) Daily departures to Sofia (€20, İstanbul with a line of carriages. There are the safest and most comfortable option.
Andreevo/Kapıkule, but takes a little longer nine hours), Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria. separate carriages for passengers heading
to get to and there’s no public transport. The Öz Batu (%0212-658 0255; ticket office 149) Daily to Budapest, to Sofia and Belgrade, and to Georgia
third crossing is at Malko Târnovo–Kırıkkale, departures for Sofia, Bulgaria (€17, nine hours) and Skopje, Chişinãu. The carriages are switched to local The main border crossing is at Sarp on the
some 70km northeast of Edirne and 92km Macedonia (€32, 14 hours). trains at either Bucharest or Dimitrovgrad, de- Black Sea coast, between Hopa (Turkey) and
south of Burgas. Özlem (%0212-658 1344; ticket office 97) Daily pending on where you’re heading. Confused? Batum (Georgia). You can also cross inland
departures for Constanta (€35; eight hours) and Bucharest Don’t worry; bookings are simply from A to at the Türkgözü border crossing near Posof,
BUS (€35; eight hours), Romania. B, though there will be some delay as carriages north of Kars (Turkey) and southwest of
There are several departures daily to Sofia, are transferred. Akhaltsikhe (Georgia). The Sarp border cross-
and the coastal cities of Varna and Burgas in TRAIN You’ll need to take your own food and ing is open 24 hours a day; Türkgözü is open
Bulgaria from İstanbul’s otogar – at least six The Bosphorus Express leaves İstanbul daily drinks as there are no restaurant cars on these from 8am to 8pm, though in winter you might
companies offer services. There are also daily and runs to Bucsharest, from where you can trains. Note also that the Turkey–Bulgaria want to double-check it’s open at all.
departures to Skopje, Tetovo and Gostivar in travel onwards by train to Chişinău (Moldova) border crossing is in the early hours of the Göktaş Ardahan (%in İstabul 0212-658 3476; ticket
Macedonia, and to Constanta and Bucharest and Budapest (Hungary). You can also catch morning and you need to leave the train to office 10) runs direct buses between Tiflis and
in Romania. The following companies run the Bosphorus Express as far as Dimitrovgrad get your passport stamped – the holdup takes the otogar in İstanbul for €43. The journey
serves from İstanbul’s otogar. (Bulgaria) from where you can travel on- about two hours. We’ve heard stories of har- takes around 26 hours. At least two daily
Drina Trans (%0212-658 1851; ticket office 88) Daily wards to Sofia (Bulgaria) and on to Belgrade assment, especially of women, at the border, so buses depart from Trabzon’s otogar heading
departures for Skopje, Macedonia (€30, 14 hours) (Serbia). lone women may be best taking an alternative for Tbilisi – see p554.
676 G E T T I N G T H E R E & A W AY • • L a n d lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G T H E R E & A W AY • • S e a 677
If you’re heading to the Türkgözü border (Kipi–İpsala) then to Keşan and east to buses to Orumiyeh. You can catch buses to It’s possible to buy bus tickets direct from
from the Turkish side, a convenient starting İstanbul or south to Gallipoli, Çanakkale and Iran from Van. İstanbul to Aleppo or Damascus. Hatay Pan
point is Kars (p585). You need to get to Posof the Aegean. Turizm (%0212-658 3911; otogar ticket office 23) has a
first, then hire a taxi or minibus to take you to TRAIN daily service leaving İstanbul otogar at 6am
the border post (16km, €20). From the border, TRAIN The Trans-Asya Ekspresi runs between Teh- and arriving in Damascus (€27) at 3am the
hire another taxi to take you to the Georgian From Western European cities (apart from ran and İstanbul, travelling via Tabriz, Van next morning. Urfa Seyahat (%0212-444 6363;
town of Akhaltsikhe (€15; two hours), from those in Greece) you will come via Eastern and Tatvan. Expect a comfortable journey on otogar ticket office 10) has departures for Aleppo
where regular buses head to Tbilisi (which can Europe; see p673. connecting Turkish and Iranian trains, a ferry at 1.30pm daily.
take up to seven hours). The best option travelling between Greece ride across Lake Van, and no showers. See the The very comfortable Toros Express train
and Turkey is the overnight train between Iranian Railways site, RAJA Passenger Train Co runs between İstanbul and Aleppo (and not all
Greece & Western Europe Thessaloniki and İstanbul called the Filia- (www.rajatrains.com), for more information. the way to Damascus as it says in the official
An alternative to getting to Turkey from Dostluk Express. The journey takes 12 to 14 There’s a weekly train service between Teh- timetables) – see the table, p157, for details.
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
Europe is to make your way to Alexandroupo- hours, including an hour or two’s delay at the ran (Iran) and Damascus, running through Bring your own food and drinks as there is no
lis in Greece and cross at Kipi–İpsala, 43km border, and accommodation is in comfy, air- the Turkish cities of Van and Malatya. See restaurant car. Several comfortable trains link
northeast of Alexandroupolis, or Kastanies– conditioned sleeper cars. Good-value one-way www.tcdd.gov.tr for more information. Aleppo and Damascus daily.
Pazarkule, 139km northeast, near the Turk- rates are €48 for 2nd-class between İstanbul There’s a weekly train service between Teh-
ish city of Edirne. Both borders are open 24 and Thessaloniki; or €68 for 2nd-class if you Iraq ran (Iran) and Damascus, running through
hours. take a connecting Greek Intercity train to/ Although we obviously don’t suggest that the Turkish cities of Van and Malatya. See
To cross at Kipi–İpsala take a bus serv- from Athens. travelling to wider Iraq is at all advisable, a www.tcdd.gov.tr for more information.
ice from Alexandroupolis to the Greek bor- You can buy tickets at the train stations handful of hardy travellers have been travel-
der point of Kipi, then hitch to the border. but not online. For more information see ling into northern Iraq via the Habur–Ibrahim SEA
From there you can get a taxi (€8.50) to the the websites of Turkish State Railways (TCDD; www al-Khalil border post. It’s near Cizre and Si- Car ferry services operate between Italian and
bus station in İpsala and an onward bus to .tcdd.gov.tr) or the Hellenic Railways Organisation lopi, on the Turkish side; Zakho is the clos- Greek ports and several Turkish ports, but not
İstanbul. (www.ose.gr). est town to the border on Iraqi side. There’s to İstanbul. There are also a handful of routes
If you’re crossing from Turkey into Greece, no town or village at the border crossing and over the Black Sea. Ferrylines (www.ferrylines.com)
do so as soon after 9am as possible in order Iran you can’t walk across it. A taxi from Silopi is a good starting point for information about
to catch one of the few trains or buses from There are two border crossings between Iran to Zakho costs around €20, from Cizre to ferry travel in the region.
Kastanies south to Alexandroupolis, where and Turkey, the busier Gürbulak–Bazargan, Zakho US$30.
there are better connections. Alternatively, near Doğubayazıt (Turkey) and Şahabat Travellers report having to give a photo- Greece
take a bus from Edirne to Keşan, then to İpsala (Iran); and the Esendere–Sero border cross- copy of their passport at the Turkish side, Private ferries link Turkey’s Aegean coast and
and cross to Kipi. ing, southeast of Van (Turkey). Gürbulak– and being given a week-long entry stamp the Greek islands, which are in turn linked
Bazargan is open 24 hours. Esendere–Sero is (not a visa) on the Iraqi side, as well as hav- by air or boat to Athens. Services are usu-
BUS open from 8am until midnight, but double- ing to get a health certificate for a nominal ally daily in summer, several times a week in
Bus services to İstanbul run only from Ger- check in winter as the border might be closed. fee. Travelling across the border into Turkey spring and autumn, and perhaps just once a
many, Italy, Austria and Greece, so if you’re Travellers are increasingly using this second your bags will probably be searched – don’t week in winter. The table, p678, summarises
travelling from other European cities, you’d crossing into Iran, which has the added bonus carry patriotic Kurdish items. See p631 for a the services between the Greek islands and
need to catch a connecting bus. Two of the of taking you through the breathtaking scen- peep into Tony Wheeler’s Iraqi adventures. Turkey.
best Turkish companies – Ulusoy (%0212-444 ery of far Southeastern Anatolia. And to make Check the local situation before crossing
1888 in Turkey; www.ulusoy.com.tr) and Varan Tur- things easy, there is a direct bus running be- into Iraq. Italy
izm (%0212-658 0270 in Turkey; www.varan.com.tr) – tween Van (Turkey) and Orumiyeh (Iran). See Marmara Lines (www.marmaralines.com) ferries
operate big Mercedes buses on these routes. p642 for departure information. Syria connect Brindisi and Ancona in Italy with
Sample one-way fares to İstanbul are: Frank- There are eight border posts between Syria Çeşme. Turkish Maritime Lines (www.tdi.com.tr in
furt €130 (45 hours), Munich €110 (42 hours), BUS and Turkey, but the border at Reyhanlı– Turkish) also operates twice-weekly ferries be-
Vienna €105 (36 hours), and Athens €68 (20 There are regular buses from İstanbul and Bab al-Hawa is by far the most convenient, tween Brindisi and Çeşme. For more details
hours). Ankara to Tabriz and Tehran. From İstanbul and therefore the busiest. Daily buses link on these services, see p239.
otogar, try Best Van Tur (%0212-444 0065; otogar Antakya in Turkey with the Syrian cities of
CAR & MOTORCYCLE ticket office 147) with daily departures (€55, 35 Aleppo (Halab; €3, four hours, 105km) and Northern Cyprus
The E80 highway makes its way through hours). From Ankara, they leave from the Damascus (Şam; €5.50, eight hours, 465km). The main crossing point between northern
the Balkans to Edirne and İstanbul, then on AŞTİ bus terminal. Also close to Antakya is the border post at Cyprus and Turkey is between Taşucu (near
to Ankara. Using the car ferries from Italy You may also want to consider taking a Yayladağı. For both these crossings see p437. Silifke) and Girne on the northern coast of
and Greece can shorten driving time from dolmuş from Doğubayazıt 35km east to the Other popular crossings to Syria include via northern Cyprus. Akgünler Denizcilik (www.akgun
Western Europe considerably, but at a price border at Gürbulak, for about €2, and then Kilis, 65km south of Gaziantep (p598), the ler.com.tr) makes this journey – see p418. You
(see opposite). walking across the border. The crossing might Akçakale border, 54km south of Şanlıurfa can also travel between Alanya and Girne
From Alexandroupolis in Greece, the main take up to an hour. From Bazargan there are (p606) and the Nusaybin–Qamishle border with Fergün Denizcilik (www.fergun.net) – see p414).
road goes to the most convenient crossing onward buses to Tabriz; from Sero there are 75km east of Mardin (p630). Finally, you can travel between Mersin and
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Jun-Sep; twice a week Domestic flights are available with the fol- coast and Cappadocia.
in winter lowing airlines.
Datça-Rhodes & Simi Sat May-Sep and gület (hydrofoil) €35/70 (p344) Atlasjet (%0216-444 3387; www.atlastjet.com) A BOAT
upon demand (gület) €50 growing network, with flights from İzmir, Bodrum, Dalaman Sea of Marmara Ferries
Kaş-Kastellorizo (Meis) daily €35 return (p375) and Antalya to many cities throughout the country. İstanbul Fast Ferries (İstanbul Deniz Otobüsleri, İDO;
Fly Air (%0212-444 4359; www.flyair.com.tr) A smaller %0212-444 4436; www.ido.com.tr) operates high-
network, mainly with flights to/from İstanbul only, but can speed car ferry services crossing the Sea of
Gazimağusa (Famagusta) on the east coast of Exodus (%870-240 5550; www.exodus.co.uk) UK-based offer the cheapest rates. Marmara. There are services from İstanbul
Northern Cyprus, with Turkish Maritime Lines adventure company offering a wide range of tours Onur Air (Map p94-5; %0212-662 9797; www.onurair (Yenikapı terminal) to Yalova (for Bursa)
(%231 2688, 237 0726 in Mersin) – see p425). including Lycian cruises and kayaking tours. .com.tr) Good network and fares from €40 to €80. p287, Bandırma (for İzmir) p202, and a third,
Imaginative Traveller (%0800 316 2717; www Pegasus Airlines (www.pegasusairlines.com) Flies to Mudanya (for Bursa).
Russia .imaginative-traveller.com) UK-based company offering between İstanbul and Nevşehir.
Ferries travel between Trabzon and Sochi Anzac Day tours and a variety of overland adventures Sun Express Airlines (www.sunexpress.com.tr) A BUS
in Russia three times a week; see p553 for through Turkey. Turkish Airlines subsidiary. Buses form Turkey’s most widespread and
more details. Intrepid Travel (%03-9473 2626; www.intrepidtravel Turkish Airlines (Map p94-5; Türk Hava Yolları, THY; popular means of transport. Virtually every
.com.au) Australia-based company with a variety of %0212-444 0849; www.thy.com) State-owned Turkish first-time traveller to the country comments
Ukraine small-group, good-value tours for travellers who like the Airlines provides the main domestic network, and you can on the excellence of the bus system compared
UKR Ferry (www.ukrferry.com) has a comfortable 36- philosophy of independent travel, but prefer to travel with book and pay for tickets online. One-way fares from €38. with that in their home country. The buses are
odd hour (each way) weekly service crossing others. well kept and comfortable too, and you’ll be
the Black Sea between Odessa and İstanbul Pasha Tours (%800 722 4288; www.pachatours.com) BICYCLE treated to snacks and tea along the journey,
from €105 per person (one way). US-based company offering general tours as well as Like bike touring anywhere, riding in Turkey plus liberal sprinklings of the Turks’ beloved
Another weekly service runs between Sev- special-interest tours such as culinary, Jewish heritage, is a wonderful adventure, full of surprises, kolonya (lemon cologne).
astopol and İstanbul, departing Sevastopol at ‘Seven churches of Asia Minor’ etc. challenges and a whole lotta grunt. Highlights Most Turkish cities and towns have a cen-
6pm Sunday (arriving at İstanbul 8am Tues- are the spectacular scenery, the easy access to tral bus station generally called the otogar,
day) for €120 per person in a shared three- See p684 for details of some Turkey-based archaeological sites, which you might have all garaj or terminal. Besides intercity buses, the
bed room, or €400 per person in a private tour operators. to yourself, and the curiosity and hospitality otogar often handles dolmuşes (minibuses
luxury double. Departures from İstanbul are of locals, especially out east. Take the road- that follow prescribed routes) to outlying
on Thursday nights at 10pm (arriving 8am hog drivers, rotten road edges and, out east, districts or villages. Most bus stations have
Saturday). Ferries travel between İstanbul
and Yalta too. Ring %in Ukraine 0654-323
GETTING AROUND stone-throwing children, wolves and ferocious
Kangal sheep dogs in your stride. To give
an emanetçi (left luggage) room, which you
can use for a nominal fee.
064 for more information or email the folk at Many countries could learn a thing or two yourself the best chance of an enjoyable and These are some of the best companies, with
www.aroundcrimea.com. from Turkey about how to run an effective and safe trip, plan to avoid main roads wherever extensive route networks.
affordable transport system. Turkey’s inter- possible. Boss Turizm (%444 0880; www.bossturizm.com in Turkish)
TOURS city bus system is as good as any you’ll find, You’ll be able to find excellent-quality spare specialises in super-deluxe İstanbul-Ankara services.
The following are international tour compan- with modern coaches crossing the country parts in İstanbul and Ankara, but bring what- Kamil Koç (%444 0562; www.kamilkoc.com.tr in Turkish)
ies whose trips to Turkey generally receive at all hours and with very reasonable prices. ever you think you might need elsewhere. Ulusoy (%444 1888; www.ulusoy.com.tr)
good reports. The railway network is useful on a few major The best bike brand in Turkey is Bisan, with Varan (%444 8999, 0212-551 5000; www.varan.com.tr)
Backroads (%1800 462 2848; www.backroads.com) routes, and becoming an increasingly popu- decent models starting at around €150, but
US-based company offering combined bike and sailing lar choice as improvements are made. And you can find leading international brands Costs
tours of western Turkey. finally, flying is an excellent option for such in bike shops in İstanbul such as Pedal Sportif Bus fares are subject to fierce competition
Cultural Folk Tours of Turkey (%1800 935 8875; a large country, and fierce competition be- (%0212-511 0654; www.pedalbisiklet.com in Turkish; Mimar between companies, and sometimes you can
www.boraozkok.com) US-based company offering group tween the many domestic airlines keeps tickets Kemalettin Caddesi 29, Sirkeci), or in Ankara at Delta bargain them down by claiming poverty, stu-
and private cultural and history tours. affordable. Bisiklet (%0212-259 2279; www.deltabisiklet.com; Bosna dent status etc. However, this doesn’t always
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work. Prices also reflect what the market will All seats are reservable, and your ticket Servis drivers like to allow plenty of time trains or buses to cover long distances and
bear, so that the fare from Rich City X to Poor will bear a specific seat number. The ticket for getting to the otogar, which means that hiring a car for localised travel.
Village Y may not always be the same as from agent will have a chart of the seats with those in Göreme, for example, you must usually be
Poor Village Y to Rich City X. already sold crossed off. Look at the chart and at the pick-up point for transfer to Nevşehir Automobile Associations
We give sample fares from all Turkey’s indicate your seating preference, avoiding a good 45 minutes before the bus is scheduled Turkey’s main motoring organisation is the
main bus stations under Getting There & those right at the back of the bus (which can to leave even though it’s just a 15-minute Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu (Turkish Touring &
Away in the individual place entries. Typi- get stuffy) or immediately over the wheels drive. Automobile Association; %0212-282 8140; www.turing.org
cally, a bus ticket from İstanbul to Çanakkale (which can get bumpy!). On night buses While these services are free, they do have .tr; Oto Sanayı Sitesi Yanı, Seyrantepe 4 Levent, İstanbul).
costs €9, from İstanbul to Ankara around €22, you may also want to avoid the front row some snags. You may find yourself waiting Motorcyclists may want to check out One
and from İstanbul to Göreme (Cappadocia) of seats behind the driver, which have little around interminably for another busload of More Mile Riders İstanbul, (www.ommriders.com), a
€17 to €22. legroom (you may have to inhale the driver’s passengers to arrive or for your driver to be community resource for riding in Turkey, and
cigarette smoke and listen to him chatting dragged away from the TV to run his servis. the Turkey-related information on Horizons
Reservations
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
to his conductor into the early hours). The Even when he shows up, the journey can still Unlimited (www.horizonsunlimited.com/country/turkey/).
Although you can usually walk into an otogar seats immediately in front of and behind the be protracted as he drops each and every
and buy a ticket for the next bus, it’s wise to middle door are also a bad choice; those in passenger off at their doorstep (well, perhaps Bring Your Own Vehicle
plan ahead for public holidays, at weekends front don’t recline, and those behind have not literally). If time is more important than You can bring your vehicle into Turkey for six
and during the school-holiday period from no legroom. money, then forget it and jump into a taxi. months without charge. However, the fact that
mid-June to early September. You can reserve Also, beware pension owners who lead you brought one in with you will be marked
seats over the web on most of the bus compan- Servis you to believe that the private minibus to in your passport to ensure you take it back
ies listed (p679). While it obviously makes sense from a town- their pension is the bus company servis. This out again. Don’t plan on selling it here, and
When you enter an otogar prepare for planning point of view to move the otogars certainly happens at Nevşehir otogar and be prepared to be charged a hefty fine for any
an onslaught of touts, all offering buses to out of the town centres, what this tends to probably at other places too. time over the six months. Ensure you have
the destination of your choice. How do you mean is that real journey times are becoming your car registration and insurance policy on
choose which company to go with? It’s usu- a bit how-long-is-a-piece-of-stringish. The CAR & MOTORCYCLE you. If you don’t have insurance, you’ll need
ally a good idea to stick to the reputable timings we give are from otogar to otogar, Driving around Turkey gives you unparalleled to buy it at the border.
big-name companies we’ve listed (p679). but you may need to add up to an hour in freedom to enjoy the marvellous countryside
You may pay a bit more, but at least you either direction for getting to and from the and coastline. You can stop at the teeny road- Driving Licence
can be more confident the bus has been otogars. This is especially true if you’re using side stalls selling local specialities, explore Drivers must have a valid driving licence.
well maintained, will run on time, and that a servis (shuttle minibus) to get there. As back roads leading to hidden villages, and Your own national licence will be sufficient;
there will be a back-up driver on really long otogars move further out of town, so most picnic at every opportunity, just like locals. an international driving permit is useful but
hauls. For shorter trips, you’ll find other bus bus companies provide a servis bus to take Road surfaces and signage is generally good not required.
companies have big localised city networks; passengers to and from the city centre. When along main roads at least – the most popular
for example Truva serves the area around buying a ticket ask whether there’s a servis route with travellers, along the Aegean and Fuel & Spare Parts
Çanakkale, and Uludağ covers destinations and when it leaves for the otogar. On ar- Mediterranean coast, offers excellent driv- In Turkey there is little difference in price
around Bursa. rival, say ‘Servis var mı?’ to find out whether ing conditions. Hiring a scooter to explore between süper benzin (normal petrol) and
After buying a ticket, getting a refund can there’s a servis into town. Rare cities where the rugged Hisarönü Peninsula (p342) of the kurşunsuz (lead-free); both cost around €1.6
be difficult; exchanging it for another ticket there are no servises include Bursa, Konya Western Mediterranean is a day out you’ll per litre. You can usually pay with credit cards
with the same company is easier. and Safranbolu. cherish long after you’ve recovered from the at petrol stations.
knuckle-whitening corners. There are petrol stations everywhere, at
The bad news is that Turkey has one of the least in western Turkey, and many are mega
FEZ BUS world’s highest motor-vehicle accident rates. enterprises. All the same, it’s a good idea
A hop-on, hop-off bus service, Fez Bus (Map pp96-7; %0212-516 9024; www.feztravel.com; Akbıyık Cad- Turkish drivers are not particularly discour- to have a full tank when you start out in
desi 15, Sultanahmet, İstanbul), links the main tourist resorts of the Aegean and the Mediterranean teous, but they are impatient and incautious. the morning across the vast empty spaces of
with İstanbul and Cappadocia. From Cappadocia a loop travels out east to include Şanlıurfa and They like to drive at high speed and have central and eastern Anatolia.
Nemrut Dağı (Mt Nemrut). A ‘Turkish Delight’ bus pass, costing €230 (student €205), allows you an irrepressible urge to overtake. To survive Yedek parçaları (spare parts) are read-
to travel from İstanbul to Çanakkale, Selçuk, Köyceğiz, Fethiye, Olympos, Cappadocia and then on Turkey’s highways, drive cautiously and ily available in the big cities, especially for
back to İstanbul, with the option of add-on gület cruises, the ‘Eastern Explorer’ and/or a trip to very defensively, and never let emotions affect European models such as Renaults, Fiats and
Safranbolu. You can take as long as you like to do the circuit. what you do. Avoid driving at night, when Mercedes-Benz. However, ingenious Turkish
The big bonus of using Fez Bus is convenience – although you’re not obliged to stay in the you won’t be able to see potholes, animals mechanics contrive to keep all manner of US
places Fez favours, if you do you’ll be dropped right at the door. It’s also a great way to hook on the road, or even vehicles driving with models in daily service. Repairs are usually
up with fellow travellers, since you’ll be following a similar route and maybe even a similar their lights off! quick and cheap. Roadside repair shops can
travelling timeframe. The downside to this is that you spend most of your time in Turkey with When you’re planning your trip, be mind- often provide excellent, virtually immediate
other travellers rather than with Turks, and it would probably be cheaper to do it yourself with ful that Turkey is a huge country and spend- service, although they (or you) may have to
point-to-point buses. ing time in the car travelling huge distances go somewhere else to get the parts. For tyre
will eat up your travel time. Consider planes, repairs find an oto lastikçi (tyre repairer). The
682 G E T T I N G A R O U N D • • C a r & M o t o r c y c l e lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G A R O U N D • • D o l m u ş e s & M i d i b u s e s 683
sanayi bölgesi (industrial zone) on the out- week with unlimited kilometres, including If driving in winter be careful of icy roads. HITCHING
skirts of every town will have repair shops. tax and insurance) ranges from €400 to €500. In bad winters you will need chains on your Hitching is never entirely safe in any country,
It’s always wise to get an estimate of the Daily hire is from €40 to €70, depending on wheels almost everywhere except along the and we don’t recommend it. Travellers who
repair cost in advance. Repair shops are usu- the size and type of car and the hire location. Aegean and Mediterranean coast and the decide to hitch should understand that they
ally closed on Sunday. Hiring on the spot tends to be cheaper than police may stop you in more remote areas are taking a potentially serious risk.
If you bring your motorcycle to Turkey booking ahead, but you run the risk of there to check that you’re properly prepared for If you must otostop (hitch), you should
you’re bound to have a fine time. Spare parts not being any cars available. Baby-seat hire is emergencies. probably offer to pay something towards the
may be hard to come by everywhere except usually available for around €5.50 per day. If driving from İstanbul to Ankara you petrol, although most drivers pick up foreign
the big cities, so bring what you might need, should be aware of a nasty fog belt around hitchers for their curiosity value. Private cars
or rely on the boundless ingenuity of Turkish Insurance Bolu that can seriously reduce visibility even are not as plentiful as in Europe, so you could
mechanics to find, adapt or make you a part. You must have third-party insurance, valid in summer. be in for a long wait on some routes.
If you do get stuck for a part you could also for the entire country (not just for Thrace As the country is large and vehicles rela-
Road Rules
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT
ring an İstanbul or Ankara repair centre and or European Turkey), or a Turkish policy tively scarce, short hitches are quite normal.
get the part delivered by bus. Horizons Unlimited purchased at the border. In theory, Turks drive on the right and yield to If you need to get from the highway to an
(www.horizonsunlimited.com/country/turkey/) has a list of If you hire a car there will be two types traffic approaching from the right. In practice, archaeological site, you hitch a ride with
repair centres in İstanbul. of mandatory insurance included in the fee, they often drive in the middle and yield to whatever comes along, be it a tractor, lorry
the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which no-one. Be prepared for drivers overtaking or private car.
Hire covers damage to the hire car or another, and on blind curves. If a car approaches from the Instead of sticking out your thumb for a lift
You need to be at least 21 years old, with a the Theft Protection (TP) insurance. Personal opposite direction, all three drivers slam on you should face the traffic, hold your arm out
year’s driving experience, to be able to hire a accident insurance is usually optional; you the brakes and pray. towards the road, and wave it up and down as
car. If you don’t pay with a major credit card may not need it if your travel insurance from The international driving signs are there if bouncing a basketball.
you will have to leave around €500 cash de- home covers the costs of an accident. but rarely observed. Maximum speed limits,
posit. Most hire cars have standard (manual) unless otherwise posted, are 50km/h in towns, LOCAL TRANSPORT
transmission; you’ll pay more for automatic Parking 90km/h on highways and 130km/h maximum Bus
transmission. Note that most of the big-name Parking around the country is fairly easy to (40km/h minimum) on otoyols. For most city buses you must buy your bilet
companies charge a €100 to €140 drop-off find. You can find parking even in the largest As there are only a few divided highways and (ticket) in advance at a special ticket kiosk,
fee (eg pick up in Antalya, and drop-off in cities – İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Antalya and many two-lane roads are serpentine, you must either at a major bus terminal or at a transfer
Dalaman). so on – though in some cases it may be a short reconcile yourself to spending hours crawling point. Some shops near bus stops also sell
You can hire a car from the big interna- walk from your accommodation. along behind slow, seriously overladen trucks. local bus tickets, which normally cost around
tional companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Top-end and a handful of midrange hotels Try to avoid driving at night, but if you do, €0.65.
Hertz and National) in all main cities, towns offer undercover parking for guests, and most expect to encounter cars without lights or with In some cities, notably İstanbul, private
and most airport. Avis (www.avis.com.tr/english) has midrange and budget options have a road- lights missing, vehicles stopped in the middle buses operate on the same routes as municipal
the most extensive network of agencies, but side parking place or two that is nominally of the road and oncoming drivers flashing their buses. The private buses are usually older,
Europcar (www.europcar.com) is often the best value theirs to use. If they don’t, car parking will lights just to announce their approach. accept either cash or tickets, and follow the
for money and doesn’t charge a drop-off fee. be close by in an empty block overseen by a same routes as municipal buses.
Recommended local companies include Decar caretaker, or on the road, in which case it’ll DOLMUŞES & MIDIBUSES
(www.decar.com.tr), with no drop-off fee, Car Rental be free or you’ll be required to pay an hourly Dolmuşes started life as shared taxis that op- Local Dolmuş
İstanbul (%0533-467 0724; www.carrentalturkey.info) rate to a fee collector. Your best bet is to ring erated on set routes for flat fares, but these Dolmuşes are minibuses that operate on set
and Green Car (www.greenautorent.com), the larg- your accommodation and, upon arrival, ask days they are very often intercity minibuses. routes within a city. They’re usually faster,
est operator in the Aegean region. Turkey Car them to point out the nearest and/or cheap- (They also provide local transport within a more comfortable and only slightly more
Hire Express (http://turkey.carhireexpress.co.uk) is also a est option. city – see right.) Some wait until every seat is expensive than the bus. These days only a
good place to start your search for a hire car. Note that car clamping is a fact of life in taken before starting out, others operate at set few cities still have old-fashioned, shared-
If your car incurs any accident damage, or Turkey. Park in the wrong place and you risk times. You’ll usually use them to get between taxi dolmuşes (Bursa, Trabzon and İzmir are
if you cause any, do not move the car before having your car towed away, with the ensuing small towns and villages. examples).
finding a police officer and asking for a kaza costs and hassle. To let the driver know that you want to Once you’ve got to grips with a few local
raporu (accident report). The officer may hop out, say ‘inecek var’ (someone wants to routes, you’ll feel confident about picking up
ask you to take a breath-alcohol test. Contact Road Conditions get out). a dolmuş at the kerb. In the larger cities, stop-
your car-hire company within 48 hours. Your There are good otoyols (motorways) from the Midibuses generally operate on routes that ping places are marked by signs with a black
insurance may be void if it can be shown Bulgarian border near Edirne to İstanbul and are too long for dolmuşes, yet not quite popu- ‘D’ on a blue-and-white background reading
that you were operating under the influence Ankara, and from İzmir all the way around the lar enough for full-size buses. They usually ‘Dolmuş İndirme Bindirme Yeri’ (Dolmuş
of alcohol or other drugs, were speeding, or coast to Antalya. Elsewhere, roads are being have narrow seats with rigid upright backs, Boarding and Alighting Place). They’re usu-
if you did not submit the required accident steadily upgraded, although they still tend to not at all comfortable on long stretches. Try ally conveniently located near major squares,
report within 48 hours. be worse in the east. Severe winters play havoc to avoid the midibuses that ply the long and terminals or intersections, but you may need
The total cost of a standard hire vehicle with the surfaces and it’s hard for the highways winding road from Bodrum and Marmaris to to ask the driver: ‘[your destination] dolmuş
arranged during the summer months (for a department to keep up with the repairs. Antalya via Fethiye. var mı?’
© Lonely Planet Publications
684 G E T T I N G A R O U N D • • T o u r s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G A R O U N D • • T r a i n 685
TRANSPORT
meters, and most drivers routinely use them. p135. French spoken too. With thanks to Mark Smith, aka the Man in Seat 61, a global rail travel authority
If your driver doesn’t, mention it right away Olympica (%0242-836 2049; www.olympicatravel.com) and founder of the mighty fine website, www.seat61.com. If you’re even remotely
by saying ‘Saatiniz’ (your meter). The start- Olympica specialise in ‘build your own activity packages’. interested in travelling by train you’ll want to check it out.
ing rate is about the same as the local bus fare Based in Kaş; see p371.
(around €0.65). Check to see the driver is run-
ning the right rate: gündüz in the daytime, and TRAIN The key to enjoying train travel in Turkey times six-person compartments with seats
gece at night (which costs 50% more). Turkish State Railways (Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet is to plan stops en route for long-haul trips that fold down into shelf-like beds. Bedding
Some taxi drivers – particularly in İstanbul – Demiryolları, TCDD; %0216-337 8724; www.tcdd.gov.tr) and to know what to expect in terms of how is not provided for these wagons unless it’s an
try to demand flat payment from foreigners. runs services across the country. Lines laid long a journey will take. For example, the örtülü küşetli or ‘covered’ couchette. A yataklı
Sometimes they offer a decent fare and pocket out during the late Ottoman era rarely fol- Vangölü Ekspresi from İstanbul to Lake Van wagon has private European-style sleeping
the money instead of giving the cab owners low the shortest route, though a few newer, (Tatvan), a 1900km trip, takes over 40 hours – compartments, with wash basin and all bed-
their share. But most of the time they’ll ask an more direct lines have since been laid, short- and that’s an express! The bus takes less than ding provided, capable of sleeping one to three
exorbitant amount, give you grief, and refuse ening travel times on the best express trains. 24 hours, the plane less than two hours. Popu- people – these are the best option for women
to run the meter. If this happens find another However, with three nasty train crashes in the lar train trips include İstanbul to Ankara, travelling on their own on overnight trips.
cab and, if convenient, complain to the police. space of a few weeks in 2004, including one on and the overnight trains between İstanbul There is usually a mix of these options on
Only when you are using a taxi for a private the newly inaugurated high-speed İstanbul– and Konya, İstanbul and Tehran (Iran), and the same service. The Doğu Express from
tour involving waiting time (eg to an archae- Ankara run, some contest that the network İstanbul and Aleppo (Syria). Make sure you İstanbul to Kars, for example, has two pull-
ological site) should you agree a set fare – needs a complete overhaul. Certainly the gov- double-check all train departure times. See the man carriages, two covered couchettes, two
and then it should always be confirmed in ernment is throwing money at the system, table, p157, for timetable and costs of trains unreserved seating compartments and a
advance to avoid argument later. hoping to build a fast-rail network throughout to/from İstanbul. sleeper.
the country. Fast-rail links between İstanbul Note that train schedules usually indicate Train tickets are usually about half the price
Tram and Ankara (a new line), Ankara and Konya, stations rather than cities. So most schedules of bus tickets. Children, students, seniors,
Several cities also have overground tramvays Sivas and Kars, and Edirne and Kars have refer to Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci rather than the disabled and return tickets get a 20%
(trams), which are a quick and efficient way started or are on the drawing board. İstanbul. For İzmir, you will probably see discount.
of getting around; normally you pay around The train network covers central and east- Basmane and Alsancak, the names of the two Inter-Rail, Balkan Flexipass and Euro-
€0.65 to use a tram. ern Turkey fairly well, but doesn’t go along main stations. domino passes are valid on the Turkish rail-
the coastlines at all, apart from a short stretch way network; Eurail passes are not.
TOURS between İzmir and Selçuk. For the Aegean Classes & Costs
Every year we receive complaints from travel- and Mediterranean coasts you could go by Turkish trains have several seating and sleep- Reservations
lers who feel that they have been fleeced by train to either İzmir or Konya, and take the ing options. Most of the trains have comfort- Most seats and all sleepers on the best trains
local travel agents, especially some of those bus from there. able reclining Pullman seat carriages. Some must be reserved. As the yataklı (sleeping-car)
operating in the Sultanahmet area of İstanbul. In terms of what to expect, train travel also have European-style compartments with wagons are very popular, you should make
However, there are plenty of very good agents through Turkey has a growing number of six seats, usually divided into 1st- and 2nd- your reservation as far in advance as possible,
operating alongside the sharks, so try not fans embracing the no-rush travel experience: class coaches. Sometimes seats can be booked especially if a religious or public holiday is
to get too paranoid. Figure out a ball-park stunning scenery rolling by picture windows, in these compartments, sometimes they’re looming (see p659). Weekend trains tend to
figure for doing the same trip yourself using the rhythmic clickity-clacks through a comfy ‘first come, best seated’. be busiest.
the prices in this guidebook and shop around slumber and the immersion with friendly There are three types of sleeper. A küşetli You can book and pay for tickets online at
before committing. locals. The occasional unannounced hold-up (couchette) wagon has shared four- or some- www.tcdd. gov.tr.
The list of agents we recommend in İstanbul and public toilets gone feral by the end of the
are on p135. Others are named in the relevant long journey are all part of the adventure.
destination chapters. The following are some And if you’re on a budget, an overnight train
Turkish tour operators we believe offer a reli- journey is a great way to save accommoda-
able service. tion costs.
© Lonely Planet Publications
686 lonelyplanet.com I N T U R K E Y • • Av a i l a b i l i t y & C o s t o f H e a l t h C a re 687
HEALTH
HEALTH
and poverty, and can be avoided with a few Antidiarrhoeal drugs (eg loperamide) ria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio,
precautions. The most common reason for Acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol)
as well as hepatitis B. While making prepar- AVAILABILITY & COST OF HEALTH CARE
travellers needing medical help is as a result or aspirin
ations to travel, take the opportunity to ensure The standard of the health care system in Tur-
of accidents – cars are not always well main- that all of your routine vaccination cover is key is very variable. Although the best private
tained, and poorly lit roads are littered with Anti-inflammatory drugs (eg ibuprofen) complete. The consequences of these diseases hospitals in İstanbul and Ankara offer world-
potholes. Medical facilities can be excellent Antihistamines (for hay fever and allergic can be severe and outbreaks do occur in the class standards of care, they are expensive to
in large cities, but in remoter areas they may reactions) Middle East. Rabies is also endemic in Turkey, use. Elsewhere, even private hospitals don’t
be more basic. Antibacterial ointment (eg Bactroban)
so if you will be travelling off the beaten track always offer particularly high standards and
for cuts and abrasions you might want to consider an anti-rabies jab. their state-run equivalents even less so. Some
patients may have contracted hepatitis during
BEFORE YOU GO Steroid cream or cortisone (allergic
rashes)
INTERNET RESOURCES
There is a wealth of travel health advice on the
their stay in hospital.
For basic care for things such as cuts, bruises
A little planning before departure, particu- Bandages, gauze, gauze rolls internet. For further information, the Lonely and jabs you could ask for the local sağulık
larly for pre-existing illnesses, will save you Adhesive or paper tape
Planet website (www.lonelyplanet.com) is ocağuı (health centre), but don’t expect anyone
a lot of trouble later. See your dentist be- a good place to start. The World Health Organ- to speak anything but Turkish. The travel as-
fore a long trip; carry a spare pair of contact Scissors, safety pins, tweezers ization (www.who.int/ith/en) publishes a superb sistance provided by your insurance may be
lenses and glasses (and take your optical Thermometer book, International Travel and Health, which able to locate the nearest source of medical
prescription with you); and carry a first-aid Pocket knife is revised annually and is available online at help, otherwise ask at your hotel. In an emer-
kit with you. gency, contact your embassy or consulate.
DEET–containing insect repellent for
It’s tempting to leave it all to the last minute – Medicine, and even sterile dressings or in-
the skin TRAVEL HEALTH WEBSITES
don’t! Many vaccines don’t ensure immunity travenous fluids, may need to be bought from
until two weeks after they are given, so visit a Permethrin–containing insect spray for It’s a good idea to consult your government’s a local pharmacy. Nursing care is often limited
doctor four to eight weeks before departure. clothing, tents and bed nets travel health website before departure, if or rudimentary, the assumption being that
Ask your doctor for an International Certifi- Sun block (it’s very expensive in Turkey) one is available. family and friends will look after the patient.
cate of Vaccination (otherwise known as the Australia (www.smartraveller.gov.au) Standards of dental care are variable and
Oral rehydration salts
yellow booklet), which will list all the vaccin- Canada (www.travelhealth.gc.ca) there is a risk of hepatitis B and HIV transmis-
ations you’ve received. This is mandatory for Iodine tablets (for water purification) United Kingdom (www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAnd sion via poorly sterilised equipment, so watch
countries that require proof of yellow fever Syringes and sterile needles (if travelling Guidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers/fs/en) the tools in use carefully. Your travel insur-
vaccination upon entry, but it’s a good idea to remote areas) United States (www.cdc.gov/travel/) ance will not usually cover you for anything
to carry it wherever you travel. other than emergency dental treatment.
688 I N T U R K E Y • • I n fe c t i o u s D i s e a s e s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I N T U R K E Y • • T r a v e l l e r ’ s D i a r r h o e a 689
especially as the disease is endemic in Turkey. weeks after a bite by an infected mosquito. The first symptom is usually fever or a pink
AVIAN INFLUENZA (Many countries now give hepatitis B vaccina- The illness can start while you are taking pre- rash on the abdomen. Septicaemia (blood
The H5N1 avian influenza virus was con- tion as part of routine childhood vaccination.) ventative tablets if they are not fully effective, poisoning) may also occur. Typhoid vaccine
firmed in Turkey in late 2005 and there The vaccine is given singly, or at the same and may also occur after you have finished (typhim Vi, typherix) will give protection for
were four fatalities, the last in early 2006. time as the hepatitis A vaccine (hepatyrix). taking your tablets. three years. In some countries, the oral vac-
All fatalities were linked with ongoing close A course will give protection for at least five cine Vivotif is also available.
contact with birds. The risk to humans is years. It can be given over four weeks or six Poliomyelitis
considered very low unless the virus devel- months. Generally, poliomyelitis is spread through Yellow Fever
ops the ability to spread sustainably and contaminated food and water. It is one of the Yellow fever vaccination is not required
efficiently between humans. For the latest HIV vaccines given in childhood and should be for any areas of the Middle East; however,
outbreak news and general information HIV is spread via infected blood and blood boosted every 10 years, either orally (a drop any travellers coming from a yellow-fever-
log on to the World Health Organization products, sexual intercourse with an infected on the tongue) or as an injection. Polio may be endemic area will need to show proof of vac-
(www.who.int). partner and from an infected mother to her carried asymptomatically, although it can cause cination against yellow fever before entry to
newborn child. It can be spread through a transient fever and, in rare cases, potentially the Middle East – this normally means if a
‘blood to blood’ contacts such as contam- permanent muscle weakness or paralysis. traveller is arriving directly from an infected
For minor illnesses, such as diarrhoea, inated instruments during medical, dental, country or has been in an infected country
pharmacists can often provide advice and acupuncture and other body-piercing proce- Rabies during the previous 10 days.
sell over-the-counter medication, including dures and sharing used intravenous needles. Spread through bites or licks on broken skin The yellow-fever vaccination must be
drugs that would require a prescription in from an infected animal, rabies is fatal. Ani- given at a designated clinic, and is valid for
your home country. They can also advise Leishmaniasis mal handlers should be vaccinated, as should 10 years. It is a live vaccine and must not be
when more specialised help is needed. Spread through the bite of an infected sandfly, those travelling to remote areas where a reli- given to immunocompromised or pregnant
leishmaniasis can cause a slowly growing skin able source of post-bite vaccine is not available travellers.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES lump or ulcer. It may develop into a serious, within 24 hours. Three injections are needed
Diphtheria life-threatening fever usually accompanied over a month. If you have not been vaccinated TRAVELLER’S DIARRHOEA
Diphtheria is spread through close respiratory by anaemia and weight loss. Infected dogs and you suffer a bite, you will need a course To prevent diarrhoea, avoid tap water unless
HEALTH
HEALTH
contact. It causes a high temperature and are also carriers of the infection. Sandfly bites of five injections starting within 24 hours or it has been boiled, filtered or chemically dis-
severe sore throat. Sometimes a membrane should be avoided whenever possible. as soon as possible after the injury. Vaccin- infected (with iodine tablets). Eat only fresh
forms across the throat requiring a tracheos- ation does not provide you with immunity, it fruits or vegetables if they’re cooked or if you
tomy to prevent suffocation. Vaccination is Leptospirosis merely buys you more time to seek appropri- have peeled them yourself, and avoid dairy
recommended for those likely to be in close Leptospirosis is spread through the excreta of ate medical help. products that might contain unpasteurised
contact with the local population in infected infected rodents, especially rats. It can cause milk. Buffet meals are risky since food may
areas. The vaccine is given as an injection hepatitis and renal failure that may be fatal. It Tuberculosis not be kept hot enough; meals freshly cooked
alone, or with tetanus, and lasts 10 years. is unusual for travellers to be affected unless Tuberculosis (TB) is spread through close in front of you in a busy restaurant are more
living in poor sanitary conditions. It causes a respiratory contact and occasionally through likely to be safe.
Hepatitis A fever and jaundice. infected milk or milk products. BCG vaccine If you develop diarrhoea, be sure to drink
Hepatitis A is spread through contaminated is recommended for those likely to be mix- plenty of fluids, preferably an oral rehydration
food (particularly shellfish) and water. It Malaria ing closely with the local population. It is solution containing lots of salt and sugar. A
causes jaundice, and although it is rarely fatal You stand the greatest chance of contracting more important for those visiting family or few loose stools don’t require treatment, but
it can cause prolonged lethargy and delayed malaria if you travel in southeastern Turkey. planning on a long stay, and those employed if you start having more than four or five
recovery. Symptoms include dark urine, a yel- The risk of malaria is minimal in most cities, as teachers and health-care workers. TB can motions a day, you should start taking an
low colour to the whites of the eyes, fever and but you should check with your doctor if you be asymptomatic, although symptoms can antibiotic (usually a quinolone drug) and an
abdominal pain. Hepatitis A vaccine (Avaxim, are considering travelling to any rural areas. include a cough, weight loss or fever months antidiarrhoeal agent (such as loperamide). If
VAQTA, Havrix) is given as an injection: a It is important to take antimalarial tablets if or even years after exposure. An X-ray is the diarrhoea is bloody, persists for more than
single dose will give protection for up to a year the risk is significant. For up-to-date informa- best way to confirm if you have TB. BCG 72 hours or is accompanied by fever, shaking
while a booster 12 months later will provide a tion about the risk of contracting malaria in gives a moderate degree of protection against chills or severe abdominal pain, you should
subsequent 10 years of protection. Hepatitis a specific country, contact your local travel TB. It causes a small permanent scar at the seek medical attention.
A and typhoid vaccines can also be given as a health clinic. site of injection, and is usually only given in
single-dose vaccine (hepatyrix or viatim). If you’re travelling in southeastern Turkey specialised chest clinics. As it’s a live vaccine ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
it’s as well to be aware of the symptoms of ma- it should not be given to pregnant women or Heat Illness
Hepatitis B laria. It is possible to contract malaria from a immunocompromised individuals. The BCG Heat exhaustion occurs following heavy
Infected blood, contaminated needles and single bite from an infected mosquito. Malaria vaccine is not available in all countries. sweating and excessive fluid loss with inad-
sexual intercourse can all transmit hepatitis almost always starts with marked shivering, equate replacement of fluids and salt. This is
B. It can cause jaundice and affects the liver, fever and sweating. Muscle pain, headache Typhoid particularly common in hot climates when
occasionally causing liver failure. All travel- and vomiting are common. Symptoms may This is spread through food or water that has taking unaccustomed exercise before full ac-
lers should make this a routine vaccination, occur anywhere from a few days to three been contaminated by infected human faeces. climatisation. Symptoms include headache,
© Lonely Planet Publications
690 I N T U R K E Y • • T r a v e l l i n g w i t h C h i l d re n lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I N T U R K E Y • • W o m e n ’ s H e a l t h 691
dizziness and tiredness. Dehydration is al- victim to medical help as soon as possible so to the risk of pregnancy. Remember to take and in the later stages long-haul flights can
ready happening by the time you feel thirsty – that antivenin can be given if necessary. condoms with you just in case. Condoms be very uncomfortable. Antenatal facili-
aim to drink sufficient water such that you should be kept in a cool, dry place or they ties vary greatly in Turkey and you should
produce pale, diluted urine. The treatment of Water may crack and perish. think carefully before travelling in out-of-
heat exhaustion consists of fluid replacement It’s probably not wise to drink Turkey’s tap Emergency contraception is most effective the-way places, bearing in mind the cultural
with water, fruit juice, or both, and cooling water if you’re only here on a short visit. Stick if taken within 24 hours after unprotected sex; and linguistic difficulties, not to mention
by cold water and fans. The treatment of the to bottled water, boil water for 10 minutes or ask at a pharmacy for the ertesi gün hapı (the poor medical standards you might face if
salt-loss component consists of consuming use water-purification tablets or a filter. Do morning-after pill). The International Planned anything goes wrong. Take written records of
salty fluids such as soup or broth, and adding not drink water from rivers or lakes since it Parent Federation (www.ippf.org) can advise you the pregnancy, including details of your blood
a little more table salt to foods than usual. may contain bacteria or viruses that can cause about the availability of contraception in group, which is likely to be helpful if you need
Heat stroke is much more serious. This diarrhoea or vomiting. Turkey and other countries. Sanitary pads medical attention while away (in Turkey you
occurs when the body’s heat-regulating are fairly readily available in the country, have to pay for blood infusions unless a friend
mechanism breaks down. An excessive rise TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN but tampons are not always available outside supplies the blood for you). Ensure your in-
in body temperature leads to sweating ceas- All travellers with children should know how major cities and are expensive – bring your surance policy covers birth and postnatal care,
ing, irrational and hyperactive behaviour, and to treat minor ailments and when to seek own from home. but remember that insurance policies are only
eventually loss of consciousness and death. medical treatment. Make sure children are Travelling during pregnancy is usually as good as the facilities available.
Rapid cooling by spraying the body with water up to date with routine vaccinations, and possible, but there are important things to If you are pregnant or breastfeeding it
and fanning is an ideal treatment. Emergency discuss possible travel vaccines well before consider. Have a medical check-up before always pays to double-check the drug and
fluid and electrolyte replacement by intrave- departure as some vaccines are not suitable for embarking on your trip. The most risky times dosage you have been prescribed by doctors
nous drip is usually also required. children aged under one year. You may want for travel are during the first 12 weeks of or pharmacists in Turkey. The appropriate-
to consider giving children the BCG vaccine pregnancy, when miscarriage is most likely, ness of some drugs and correct dosage for
Insect Bites & Stings for tuberculosis (TB) if they haven’t already and after 30 weeks, when complications such pregnant or lactating women is sometimes
Even if mosquitoes do not carry malaria, they had it – see p689 for more information. as high blood pressure and premature deliv- overlooked. You can use the earlier websites
can cause irritation and infected bites. Using In hot, moist climates any wound or break ery can occur. Most airlines will not accept a (p687) to check the generic drug and its rec-
DEET-based insect repellents will prevent in the skin may lead to infection. The area traveller after 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, ommended dosage.
HEALTH
HEALTH
bites. Mosquitoes also spread dengue fever. should be cleaned and then kept dry and
There is a risk of bee stings along the clean. Remember to avoid contaminated food
Aegean and Mediterranean coastal areas. Bees and water. If your child is vomiting or experi-
and wasps only cause real problems for those encing diarrhoea, lost fluid and salts must be
with a severe allergy (anaphylaxis). If you replaced. It may be helpful to take rehydration
have a severe allergy to bee or wasp stings you powders for reconstituting with boiled water.
should carry an adrenaline injection or some- Ask your doctor about this.
thing similar. There is a particularly higher Children should be encouraged to avoid
risk of bee stings in the area around Marmaris dogs or other mammals because of the risk
in southwest Turkey. of rabies and other diseases. Any bite, scratch
Sandflies are located around the Mediterra- or lick from a warm-blooded, furry animal
nean beaches. They usually only cause a nasty, should immediately be thoroughly cleaned.
itchy bite, but can carry a rare skin disorder If there is any possibility that the animal is
called cutaneous leishmaniasis (p688); use a infected with rabies, seek immediate medical
DEET-based repellents to avoid bites. assistance.
Scorpions are frequently found in arid or It always pays to double-check the drug
dry climates. Turkey’s small white scorpions and dosage your child has been prescribed by
can give a painful bite which will bother you doctors or pharmacists in Turkey as they may
for up to 24 hours, but they won’t kill you. be unsuitable for children. Some information
on the suitability of drugs and recommended
Snake Bites dosage can be found on the websites listed
Do not walk barefoot or stick your hand on p687.
into holes or cracks. If bitten by a snake, do
not panic. Half of those bitten by venomous WOMEN’S HEALTH
snakes are not actually injected with poison Emotional stress, exhaustion and travelling
(envenomed). Immobilise the bitten limb with through different time zones can all contrib-
a splint (eg a stick) and apply a bandage over ute to an upset in the menstrual pattern. If
the site, with firm pressure, similar to apply- you’re using oral contraceptives, remember
ing a bandage over a sprain. Do not apply a that some antibiotics, diarrhoea and vomit-
tourniquet, or cut or suck the bite. Get the ing can stop the pill from working and lead
© Lonely Planet Publications
692 www.lonelyplanet.com L A N G UA G E • • A c c o m m o d a t i o n 693
u oo as in ‘moon’
LANGUAGE
y y as in ‘you’ What’s the address?
correct pronunciation. He also instituted a cases (like İzmir). It’s easy to read both of
z z as in ‘zoo’ Adresi nedir?
language reform process to purge Turkish these as an English ‘i’, but you can be mis-
of Arabic and Persian borrowings, return- understood if you don’t pronounce the two ad·re·see ne·deer
sounds distinctly – sık means ‘dense’, ‘tight’ Word Stress Could you write it down, please?
ing it to its ‘authentic’ roots. The result is a Word stress is quite light in Turkish, and
logical, systematic and expressive language or ‘frequent’ but sik is the Turkish equiva- Lütfen yazar mısınız?
lent of a certain ‘f’ word meaning ‘to copu- generally falls on the last syllable of the lewt·fen ya·zar muh·suh·nuhz
with only one irregular noun, su (water),
late’. The same care should be taken with word. Most two-syllable place names (eg
one irregular verb, olmek (to be) and no
genders. It’s so logical, in fact, that Turkish o/ö and u/ü. Kıbrıs) are stressed on the first syllable, and Do you have a ...?
grammar formed the basis for the develop- in three-syllable names the stress is usually ... odanız var mı?
ment of Esperanto, an ill-fated artificial TURKISH PRONUNCIATION GUIDE on the second syllable (eg İstanbul). ... o·da·nuz var muh
international language. a a as in ‘father’ single room
Word order and verb formation in Turk- ay ai as in ‘aisle’ ACCOMMODATION Tek kişilik tek kee·shee·leek
ish are very different from what you’ll find e e as in ‘red’ Where can I find a ...? double room
in Indo-European languages like English. ey ay as in ‘say’ Nerede ... bulabilirim? ne·re·de ... boo·la·bee·lee·reem İki kişilik ee·kee kee·shee·leek
Words are formed by agglutination, mean- ı uh as the ‘a’ in ‘ago’ camping ground twin room
ing affixes are joined to a root word – one i ee as in ‘bee’ kamp yeri kamp ye·ree Çift yataklı cheeft ya·tak·luh
scary example is Avustralyalılaştıramadıkla- o o as in ‘go’ guesthouse dormitory room
rımızdanmısınız?, which means ‘Are you ö er as in ‘her’ with no ‘r’ sound misafirhane mee·sa·feer·ha·ne Yatakhane ya·tak·ha·ne
694 L A N G UA G E • • C o n v e r s a t i o n & E s s e n t i a l s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com L A N G UA G E • • E m e r g e n c i e s 695
arkasında ar·ka·suhn·da
LANGUAGE
20 yirmi yeer·mee
Ben ... ben ... in front of önünde er·newn·de ... alerjim var. ... a·ler·zheem var 21 yirmi bir yeer·mee beer
I like ... far (from) uzak oo·zak antibiotics 22 yirmi iki yeer·mee ee·kee
... seviyorum. ... se·vee·yo·room near (to) yakınında ya·kuh·nuhn·da Antibiyotiklere an·tee·bee·yo·teek·le·re 30 otuz o·tooz
I don’t like ... opposite karşısında kar·shuh·suhn·da aspirin 40 kırk kuhrk
... sevmiyorum. ... sev·mee·yo·room Aspirine as·pee·ree·ne 50 elli el·lee
HEALTH penicillin 60 altmış alt·muhsh
DIRECTIONS I’m ill. Penisiline pe·nee·see·lee·ne 70 yetmiş yet·meesh
Can you show me (on the map)? Hastayım. has·ta·yuhm bees 80 seksen sek·sen
Bana (haritada) ba·na (ha·ree·ta·da) gers·te·re· It hurts here. Arılara a·ruh·la·ra 90 doksan dok·san
gösterebilir misin? bee·leer mee·seen Burası ağrıyor. boo·ra·suh a·ruh·yor nuts 100 yüz yewz
Where is ...? antiseptic Çerezlere che·rez·le·re 200 ikiyüz ee·kee·yewz
... nerede? ... ne·re·de antiseptik an·tee·sep·teek peanuts 1000 bin been
It’s straight ahead. condoms Fıstığa fuhs·tuh·a 1,000,000 bin milyon been meel·yon
Tam karşıda. tam kar·shuh·da kondom kon·dom
Turn left. contraceptives LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES PAPERWORK
Sola dön. so·la dern doğum kontrol ilaçları do·oom kon·trol ee·lach·la·ruh Do you speak English? name ad ad
Turn right. diarrhoea İngilizce konuşuyor musunuz? nationality uyrukluk ooy·rook·look
Sağa dön. sa·a dern ishali ees·ha·lee een·gee·leez·je ko·noo·shoo·yor moo·soo·nooz date of birth doğum günü do·oom gew·new
© Lonely Planet Publications
696 L A N G UA G E • • Q u e s t i o n W o r d s www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com L A N G UA G E • • T r a v e l W i t h C h i l d re n 697
place of birth doğum yeri do·oom ye·ree TIME & DATES The car/motorbike has broken down at ...
sex/gender cinsiyet jeen·see·yet ROAD SIGNS Arabam/motosikletim ...de bozuldu.
When? Ne zaman? ne za·man
passport pasaport pa·sa·port What time is it? Saat kaç? sa·at kach Dur Stop a·ra·bam/mo·to·seek·le·teem ...·de bo·zool·doo
surname soyad soy·ad It’s (10) o’clock. Saat (on). sa·at (on) Girilmez No Entry I have a flat tyre.
visa vize vee·ze in the morning öğleden evvel er·le·den ev·vel Park Etmek Yasaktir No Parking Lastiğim patladı.
in the afternoon öğleden sonra er·le·den son·ra Yol Ver Give Way las·tee·eem pat·la·duh
QUESTION WORDS week hafta haf·ta Ücret Ödenir Toll I’ve run out of petrol.
Who? Kim? keem year yıl yuhl Tehlikeli Danger Benzinim bitti.
What? Ne? ne today bugün boo·gewn Yavaş Slow Down ben·zee·neem beet·tee
When? Ne zaman? ne za·man tomorrow yarın ya·ruhn Çıkışı Exit I’ve had an accident.
Where? Nerede? ne·re·de yesterday dün dewn Giriş Entry Kaza yaptım.
Which? Hangi? han·gee Otoyol Freeway ka·za yap·tuhm
How? Nasil? na·seel Monday Pazartesi pa·zar·te·see Park Yeri Parking Garage
Tuesday Salı sa·luh Tek Yön One Way TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN
SHOPPING & SERVICES Wednesday Çarşamba char·sham·ba Do you have a/an ...?
I’d like to buy ... Thursday Perşembe per·shem·be delayed ertelendi er·te·len·dee ... var mı? ... var muh
... almak istiyorum. al·mak ees·tee·yo·room
Friday Cuma joo·ma cancelled iptal edildi eep·tal e·deel·dee baby change room
How much is it? Saturday Cumartesi joo·mar·te·see the first/the last ilk/son eelk/son Alt değiştirme odası alt de·eesh·teer·me o·da·suh
Ne kadar? ne ka·dar platform peron pe·ron baby seat
Sunday Pazar pa·zar
May I look at it? ticket office bilet gişesi bee·let gee·she·see Bebek koltuğuna be·bek kol·too·oo·na
Bakabilir miyim? ba·ka·bee·leer mee·yeem timetable tarife ta·ree·fe child-minding service
January Ocak o·jak
I’m just looking. train station istasyon ees·tas·yon Çocuk bakım hizmeti cho·jook ba·kuhm heez·me·tee
February Şubat shoo·bat
children’s menu
Sadece bakıyorum. sa·de·je ba·kuh·yo·room
The quality isn’t good. March Mart mart Çocuk menüsü cho·jook me·new·sew
April Nisan nee·san Private Transport
Kalitesi iyi değil. ka·lee·te·see ee·yee de·eel I’d like to hire a ... disposable nappies/diapers
It’s too expensive. May Mayıs ma·yuhs Bebek bezi be·bek be·zee
June Haziran ha·zee·ran Bir ... kiralamak istiyorum.
Bu çok pahalı. boo chok pa·ha·luh beer ... kee·ra·la·mak ees·tee·yo·room highchair
I’ll take it. July Temmuz tem·mooz Mama sandalyesine ma·ma san·dal·ye·see·ne
August Ağustos a·oos·tos car araba a·ra·ba
Tutuyorum. too·too·yo·room 4WD dört çeker dert che·ker potty
September Eylül ay·lewl Oturağa o·too·ra·a
October Ekim e·keem motorbike motosiklet mo·to·seek·let
Do you accept ...? bicycle bisiklet bee·seek·let pusher (stroller)
... kabul ediyor musunuz? November Kasım ka·suhm Pusete/Bebek arabası poo·se·te/be·bek a·ra·ba·suh
... ka·bool e·dee·yor moo·soo·nooz December Aralık a·ra·luhk
Is this the road to ...?
credit cards ... giden yol bu mu? ... gee·den yol boo moo Where's the nearest toy shop?
Kredi kartı kre·dee kar·tuh TRANSPORT Where’s a service station? En yakın oyuncakçı nerede?
travellers cheques Public Transport Benzin istasyonu ben·zeen ees·tas·yo·noo ne·re·de en ya·kuhn o·yoon·jak·chuh ne·re·de
What time does the ... leave/arrive? Do you mind if I breast-feed here?
LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE
nerede?
... ne zaman kalkacak/varır? Please fill it up. Burada çocuk emzirmemin bir sakıncası var mı?
more daha fazla da·ha faz·la ... ne za·man kal·ka·jak/va·ruhr Lütfen depoyu doldurun. lewt·fen de·po·yoo dol·doo·roon boo·ra·da cho·jook em·zeer·me·meen beer sa·kuhn·ja·suh
less daha az da·ha az boat Vapur va·poor I’d like ... litres. var muh
smaller küçük kew·chewk bus Otobüs o·to·bews ... litre istiyorum. ... leet·re ees·tee·yo·room Are children allowed?
bigger büyük bew·yewk plane Uçak oo·chak Çocuklar girebilir mi?
train Tren tren diesel dizel dee·zel cho·jook·lar gee·re·bee·leer mee
Where’s ... nerede? ... ne·re·de leaded petrol kurşunlu koor·shoon·loo
a/the ...? I’d like a ... ticket. unleaded petrol kurşunsuz koor·shoon·sooz
bank Banka ban·ka ... bir bilet lütfen.
... embassy ... elçilik ... el·chee·leek ... beer bee·let lewt·fen (How long) Can I park here?
hospital Hastane has·ta·ne one-way Buraya (ne kadar süre) park edebilirim?
market Pazar yeri pa·zar ye·ree Gidiş gee·deesh boo·ra·ya (ne ka·dar sew·re) park e·de·bee·lee·reem
police Polis po·lees return Do I have to pay?
post office Postane pos·ta·ne Gidiş-dönüş gee·deesh·der·newsh Park ücreti ödemem gerekli mi?
public phone Telefon te·le·fon 1st-class park ewj·re·tee er·de·mem ge·rek·lee mee
kulübesi koo·lew·be·see Birinci mevki bee·reen·jee mev·kee I need a mechanic. Also available from Lonely Planet:
public toilet Umumi oo·moo·mee 2nd-class Tamirciye ihtiyacım var. Turkish Phrasebook
tuvalet too·va·let Ikinci mevki ee·keen·jee mev·kee ta·meer·jee·ye eeh·tee·ya·jum var
© Lonely Planet Publications
698 G L O S S A R Y 699
GLOSSARY
jandarma – gendarme, paramilitary police force/officer odeon – odeum, small classical theatre for musical Tekel – government alcoholic beverage and tobacco
dağ(ı) – mountain jeton – transport token performances company
damsız girilmez – sign meaning that men unaccompanied örenyeri – ruins tekke(si) – dervish lodge
by a woman will not be admitted kale(si) – fortress, citadel ortaokul – secondary school TEM – Trans-European Motorway
deniz – sea kapı(sı) – door, gate otobus – bus tersane – shipyard
deniz otobüsü – literally ‘seabus’; hydrofoil or catamaran kaplıca – thermal spring or baths otogar – bus station THY – Türk Hava Yolları, Turkish Airlines
© Lonely Planet Publications
700 G L O S S A R Y
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