Not just a country which carries deep historic significance but also a place where you and your loved one can spend some quality time with each other, Turkey ticks all the boxes when it comes to providing you a memorable holiday. The country takes you on a rollercoaster ride through rich history, utter beauty, and some wonderful people who’re always there to welcome you to their world. Turkey offers a perfect blend of history, beauty, and hospitality for a memorable holiday. Explore Turkey tour packages for an unforgettable experience.
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF TURKEY
Being a transcontinental country, one can find a major portion of Turkey on Western Asia while the other side in Southeast Europe. The country accounts for a population of as high as 86.5 million people spanning an area of 783,562 square kilometers. Each year, tourists from different parts of the world gather in millions to experience the alluring charm of this country and learn about its history.
CULTURE OF TURKEY
Turkey’s culture carries its influence from a mix of the Turkic, Ottoman, Anatolian, Byzantine and the Western traditions. Having a renowned history of Turkish paintings, miniatures, literature, and classical music, Turkey is a by-product of progression towards a modern state while keeping historical and religious values intact. The largest religion in Turkey is Islam, which forms as close to 99% of the population, with most of them being Sunni Muslims.
PLACES TO VISIT IN TURKEY
Every Turkey itinerary should be kick-started with a trip to the city of Istanbul which is the talk of the town for its vibrant market and historical landmarks. If you enjoy the water then the city of Fethiye must be the way to go which has a breathtaking beach and options for boat trips. Not just this, Turkey also has itself a foodie paradise which goes by the name of Gaziantep, a city famous for its sweet pastry Baklava and savoury Lahmacun. Apart from all this, one just cannot miss the capital city of Ankara which is perfect for a day trip having some magnificent castles, museums, and lakes.
THINGS TO DO IN TURKEY
The list gets so long that even a week feels short to explore the iconic cities of Turkey. For the Ankara city to start with, the grandeur of the Akara Castle is sure to leave you at a loss of words. How about a stroll to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul before enjoying a relaxing Turkish bath at the Camberlitas Hamami? Sounds amazing, right? Couples visiting Turkey just can’t get enough of the beauty that the city of Cappadocia has in store for them starting from a romantic hot air balloon ride to a trip to the famous Goreme National Park. Once you’re done travelling and exploring every corner of the country, its time to sit down and enjoy a Dervish performance in Konya city.
Public Transport
The TCDD - Türkiye Devlet Demir Yolları (Turkish State Railways) provides rail services in the country, i.e, the most extensively used transport in the country. The city also has a well connected tram systems. Apart from Istanbul not many cities have public busses but this is compensated by dolmuşes, mini-vans that facilitate trips to the villages and private busses that connect various cities.
Taxi & Airport transfer
For airport transfers, getting a taxi from the airport rank is the most convenient option. A ride from the airport will cost you 890 INR till Sultanahmet and 1100 INR till Taksim. Other options include using the airport shuttle or a private shuttle which you can enquire about at the airport desk. You could also travel from the airport in public transport but that will require a couple of route changes which can be draining. You could alternatively travel in the metro, a train connects the airport to the city in every ten minutes between 6 AM and 11 PM. This will cost you 32 INR with a Instanbulkart.
Transport & city passes
Not all cities in Turkey have well established public transport or dedicated passes, but there are a few like IstanbulKart in Istanbul which can be purchased at the airport at your arrival. This card covers all kinds of travel within the city including metros, trams, ferries, funiculars and busses. These are prepaid cards that you'll have to purchase as they no longer accept cash. This pass gives you 40% discount over normal rates.
Driving & Car rental
Car rentals in Turkey are a good way to explore the non-busy, smaller cities as driving on these roads is an experience in itself. The bigger cities are busy and have drivers who might not follow road rules and thus lead to chaos. A car rental in Turkey will cost you around 3650 INR for each day.
Culture & Etiquette
People in Turkey are warm and welcoming but there are some etiquette rules to keep in mind if you look forward to a comfortable stay in the country. People in Turkey love to take their own time be it in conversations or during tasks, depending on the context they're either direct and straightforward or will beat around the bush during a conversation, so it's important to be patient. Pointing fingers at other people is rude but you'll see a lot of physical touch among people of the same sex in public, it could be a sign of acquaintance vs friendship but remains above the above the waist. Avoid smoking or drinking on the streets as a sign of respect to the locals observing Ramadan.
Major events & Public holidays
Turkey hosts a number of festivals like The Sarıgerme Kite Festival, where the locals get together at the Sarıgerme beach in indulge in Kite flying, Camel wrestling in the western part of the country that attracts a lot of tourists and Film Festivals that screen meaningful works of leading as well as upcoming directors.
Road rules and driving license
When in Turkey drive on the right side of the road. There are speed cameras installed on every road so make sure you abide by the speed limits and road rules. You can drive with your valid local drivers license for a period of thirty days in Turkey given you are carrying its authorized translation and a valid passport.
Know your Turkish
Turkish is the main language spoken in Turkey. The other common languages are Arabic and Zazaki.
Hello - Merhaba
How are you - Nalsilsin
Good morning - Gunaydyin
Good night - iyi geceler
Goodbye - gule gule
Turkish cuisine is very famous and diverse. So when in Turkey, try to explore the authentic Turkish cuisine. The food here is slightly different from other international cuisines. The food is mouth-watering and is a combination of Balkan, Middle Eastern and Central Asian cuisine. It also has the heritage of Ottoman cuisine.
Menemen: In this dish, the scrambled eggs are sauteed with vegetables and served with bread.
Baklava: This dish consists of layers of Flaky pastry along with chopped nuts and complemented by sweet syrup.
Kumpir: A giant potato stuffed with kesar cheese and butter.
Mezze: This Turkish starter dish consists of yoghurt, meatballs, eggplant salad, herbs, hummus rice, white cheese and more.
Manti: Manti is Turkish ravioli. The handmade dumplings are filled with ground beef or lamb and then served with creamy yoghurt sauce.
Turkish Apple tea: Apple tea is famous in Turkey and plays an important part in Turkish hospitality.
Electricity
Sim & Data Roaming
Cash & Cards
Health & Insurance
Emergency contacts
Embassy of India in Turkey
Harbiye Mahallesi, Cumhuriyet Cd. Dortler Apt. No:42 D:11-12, 34367 ÅžiÅŸli/Ä°stanbul, Turkey.
Ph No: 2122962131 Email: info@cgiistanbul.org
Police: 112, Ambulance: 112, Fire department: 110
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