About Turkey

TURKEY is the paradise of sun, sea, mountains and lakes that offers the vacationer a complete change from the stress and routine of everyday life. From April to October, most places in Turkey have an ideal climate that is perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains and lakes.

Turkey also has a magnificent past and is a land full of historic treasures from 13 successive civilizations spanning 10,000 years. Even if you spend only a shor time in Turkey, you can see much of the great past.

MONETARY SYSTEM

The current national monetary unit is the New Turkish Lira (YTL). The coinage is in 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 New Kuruş and 1 New Turkish Lira pieces. Banknotes are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 & 100 YTL. (old banknotes and coins will be in physical circulation in 2005 for one year and banknotes will be withdrawn from circulation as of January 01, 2006. Central Bank of Turkey will convert them to new banknotes for a period of 10 years. The exchange rates for foreign currencies are published published daily . Euro checks can be cashed immediately as can traveler’s checks upon producing identification. The most widely accepted credit cards are American Express, Eurocard, Diner’s Club, Visa and Mastercard. Exchange offices in touristly places are generally open until midnight. ATM’s are available in all major cities.

CURRENCY CONVERSION

TIME DIFFERENCE

Plus 7 hours from the United States of America East Coast.

ELECTRICITY

220 Volts AC

TURKISH CUISINE & DINING

Would someone come to Turkey just to eat out? Yes, they would. Turkish food is famous throughout the world. The painstaking preparation of simple, but fresh ingredients brings out the richness of their flavors in a way that never fails to delight. The range is enormous, from the many soups to an astonishing variety of hors d’oeuvrez (meze) followed by meat and fish dishes.

Then pause a while to contemplate the famous Turkish sweets and pastries ingredients. The country produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and, being surrounded on three sides by the sea, there is a considerable choice of fish.

Among alcoholic drinks are the light Turkish beer, local wines and national drink “raki” (an anisette), which clouds when wated is added, giving it the popular name of “lions milk”. Drinking of raki is a rite in itself and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of “meze” (hors d’oeuvres). Wherever you go, coffee or tea will be offered to you. Bottled drinking water and mineral water is easily found everywhere. Tap water is drinkable, but the taste is affected chlorination.

In large cities such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir you will find restaurants which feature Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, French, Swiss, German and Italian cuisine.

TURKISH MINISTRY OF TOURISM WEB SITE

In response to the rising number of travelers from the U.S to Turkey, the Turkish Ministry of Tourism has opened a brand new information center in New York City. The new center is located at 821 United Nations Plaza, across from The United Nations. In addition to providing a full range of travel information, literature and a computerized hotel search, the new center also offers private space for hosting receptions, conferences and seminars.

HOTELS – GUEST HOUSES

Hotels : A certain number of hotels throughout the country are licenced by the Ministry of Tourism, which means that they abide by certain regulations and standards for facilities, and these are given the name “touristic”. There are other establishments registered with local authorities, and these too meet a certain standard with regard to facilities and services.

At seaside resorts and tourist centers on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, there are a number of motels, which generally offer satisfactory services (restaurants, a private beach, and all mooring facilities). There are also spacious holiday villages with high standards.

Additional Information : Touristic Hotel and Operations Organization (Turistik Otelciler ve İşletmeciler Birliği (TUROB), İstiklal Cad. No: 184 Gala İşhanı – Galatasaray – Istanbul. Tel : (212) 249-5153 ve (212) 251-4859, Fax : (212) 252-1664.

Guest Houses : With reasonable prices, guest houses provide tourists with the comforts of home throughout Turkey for help with reservations contact :

The Tourist Offices and Turevs (Association for the Development of the Tourist Guest House, Cumhuriyet Bulvari, Elbir İşhanı, No: 84/404, Alsancak, İzmir. Telephone and Fax : (232) 421-4295.

OTHER USEFUL WEB SITES

Home

Türk Hava Yolları