Author Archives: tur

Visiting a Mosque in Turkey

konya turkey

The mosques are open to everyone. You will have to leave your shoes at the entrance, women in most mosques are required to cover their heads with a scarf and naked parts of their legs and shoulders. If you don’t have anything with you, they will give you some scarves at the entrance for free. Silence is required inside the mosques, it is suggested that you shouldn’t laugh loudly inside as this may offend people praying. Most of the mosques are closed to visits at prayer times.

Five times a day, the “müezzin” calls the faithful to prayer in thi mosque. Before entering a mosque, Muslims wash themselves and remove their shoes. Foreign visitors should also remove their shoes and show the respect they would any other house of worship and avoid visiting the mosque durin prayer time. Women should cover their heads and ams, and not wear miniskirts. Men should not wear shorts. (In certain famous mosques, overalls are provided for those not suitably dressed.)

Is it Better to Travel Independently or go to Turkey as a part of a group Tour?

izmir turkey

The best way to see and experience Turkey depends on one’s knowledge, experience, and personal preferences. Touring is a safe way to experience new cultures and to see new places with peace of mind. However, some travelers may prefer to visit sites independently without the confines of schedules and timetables. Group tours are organized through tour operators.

There are many tour operators in the U.S. that specialize in trips to Turkey. These can be found in Turkey: The Travel Directory. Most group tours are all-inclusive. This means that transportation (air and ground), hotels, some meals, and a guide are usually provided for a flat-fee. Guided tours are highly recommended for those with an interest in history and culture, since tour guides can enhance the traveler’s experience by sharing their in-depth knowledge of the places visited.

Those who wish to travel independently can make travel arrangements in advance through a tour operator. Many tour operators will design customized individual itineraries in which air transportation, hotel and car rental reservations and other services are privately arranged to match the specifications of the client. Some tour operators offer fly/drive packages as well, in which airfare and rental car services are provided as a package.
Travelers can also make their own hotel and rental car reservations, use the services of local travel agencies in Turkey. These agencies can arrange car and driver mini tours, which are very popular in many areas, including Istanbul, Ephesus, Antalya and Cappadocia.

Turkey is a country of diverse scenery, climate and historical monuments, so travelers are sometimes overwhelmed by the number of places to visit.

How Can I Travel to Eastern or Southeastern Turkey

kekova turkey

Several specialized tour operators offer organized tours to Eastern and Southeastern Turkey. A list of these tour operators can be obtained from the Washington, D.C. Turkish Government Tourism Office. It is also possible to rent a car in Turkey and drive to these areas. However, during winter some parts of Eastern Anatolia can be quite cold and snowy. Roads are not always passable. Therefore, it is generally recommended that visitors travel to these regions as part of an organized tour during the summer.

The Best Time For Touring in Turkey

istanbul turkey

The best time for touring is April – May and September – October, when the day temperatures are most comfortable and the least amount of rain falls. For the beach worshipper, June – September is best. While the coastal areas enjoy milder climates, the inland Anatolian plateau experiences extremes of hot summers and cold winters with limited rainfall.

Driving in Turkey

You can drive in Turkey with an international driving licence. You should have a copy of this, together with your passport and insurance documents with you in the car at all times, as you will need it if you are involved in an accident. All of the major international car rental companies, as well as a number of local ones, have offices at airports and all major centres. Driving in Turkey is on the right, as in continental Europe.

Turkish road signs conform to the International Protocol on Road Signs and archaeological and historic sites are indicated by yellow signs. Turkey has a good network of well-maintained roads.

There is a 50 km per hour speed limit within urban centres and 90 km outside urban centres. Petrol stations are fairly easy to rind and on main highways, they are often open 24hrs and have restaurants and other facilities attached.

Unleaded (kursunsuz) petrol is easily available. If you are planning on driving to Turkey, as well as your passport, you will need to take your international driving licence, car registration documents and international green card (insurance card) with the TR sign clearly visible (NB: This can be purchased on arrival at the border). You can bring your own car into the country for up to six months. If you wish to keep your car in Turkey for more than six months, you are liable to pay import tax.