Climate of Turkey
Because of its mild climate Turkey is considered the favourite vacation destination for thousands of people around the world.
When to travel in Turkey?
Spring is best, autumn next, then summer, last winter.
SPRING
Spring (April, May, through mid-June) is prime because the weather is moderate throughout the country and the days are long. (April can be rainy, though.) This is high season for Istanbul and Cappadocia, with many boutique hotels fully booked, and prices at their highest. It's off-season for Aegean and Mediterranean beach resorts.
AUTUMN
autumn (mid-September through October) is second best with mostly mild weather, but the days are shorter, and rain may begin again in October. This, too, is high season for Istanbul and Cappadocia, with many boutique hotels heavily booked at their highest prices. At beach resorts, the water is still warm, crowds are smaller, and prices lower.
SUMMER
Summer (mid-June, July, August, through mid-September) is quite hot in five of Turkey's seven distinct climatic regions, though usually rainless, and cool inland in the evenings. Seaside resorts are crowded and prices are at their peak, but the cities are less so—Istanbul is a bargain, with smaller crowds and shorter lines for admission to sights. Cappadocia is cheaper and more comfortable as well.
WINTER
Winter (November, December, January, February, March) can be chill and rainy, with occasional cold but sunny days, everywhere except the southeast, which remains temperate, but lower prices and fewer tourists are compensations. I often travel to Turkey in March and November to benefit from the lower prices, better availability of hotel rooms, and lack of crowds.
March – May Spring (Tulip season)
June – August Summer (coastal activities)
September – November Autumn (All festival, beach)
December – February (Snow falls)
Currency
What is the local currency of Turkey?
The local currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira (TL) available in the following denominations: banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50 &100 TL; coins: 10, 25 & 50 kuruş and 1 TL.
Clothing
Turkish Dress Code
You can pretty much wear what you want in Turkey, but what you wear determines first impressions of how you are received. I recommend that you bring comfortable, tidy informal clothing and well-broken-in shoes.
In the City
In Turkish cities, shorts and T-shirts in summer are the Mark of the Tourist. Well, you are a tourist, right? No problem wearing shorts for comfort, except when you visit mosques. As for Turks, most of them will be wearing "smart casual" clothes: sleeved summer dresses or sleeved top and skirt for women, short-sleeved shirt and long trousers for men. Footwear can be shoes or sandals.
For visiting mosques, dress neatly as you would to visit a church (no shorts or sleeveless tops, and wear socks to walk on the carpets).
Dress at dinner is generally "smart casual," (tidy informal clothes) though you may want a dress or jacket in the fancier hotels and restaurants.
At the Beach
Anything goes. At Turkish beaches, some foreign female visitors remove their bikini tops while lying in the sun, but put them on again to walk around or enter the water. Shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops or bare feet are normal wear for both Turks and foreigners.
On Yacht Cruises
As at the beach, anything goes. Shorts, T-shirts, sleeveless tops, bikinis, Speedos.... Bring sun block, a hat, soft-soled shoes or flip-flops for deck wear, and your own beach towels for swimming and sunbathing. Note that storage aboard most Turquoise Coast yachts is limited, so bring soft luggage that can be folded and stowed after you've unpacked.
Packing for Weather
In spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November) you may encounter rain, and the air may be cool or even chilly at night, but comfortable during the day; bring a warm jacket or a sweater and windbreaker. In North-eastern and Eastern Turkey, prepare for near-winter conditions. In South-eastern Turkey there will be little rain, and warm weather, so pack as for a mild summer.
In summer (June-September) wear cool cotton clothing, a hat, and sun block lotion, but have a light sweater for cool evenings. Rain won't be a big problem, although you may encounter it along the Black Sea coast and in the East. In the Southeast, be prepared for hot, hot weather.
In winter (December-March) you'll need warm woollen clothing and rain gear, even though many days will be sunny. In general, weather is warmer along the seacoasts and in the Mediterranean coast and Southeast, cooler at higher elevations
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to visit Turkey?
While planning your trip to Turkey do not forget to check your passport if it is valid for at least 90 days. Depending on your nationality, most probably your stay as a tourist is limited up to 3 months (for one entrance).For tourist visas for many countries, there is no need to apply in advance or to fill in any forms. However, please check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website http://www.mfa.gov.tr for updated information and information on which passport holders may require a visa before leaving their country. You may also check with the Turkish Embassy in your country for the latest visa updates. The visa for UK passport holders currently costs £10 and must be paid for with a Sterling note. The visa fee for USA and Australian passport holders is $20/€15. Canadian passport holders need to pay $60/€45. The visa fee for New Zealand passport holders is gratis. The visa for some EU state-passport holders currently costs € 10 and must be paid for with a Euro note. Visas are multiple entries and are valid for three months. Each passport-holder, including infants, must purchase a visa. With tourist visas, you will not have the right to take up paid or unpaid employment or to reside, or to study (including student exchange program) or to establish yourself a business in Turkey.
Will I be able to use my mobile phone in Turkey?
The major GSM operators in Turkey are Turkcell, Vodafone and Avea. You can use your mobile phone in Turkey if your provider has enabled international roaming. However if you intend to stay for a long time in the country or make several calls, it may be preferable to buy a local prepaid SIM card. Take your mobile phone and passport to a Turkish mobile phone shop where your new SIM will be registered along with your handset's IMEI number and your personal information. (Unregistered phones will be blocked and unable to receive or make calls.) Turkey has very wide mobile coverage networks so you shouldn’t have any problems in the main cities and tourist resorts.
What is the time difference between the UK and Turkey?
Turkey is GMT+2, that is to say two hours ahead of the UK.
What are the opening times for shops and other services?
Museums: 9 AM to 17 PM, Tuesday to Sunday.
Pharmacies: 9 AM to 19 PM, Monday to Saturday. 24-Hour duty pharmacies are available on a rota basis that the names and addresses can be found on any pharmacy.)
Banks: 9 AM to 17 PM, Monday to Friday. (Some closes for lunch brake.)
Post Offices: 9 AM to 17 PM, Monday to Friday. (Extended hours applied on peak periods at major Holiday destinations).
Shopping Centres are open seven days a week and stay open until late.
What is the mains supply voltage, will I need an adaptor?
The mains voltage for electricity is 220V and 50Hz, meaning that wall sockets in Turkey take two-pin plugs. You will need an adaptor if your appliances use three-pin plugs. These are usually easily purchased at all the major airports in the UK.
How do I drive in Turkey?
Driving in Turkey is on the right-hand side as in continental Europe and all visitors may drive with an international driving licence. You should have a copy of your licence, together with your passport and insurance documents, with you in the car at all times. All of the major international car rental companies, as well as a number of local ones, have offices at airports and all major centres. See Getting around Turkey for more information.
Do I need to know Turkish in order to communicate?
English is Turkey's second widest spoken language and you will easily find English speakers in the major cities and holiday resorts. Restaurant menus and other information for foreigners are often printed in English.
Are there mosquitoes in Turkey?
In the summer months there can be mosquitoes in some areas so it is advisable to take a suitable repellent.
How should visitors dress in Turkey?
There are no hard and fast rules but it is best to use common sense when deciding what to wear. If staying on a beach resort it is fine to dress as you feel comfortable (i.e. bikini, shorts and short dresses) though when going into town to shop or eat it may be an idea to change into a dress or trousers. For city breaks relaxed clothing is the most suitable with comfortable shoes and casual trousers and/or a dress if you intend to do lots of walking. When visiting mosques you should take off your shoes at the entrance and ladies should cover their hair; often scarves are provided on the way in. Both sexes should dress modestly with no shorts and arms and shoulders covered during visits to mosques.
Are any vaccinations required for tourists entering Turkey?
There are no compulsory vaccinations for visitors entering Turkey though it is a good idea to be up-to-date with polio and tetanus, and if you are travelling to the east of the country, typhoid.
Is Turkey safe?
Turkey is one of the safest countries in the world with Interpol ranking it as the safest holiday destination in Europe. As is the case when travelling in any country though, do be careful with your personal possessions when out and about and never leave items unattended. You will find the police helpful and friendly and in many of the tourist resorts there are special tourism police who speak different languages.
Tipping
A 10% of the total bill or simply rounding up to the next lira for smaller purchases is welcome, though this is not a custom to be strictly followed. Tipping ceremony is performed like this, especially in the restaurants and cafes: first you ask for the bill, the waiter/ress brings the bill inside a folder, and puts it on the table and goes away. You put the money into the folder (with the bill), and after a few minutes later waiter comes back to collect the folder. A few minutes more later, waiter comes again with the same folder in his/her hands and leaves it once more on the table. This time there is change in it. You leave the amount of change you think waiter deserves and close the folder. The waiter comes again last time a few minutes later to take it. If you think they don’t deserve any tip, walking out into the street without leaving anything is totally okay, and there is no need to feel ashamed. Some establishments charge an additional 10% on your bill that you have to pay, that is the “service charge”, and sometimes it is not declared to the customer until the bill shows up. There is obviously not a reason to leave any more tip in that kind of places. It’s also a bit odd to tip in self-service restaurants and cheap&dirty bars.
Taxi drivers usually tend to round up what the meter says to the next lira and give your change accordingly. So tipping is not necessary. If you insist on taking your exact change back, ask for para üstü? (Pronounced something like “pah-rah oos-too”, which means “change”). Driver will be reluctant to give it at first, but you will succeed eventually.
Supermarket cashiers usually round up the total sum to the next 5 kuruş if you pay in cash (the exact sum is extracted when paid by a credit card though). This is not a kind of involuntary tip, as the 2-3-4 kuruşes don’t go into their pockets. It is simply because they are not adequately supplied with enough 1 kuruş coins as it is very rare in circulation. So don’t be surprised if the change given to you is short of a few kuruşes from what should be given to you according to what the electronic board of the till says. It is totally okay to pay the exact sum if you have enough number of 1 kuruş coins.
Bargaining
In Turkey, bargaining is a must. One can bargain everywhere that doesn’t look too luxurious: shops, hotels, bus company offices, and so on. During your bargaining, don’t look so impressed and interested, and be patient. Since foreigners (especially Western people) aren’t expected to be good at bargaining, sellers are quick to reject any bargaining attempt (or are at least quick to look like so), but be patient and wait, the price will fall! (Don’t forget, even if you are successful at your bargaining attempt, when you get your credit card out of your wallet, rather than cash, the agreed price may rise again, though probably to a lower level than the original one)
VAT Refund
You can get a VAT refund (currently 18% or 23% on most items) if you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Turkey. Look for the blue “Tax-Free” sticker on the windowpane or entrance of the shops, these kind of shops are the only places you can get a VAT refund. Don’t forget to take the necessary papers from the shop that will enable you for a VAT reclaim when leaving Turkey.
Although Turkey is in a customs union with the European Union for some goods, unlike the situation in the EU, there is currently not an initiative to abolish duty-free shops in the airports.
Vegetarians
Vegetarian restaurants are not common, and can be found only in very central parts of big cities and some of the tourist spots. However, every good restaurant offers vegetable dishes, and some of the restaurants offering traditional “ev yemeği” (“home food”) have olive-oil specialities which are vegetarian in content. A vegetarian would be very happy in the Aegean region, where all kinds of wild herbs are eaten as main meals, either cooked or raw, dressed with olive oil. But a vegetarian would have real difficulty in searching for food especially in Southeastern region, where a dish without meat is not considered a dish. At such a place, supermarkets may help with their shelves full of canned vegetables, or even canned cooked olive-oil courses and fresh fruits. If you are a vegetarian and going to visit rural areas of Southeastern region, better take your canned food with you, as there will be no supermarkets to rescue you.
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