Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'West and Central Turkey'

Useful addresses

London
The Consulate General for the Republic of Turkey in London
Rutland Lodge, Rutland Gardens,
Knightsbridge,
LONDON SW7 1BW
Tel:020 7591 6900
Fax:020 7591 6911
E-Mail: turkishconsulate@btconnect.com

Washington
2525 Massachusetts Ave., NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Phone:(202) 612-6740 / 6741
Fax: (202) 319-1639

You need a visa to enter Turkey, but if you're European of American you can buy it at the border for 10 Euro.

Money

The new Turkish monetary unit, YTL for short, is worth around €0,50

If you know which places you are going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's that you can use with MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa

Food and drink

Turkish food by itself is worth a trip. Don't stick with well-known dishes like shish kebab or mixed grill: there are so many other dishes which are at least as worthwhile and you won't find them in your home town. Almost everywhere the mezze, starters are brought to the table on a huge serving tray; you're supposed to pick whatever you want. Waiters usually are more than willing to explain what the different starters are.

Accomodation

All hotels we stayed in during our trip in Turkey were clean and (relatively) cheap. In Ankara I paid € 35,- for a nice single room.

Safety and security

We didn't feel unsafe at all, but that is our experience. You always need to keep your eyes open, even in a place as friendly as Turkey.

Traveling in some countries or regions brings risks with it. That doesn't need to stop you from going there, but part of a thourough preparation of your trip is finding out about possible risks.

The first place to look is the CIA World Factbook

But you should also look at the web site of your own Foreign Department.

Plan your trip to Turkey online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.