Travelling in Turkey is a breeze thanks to the laid-back charm of the locals,
bus transport that’s second to none, and the sheer volume of accommodation
options, from friendly cheap-as-chips backpackers to immaculately groomed
boutique guesthouses. Only during the height of peak season or on public holidays would you be wise to book ahead; at most times you can just turn up and find your first accommodation choice awaiting.
WHEN TO GO
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are the best times
to visit, since the climate will be perfect for sightseeing in İstanbul and on the
Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and it will be cool in central Anatolia, but
not unpleasantly so. Visiting before mid-June or after August may also help you See Climate Charts
avoid mosquitoes. If your primary drive is for beach-bumming, mid-May to Sep- for more information.
tember is perfect for the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, if a little steamy out
of the water. The Black Sea coast is best visited between April and September -
there will still be rain but not so much of it. Head to eastern Turkey from late
June to September, but not before May or after mid-October unless you’re
prepared for snow, road closures and bone-chilling temperatures.
With the exception of İstanbul, Turkey doesn’t really have a winter tourism
season (see p20 for more details). Most accommodation along the Aegean,
Mediterranean and Black Sea and in some parts of Cappadocia is closed from
mid-October until late April. These dates are not set in stone and depend on
how the season is going. High season is from July to mid-September, and prices are at their peak.
Anticipate crowds along all coastal areas from mid-June until early Septem-
ber. You will need to plan ahead when travelling during the four- or five-da
Kurban Bayramı, as banks shut and ATMs may run out of cash (for more details
see p660 ). Also, try not to visit the Gallipoli Peninsula around Anzac Day (25
April) unless it’s particularly important for you to be there at that time.
COSTS & MONEY
Turkey is no longer Europe’s bargain-basement destination, but it still offers
good value for money. Costs are lowest in eastern Anatolia, and Cappadocia
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…
„ ‘Cover-up’ clothing for mosque visits. Women might want to bring a scarf, although if you
don’t you’ve got a good excuse to go shopping.
„ Slip-on shoes or sandals. Highly recommended as they are cool to wear and easy to remove
before entering mosques or Turkish homes.
„ Books in English. Those available in Turkey are hard to find and can be pricey. Second-hand
book exchanges plug the gaps, but you’ll need to have something to swap.
„ Tampons. They can be hard to find as most Turkish women use pads. „ Universal sink plug.
„ An appetite for kebaps.
„ First-aid kit including sunscreen, which can be expensive in Turkey. „ Checking your government’s travel warnings
Selçuk, Pamukkale and Olympos still offer bargain prices. Prices are high-
est in İstanbul, İzmir, Ankara and the touristy coastal cities and towns. In
these places you can get by on €30 to €40 per person per day, provided you
use public transport, stay in pensions, share bathrooms and eat out at a
basic eatery once a day (add extra for entry to sights). Away from İstanbul,
and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, budget travellers can travel
on as little as €25 to €35 per day. Throughout the country for €35 to €55
per day you can upgrade to midrange hotels with private bathrooms and
eat most meals in restaurants. On more than €55 per day you can enjoy
Turkey’s boutique hotels, take occasional flights, and wine and dine out
every day.
We quote all costs in this guidebook in euros. Although inflation has
dropped from the stratospheric levels of the 1990s to around 9%, if we quoted
Turkish new lira, prices would probably be out of date before the book even
emerged from the printers.
TRAVEL LITERATURE
Since time immemorial travellers have written about their rambles across
Turkey. Herodotus (5th century BC), Xenophon (5th century BC) and Strabo
(1st century BC) have all left us accounts of Anatolia in antiquity. The famous
march to Persia by the Greek army, immortalised in Xenophon’s Anabasis,
has been retraced some 2400 years later by Shane Brennan in his fabulous
tale, In the Tracks of the Ten Thousand: A Journey on Foot Through Turkey,
Syria and Iraq. Mary Wortley Montagu’s Turkish Embassy Letters details
the author’s travels to Istanbul with her husband, the British ambassador
to Turkey, in 1716. It’s a surprisingly nonjudgemental account of life at the
heart of the Ottoman Empire.
Edmondo De Amicis’ Constantinople, first published in 1877, has been
recently translated into English. While its main focus is İstanbul, this classic
beautifully details the exoticism of the city and the cosmopolitan nature of
19th-century Turkey. Alexander’s Path, by the indomitable Freya Stark, will
appeal to those who wish they too could have visited the classical sites of the
coast in the early 20th century
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