Accommodation
Editor's choice: Cappadocian Cave Hotels/Inns
The early Christians sought refuge in the caves of Cappadocia, living and worshipping underground. Some of these cave dwellings have now been converted into hotels with all the mod cons: air conditioning, heating and private bathrooms.
Hotels
In recent years, Turkey has made a considerable effort to develop its hotel facilities. Grading: Hotels registered with the Ministry of Tourism are graded from 1 star (1 yildizli) to 5 stars (5 yildizli). Classification is based on the standard of service and facilities. Motels and holiday villas are first class (1 sinif) or second class (2 sinif). There are other establishments registered with local authorities, and these too correspond to a certain standard in regard to facilities and services. There is also a national hotel association: TUROB (see Accommodation Information below).
Guest Houses
Guest houses (pensions) can be found in holiday resorts and major towns.
Self-catering
Villas and apartments can be rented, especially on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.
Camping/Caravanning
There are numerous sites, but facilities are generally limited.
Youth Hostels
There are a number of excellent youth hostels in Turkey. The Yücelt Interyouth Hostel in Istanbul (see Accommodation Information) is a member of Hostelling International.
Accommodation Information
TUROB (Touristic Hotels and Investors Association)Cumhuriyet Cad. Pak Apt. Kat 6 D: 12, Harbiye (Divan Oteli Yani), 33437 Sisli-Istanbul, TurkeyTel: (212) 296 2464.Website: www.turob.org Yücelt Interyouth HostelCaferiye Sok No 6/1, Sultanahmet 34400, Istanbul, TurkeyTel: (212) 513 6150/1.Website: www.yucelthostel.com
Business
• GDP: US$356.7 billion.• Main exports: Clothing and textiles, road vehicles, iron and steel, electrical machinery and fruit and vegetables.• Main imports: Machinery, appliances and parts, mineral fuels and oil, road vehicles, iron and steel products and plastics and products.• Main trade partners: Exports to: Germany, UK and USA. Imports from: Germany, Russia and Italy.
Economy
Turkey is self-sufficient in basic foodstuffs including maize, sugar, wheat and barley. Cotton, tobacco, fruit, vegetables and nuts are grown for both domestic consumption and export. A variety of livestock is reared. The agricultural sector still accounts for around 12 per cent of total economic output and is a major employer, especially of women in the workforce, 60 per cent of whom work on the land. There is a sizeable mining industry producing copper, chromium, borax and, to a lesser extent, bauxite and coal. Manufacturing and services are the most important sectors. Manufacturing has grown significantly, in particular the production of textiles and clothing, road vehicles and electronic goods. The service sector too has seen steady growth. Tourism dominates this sector and is the second biggest revenue earner in the country.Economic performance between 1998 and 2002 was poor with negative GDP growth during most of the period (9 per cent during 2001), while inflation was between 40 and 65 per cent. There was improvement in 2003, when inflation was cut to near 20 per cent, and in 2004, when it was cut to 10 per cent. Growth of about five per cent is predicted for 2005 and 2006. Unemployment has remained steady at just over 10 per cent since 2002. Relations with the international financial community have been difficult. Successive governments have agreed reform programmes based on the usual diet of deregulation and privatisation. However, political instability has undermined Government attempts to sell utilities and key industries (including banking and food-processing). Turkey has long harboured an aspiration to join the European Union, having lodged its original application in 1963. Poor economic management, the unresolved situation in Cyprus, perennial disputes with Greece and a bad human-rights record have combined to thwart any prospect of EU membership in the past. However, official EU membership talks finally began in October 2005. Europe has increasing influence over the country; Turkish trade patterns have shifted from the Middle East in favour of Europe, and hundreds of thousands of Turkish workers are employed across the EU.
Business Etiquette
A formal suit or jacket and tie should always be worn for business. English is widely spoken in business circles, although an effort by the visitor to speak a little Turkish is appreciated. The majority of people in business value punctuality and visiting cards are widely used. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1330-1730. Summer: In the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey, government offices and many other establishments are closed during the afternoon in the summer months. The summer hours are fixed each year by the provincial Governors.
Conferences/Conventions
Istanbul and Antalya are the most popular venues, followed by Ankara, Marmaris and Bodrum. There are many 4- and 5-star hotels, which provide facilities and can host conferences and meetings to international standards. The Crowne Plaza Istanbul has a conference centre with facilities for up to 1000 people.
Commercial Information
Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of TurkeyTOBB Atatürk Bulvari, 149 Bakanliklar 06640, Ankara, TurkeyTel: (312) 413 8000.Website: www.tobb.org.trIstanbul Convention and Exhibition CentreHarbiye 80230, Istanbul, TurkeyTel: (212) 296 3055.Website: www.icec.org Crowne Plaza Istanbul (Information on Conferences/Conventions)Tel: (212) 560 8110.Website: http://istanbul.crowneplaza.com
Climate
Climate
Temperatures in Ankara vary between -4°C (25ºF) and 30°C (86ºF). Marmara and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters.
Required clothing
Light- to medium-weights and rainwear.
Communications
Telephone
Country code: 90. The cheapest way to make calls is from PTT telephone booths, which are found in all areas. Telephone cards are available for these.
Mobile telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mostly good, but can be patchy in some rural areas.
Internet
Internet cafes exist in main urban areas.
Post
Turkish post offices are recognisable by their yellow PTT signs. Post office hours: major outlets Mon-Sat 0800-2400, Sun 0900-1900; smaller post offices have the same opening hours as government offices.
MEDIA
Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), the state broadcaster, runs four national television networks as well as a number of radio stations. Competing with TRT are around 300 private TV stations and over 1000 private radio stations. Although some of the most repressive sanctions have been lifted to enable Turkey to meet EU entry requirements, there are still reports from independent international observers of journalists being imprisoned, or attacked by police. Kurdish-language broadcasts have been introduced in order to meet EU criteria on minorities. Press: The main newspapers are Hürriyet, Milliyet, Sabah and Zamam. English-language daily newspapers include The Turkish Daily News.TV: Four state-run channels are operated by TRT. Private channels include Kanal D, Show TV and Star TV. CNN Türk is the Turkish channel of news network CNN.Radio: TRT stations include TRT 1 (cultural and educational), TRT 3 (popular music) and TRT 4 (folk and classical music). Show Radyo and Capital Radio are commercial stations, while Radyo Foreks broadcasts news.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Turkey without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars or 200g of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers or 50g of chewing tobacco or 200g of pipe tobacco or 200g of snuff tobacco* (see Note below); five bottles (1l) or seven bottles (700ml) of wine and/or spirits; reasonable amounts of coffee and tea; five bottles (up to 120ml each) of perfume; gifts up to a value of &Euro;255.65 (or equivalent); electronic articles up to a value of &Euro;255.65 (or equivalent).
Note
(a)* A further 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars and 500g of pipe tobacco may be imported if purchased on arrival at a duty free shop. (b) Very specific amounts and categories of personal belongings may be imported duty free, according to a list available from the Turkish Embassy, Financial and Customs Counsellor's Office.
Prohibited imports
Narcotics, sharp implements, weapons and more than one set of cards.
Restricted exports
(a) The export of souvenirs such as carpets is subject to customs regulations regarding age and value. (b) The export of antiques is forbidden, according to a list available from the Turkish Embassy, Finance and Customs Counsellor's Office. (c) Minerals may only be exported under licence from the General Directorate of Mining Exploration & Research.
Entertainment
Food & Drink
Turkish food combines culinary traditions of a pastoral people originating from Central Asia and the influences of the Mediterranean regions. Guests are usually able to go into a kitchen and choose from the pots if they cannot understand the names of the dishes. Things to know: Turkey is a secular state and alcohol is permitted, although during Ramadan it is considered polite for the visitor to avoid drinking alcohol.National specialities:•
Shish kebab (pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled).•
Doner kebab (pieces of lamb packed tightly round a revolving spit). • Barbunya (red mullet) and kiliç baligi (swordfish). •
Dolma (vine leaves stuffed with nuts and currants).•
Karniyarik (aubergine stuffed with minced meat). •
Turkish Delight (originally made from dates, honey, roses and jasmine bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee). National drinks:•
Raki (anisette), known as 'lion's milk', which clouds when water is added. Drinking raki is a ritual and is traditionally accompanied by a variety of meze (hors d'oeuvres).•
Ayran (a refreshing yoghurt drink).• Tea.• Strong black Turkish coffee.• Turkish beer, red and white wines.Tipping: A service charge is included in hotel and restaurant bills.
Nightlife
There are nightclubs in most main centres, either Western or Oriental, with music and dancing. There are theatres with concerts in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir and most towns have cinemas. Turkish baths (hamam) are popular.
Shopping
Istanbul's Kapali Carsi Bazaar has jewellery, carpets and antiques for sale. Turkish handicrafts include a rich variety of textiles and embroideries, articles of copper, onyx and tile, mother-of-pearl, inlaid articles, leather and suede products, jewellery and, above all, carpets and kilims. Shopping hours: Daily 0930-1900 in tourist areas. Closing hours vary, with some shops staying open until midnight. Outside tourist areas shops may close at lunchtime and on Sundays. Istanbul covered market: Mon-Sat 0800-1900 (closed Sunday).
General Information
Area
779,452 sq km (300,948 sq miles).
Population
73.3 million (UN estimate 2005).
Population Density
94.04 per sq km.
Capital
Ankara. Population: 3.5 million (2005 estimate).
Geography
Turkey borders the Black Sea and Georgia and Armenia to the northeast, Iran to the east, Iraq to the southeast, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean Sea to the west and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Asia Minor (or Anatolia) accounts for 97 per cent of the country and forms a long, wide peninsula 1650km (1025 miles) from east to west and 650km (400 miles) from north to south. Two east-west mountain ranges, the Black Sea Mountains in the north and the Taurus in the south, enclose the central Anatolian plateau, but converge in a vast mountainous region in the far east of the country. It is here that the ancient Tigris and Euphrates rivers rise.
Government
Republic since 1923. Head of State: President Ahmet Necdet Sezer since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan since 2002. Recent history: After a period of economic crisis in 2001 nearly brought Turkey’s economy to collapse, the country agreed a recovery programme with the IMF in 2002 and has since made good progress, with impressive economic growth and decreased inflation. The conservative and Islamist-based Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the General Elections in 2002 and had its domestic position consolidated when it won 42 per cent of the vote in local elections in 2004. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been Prime Minister since 2002, and although his party has Islamist roots, Mr Erdogan insists that it is committed to secularism. He sees EU entry as a top priority and introduced reforms which paved the way for the opening of membership talks in October 2005. Accession negotiations are expected to take about 10 years. In November 2003, Turkey suffered four major terrorist attacks which targeted two synagogues, the British Consulate-General and the HSBC bank, all in Istanbul. In summer 2004, Kurdish secessionists called off a five-year ceasefire following what they called annihilation operations against their fighters by the Turkish authorities. There have since been clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkish forces in the south-east.
Language
Turkish. Kurdish is also spoken by a minority in the southeast. French, German and English are widely spoken in cities and tourist areas.
Religion
Muslim with a small Christian minority. Turkey is a secular state which guarantees complete freedom of worship to non-Muslims.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
Shaking hands is the normal form of greeting. Hospitality is very important and visitors should respect Islamic customs. Informal wear is acceptable, but beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. Smoking is widely acceptable but prohibited in cinemas, theatres, city buses and dolmuses (collective taxis).
Health
Health
1
Outbreaks of typhoid may occur in rural areas.
2
Potential malaria risk (exclusively in the benign vivax form) exists from May to the end of October in the Çukorova/Amikova areas and in southeast Anatolia, Adana and Antalya (Side). There is no malaria risk in the main tourist areas in the west and southwest of the country.
Food & drink
Mains water is usually chlorinated in larger towns and cities, but should not be assumed to have been so treated: if used for drinking or making ice it should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. If a water source bears the words içilmez, it means that it is not for drinking; sources labelled içilir, içme suyu or içilebilir are safe to drink. Bottled spring water is widely available. Milk is pasteurised. Eat only well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot.
Other risks
Hepatitis A, B and C are present. Cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, meningitis and TB occur.The first cases of the human form of avian flu were reported in Turkey in early 2006. See Travel Advice.Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, see the Health appendix.
Health care
Turkey has a large health sector. A great number of Turkish doctors and dentists speak a foreign language, particularly at major hospitals. Private health insurance is recommended; ensure that it covers Asiatic as well as European Turkey.
History and Government
History
Originally inhabited by a variety of different peoples – Hittites, Urartians, Phyrgians and Lydians – Turkey, or Asia Minor as it was called during much of the pre-modern period, was, for over 1000 years, the heartland of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, with Constantinople as its capital. Founded by Constantine the Great in AD 330, Constantinople survived the collapse of the Western Empire in the fifth century. It was the capital from which the brilliant and enigmatic Emperor Justinian (527-565) launched his ambitious projects to reunite the old Roman Empire, the western provinces of which had been occupied by Germanic people from northern Europe. The Byzantine Empire, from the death of Justinian until its eventual fall in 1453, was engaged in a long retreat in the face of numerous enemies, mainly the forces of Islam. However, the Byzantines took advantage of the success of the First Crusade (1096-1100), whose armies re-took many Byzantine possessions in Asia Minor, Syria and Palestine, although, as later events were to prove, the interests of the Byzantines and of the Christian Crusader states in Palestine were not always identical. The Byzantine State never fully recovered and on many occasions during the next three centuries, a final defeat was only prevented by the disunity of its enemies and particularly by the massive fortifications of the city of Constantinople. The conquest of Constantinople in 1204 – the only time the fortifications were breached – was followed by one of the most savage and rapacious sackings in the history of the world. The treasures of Byzantium were beyond count or value and many priceless works of art were removed to Europe (mainly to Venice) during this time. The Byzantines set up a rival capital at Nicea, until Constantinople was retaken in 1261. By this time, however, the empire had effectively lost control of most of its territories and, by the 14th century, Byzantine control of Asia Minor was little more than an empty theory. From the 11th century onwards, the Asiatic area of Turkey known as Anatolia had also been affected by upheavals and conquests from the east. Successive invasions from Central Asia led to the Islamic Turkification of the region, the real power fast becoming the Ottomans’
– a name derived from their 14th-century leader, Osman Gazi, who scored a decisive victory against the Byzantines at the Battle of Baphaeon in 1301.The Ottomans steadily expanded their territorial control from Turkey itself, constructing the Ottoman Empire, which at its zenith in the mid-16th century – a period associated with the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent – covered southeast Europe (including the Balkans and Hungary), North Africa (as far as Morocco), the Crimea and Georgia, the Levant, Syria, Iraq and most of the Arabian peninsula. The most famous conquest, from a symbolic and strategic point of view, was that of Constantinople itself in 1453; with its fall, the Roman Empire, in a strictly legalistic sense, finally came to an end. The territorial ambitions of the Ottomans regarding control of the Mediterranean and Central Europe brought the empire into conflict with the major European powers of the day, particularly the Hapsburgs. The Venetians, and later, the Russians, were almost constant enemies of the Ottomans during the late-17th and 18th centuries, during which time the empire sank into decline. In the late-18th century, attempts were made by some rulers to reform the empire but to little effect. The diplomatic history of Central Europe in the early modern period is highly complex and the Ottoman Empire became increasingly a pawn and victim of the various power struggles. Its disintegration and the forces of nationalism unleashed as a consequence caused schisms and conflicts that linger to this day throughout southern Europe and the Middle East. Turkey was known as ‘the sick man of Europe’ during this period. Turkish history can thereafter be characterised a struggle between the forces of absolutism and reform. In 1914, the country became embroiled in World War I on the side of Germany. The following year saw one of the most ignominious episodes in Turkish history when an estimated one million Armenians - a long-settled national minority - were expelled from their homes and driven into the eastern deserts where they died of starvation or were killed. Although it is fiercely denied to this day by the Turkish authorities, there is compelling evidence that this was an officially sponsored and systematic policy, and was tantamount to genocide. After Turkey ended the war on the losing side, most of the remaining Ottoman possessions came under British and French control with the support of the newly-formed League of Nations (forerunner of the United Nations). Defeated and discredited, the Ottoman dynasty was overthrown in 1923 by a revolutionary movement led by Mustafa Kemal - better known as Ataturk - who established a single-party republic and laid the foundations of modern Turkey. The period after the War of Independence saw sweeping social reforms and economic modernisation, including the abolition of the Islamic social infrastructure and the development of a manufacturing industry. Atatürk’s successor, Ismet Inönü, kept Turkey out of World War II (except for the last four months) and introduced multi-party politics. The first elections were held in 1950. There have since been two prolonged periods of military rule, the second ending with elections in 1983, won by Turgut Özal and the Motherland Party. Martial law, however, remained in force in many provinces until 1987. Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and, since the lifting of suspensions with the end of military rule, is once more a full and active member of the OECD and the Council of Europe, as well as being an associate member of the EU. Turkey has been pursuing full EU membership since the early-1980s, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The government elected in November 2002 is keen to join, and opened negotiations almost immediately after its accession (see below), but there are a number of major problems: the structure of the Turkish economy; a historically poor human rights record, especially with regard to the treatment of the country’s Kurdish minority; and the status of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’, especially since the southern part of the island is one of the 2004 entrants (see Cyprus). Important as relations with Europe are, Turkish foreign policy has major interests elsewhere. The collapse of the Soviet Union has given the country a key political and economic role in Central Asia, where Turkey has historic cultural and linguistic links with several countries. Turkey was the first country to recognise the independence of the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan and has provided consistent diplomatic support for the Azeris in their subsequent war against Armenia. Turkey has also sought closer political and economic links with the ‘Stans’
– the five Central Asian ex-republics of the former Soviet Union, mainly populated by people from Turkic ethnic groups. Several of these view Turkey as a suitable model to pursue in the course of their own development. Moreover, Turkey has a key strategic position on the northern edge of the ever-turbulent Middle East; in particular, it has a shared border with Iraq and has provided essential bases for UN and American military operations in the region. The government accrued benefits in the form of financial assistance and had a free hand in dealing with the insurgency of the Kurdish Workers Party – best known by its own acronym, PKK. The party was engaged in an armed struggle to secure civil and political rights for the Kurdish ethnic minority concentrated in the eastern part of the country. The PKK, now known as Kadak, has been steadily recovering its strength after a series of major blows at the end of the 1990s. The most important of these was the capture and imprisonment in 1999 of PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan, following his expulsion from long-term exile in Syria. The government compounded its success when the PKK declared a ceasefire shortly afterwards. The Kurdish diaspora is spread across several countries, mainly Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. The northern part of Iraq is now effectively an independent Kurdish-controlled region. The Turkish government is very uneasy about this, believing that the PKK/Kadak has exploited the enclave to recover and reorganise. The Turkish government has therefore pressurised the Americans to limit Kurdish autonomy in Iraq and offered several thousand troops to assist the overstretched coalition forces in Iraq. Turkish domestic politics since the beginning of the 1990s have been dominated by the emergence of Islamic parties. At national elections in October 1991, the Islamist Refah (Welfare) was returned as the largest party, though lacking an overall majority. This caused some consternation both inside and outside the country. Ever since, the Islamists have been engaged in a fierce political struggle with the traditional parties and the military establishment which (in the form of the powerful National Security Council) sees itself as the guarantor of Ataturk’s secular legacy. The main political parties - Dogru Yol Partisi (DYP, True Path), Anavatan Partisi (AP, Motherland) and Demokratik Sol Partisi (DSP, Democratic Left) - were the subject of widespread disillusion among the electorate for their inertia, corruption and petty rivalries. Refah, by contrast, was notable for its relative probity and administrative competence. It drew substantial support from both the urban and rural poor. Despite their intense animosities, mostly personality-based, the traditional parties joined in coalition to exclude Refah. Administrations led by the centre-right DYP – including a two-year spell under Tansu Ciller Turkey’s first woman premier – governed Turkey until the end of 1995. Refah again won the national elections. This time, it was able to take office but its lack of an overall majority and the hostility of the National Security Council steadily undermined its position over the following months. After a year, the Refah government fell; the party itself was eventually banned. Over the next three years, Turkey had five different governments, with all the major secular parties at the helm at one time or another. After elections in 1999, the Democratic Left Party, led by veteran Bulent Ecevit, returned to power, at the head of a relatively stable coalition. In May 2000, Suleyman Demirel’s presidential term of office came to an end. His replacement was a former constitutional court judge, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who took office in May 2000. The Islamists reorganised, starting a new party called Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (AKP, Justice and Development Party) to replace Refah. By espousing a more moderate policy programme and adopting positions (on EU membership, for example) backed by the Turkish establishment, AKP avoided a ban. By the time of the latest national elections in November 2002, AKP was sufficiently popular to secure an absolute majority in the national assembly – the first for 15 years, and just short in number of the two-thirds needed to effect constitutional changes. True Path, Motherland and the DSP did not win a single seat between them. Under premier Recep Erdogan, the AKP government has been careful to keep the National Security Council on side.
Government
Under the constitution of 1987, legislative power is vested in a single chamber, the 550-member National Assembly, which is directly elected by proportional representation for a five-year term. The National Assembly elects both a prime minister (normally head of the largest party in the assembly) and a president, who is head of state and serves a seven-year term, between whom executive powers are shared.
Money
Currency
The New Turkish Lira (TRY) was introduced on January 1 2005. The old Turkish Lira (TL) was withdrawn from circulation on January 1 2006. It is now only possible to exchange old Turkish Lira for New Turkish Lira at the Central Bank until December 31 2015. TRY = 1,000,000TL. Notes are in denominations of TRY100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of TRY1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 New Kuruº (Ykr).
Currency exchange
Cash can usually be exchanged commission free in bureaux de change, banks or hotels. Traveller's cheques can only be exchanged in banks. ATMs are available in most areas. Travellers planning to exchange currency back before leaving Turkey, or making a major purchase which may need to be declared to customs, must retain transaction receipts to prove that the currency was legally exchanged.
Credit & debit cards
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Traveller's cheques
Traveller's cheques can only be exchanged in banks. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.
Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import of local or foreign currency, though visitors bringing in a large amount of foreign currency should declare it, and have it specified in their passport upon arrival to avoid difficulties on departure. No more than the equivalent of US$5000 in local or foreign currency may be exported. It must be shown that this has been obtained from authorised banks.
Exchange rate indicators
DateAt time of publishing£1.00=TRY2.39$1.00=TRY1.35
Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1330-1700. Some banks in tourist areas are open daily.
Overview
Knocking at Europe’s door yet on the threshold of Asia, Turkey is truly a land of contrasts. Here you can scale the icy heights of remote Mount Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark, cross the historic Euphrates and Tigris rivers, follow in the footsteps of St Paul or simply relax on the golden Mediterranean sands of Patara beach. Vibrant Istanbul, straddling the blue waters of the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia, beckons with its skyline pierced by countless minarets, chaotic bazaars and a history redolent with harem intrigue and despotic Sultans. In Turkey, you can also cruise along more than 1000km (620 miles) of Mediterranean coastline, past secluded coves, rocky headlands and pretty fishing villages, or explore a hinterland rich in the wonderfully preserved remains of Graeco-Roman cities such as Ephesus. For the adventurous, the austere beauty of the Anatolian plateau, the surreal rock-chimney landscape of Cappadocia and the atmospheric ruins of the enigmatic Hittites await discovery. Here, too, is the unique experience of watching the dervishes whirl in pious Konya. With a code of hospitality nurtured by their Islamic beliefs yet with a remarkable tolerance of other customs, the Turks offer a warm welcome wherever you travel – be it sipping sweet black tea or thick coffee with friendly villagers or sharing a bottle of raki over mezes (hors d’oeuvres) with cosmopolitan Istanbul ‘city slickers’.
Kate Clow
OverviewII
Knocking at Europe’s door yet on the threshold of Asia, Turkey is truly a land of contrasts. Here you can scale the icy heights of remote Mount Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark, cross the historic Euphrates and Tigris rivers, follow in the footsteps of St Paul or simply relax on the golden Mediterranean sands of Patara beach. Vibrant Istanbul, straddling the blue waters of the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia, beckons with its skyline pierced by countless minarets, chaotic bazaars and a history redolent with harem intrigue and despotic Sultans. In Turkey, you can also cruise along more than 1000km (620 miles) of Mediterranean coastline, past secluded coves, rocky headlands and pretty fishing villages, or explore a hinterland rich in the wonderfully preserved remains of Graeco-Roman cities such as Ephesus. For the adventurous, the austere beauty of the Anatolian plateau, the surreal rock-chimney landscape of Cappadocia and the atmospheric ruins of the enigmatic Hittites await discovery. Here, too, is the unique experience of watching the dervishes whirl in pious Konya. With a code of hospitality nurtured by their Islamic beliefs yet with a remarkable tolerance of other customs, the Turks offer a warm welcome wherever you travel – be it sipping sweet black tea or thick coffee with friendly villagers or sharing a bottle of raki over mezes (hors d’oeuvres) with cosmopolitan Istanbul ‘city slickers’. The modern Republic of Turkey was established in the 1920s by nationalist leader Kemal Ataturk. His ambition and achievement was to transform Turkey into a modern, secular state, and his legacy of political secularism was guarded throughout the 20th century by the powerful Turkish military, which has intervened in national politics whenever it has deemed the country’s stability to be at risk. In recent years, however, as Ankara has set its sights firmly on European Union membership, the military has kept a lower profile in public life. Turkey became an official EU candidate country in 1999, whereupon it initiated a series of important human rights and economic reforms in accordance with EU requirements. The death penalty was done away with, tougher measures against torture were introduced and the penal code was revised. There were also important reforms in the areas of women's rights and Kurdish culture, language education and broadcasting. Membership talks with the EU started in 2005. Both culturally and politically, Turkey is a fascinating society - a modern, westernised country, with a largely Muslim population, cautiously spanning the divide between religions and cultures.
Passport/Visa
Passport/Visa
Passports
Passport valid for at least six months from date of arrival in Turkey required by all, except the following nationals: 1. Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, who can enter with a national ID card (which must have a validity of one year).
Visas
Required by all except the following: (a) 2. nationals of EU countries for stays of up to three months (except those listed under notes 4 and 5 below in Sticker-type entry visas; (b) 3. nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria* (see Note below), Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Iran (providing they have a minimun of US$100 per day while entering Turkey), Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep), Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Uruguay and Vatican City for stays of up to three months; (c) nationals of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia and Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic) for stays of up to two months; (d) nationals of Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Macau (SAR) for stays of up to one month;(e) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same of first connecting aircraft within 24 hours, provided not leaving the airport and in possession of confirmed onward tickets. If you travel by sea or land via Turkey, you will need a visa. The procedure is the same as for a tourist visa. Note: (a) Visa exemption for Bulgarians does not apply to those who enter Turkey through certain custom points (contact Consulate for details). Bulgarians must always obtain a visa for transit passages. Sticker-type entry visas: Tourists and business visitors from the following countries do require visas and can obtain a sticker-type entry visa at the point of entry for a fee. Prices are dependent on nationality (for British nationals, the cost is £10 [£36 if obtained prior to arrival], and for US nationals, the cost is US$45): (a) 4. Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and the UK* (see Note below) and USA for stays not exceeding three months; (b) Albania for stays not exceeding two months;(b) 5. Greek Cypriot Administrative Region and Romania for stays not exceeding one month; (c) Georgia for stays not exceeding 15 days (providing they have a minimun of US$50 per day while entering Turkey).Note: British National Overseas passport holders should contact the visa section of the Consulate General before travelling.
Types of visa and cost
Prices vary according to nationality. Tourist (multiple-entry, up to three months): £36. Single transit (up to three months): £27. Study (up to one year): £72. Work (up to one year): £75. Some visas must be obtained in advance. Contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Passport/Visa Information.
Validity
Multiple entry: three months, two years or five years.
Application to
Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see see Passport/Visa Information. Applicants must now pre-book an appointment with the relevant Consulate. An online appointment system is available (website: www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa).
Application requirements
(a) Valid passport. (b) One recent passport-size photo. (c) Application form. (d) Latest bank statement and photocopy. (e) Fee (varies for different nationals), payable by postal order, company cheque and cash only. (f) £5 administrative fee. (g) Registered, pre-paid, self-addressed, special delivery envelope if applying by post. (h) Sufficient funds (exact amount required varies according to nationality). Note: Application requirements may vary according to nationality and type of visa sought.
Working days required
Usually three, but dependent on nationality of applicant. Some applications may be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, which may take much longer (minimum six to eight weeks).
Temporary residence
Apply to the Turkish Consulate General (see Passport/Visa Information) or to the Turkish Diplomatic Mission in the country of residence.
Passport/Visa Information
Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in the UK43 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PA, UK Tel: (020) 7393 0202. Website: www.turkishembassylondon.org Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730. Turkish Consulate General in the UKRutland Lodge, Rutland Gardens, London SW7 1BW, UK Tel: (020) 7591 6900 or (09068) 347 348 (recorded visa information; calls cost 60p per minute). Website: www.turkishconsulate.org.uk Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1230 (visas).Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in the USA2525 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA Tel: (202) 612 6700 or 6740 (consular section). Website: www.turkishembassy.org
Public Holidays
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2006-June 2007 period.Jan 1 2006 New Year's Day. Jan 9-13 (9th is a half-day holiday for the public sector) Kurban Bayrami (Feast of the Sacrifice). Apr 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day. May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth and Sports Day. Aug 30 Victory Day. Oct 22-24 (22nd is a half-day holiday for the public sector) Ramazan Bayrami (End of Ramadan). Oct 28-29 (28th is a half-day) Republic Day. 30 Dec 2006-3 Jan 2007 (30th is a half-day holiday for the public sector) Kurban Bayrami (Feast of the Sacrifice). Jan 1 2007 New Year's Day. Apr 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day. May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth and Sports Day.
Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Ramazan Bayrami, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Generally, centres of tourism are unaffected. Some disruption may continue into Ramazan Bayrami itself. Ramazan Bayrami and Kurban Bayrami may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix.
Resorts & Excursions
Introduction
Straddling Europe and Asia, Turkey has enormously diverse scenery, with rolling central plains, soaring mountains, desert and orchards, white sand beaches and towering sea cliffs. The Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Selçuks, Ottomans, Armenians and a host of smaller civilisations have all added intricate layers of architecture, art and culture, creating a mosaic as rich as any of the gilded Byzantine glories. Today, Turkey's thousands of kilometres of magnificent coast, sunshine and fine food have turned it into a major tourist destination. Much more than that, it is still fascinating culturally - a modern, westernised country, with a largely Muslim population, cautiously spanning the divide between religions and cultures.
Istanbul
The only city in the world to span two continents, Istanbul is a bustling, cosmopolitan place, officially founded by Emperor Constantine in AD 326 on the back of a much older village. It remained capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires right up until 1923, its illustrious past leaving a rich legacy of mosques, churches, museums and magnificent palaces, coupled with bustling bazaars and a vibrant street life. Istanbul is made up of three distinct cities. The old city of Istanbul is decorated with parks and gardens. Amongst hundreds of fascinating sights, the main attractions include Topkapi, the sumptuous palace of the Ottoman sultans overlooking the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus; the delicately decorated Blue Mosque, the only mosque in the world with six minarets; the vast dome of Aya Sophia, built in 536 as a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and now a museum and, underground, the Yerebatan Sarayi, a vast Byzantine cistern supported by 336 Corinthian columns. Nearby, the commercial heart of the city, the Grand Bazaar, is still a captivating sight for shoppers and window-shoppers alike, while further along the narrow inlet of the Golden Horn, the Kariye Camii has some of the finest Byzantine mosaics to survive today. Across the Golden Horn, 'modern' Istanbul, Beyoglu, dates back to the foreign cantonments of the 13th century. This is where you find the restaurants, hotels, and modern shops, while the truly modern areas around Taksim are home to cultural centres, exhibition halls and office blocks.
The Bosphorus
The shores of both old and new cities lie along the northern, European bank of the Bosphorous, the narrow strait that divides Europe from Asia. Two massive suspension bridges now span these overcrowded waters, in which tour boats, ferries, supertankers and fishing vessels vie for space in the overcrowded waters. From all of them you see the Istanbul skyline, one of the most dramatic in the world. Tours up the Bosphorous include several notable buildings, including the Sultans' 19th-century Dolmabahçe Palace. On the far, Asian shores lie Uskudar (Scutari), where Florence Nightingale nursed the sick during the Crimean War; the charming Ottoman summer palace of Beylerbeyi; and a whole series of delightful villages full of fish restaurants and fine old mansions, built by the 19th-century aristocracy. Looming at each other across the water are several Byzantine and Ottoman castles, including Anadoluhisar and Rumelihisar.
The Sea of Marmara
West of Istanbul, the provinces of Thrace and Marmara embrace the Sea of Marmara, while the towns of Gelibolu and Çanakkale mark the entrance to the Dardanelles, the narrow straits leading through to the Mediterranean. This was the site of the infamous Gallipoli landings during World War I, which led to the deaths of nearly 250,000 British, Turkish and Anzac troops and shot Turkish General Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk) to fame. Inland, the cities of Edirne, in Thrace, and Bursa, in Marmara, are both fascinating historic towns with a wide range of magnificent architecture, such as the Selimiye Camii in Edirne, said to be the masterwork of Turkish imperial architect, Mimar Sinan. Just outside Bursa, the Uludag National Park is a wonderful forested mountain reserve, with excellent walking in summer and skiing in winter. A short way south of Gallipoli are the ruins of ancient Troy. Of the nine levels of the excavated settlement mound, the sixth is supposed to be the Troy depicted in Homer's Iliad.
The Aegean Coast
The magnificent coast of ancient Ionia, a crucible of western civilisation, boasts fine beaches and many important historical sites. The attractive tourist towns of Ayvacik, Ayvalik and Behramkale are good places from which to visit the magnificent Temple of Athena at Assos. Further south lie the ruins of the great city of Pergamum (modern Bergama), famous in antiquity for its splendid library. It is here that you will find the Sanctuary of Asclepieion and two fine temples, the Acropolis and the red-brick Basilica. Izmir, the birthplace of Homer, is Turkey's third city and an important port. It is a modern metropolis set in a curving bay surrounded by terraced hillsides. As a result of earthquakes and a great fire, there are only a few reminders of old Smyrna - Kadifekale, the fourth-century fortress situated on top of Mount Pagos. The fortress affords a superb view of the city, and of the Gulf of Izmir, the Roman agora with some well-preserved porticos and Statues of Poseidon and Artemis. Çesme is one of the many popular resorts in the Izmir region. It has excellent beaches, thermal springs and a 15th-century fortress. The port of Sigacik, the ruins of the ancient Ionian city of Teos and the sandy beach at Akkum are all between Izmir and Çesme. A short way inland is another fine Graeco-Roman city, Sardis (modern Sart), with a beautiful Marble Court, Temple of Artemis and a first-century AD synagogue. The remains of the Hellenistic and Roman city of Ephesus (modern Selçuk), rumoured to have been founded in the 13th century BC, lie at the foot of Mount Pion. Carefully restored and now one of the most spectacular ancient cities in the world, top sights within the huge archaeological area include the Grand Theatre, where St Paul preached to the Ephesians, the second-century Temple of Serapi, the elegant façades of the Temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus. The site of Meryemana, reputed to be the house of the Virgin Mary, lies very close to Ephesus in the small vale of Mount Bulbul Dagi (Nightingale Mountain). It has become a world-famous shrine, attracting thousands of pilgrims each year. The nearby town of Selçuk is home to the Ephesus Museum and Basilica of St John, said to be the last home of John the Baptist. The ruins of Priene, Miletus and Didyma are also of great interest and, like Ephesus, are within easy reach of Kusadasi, an attractive resort surrounded by sandy bays. Inland are two more fine historic cities, the atmospheric Heraklea ad Latmos, and Aphrodisias.
Southwestern Turkey
This magnificently scenic and historically fascinating area, where the southern Aegean meets the Mediterranean, is known popularly as the Turquoise Coast, due to the intense colour of the sea. Tourism in the region is dominated by several major beach resorts, each with a series of satellite villages, and a great many large hotels. Rocky cliffs are interspersed by lavish white sand beaches. Each small town and fishing harbour has a variety of pleasure boats, fish restaurants, bars and nightlife, while the larger hotels offer a wide range of watersports. And if that is not enough, the area is densely packed with ancient cities, and there is excellent walking in the hills behind the coast. Bodrum (birthplace of Herodotus, known as the father of history) is dominated by the magnificent 15th-century crusader Castle of St Peter, now home to a fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Both Bodrum and Marmaris, set in a deep fjord-like inlet, have wild, noisy nightlife and a wide variety of boat trips for daytime hangover cures. Destinations include the Greek islands of Kos (from Bodrum) and Rhodes (from Marmaris). From Marmaris, you can also reach the charming fishing village of Datça, the ruins of Knidos, and the reedy ruins of Kaunos, near the small resort of Dalyan. Further along the Mediterranean coast are the small port town of Fethiye, with its imposing Lycian rock tombs, and Ölü Deniz, a stunning crystal-clear lagoon with a beautiful beach, surrounded by pine-covered mountains. The lagoon is protected from rampant commercial development by its status as a national park, although the surrounding valley is completely overwhelmed by tourist development. Continuing east along the coast, there are several relatively small and charming resorts such as Patara, with its 18km (11 mile) beach; charming little Kalkan; Kas, one of the most upmarket resorts on the Turkish coast; Olympos, a backpacker's paradise and home of the chimaera, a living flame erupting eerily from rock; and Kemer, where mass-market all-inclusive hotels hold sway. Between them are a wide range of historic sights, including the ancient cities of Patara, Xanthos, Myra and Phaselis. Inland, there is excellent walking at Saklikent and in the Olympos National Park. Further away, other worthwhile stops include the pretty old town of Mugla, the carpet-making centre of Milas; and Pamukkale, near Denizli, famous for its spectacular calcified waterfall and thermal waters, used since Roman times for their therapeutic powers. Pamukkale also contains the ruins of the Roman city of Hierapolis.
The Mediterranean Coast
With sunshine for most of the year and a magnificent coastline, the western Mediterranean Coast is a popular holiday area. It is also a region steeped in history and legend, dotted with important sites and great medieval castles. Situated on a cliff promontory, Antalya is a popular resort, boasting a picturesque walled old town and harbour, Kaleiçi, the monumental Hadrian's Gate, Kesik Minare and Yivli Minare mosques and Hidirlik Kulesi, the round Roman tower, and a superb Archaeological Museum. With its mix of charming small guest houses and modern hotels, it is the ideal starting point for tours to the outlying Roman cities of dramatic Termessos, in the mountains behind the city; Perge, a well-preserved and atmospheric place with tall Hellenistic walls and streets which still bear the marks of chariot wheels; and Aspendos, home to a remarkable second-century AD amphitheatre, still used for live performances during the annual festival. Turkey's finest Roman aqueduct lies to the north of the city. Belek, 30km (19 miles) east of Antalya, has two championship golf courses, is the habitat of hundreds of species of birds, and one of several local breeding grounds for the rare leatherback turtle. In Side, now a thriving seaside resort, the Greek enclosure walls are still virtually undamaged. The town also boasts an exquisite fountain, a theatre, two agoras and Roman baths, great beaches and lively nightlife. Nestling at the foot of a rocky promontory and crowned by a Selçuk fortress, the town of Alanya has some fine beaches and a great many large resort hotels. A spectacularly scenic road connects Anamur, striking for its wave-swept Selçuk castle and ancient city, and Silifke, dominated by yet another vast fortress. The museum in ancient Silifke contains finds from the many archaeological sites in the vicinity. Mersin, built on a site dating back to Paleolithic times, is a major port. Nearby, parts of Tarsus date back to biblical times, when St Paul was a child here and Anthony met Cleopatra in the main square. The prosperous city of Adana, in the middle of the flat Cukurova plain, is the centre of Turkey's cotton industry, and home to an imposingly huge modern mosque. The massive Taskopru Bridge, built by Hadrian in the second century, the ancient covered bazaar and nearby Crusader castles and Hittite settlements are all interesting sites. The road from heavily polluted Iskenderun leads through the Belen Pass to Antakya, the biblical city of Antioch, where St Peter founded the first Christian community. The grotto where he preached can be seen just outside the town.
The Black Sea Coast
This rugged, mountainous region of Turkey has a wild beauty, but lacks the wealth of historical and climatic attractions of the rest of the country, while the thunderous main road leading west from the CIS destroys much of the local atmosphere. Despite the variable weather, there are several coastal resorts with good, sandy beaches. These include, from west to east, Kilyos, Sile, Akcakoca, Sinop (also very interesting historically), Unye, Ordu and Giresun, many of which are sadly tacky, catering to the poorer end of the home-grown tourist market. There are also several fascinating historic towns such as Safranbolu, a short distance inland, whose traditional Ottoman architecture has been deemed worthy of UNESCO World Heritage Status; coastal Amasra with Hellenistic walls, Roman ruins, Byzantine churches, and 14th-century Genoese fortresses; and Amasya, a dramatically sited town which was capital of the short-lived Pontic Kingdom (founded in 120 BC) and has a wide range of ancient, Byzantine and Ottoman buildings, including the rock tombs of the Pontic kings. Keep to the side roads if you want charm, between the two regional centres of Samsun and Trabzon. Samsun has an important place in modern history as the War of Independence began here in 1919, which is reflected by one of the finest monuments in Turkey, though little remains to testify to its ancient origins. In Trabzon (the sadly shabby Trebizond of history), the ruins of a Byzantine fortress can still be seen, together with many fine buildings including the Fatih Camii, built as a cathedral during the 200-year rule of the Comnene family (11th-century upstarts who overthrew Byzantine rule and carved themselves a small kingdom). The spectacular 14th-century Monastery of the Black Virgin at Sumala, 54km (34 miles) from Trabzon, is set into the face of a sheer cliff, 300m (1000ft) above the valley floor, and contains some magnificent frescoes. East of Trabzon, there are few large towns and tourism concentrates on the fascinating lifestyle of the small Laz and Hopa peoples, hiking in the remote, beautiful Kaçkar Mountains and the region of Artvin, once the centre of Turkish Armenian culture and home to several magnificent century churches dating from the ninth to the 11th centuries.
Central Anatolia
The hub of this vast, central plateau - the cradle of the ancient Hittite and Phrygian civilisations - is the modern metropolis of Ankara. Kemal Atatürk supervised the construction of Ankara, a capital to replace Istanbul, in this hitherto underpopulated region during the 1920s and 1930s. Since then, it has grown into a thriving, trendy city with a population of nearly three million that has grown to rival Istanbul's sophistication, and is much more interesting than is often imagined. The Anitkabir, Atatürk's solemnly imposing mausoleum, dominates the new city. Ankara was, however, built on the site of more ancient settlements and it is fitting that the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, built under the ramparts of the Citadel, should house a magnificent collection of Neolithic and Hittite artefacts. There are also reminders of the area's more recent past as part of the Roman and Selçuk empires. More modern additions to the cityscape include the huge, elegant Kocatepe Mosque and the Atakule, a high tower with a sightseeing platform and restaurant. Southwest of Ankara are Afyon, centre of the legal opium industry, and a fine old Ottoman town; Yazilikaya (Midassehir), home of the legendary golden king and his giant mausoleum; Kutahya, an attractive old city at the centre of the Turkish ceramic trade; and the 'lake district', a pretty, green area of interlocking fresh and brackish lakes that are an excellent birding habitat There are several interesting small towns along the lake shores, such as Isparta, famous for its roses, and Egirdir, founded by the Hittites, but with a fine collection of Ottoman and Greek houses. Ruined cities of note in the area include Antioch ad Pisidia, the recently reconstructed Sagalassos and Kremna, where the earthworks built by the Roman siege are still clearly visible. Due south of Ankara, past the vast salt lake of Tuz Gölü, Konya is a former Selçuk capital and one of the great religious centres of Turkey, home of the Mevlana Tekkesi, the monastery and mausoleum of Mevlana Celâddin Rumi, one of Islam's most celebrated mystics and founder of the Order of Whirling Dervishes. Other places of interest include the 13th-century Alâeddin Mosque, the Karatay Medrese (now an excellent Ceramics and Tile Museum) and the Iplikci Mosque, Konya's oldest structure. South of the city, Catalhöyük is the second-oldest town in the world, dating back to the sixth millennium BC, while to the east, Binbirkilise is an area stuffed with '1001' Byzantine chapels and churches, most now sadly in a desperate state of repair. East of Ankara, the Hittite state archives were found in Bogazkale (Hattusas) in 1906, and contained within the Bogazkale-Alacahöyük-Yazilikaya triangle are the most important sites of the Hittite Empire. Sungurlu is a good base for visitors to this fascinating but underdeveloped region.
Cappadocia
Southeast of Ankara, Cappadocia is a spectacular, almost surreal landscape of rock and cones, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines. Dwellings have been hewn from the soft, volcanic rock since 400 BC, and the elaborate cave systems have sheltered generations of persecuted settlers. Today, it is a fascinating mix of truly magnificent scenery (as beautiful in the winter snow as in summer), an excellent destination for outdoor activities from mountain biking and hiking to hot-air ballooning, and one of the most compelling historic and artistic regions in this culturally rich country. Many people still live, at least partially, in cave dwellings and in the main tourist centres, there are several charming small hotels with cave rooms. The main towns in the region are Nevsehir and Urgup. Göreme is probably the biggest attraction, with over 30 magnificently frescoed Byzantine rock churches open to the public. Zelve has a huge, somewhat eerie underground monastic complex. The villages of Ortahisar and Uchisar, clustered around rock pinnacles and crowned by citadels, offer excellent views. There are over 400 underground cities in the area; two of the biggest and most exciting are Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, with up to eight floors and complex systems of apartments, public rooms and streets that could house literally hundreds of people. In the northern part of the area, Avanos is a pretty little town with a thriving local ceramics industry. A short distance west of the main area of Cappadocia, the 10km- (6 mile-) long Ihlara Canyon is another Byzantine religious hideout, with around 60 churches, many of them still painted, carved into the walls of an idyllic green Shangri La.
The Eastern Provinces
The vast, empty expanse of eastern Anatolia differs profoundly from the rest of the country. The landscape has a desolate beauty, with ochre red plains and fertile valleys, lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped peaks and, in the far south, dusty deserts. This again is a fascinating cultural and historic area, stuffed with Biblical and Islamic history, Kurdish and Armenian cultures, fine mosques, palaces and monuments. The region has suffered a degree of political instability and lack of security for several years and is only just reopening to tourists, who should take up-to-date advice before visiting the area. It is far less developed for tourism than western Turkey; accommodation can be very basic and is often hard to find. Eastern Turkey can be said to begin along a rough line from Samsun, on the Black Sea Coast, through the Anatolian towns of Sivas and Tokat, noted for their Selçuk architecture, to the busy industrial town of Gaziantep in the south. Erzurum, the largest town in the northeast, was one of the eastern bastions of Byzantium for many centuries, and has mosques and mausolea from the Selçuk and Mongol eras, Byzantine walls and two Koranic colleges characterised by minarets and finely carved portals. The frontier town of Kars, to the north of Erzurum, is dominated by a formidable 12th-century Georgian fortress. The ruins of the 10th-century Ani lie east of Kars. On the eastern border with Armenia, Agri Dagri is the biblical Mount Ararat where, according to legend, Noah's Ark came to rest. Below it lie the imposing palace and mosque of Ishak Pasha at Dogubeyazit. The walled town of Van, on the eastern shore of the immense Lake Van, was an important Urartu fortress from 800-600 BC. The citadel dominates the ruins of Selçuk, Ottoman mosques and many rock tombs. On the island of Akdamar, in Lake Van, is the enchanting 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross. Further south, the twin rivers Tigris and Euphrates, cradle an agriculturally rich oasis within the desert. This is Biblical Mesopotamia and, some say, the original Garden of Eden. Today, the GAP Project is creating an enormous series of interlinked lakes and canals to create hydro-electricity and irrigation, to the fury of neighbouring countries who also rely on the water, and the local Kurkish people who see their homeland slipping from their grasp forever. Its centrepiece, the Atatürk Dam, is the fourth-largest in the world. The southeast is filled with ancient cities, traditional cultures and compellingly beautiful, if often forbidding, landscapes. Places of note include Sanliurfa, site of the ancient pools of Abraham; the strange beehive houses of Harran, from where Abraham decided to move to the land of Canaan; Nemrut Dagi, the home of the colossal stone statues erected by King Antiochus I in the first century BC; Diyarbakir, built in the fourth century and surrounded by forbidding triple walls of black basalt; and the white-coloured medieval architecture and Roman citadel of Mardin.
Ski Resorts
Turkey may not be the obvious ski destination, but it does have a number of winter sports resorts, generally located in forested mountains of average height. The core season is from January to March. The following ski centres are easily accessible by road or Turkish Airlines domestic flights: Erciyes: 25km (15 miles) from Kayseri (Cappadocia); Koroglu: on the Istanbul-Ankara highway, 50km (30 miles) from Bolu and the Black Sea coast; Palandoken: 5km (4 miles) from Erzurum (central-eastern Anatolia); Saklikent: 48km (30 miles) north of Antalya, in the Bakirli Dagi mountain range (Mediterranean Coast); Sarikamis: near Kars (far eastern Anatolia); Uludag: 36km (22 miles) south of Bursa (Marmara).
Sport & Activities
Mountaineering
Turkey has a number of mountain ranges with peaks ranging from heights of 3250m (10,660ft) to the 5165m (16,945ft) of Mount Agri (Ararat), the highest mountain in Anatolia, which provide excellent climbing possibilities for both novice and expert climbers. Permission is required from the Turkish Mountaineering Club.
Skiing
Skiing: Winter sports resorts in Turkey are generally located in forested mountains. Ski centres are often easily accessible by road or by Turkish Airlines domestic flights. Most resorts are in the north (near Ankara) and the western interior (see Resorts & Excursions section).
Watersports
The Mediterranean coast, particularly Izmir, has very warm waters and watersports are widely available.
Trekking
Turkey's vast interior of unspoilt nature, mountains, plateaux, villages and ancient ruins is perfect for exploring on foot.
Golf
There are currently five championship courses in Turkey; one of which is at the Klassis resort close to Istanbul, the other four of which are in the resort of Belek in the Antalya region.
Top Things To Do
Top things to do
• Go skiing. Turkey may not be the obvious ski destination, but it does have a number of winter sports resorts, generally located up in its forested mountains. The core season is from January to March. The following ski centres are easily accessible by road or Turkish Airlines domestic flights: Erciyes: 25km (15 miles) from Kayseri (Cappadocia); Koroglu: on the Istanbul-Ankara highway, 50km (30 miles) from Bolu and the Black Sea coast; Palandoken: 5km (4 miles) from Erzurum (central-eastern Anatolia); Saklikent: 48km (30 miles) north of Antalya, in the Bakirli Dagi mountain range (Mediterranean Coast); Sarikamis: near Kars (far eastern Anatolia); Uludag: 36km (22 miles) south of Bursa (Marmara). • Turkey is great for mountaineering, containing a number of mountain ranges with peaks ranging from heights of 3250m (10,660ft) to the 5165m (16,945ft) of Mount Agri (Ararat), the highest mountain in Anatolia, which provide excellent climbing possibilities for both novice and expert climbers. Make sure you get the required permission from the Turkish Mountaineering Club. • Enjoy your favourite watersport in the Mediterranean. The coast, particularly Izmir, has very warm waters and the watersports on offer are virtually unlimited, from plain swimming and diving to windsurfing, water skiing, sailing and beyond. • Turkey's vast interior of unspoilt nature, mountains, plateaux, villages and ancient ruins is perfect for exploring on foot. Try the long-distance footpath, the Lycian Way, which stretches for 500 kilometres between Fethiye and Antalya providing a month’s walking through some of Turkey’s most spectacular scenery. • It is not very well known, but Turkey has some excellent rivers for white-water rafting, one of which is rated by professional rafters as one of the top ten in the world, the Coruh River. Rivers that are commercially rafted in Turkey include the Dalaman River, the Köprü River, the Coruh River, and the Zamanti River. • Take a boat trip on the Aegean Sea in a gulet, a traditional and locally produced wooden ship. • Have a Turkish bath. A visit to one of Turkey’s historical hamams, for instance, is likely to be a memorable experience. In Istanbul, the most popular are the historic Galatasaray Hamam in Beyoglu and Cagaloglu Hamam in Sultanahmet, though local baths are often just as good. • Catch a ceremony by the renowned Whirling Dervishes, the members of the Mevlevi Order performing the famous whirling dance (Sema). It is an amazing ceremony, reflecting how all life revolves, and can be seen in Konya, where the Order originated, or in Istanbul. • There are currently five championship golf courses in Turkey. One of them is at the Klassis resort close to Istanbul; the other four are in the resort of Belek in the Antalya region. • Have a bath in the mineral waters at Pamukkale. The Romans considered the site sacred for its magic healing waters, and the spa has been used for its therapeutic powers ever since. Pamukkale was the capital of Phrygia during the reign of Constantin the Great, and later become the bishops’ centre during the Byzantine Period. Roman architecture dominates the city. It is cited on the list of World Heritage of UNESCO. It also contains the ruins of the Roman city of Hierapolis. • Attend the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival in June and July, during which the city’s remarkable second-century AD amphitheatre is used for the various performances.
Tourist Information
Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in the UK4th Floor, 29-30 St James's Street, London SW1A 1HB, UK Tel: (020) 7839 7778.Website: www.gototurkey.co.ukTurkish Tourist Office in the USA821 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (212) 687 2194. Website: www.tourismturkey.org
Top Things To See
Top things to see
• Discover Istanbul, the only city in the world to span two continents and a bustling, cosmopolitan place officially founded by Emperor Constantine in AD 326 on the back of a much older village. The capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires right up until 1923, its illustrious past has left a rich legacy of mosques, churches, museums and magnificent palaces, coupled with bustling bazaars and a vibrant street life. Istanbul is made up of three distinct cities. Head for the old city of Istanbul with its parks and gardens. Amongst hundreds of fascinating sights, the main attractions include Topkapi, the sumptuous palace of the Ottoman sultans overlooking the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus; the delicately decorated Blue Mosque, the only mosque in the world with six minarets; the vast dome of Aya Sophia, built in 536 as a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and now a museum and, underground, the Yerebatan Sarayi, a vast Byzantine cistern supported by 336 Corinthian columns. Nearby, the commercial heart of the city, the Grand Bazaar, is still a captivating sight for shoppers and window-shoppers alike, while further along the narrow inlet of the Golden Horn, the Kariye Camii has some of the finest Byzantine mosaics to survive today. Cross the Golden Horn to Beyoglu, 'modern' Istanbul, which dates back to the foreign cantonments of the 13th century. This is where you find the restaurants, hotels, and modern shops, while the truly modern areas around Taksim are home to cultural centres, exhibition halls and office blocks. • Experience the historically and symbolically significant Bosphorous, the narrow strait that divides Europe from Asia. Two massive suspension bridges now span these overcrowded waters, in which tour boats, ferries, supertankers and fishing vessels vie for space. From all of them you see the Istanbul skyline, one of the most dramatic in the world. Tours up the Bosphorous include several notable buildings, including the Sultans' 19th-century Dolmabahçe Palace. On the far, Asian shores lie Uskudar (Scutari), where Florence Nightingale nursed the wounded during the Crimean War; the charming Ottoman summer palace of Beylerbeyi; and a whole series of delightful villages full of fish restaurants and fine old mansions, built by the 19th-century aristocracy. Looming at each other across the water are several Byzantine and Ottoman castles, including Anadoluhisar and Rumelihisar. • Explore the Dardanelles, the narrow straits leading through to the Mediterranean. This was the site of the infamous Gallipoli landings during World War I, which led to the deaths of nearly 250,000 British, Turkish and Anzac troops and shot Turkish General Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk) to fame. Inland, the cities of Edirne, in Thrace, and Bursa, in Marmara, are both fascinating historic towns with a wide range of magnificent architecture, such as the Selimiye Camii in Edirne, said to be the masterwork of Turkish imperial architect Mimar Sinan. Make a short trip south from Gallipoli and discover the ruins of ancient Troy. Of the nine levels of the excavated settlement mound, the sixth is supposed to be the Troy depicted in Homer's Iliad. •
Izmir, the birthplace of Homer, is Turkey's third city and an important port on the Aegean coast. It is a modern metropolis set in a curving bay surrounded by terraced hillsides. As a result of earthquakes and a great fire, there are only a few reminders of old Smyrna - Kadifekale, the fourth-century fortress situated on top of Mount Pagos. The fortress affords a superb view of the city, and of the Gulf of Izmir, the Roman agora with some well-preserved porticos and Statues of Poseidon and Artemis. • Take in the grandeur of the remains of the Hellenistic and Roman city of Ephesus (modern Selçuk). Alleged to have been founded in the 13th century BC, it has been carefully restored and is now one of the most spectacular ancient cities in the world. Top sights within the huge archaeological area include the Grand Theatre, where St Paul preached to the Ephesians, the second-century Temple of Serapi, the elegant façades of the Temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus. Also visit the site of Meryemana, reputed to be the house of the Virgin Mary and located very close to Ephesus in the small vale of Mount Bulbul Dagi (Nightingale Mountain). • Visit Bodrum (birthplace of Herodotus, known as the father of history), one of the finest resorts on the South Agean coast. Dominating the town from its position between the two harbours is the magnificent 15th-century crusader Castle of St Peter. It now houses a fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Another Bodrum attraction is the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the crumbling remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. • Experience the charm of Antalya, the popular resort situated on a cliff promontory on the Western Mediterranean coast. It boasts a picturesque walled old town and harbour, Kaleiçi, the monumental Hadrian's Gate, Kesik Minare and Yivli Minare mosques and Hidirlik Kulesi, the round Roman tower, and a superb Archaeological Museum. Admire Turkey's finest Roman aqueduct north of the city. • Head for the prosperous city of Adana in the middle of the flat Cukurova plain. It is the centre of Turkey's cotton industry and home to an imposingly huge modern mosque. The massive Taskopru Bridge, built by Hadrian in the second century, the ancient covered bazaar and nearby Crusader castles and Hittite settlements are all interesting sites. • The historic town of Safranbolu, a short distance inland from the Black Sea Coast, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and renowned for its traditional Ottoman architecture. Explore the 30 mosques, 180 fountains and 15 bridges in the area. • Visit the spectacular 14th-century Monastery of the Black Virgin at Sumala, 54km (34 miles) from Trabzon. It is set into the face of a sheer cliff, 300m (1000ft) above the valley floor, and contains some magnificent frescoes. • Travel south from Ankara, past the vast salt lake of Tuz Gölü, to Konya, a former Selçuk capital and one of the great religious centres of Turkey. The town is home to the Mevlana Tekkesi, the monastery and mausoleum of Mevlana Celâddin Rumi, one of Islam's most celebrated mystics and founder of the Order of Whirling Dervishes. Explore the 13th-century Alâeddin Mosque, the Karatay Medrese (now an excellent Ceramics and Tile Museum) and the Iplikci Mosque, Konya's oldest structure. South of the city, Catalhöyük is the second-oldest town in the world, dating back to the sixth millennium BC. • A visit to Cappadocia, southeast of Ankara, is a must. Marvel at the spectacular, almost surreal landscape of rock and cones, capped pinnacles and fretted ravines where dwellings have been hewn from the soft, volcanic rock since 400 BC and the elaborate cave systems have sheltered generations of persecuted settlers. Check out the impressive UNESCO-listed Göreme national park in Cappadocia, with over 30 magnificently frescoed Byzantine rock churches open to the public. There are over 400 underground cities in the area; two of the biggest and most exciting are Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, with up to eight floors and complex systems of apartments, public rooms and streets that could house literally hundreds of people.
Tourist Information
Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in the UK4th Floor, 29-30 St James's Street, London SW1A 1HB, UK Tel: (020) 7839 7778.Website: www.gototurkey.co.ukTurkish Tourist Office in the USA821 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (212) 687 2194. Website: www.tourismturkey.org
Travel - Internal
Note
Road conditions and driving standards in Turkey can be poor. Serious road accidents are common. All visitors should be extra careful when travelling around Turkey's road network.
Air
Turkish Airlines (tel: (020) 7766 9300 (UK office); website: www.turkishairlines.com) provides an important network of internal flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Antalya, Dalaman, Izmir and Trabzon to all of the major Turkish cities.
Sea
A frequent car ferry crosses the Dardenelles at Gallipoli, from Canakkale to Eceabat and Gelibolu to Lapseki. Istanbul Fast Ferries (tel: (212) 444 3436; website: www.ido.com.tr) operates frequent seabus services from Bostanci, Kadiköy, Kartal, Yalova and Büyükada Island to Auça, Bakirköy, Karaköy and Yenikapi. Turkish Maritime Lines used to operate the Black Sea service and the Istanbul-Izmir route, but the company recently went out of business. It is hoped a new operator will take over the routes.
Rail
Many trains of the Turkish Railways (TCDD) (website: www.tcdd.gov.tr) have sleeping cars, couchettes and restaurant cars. Some are now air-conditioned. Fares are comparatively low, but are more expensive for express trains. Discounts of 20 per cent are available for students (though a Turkish student card may be required), groups, round-trips and passengers over 60. Children aged seven and under travel free. Tickets can be purchased at TCDD offices at railway stations and TCDD-appointed agents. The journey from Istanbul to Ankara takes five to nine hours, depending on the type of train. Rail passes: The EuroDomino pass enables holders anything from three to eight days’ extensive travel within a one-month period on the entire rail network of their chosen country. It is valid in 26 European countries. To purchase a EuroDomino pass you must have been resident in Europe for at least six months and a passport number is required at time of booking. It is not permitted to purchase a pass for travel within your own country of residence. To qualify for the youth rates, you must be under 26 years on the first date of validity of the pass. Children aged four to 11 years inclusive pay half the adult fares rounded up to the nearest pound. Children under four years travel free. Seat reservations, couchette and sleeper charges are not included in the cost of the pass and are payable at the normal rate. Passholder fares are payable on some services. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/railpasses/eurodomino.htm).
Road
There is currently huge investment in road building. Traffic drives on the right. In case of an accident, contact the Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Turkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu), 1 Oto Sanayi Sitesi Yani, 4 Levent, Istanbul (tel: (212) 282 8140; website: www.turing.org.tr). Coach: Many private companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Services are often faster than trains and competition between operators has led to lower fares. Tickets are sold at the bus or coach companies' branch offices either at stations or in town centres. One should shop around for the best prices. Coaches depart from the bus stations (otogar) in large towns and from the town centre in small towns. Car hire: Both chauffeur-driven and self-drive cars are available in all large towns. All international companies are represented. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required for visits of over three months. Green Card International Insurance, endorsed for Turkish territory in both Europe and Asia, and Turkish third-party insurance (obtainable from insurance agencies at frontier posts) are also required. Cars can be brought into Turkey for a maximum of six months in one year. On entering, an entry-exit form is filled out. For longer stays, it is necessary to apply to either the Ministry of Finance and Customs or the Turkish Touring and Automobile Club.
Urban
Bus and trolleybus: Extensive conventional bus (and some trolleybus) services operate in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. There are buses in all other large towns. These are generally reliable, modern and easy to use. Tickets are bought in advance from kiosks and dropped into a box by the driver. Taxi: There are many types of taxi, share-taxi and minibus in operation. Taxis are numerous in all Turkish cities and towns and are recognisable by their chequered black and yellow bands. Metered taxis are available. For longer journeys, the fare should be agreed beforehand. A dolmus is a collective taxi which follows specific routes and is recognisable by its yellow band. Each passenger pays according to the distance travelled to specific stops. The fares are fixed by the municipality. The dolmus provides services within large cities to suburbs, airports and often to neighbouring towns. This is a very practical means of transport and much cheaper than a taxi. Taxis may turn into a dolmus and vice versa according to demand. Ferry: There are extensive cross-Bosphorus and short-hop ferries between the parts of Istanbul. Metro: Ankara has a two-line metro system. Further expansion is planned.
Travel times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Ankara to other major cities/towns in Turkey. Air Road Rail Istanbul 0.45 6.00 7.00 Izmir 0.50 7.00 10.00 Antalya 1.00 8.00 - Erzurum 1.15 11.00 18.00
Travel - International
Air
The national airline is Turkish Airlines (TK) (website: www.turkishairlines.com).
Approximate flight times
From Istanbul to Frankfurt/M is three hours five minutes, to London is four hours and to New York is 11 hours 15 minutes.
Main airports
Ankara (ESB) (Esenboga) is 35km (22 miles) northeast of the city. To/from the airport: Havas buses (website: www.havas.net) go from the city centre to the airport every 30 minutes between 0430-2400 and leave the airport after flight arrivals (travel time - 45 minutes). There is a taxi service available into the city. Facilities: Duty free shops, bank/bureau de change, and restaurants and bars. Istanbul (IST) (Atatürk, formerly Yesilkoy) is 24km (15 miles) west of the city (travel time - 30 to 50 minutes). To/from the airport: A Havas coach travels to and from the airport and the city centre at 0500, then every 30 minutes between 0600-2300. There are taxi services to the city. Facilities: Duty free shops, bank/bureau de change, bar, restaurant, and car hire. Izmir (IZM) (Adnan Menderes). To/from the airport: Havas buses meet domestic flights and travel from the city centre once an hour on the hour. Facilities: Bank/bureau de change, bar and restaurant. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is 40km (25 miles) from Istanbul, on the Asian side. To/from the airport: There are shuttle bus services to the city (travel time - 30 to 45 minutes) and to Atatürk International Airport (travel time - 60 to 70 minutes). Taxis are available 24 hours a day. Facilities: Duty free shops, bank, ATMs, business centre and restaurants/cafes. There are other international airports at Adana, Antalya, Dalaman and Trabzon.
Departure tax
US$50 is levied only on Turkish nationals not resident overseas departing from Turkey.
Sea
Main ports: Antalya, Bandirma, Istanbul, Izmir, Marmaris and Mersin. To/from Italy: Direct ferries operate in the summer between Ancona-Cesme and Brindisi-Cesme (website: www.marmaralines.com or www.mesline.com). There are currently no direct ferries between Venice and Turkey; passengers must travel via Greece and the Greek Islands. To/from Cyprus: Three routes exist on which sea buses, together with car and passenger ferries, operate: Alanya-Girne, Tasucu-Girne, Gazimagusa-Mersin. To/from Greece: There are privately operated ferry lines between Turkey and the Greek islands: Lesbos-Ayvalik, Chios-Cesme, Samos-Kusadasi, Cos-Bodrum, Rhodes-Bodrum, Rhodes-Marmaris and Rhodes-Fethiye. Cos-Bodrum is the only winter car ferry route. To/from Ukraine: Ferries operate between Odessa-Istanbul (website: www.ukrferry.com).
Note
All ships, including private yachts, arriving in Turkish waters must go to one of the following ports of entry: Akcay, Alanya, Anamur, Antalya, Ayvalik, Bandirma, Bodrum, Botas (Adana), Canakkale, Cesme, Datca, Derince, Didim, Dikili, Fethiye, Finike, Giresun, Güllük, Hopa (Artvin), Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kas, Kemer, Kusadasi, Marmaris, Mersin, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Söke, Tasucu (Silifke), Tekirdag, Trabzon and Zonguldak.
Rail
Train journeys can be made to Istanbul via some of the major European cities. The journey from London takes three days: Eurostar to Paris, Orient Express to Vienna (overnight), Avala to Budapest, overnight Ister to Bucharest and finally the Bosfor to Istanbul. There is also a less comfortable couchette car from Budapest to Istanbul. More information is available from the website www.seat61.com. Other international rail routes go to Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Germany and Serbia and Montenegro. For more information contact Turkish Railways (TCDD) in Istanbul (tel: (212) 527 0050/1 or 520 6575 (reservations); website: www.tcdd.gov.tr).Rail passes: The Inter-Rail pass offers unlimited second-class train travel in up to 29 European countries (includes Morocco and Turkey) split into eight zones (A-H). Three different tickets are available: a ticket covering one zone (two to six countries, 16 days’ validity), a ticket covering two zones (six to 10 countries, 22 days’ validity) and an All Zone Pass (29 countries, one month’s validity). Ferry services between Italy and Greece are included. Passengers must be resident in Europe for at least six months before the pass is used. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction of about 30 per cent. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50 per cent. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Inter Rail (website: www.interrailnet.com).
Road
There are roads from Bulgaria, the CIS, Greece and Iran. From London, drivers may either choose the northern route of Belgium-Germany-Austria-Hungary-Romania-Bulgaria, or the southern route through Belgium-Austria-Italy with a car-ferry connection to Turkey. Coach: There are regular services between Turkey and Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Switzerland, as well as Jordan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic. It is possible to travel by coach from London to Istanbul, changing in Frankfurt (travel time - approximately 70 hours). Tickets are available from National Express (tel: (08705) 808 080; www.nationalexpress.com).
Travel Advice
There is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey. International terrorist groups, as well as indigenous ones, are believed to be currently active in Turkey. Further attacks, including in tourist areas, could well occur. On 16 July 2005, an explosion on a minibus in the western Turkish resort of Kusadasi killed five people. On 11 July 2005, an explosion in the coastal resort of Cesme, western Turkey, injured 20 people. Four people have died from H5N1 avian influenza in Turkey since December 2005. Others have been treated for the virus. Outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry have occurred across Turkey, including in Istanbul, Ankara and the Aegean coast region. As a precaution, visitors should avoid live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where they may come into contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure that poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice: British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Tel: (0845) 850 2829. Website: www.fco.gov.uk US Department of State Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel
|
TURKEY
