TIME
Turkey and Northern Cyprus are 2 hours
ahead of the UK.
LANGUAGE
Turkish is spoken in both Turkey and
Northern Cyprus. It is tricky to get
the hang of it but it will certainly be
appreciated if you attempt even a few
words. You may notice that everything is
spelled in Turkish just as it sounds,
even
foreign words such as ‘taksi’, ‘ketçap’ (ç is
pronounced’ch’) and ‘çizburger’. English
is widely spoken so you should have no
problems getting by on your holiday.
CURRENCY
The currency in both Turkey and Northern
Cyprus is Turkish lira. The exchange rate
is currently about 2.8 New Turkish Lira
to the pound. Prior to January 2005, the
Lira was measured in millions and some
of the old notes are still in circulation
so make sure you check your currency
carefully before handing it over. It is better
to change your money locally as inflation
is high and the exchange rate can go up,
even during your holiday. Sterling cash
(but not Scottish notes) can be changed
easily in banks and exchange offices,
travellers cheques can be changed in
banks or there are cash-point machines
in most resorts which will take most UK
credit and debit cards. It is better to use
cash when paying for goods and services,
as especially in Northern Cyprus, a high
rate of commission is often charged when
using cards.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
The main public holidays in Turkey and
Northern Cyprus are at the end of Ramadan
and the Feast of Sacrifice. These are determined
by the lunar calendar, so change
each year. In the autumn of 2005 Ramadan,
a period of fasting, which is followed by a
public holiday will be around 1st October
to 2nd November. Although banks andgovernment
offices are closed during
public holidays, as are many shops in the
cities, life in resorts usually continues much
as normal, as these are the periods when the
locals are also on holiday. If you are concerned
about the effect that Public Holidays may
have on your holiday please check with us
as to exact dates before booking.
RELIGION
Turkey is unique in that it is a secular state,
where religion has no bearing on the running
of public or official life. Although the vast
majority of Turks are Muslim, this is seen
as a private matter. In the resort areas most
locals are very relaxed about their religion,
and you are unlikely to be aware of it. Turkey
has a long history of respect and tolerance
for those of different faiths and you should
remember to show the same courtesy by
covering your legs and shoulders, and for
women by wearing a head scarf, when
entering a mosque.
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Other Pages:
Internet Access in Turkey
Tours in Turkey:
Escorted Tours in Turkey
Hittite Tours Turkey
Byzantine Tours Turkey
Biblical Tours in Turkey
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
British visitors to Turkey need to obtain a
visa on arrival at the Turkish airport. This is
obtained from the visa desk, before passing
through passport control, at a cost of £10
which should be paid in a sterling note.
No visa is required for British visitors to
Northern Cyprus. If you would prefer not
to have your passport stamped in Northern
Cyprus you can request a separate form
from passport control which is stamped
and inserted in your passport and which
you can discard on your return to the UK.
Other nationalities
should check for visa requirements.
TELEPHONES
Mobile phones work almost everywhere in
Turkey and Northern Cyprus but calls can
be expensive. Do check
the rates before calling from your hotel
room as this can be an expensive way of
keeping in touch. The cheapest way to
call is to buy a local phone card and use
a public phone box. To make a call to the
UK dial 00 44 and then the local dialling
code and number minus the first zero eg
for London instead of dialling 020 dial
00 44 20 and then the number.
ELECTRICITY
The current is 220 Volts. In Turkey you
will need a two pin, round pin adaptor, as
for most of mainland Europe. In Northern
Cyprus the plugs are the same as in the
UK, a convenient hang over from colonial
times.
GETTING
AROUND
The cheapest and easiest way of getting
around in Turkish resorts and the surrounding
areas is by using the local ‘dolmus’ services.
These are minibuses which travel along a set
route and just leave when they are full. Hence
the name, which literally means ‘stuffed’!
There is a set price for the journey which
should be paid to the driver. They are very
cheap and you will soon find your way
around. There are also taxis in all major
centres. These are yellow and can be stopped
on the road or at a taxi rank. They all have
meters, so do check that the driver switches
it on. Higher rates apply at night. In Northern
Cyprus public transport is less frequent
outside the main towns so if you are staying
in a more remote area it may be wise to hire
a car. Also, taxis are
usually
operated on a set fare
rather than by meter as the distances
involved are longer.
HIRING A CAR
In Northern Cyprus car hire is cheap, there
is a little traffic and they drive on the left
hand-side as in the UK. In Turkey the traffic
is a little more chaotic and they drive on
the right, as in mainland Europe, so it may
be wiser not to hire a car unless you are
an experienced driver. See page Car Hire in Turkey for
details. |
