Turkey

Turkey Travel Guide

Visas

Rather than listing each country’s individual visa requirement, here’s a link

The E-Visa’s protocol is staying 90 out of every 180 days. However, the nice part of this visa is the multi-entry rule. 

This means: You can leave Turkey, fly up to Georgia, and then come back. 

Things to Do

Cost 

The cost of things in Turkey is rapidly rising. 

While I was there in May/June 2021, I saw inflation in the Turkish economy first-hand. 

The exchange rate in Turkey changed from about 8.25 Lira to 9. Absolutely crazy. Now, it’s 20+ lira to one USD. 

A lot of travel blogs state that Turkey is cheap, but it is quickly not becoming the case. (Especially in regards to food.)

Cost Per Week

Budget

Hostels: $25 per night x7

Average cost of Grocery Trip: $4-5 per meal x 2 x7

Activities: 3 x a week @ $40 apiece 

Basic

Hotels: $60 per night x 7

Basic Restaurant (Outside of Touristic Areas): $6-8

Activities: 5 x a week $40 apiece

Luxury

$100 per night x7

Fancy Restaurant: $15 per meal

Activities: 7x a week @ $40 apiece 

Budget: Hostels, 3 Activities per week, Cooking at the hostel

Basic: AirBnBs, 5 Activities Per Week, Eating at out 8x a week

Luxury: Hotel Room, 7x Activities per week, 14 MEALS 

Food

Traditional Turkish Breakfast in Istanbil

Domestic Travel

Plane: Planes are affordable in Turkey. Expect to spend between $30-$70 for each plane ticket.

Train: Where they exist, trains are one of the cheaper forms of transportation. There is a high-speed rail between Istanbul and Ankara. 

Bus: The local form of Transportation, I have many stories about buses in Turkey. I never spent more than $14 to go nine hours. Very nice (most of the time) and some include snacks. The budget traveler’s friend. 

Drive: Most expensive but flexibility is nice. Expect $50 per day and extra money for petrol. 

Is Turkey Safe?

There are many concerns about Turkey & safety. Here are my findings.

Phrases to know

English

  1. Hello 
  2. Thank You 
  3. Goodbye 
  4. How Much 
  5. Toilet 
  6. Food 
  7. Water 
  8. Do you speak English? 
  9. I don’t speak Turkish. 
  10. Yes/No

Turkish

  1. Merhaba (Mer-ha-bah)
  2. Teşekkür Ederim (Tea-sugar-ed-err-im)
  3. Güle Güle (Goo-lay Goo-lay)
  4. Ne Kadar (Nay kah-dar)
  5. Tuvalet (Too-va-let)
  6. Gida (Gee-dah)
  7. Su (Sue)
  8. İngilizce biliyor musunuz? (Inn-Gliz-Je Bill-Iyor Mus-Un-Uz) 
  9. Türkçe bilmiyorum! (Turk-Jeh Bill-Mi-Yor-Um)
  10. Evet (Eh-vet) / Hayır (Ha-year)

Pictures

Colorful Houses in Balat & Fatih Istanbul, Turkey
(Balat) Istanbul, Turkey
Maiden's Tower in Istanbul, Turkey
Maiden's Tower in Istanbul, Turkey
Paragliding in Oludeniz, Turkey
Paragliding in Oludeniz, Turkey
Jeep Tour in Cappadocia, Turkey
Jeep Tour
Turkey Travel Guide
Cappadocia
Hagia Sophia Dome in Istanbul, Turkey
Hagia Sophia
Antalya Museum
Antalya Museum
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya, Turkey
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya, Turkey
Turquoise Coast in Fethiye, Turkey
Fethiye, Turkey
Carpet Shop in Goreme, Turkey
Carpet Shop

YouTube Videos

Turkey Packing List!
Turkey Trailer
Western Turkey... Historical Paradise
Western Turkey: Ephesus & Pamukkale
Is Istanbul Worth the Hype
Is Istanbul Worth the Hype?