Turkey: main airports
Turkey is served by numerous airports, including the two Istanbul airports (Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen), Ankara Esenboğa, the capital, Antalya, the main gateway to the Turkish Riviera, Izmir, Bodrum and Dalaman, as well as numerous regional airports from eastern Anatolia to the Black Sea.
The country offers the historical richness of Istanbul, straddling Europe and Asia, the turquoise coasts of the Aegean and Mediterranean, Cappadocia with its rock formations and hot-air balloons, and some of the world's most important archaeological sites.
Turkey: recommended activities
Turkey: visa and entry requirements
Citizens of the US, Canada, United Kingdom, EU (including Italy) and many other nationalities enter without a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in 180.
Those needing a visa must apply online exclusively at evisa.gov.tr: visa-on-arrival counters no longer exist. The passport must have a remaining validity of at least 60 days beyond the end of the permitted stay (at least 6 months is nonetheless recommended).
Turkey: safety
Turkey is generally safe for visitors in tourist areas (Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts), with the usual precautions.
Some areas in the southeast of the country, near the border with Syria and Iraq, require greater caution or are not recommended. Always check your country's updated travel advisories.
Turkey: health situation
No mandatory vaccinations are required for entry from Europe. Tap water should generally be avoided in major cities: drink bottled water.
Attention to food hygiene is advised, especially street food, with the usual precautions.
Turkey: currency, payments and connectivity
The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY), subject to strong volatility: always check the current exchange rate. The official language is Turkish, with English widespread in tourist areas.
Taxis have a mandatory meter (rates periodically updated for inflation): always check that it is on, with a night surcharge of 15-50% depending on the city.
Turkey: travel guides
A Day in Corlu, Turkey
Antalya: old town and turquoise coasts
Samsun: where the Turkish revolution began on the Black Sea
Diyarbakır: the black walls on the Tigris
Dalaman: the gateway to the turquoise coast
Isparta: the lake district and roses of Turkey
Trabzon: the monastery suspended on the Black Sea rock
Ankara: Atatürk's mausoleum on the hill
İzmir: the Greek Smyrna that became Turkish
Muş: the plain at the foot of eastern Ararat
Bodrum: the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus on the Turkish Aegean
One day in Istanbul: itinerary and highlights
Gaziantep: Turkey's mosaic and pistachio capital
Erzurum: the ski gateway of eastern Anatolia
