ISTANBUL TURKEY HOTELS BOOKING CENTER |
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Visiting Turkey Visa requirements for foreigners Nationals Of The Following Countries Do Not Require A Visa
Type of Passport : Ordinary Passport Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece Grenada, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (only passports of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) , Iceland, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Morocco, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, St. Lucia, St. Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vatican
Type of Passport :
Ordinary Passport Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Indonesia, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia,
Type of Passport :
Ordinary Passport Bolivia, Costa Rica, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa
Type of Passport :
Official Passports Albania, Algeria, Arjentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Holland, Hong-Kong Special Administrative Region(only passports of Hong-Kong Special Administrative Region), Iceland, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico (only diplomatic passports) Monaco, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Qatar, St. Lucia, St. Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vatikan,
Type of Passport : Official Passports Afghanistan ( only diplomatic passports), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Indonesia, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia,
Type of Passport : Official Passports Bolivia, Bulgaria (only diplomatic passports) Costa Rica, Estonia (only diplomatic passports) Hungary, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia( only diplomatic passports), Maldives, Moldova, Mongolia, People's Republic of China, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Vietnam (only diplomatic passports), Yemen
Ordinary passport holders of nationals of the following countries may obtain sticker type visas at the Turkish International Border Gates to enter into Turkey
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America
Type of Passport : Ordinary Passport Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary , Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia,
Type of Passport : Ordinary Passport Georgia
Notes Wining&Dining Understanding The Formation of Turkish Cuisine Early historical documents show that the basic structure of the Turkish Cuisine was already established during the Nomadic Period and in the first settled Turkish States of Asia. Culinary attitudes towards meat, dairy, vegetables and grains that characterized this early period still make up the core of Turkish Cuisine. Turks cultivated wheat and used it liberally in several types of leavened and unleavened breads baked in clay ovens, on the griddle, or buried in ember. "Manti" ( dumpling), and "bugra" (attributed to Bugra Khan of Turkestan, the ancestor of "borek" or dough with fillings), were already among the much-coveted dishes at this time. Stuffing the pasta, as well as all kinds of vegetables, was also common practice, and still is, as evidenced by dozens of different types of "dolma". Skewering meat as well as other ways of grilling, later known to us as varieties of "kebab"and dairy products such as cheeses and yogurt were convenient and staple foods of the pastoral Turks. They introduced these attitudes and practices to Anatolia in the 11th century. In return they were introduced to rice, the fruits and the vegetables native to the Region, and the hundreds varieties of fish in the three seas surrounding the Anatolian Peninsula. These new and wonderful ingredients were assimilated into the basic Cuisine in the millennia that followed. Anatolia is a Region coined as the "bread basket of the world." Turkey, even now, is one of the seven countries in the world which produces enough food to feed everyone and then some to export. The Turkish landscape encompasses such a wide variety of geographic zones, that for every two to four hours of driving, you will find yourself in a different zone with all the accompanying changes in scenery, temperature, altitude, humidity, vegetation and weather conditions. The Turk ish landscape has the combined characteristics of the three old continents of the world : Europe, Africa, and Asia, and an ecological diversity surpassing any other place along the 40th latitude. Thus, the diversity of the Cuisine has come to reflect that of the landscape and its regional variations. In the Eastern Region, you will encounter the rugged, snow-capped mountains where the winters are long and cold, and the highlands where the spring season with its rich wild flowers and rushing creeks extends into the long and cool summer. Livestock farming is prevalent. Butter, yogurt, cheeses, honey, meat and cereals are the local food. Long winters are best endured with the help of yogurt soup and meatballs flavoured with aromatic herbs found in the mountains, and endless servings of tea. The heartland is dry steppes with rolling hills, endless stretches of wheat fields and barren bedrock that takes on the most incredible shades of gold, violet, cool and warm greys, as the sun travels the sky. Ancient cities were located on the trade routes with lush cultivated orchards and gardens. Among these, Konya, the capital of the Seljuk Empire (the first Turkish State in Anatolia), distinguished itself as the center of a culture that attracted scholars, mystics, and poets from throughout the world during the 13th century. The lavish Cuisine that is enjoyed in Konya today, with its clay-oven (tandir) kebabs, boreks, meat and vegetable dishes and helva desserts, dates back to the feasts given by Sultan Alaaddin Keykubad in 1237 A.D. Towards the west, one eventually reaches warm, fertile valleys between cultivated mountainsides, and the lace-like shores of the Aegean where nature is friendly and life has always been easy. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds are abundant, including the best of all sea food! Here, olive oil becomes a staple and is used both in hot and cold dishes. The temperate zone of the Black Sea Coast, well-protected by the high Caucasian Mountains, is abundant with hazelnuts, corn and tea. The Black Sea people are fishermen and identify themselves with their ecological companion, the shimmering "hamsi", a small fish similar to anchovy. There are at least forty different dishes made with hamsi! Many poems, anecdotes and folk dances are inspired by this delicious fish. The south - eastern part of Turkey is hot and desert-like and offers the greatest variety of kebabs and sweet pastries. Dishes here are more spicy compared to all other regions, possiblly to retard spoilage in hot weather, or as the navites say, to equalize the heat inside the body to that of the outside! The culinary centre of the country is the Marmara Region which includes Thrace, with Istanbul as its Queen City. This temperate, fertile Region boasts a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and the most delicately flavoured lamb. The variety of fish that travel the Bosphorus surpasses those in other seas. Bolu, a city on the mountains, supplied the greatest cooks for the Sultan's Palace, and even now, the best chefs in the country come from Bolu. Istanbul, of course, has been the epicenter of the Cuisine, and an understanding of Turkish Cuisine will never be complete without a survey of the Sultan's kitchen. Basic Turkish Breakfast A typical Turkish breakfast consists of slices of beyaz peynir (white cheese), honey or jam, black olives, boiled eggs and piles of fresh Turkish bread which resemble crusty Italian loaves. More elaborate breakfasts include fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt, accompanied by honey and jam, pastries called pogaca and various kinds of cheese borek (layered pastry leaves cooked in the oven). Invariably, Turkish black tea, brewed until intensely strong and bitter and diluted with water, and drunk from small tulip-shaped glasses is served at breakfast and throughout the day. Lunch The most popular lunch time meal in Turkey is the doner kebab; layered lamb, ground beef and spices roasted on a vertical spit and served thinly-sliced over rice or in a roll with tomatoes, hot peppers and French fries. Pilic Sis, chicken cooked on skewer over a coal fire is especially tasty. Generally, lunchtime restaurants in Turkey specialize in one kind of dish or cooking technique. For example, kebab houses serve all sorts of grilled or baked meat dishes. The pideci, another specialty restaurant, serve freshly baked thick flat bread piled high with toppings such as cheese and eggs, sucuk (a spicy salami) or a mixture of the day's offerings. They also offer another favorite noontime snack, lahmacun (a type of Turkish pizza, topped with ground lamb, onions, spices) and served with ice cold frothy ayran, a drink of beaten yogurt, spring water and a pinch of salt. Dinner A traditional dinner begins with meze dishes (appetizers), a dazzling variety of cold and hot treasures, ranging from salads to savory melons. Many Turks make a meal out of these appetizers. Vegetables cooked in olive oil and served cold, make up a large category of meze dishes, such as stuffed-green peppers, tomatoes, grape-vine leaves and mussels. The vegetables or shells come bursting with a mixture of rice, pine nuts, currants, and spices. Small lamb's brains served cold with lemon slices on lettuce are greatly sought after by Turks. There are also a variety of spreads for bread including ezme (a fiery hot tomato and onion paste), haydari (a thick garlicky yogurt dip), and cacik, a thinner version with slices of cucumber, olive oil, and parsley, often served like a soup. Other salads are also available, such as: coban (shepherd's salad), piyaz (white beans) and karisik tursu (mixed pickles). Diners at traditional Turkish food restaurants should sample the more complicated imam bayildi (literally the priest fainted), a whole eggplant stuffed with onions, tomatoes and swimming in a sweetish olive oil dressing which is often eaten as a main dish. The main meat dish can be a mixed grill combining bonfile (Turkish T-bone steak), pirzola (lamb chops), ciger (liver) and bobrek (kidneys), served with pilav or sis kebab, made from chunks of lamb. In Adana, the fiery hot mixture of ground meat grilled on a skewer called, Adana kebab is a must. If a less spicy version is desired, Urfa kebab is also popular. Iskender kebab, named after its creator, the Iskenderoglu family in Bursa, is another Turkish specialty of layered pide bread, slices of doner, spicy tomato sauce, yogurt and burnt butter. Many kebab dishes are cooked in the oven (firin), such as kuzu tandir, leg of lamb cooked slowly until it falls apart and kagit kebab, a lamb stew cooked inside a paper package fragrant with thyme, onions and garlic. Sweet pastries, such as baklava, bulbul yuvasi (nightingale's nest) and sutlac, a kind of rice pudding, make up the bulk of desserts. Some patrons prefer juicy fresh fruit like water melons, cantaloupes, oranges and tangerines to the fattening sweets. Dinner is topped off by Turkish coffee, which surprisingly, comes from either the Yemen or Brazil, and not from Turkey. Coffee is served one of three ways: sade (unsweetened), orta (medium sugar) or sekerli (extra sweet). International Cuisine You can easily find all types of international cuisine in Istanbul. To decide which cuisine you prefer, you can use the quick search on the restaurant page. Prices, features, addresses, telephone numbers, and credit card usage opportunities of the restaurants are listed systematically. Beverages Alcoholic drinks Raki is the most popular alcoholic drink of Turkey. Meze dishes are typically consumed with the milky-looking drink, the national alcoholic beverage, flavored with anise, and served with water and ice. Turkey boasts three locally brewed beers as well; Efes, Tuborg and Tekel. Turkish wines are also popular. Try the brands Kavaklidere, produced in the vineyards of Ankara, and Doluca, turned out in the town of Murefte, Turkey's leading wine producing center near Tekirdag along the Sea of Marmara. Non-alcoholic drinks Soft drinks include the usual range of Coca Cola, Pepsi, clear lemon-flavored soft drinks like Seven-Up, orange soda, and others. Shops and restaurants sign exclusive distribution contracts with one company or the other, so you will find either Coca Cola or Pepsi, but never both. Turks just order cola and take what comes. If you want unflavored fizzy water, ask for soda. Fizzy mineral water is maden suyu (naturally carbonated) and maden sodasi (artificially carbonated). Fruit juice is a favorite refreshment and can be excellent. These are usually available in paper containers. The best fruit juices tend to come in glass bottles and may be so thick that you will want to dilute them with spring water. Other traditional drinks include ayran (yogurt and water mixed), which is refreshing and healthy and available in most restaurants and food and drink shops. Please pay attention to the following In Istanbul the tap water is not drinkable, You can buy water to drink from shops in plastic or glass bottles. Tipping At restaurants in cheaper places, tipping is not necessary, though some people do leave a few coins in the change plate. In more expensive restaurants, tipping is more usual. Some places will automatically add a service charge of 10-15 % to your bill. But traditionally, it will be better for you leave 5-10 % on the table for the waiter.
Shopping Tax Purchasing above the minimum amount in the tax free shops please ask for the Global Refund Cheque. When leaving Turkey, latest in 3 months, you must declare your purchases at the Turkish customs office and get an export stamp for validating your Global Refund Cheques. You can receive your cash refund by cashing your Global Refund Cheques at nearby Turkish Cash Refund Office after you have obtained the customs stamp. Alternatively, latest in 30 days following your departure you can mail your validated Global Refund Cheques in the special envelope provided, to the Global Refund Office in Turkey. Your credit card account will automatically be credited. Offical Holidays Jan 1: New Year's Day
National Holidays May 19: Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day ( the arrival of Atatürk in Samsun, and the beginning of the War of Independence.) Aug 30: Victory Day (victory over invading forces in 1922). Oct 29: Republic Day (anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic)
Religious Holidays Kurban Bayramı: Four-day festival when sacrificial sheep are slaughtered and their meat distributed to the poor. (The dates of these religious festivals change according to the Muslim lunar calendar an thus occur 12 days earlier each year. In 1998, Ţeker Bayramı is celebreted on 29,30,31 January 1998 and Kurban Bayramı is celebrated on 7,8,9,10 April 1998.) Tips for Travelers
Currency Regulation
Exchange slips: The exchange slips for the conversion of
foreign currency into Turkish lira should be kept, since you
may be required to show these when reconverting your Turkish
lira back into foreign currency, and when taking souvenirs
out of the country (to prove that they have been purchased
with legally exchanged foreign currency).
Customs Regulations On
exit You Can Receive a Tax Refind for the Goods You Purchased In Turkey!
Refunds will be made to travellers who do not reside in
Turkey. Health Regulations for Pets For
those who wish to bring domestic animals into the country
the following are required: General: Those who wish to enter the country with their vans, minibuses, automobiles, station wagons, bicycles, motorcycles, motorbikes, sidecars, buses, motor coaches, trailers, caravans or other transport vehicles, will have to provide the following documentations:
Passport. The
Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Türkiye Turing ve
Otomobil Kurumu) 1. Sanayi Sitesi Yani, 4.Levent, Istanbul,
Tel (212) 282 81 40(7 lines). Fax (212) 282 80, or to In Case of Accident: The accident should be reported to the police or gendarme. That report has to be certified by the nearest local authority. The owner should apply to the customs authority with his passport and report. If the vehicle can be repaired, it is necessary to inform the customs authority first and take the vehicle to a garage. If the vehicle is not repairable and if the owner wishes to leave the country without his vehicle, he has to deliver it to the nearest customs office, and the registration of his vehicle on his passport will be cancelled. (Only after the cancellation can the owner of the vehicle leave the country.) Following an accident, you can telephone: Trafik
Polisi (Traffic Police), Tel :154, Upon arriving in Turkish waters, yachts should immediately go for control of the ship to the nearest port of entry which are as follows: Iskenderun, Botas (Adana), Mersin, Tasucu, Anamur, Alanya, Antalya, Kemer, Finike, Kas, Fethiye, Marmaris, Datça, Bodrum, Güllük Didim, Kusadasi, Çesme, Izmir, Dikili, Ayvalik, Akçay, Çanakkale, Bandirma, Tekirdag, Istanbul, Zonguldak, Sinop, Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize, Hopa. Port Formalities: All the required information concerning the yacht, yachtsmen, members, intended route, passports, customs declarations, health clearance, and any obligatory matters must be entered in the Transit Log. The Transit Log is to he completed by the captain of a yacht under a foreign flag or amateur sailor acting as captain of the vessel. The Transit Log is completed upon first entering a Turkish port and, generally, it is necessary to contact the Harbour Authority before leaving. For information on tax-free fuel, contact the Marina Harbour Office.
Note: If you have a certificate from the Tourism
Ministry Yacht Harbour, you may take petrol at no charge,
provided you possess an official marina license. Formalities for Private Plane Owners General: When coming to Turkey, international air routes should he followed. Private planes may stay for up to three months in Turkey with tourist status, but for longer periods permission should be obtained from The
General Directorate of Customs (Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü),
Ulus Ankara, Tel: (312) 3103880,3103818,Fax: (312) 311 1346
For further information, apply to: The
Civil Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport (Ulastirma
Bakanligi, Havacilik Gen. Müd.). Bosna-Hersek Cad., No: 5 -
06338 - Emek, Ankara. Tel: (312) 212 67 30, Fax: (312) 212
46 84, TIx : 44659 Ga-tr. Diving for purposes of sport, with proper equipment and in non-restricted areas, is permitted. Foreign divers should have official documentation of their specifics and training and must be accompanied, when diving, by a licensed Turkish guide. The
limit for diving with diving gear is 30 metres. For
educational purposes, this limit is extended to 42 metres.
Dives exceeding 30 metres must be carried out with proper
diving and medical equipment. In arder to protect Turkish
archaeological and cultural values. It is strictly forbidden
to transport Turkish antiquities or natural specimens. Turkish post-offices are easily recognized by their black PTT letters on a yellow background. Major post offices are open from 8:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m., Monday/Saturday, and 9:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m., Sunday. Small post-offices have the same hours as the government offices. Postal charges vary for different services depending on destination. Post restante letters should be addressed "postrestant" to the central post-office Merkez Postanesi, in the town of your choice. You have to show your identification card to collect your letters. All PTT branches have the facilities to exchange money at the current international exchange rates, as well as international postal orders and travellers' cheques. There is also an express postal service (APS) operating to 90 countries for letters , documents and small packages. A wide variety of special stamps are available in all PTT centers for philatelists. To phone from PTT telephone booths, which are extensively found in all areas; telephone cards , and tokens (";jeton") in three sizes are used. Local, inter-city and international calls can be made from all PTT offices. Besides these main offices there are also mobile PTT services in the touristic areas. For the area codes of major cities and touristic areas in Turkey, please see the "Area Codes" list. Foreign countries area codes are indicated in the International Telephone Codes list. Some important service numbers are; 155
Police Turkish Tourist Health Society (Turizm Sagligi Dernegi-Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi Plastik ve Rekonstrüktif Cerrahi Ana Bilim Dali, Sihhiye 06100 ANKARA Tel: (312) 311 93 93-310 98 08) perfoms the functions below, to provide the travellers in the entire country, mainly in the touristic regions, with proper health care: to
secure food hygiene Working Hours
Government Offices
Banks
Shops During
summer months, the government offices and many other
establishments in the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions are
closed in the afternoon. These fixed summer hours are
determined by the governing bodies of the provinces. Other Practical Information
Local time:
Time Differences:
Petrol:
Electricity:
Water:
Weights and Measures:
Area:
Capacity:
Newspapers and Magazines:
Tipping:
Visiting a mosque: Turkish For Travelers Pronunciation a:art e:bear u:you c:chart s:sharp k:kick o:early Basics
Hello: Merhaba
Yes:
Evet
There is: Var I want...: (object) + istiyorum Numbers 1 Bir
Expressions of Time
When?: Ne zaman? The
Days of the Week
Travel Terms Helpful vocabulary// Hotel & Restaurant
A room: Bir oda |
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