In Türkiye, the modern and the traditional overlap in cities of every size. Even in 24-7 modern metropolises such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, visitors can encounter traces of earlier times. Discover a more leisurely pace in Cittaslow concept districts such as Akyaka, Gökçeada and Seferihisar. While they have fewer urban centers, the Eastern Black Sea region and other areas of Anatolia feature their very own unique texture.
Türkiye, bordered by water on three sides, offers many places for nature buffs to fall in love. Cappadocia’s famous Fairy Chimneys, millions of years in development; and Uludağ and the Taurus Mountains, majestic in their height. The territorial waters that bring the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Seas together, and the Black Sea Region – all present amazing opportunities to immerse yourself in nature.
Türkiye’s legendary cuisine developed over generations: featuring Mediterranean, Caucasian, Middle Eastern and Balkan influences, the Turkish culinary tradition presents a broad menu that ranges from refined, light olive oil and vegetable dishes, to rustic meat preparations such as kebabs and doner kebabs, to favorites like içli köfte (burghur balls stuffed with minced meat) and mantı (dumplings filled with minced meat and served with garlic yoghurt and seasoned butter sauce). Türkiye is also renowned for its street food: stuffed mussels; roasted chestnuts; kokoreç (grilled seasoned sheep’s intestines); and fish sandwiches. On the sweet side, baklava and lokum (Turkish delight) are standouts, as are kunefe (shredded pastry with soft cheese filling in thick syrup), aşure (Noah’s pudding-a wheat pudding with nuts and dried fruits).
Türkiye is considered among the cradles of ancient civilization, with its tens of thousands of years of history. Hosting the Mongol, Roman and Ottoman empires, Turkish lands are also home to Göbeklitepe, dating from 9000 BCE and illuminating our understanding of humanity’s journey from hunter to cultivator, and the cultures of Mesopotamia, the Aegean and the Mediterranean. Legends and tales of ancient Greece took place within Türkiye’s borders, while Istanbul – formerly known as Constantinople – was the world-renowned capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.
Türkiye, a favorite global destination for summer tourism, welcomes guests with an enormous range of accommodation opportunities – from cozy pensions and chic boutique hotels to expansive, all-inclusive complexes . Sea, sand and sun beckon in popular summer locales such as Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris (Muğla), Kaş, Alanya (Antalya), Didim (Aydın) and Çeşme (İzmir).
In Türkiye, summer spills over into autumn! The holiday centers in cities such as Antalya and Muğla are still lively in autumn, while nature buffs can join Black Sea tours around Artvin, Trabzon and Ordu, or visit warm cities such as Şanlıurfa, Mardin and Adana, known for their history and gastronomy.
Winter tourism in Türkiye is concentrated in ski resorts such as Uludağ, Kartalkaya, Palandöken, Erciyes and Kartepe. However, areas of natural wonders like Abant and Cappadocia draw visitors for their magnificent winter landscapes.
As nature awakens with all its colors, activity increases in Türkiye. Rafting centers such as Rize's Fırtına Creek and Muğla’s Dalaman Stream come to life; the Mevlana lodge in Konya and natural wonder Pamukkale welcome visitors, and the holiday season launches in tourism centers such as Datça and Alaçatı.
If you want to get to know Türkiye closely, take a look at the Turkish Airlines Blog, featuring content that covers this unique country connecting two continents.
The primary and native language of Türkiye is Turkish. English, German, Russian and Arabic are widely used in holiday resorts and tourist areas. The foreign language proficiency of staff in tourism establishments is taken into account, to ensure that visitors and guests feel comfortable.
Türkiye’s currency is the Turkish lira with the TRY symbol. It is possible to easily convert most currencies to TRY at exchange offices located in central regions and via global banks that offer online transactions. On the other hand, many places accept payments in euros and US dollars.
Türkiye is quite advanced in terms of free Wi-Fi. You can get this service in all hotels, cafes and bars, as well as benefit from free Wi-Fi services offered by municipalities in certain areas.
You can benefit from all types of public transportation in most cities in Türkiye, especially in Istanbul. Intercity service is available with public transportation companies via air, rail, sea and road. In addition, you can also use the metro, metrobus, train, tram, ferry, minibus and taxi options offered by municipalities and private enterprises in the city.
You can visit Türkiye, which offers different experiences in four seasons, whenever you want, throughout the year. The country offers tourism centers that bring to life the various holiday models unique to each season.
F-type electrical sockets, which are widely used in many parts of the world, are used in Türkiye. If your devices feature a different configuration, you can use a plug adapter. Please note: Türkiye operates on 220 volts.
In this regard, in addition to being able to receive services from global GSM operators such as Vodafone, Türk Telekom and Turkcell, you can purchase a new line for your smartphone from GSM operators such as BİMcell and PTTcell, for use within the country.