Türkiye

What’s the best way to travel around?

Getting Around- don’t hire local taxis. They tend to turn off their meters and charge you more than necessary. Go for Uber or pre-booked shuttles. Walking where possible. Hiring a car $1700 for 2 weeks, only need a car seat for up to 4 years old. You can pre-book but not pre-pay the car hire. Need international licences but bring your local license as well.

Domestic flights are relatively cheap ($50usd each way pp.) so, if you’re not visiting too many places, that would be a cheaper option.

Will I be able to communicate with locals?

Speaking a little Turkish will get you everywhere.

Merhaba - Hello!

Günaydın (Prounounced ‘goon aydin) - Good morning!

Teşekkürler (Pronounced ‘te-shock-u-ler) - Thank you

Bier tana… - One of…

Luften - Please

For more on this check out turkeytravelplanner.com

*It’s also useful to note that when you ask a question, raised eyebrows means ‘no’.

What should I expect to eat and drink?

Eating out is probably a similar cost to buying food to keep in your hotel room. Always get breakfast included as Turkish breakfasts are phenomenal. Our youngest is very fussy so he often gets kofte. Dondulmar/ ice-cream is to die for and sometimes an entertaining experience. Soda, coffee and tea are relatively cheap in Turkiye. Western coffee can be very weak so you might opt for Turkish coffee or order a double macchiato with milk on the side. Keep in mind that wine = $$$ and alcoholic drinks aren’t available everywhere you go.

What are the family must-sees?

In Istanbul, you must see Aya Sofia, The Blue Mosque and The Cistern. A Bosphorus Cruise is an awesome day out as well.

In Türkiye as a whole, we loved the ancient city of Ephesus, Cappadocia and Pammukale.

What can our family do there if we’re on a budget?

Istanbul is a walking city for the most part but the tram is cheap (if you can work out how to use it). Just walking around the old walled city is wonderful. The Grand Bazaar is a free experience if you can get out without buying a carpet. You’ll also get a lot of complimentary apple tea (or maybe a warming salep if they’re feeling generous) if you’re willing to have a sit-down with sellers.

What about laundry?

Laundry - laundrettes aren’t as prominent in Turkey as in many western countries. Some hotels have very reasonable rates for laundry and others are insanely expensive. If you need it, it’s worth emailing the hotel in advance to find out their rates.

What should we expect with accommodation?

Almost everyone in Türkiye is a smoker so ensure that you request a non-smoking room on a non-smoking floor if you can’t get a non-smoking hotel. Most hotels offer daily room cleaning as standard but a few of the all inclusive places we’ve stayed in have only had it every second or third day.

There are many all-inclusive resorts in Türkiye, especially on the Mediterranean side. Use TripAdvisor to vet these carefully as there are certain tourists you will want to avoid if you don’t like poolside bed towel reservations, rudeness and line-cutting. Most of these all-inclusive resorts include basic drinks but some don’t so check this wisely.