Visa
If you are visiting turkey, the foremost thing that you need is a visa. Without a visa, it is impossible to enter the country. Even if you are an American, the visa is mandatory but can be easily applied. For travellers from other countries, you need to log in to Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. On this website, all the necessary norms are mentioned for travellers to apply for a visa. There are connecting flights to reach your destination, and therefore you need to apply as per the requirement.
Some travellers often miss the connecting flights due to the visa in the immigration section. After applying for a visa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends a bar code or a QR code to your smart phone. Remember to save it, as you will need it while linking your information to necessary online portals. There is also an option for a multi-entry visa, which lasts for 90 days. After this specific interval, you need to renew your visa with reasons and credentials.
Limited WiFi for Foreigners
If you need to access the free WiFi, you need to have a Turkish or European number to get your passcode for free WiFi. This is important as you need to get your online visa after landing in turkey. Even if you enter the country via Istanbul airport, you need to have a Turkish or European connection. Without applying for an online visa after landing, the security officials will not allow travellers to check out from the airport. It will be best if you have an international phone norm.
It would be best to get a Turkish SIM, or even a Turkish or European friend will be handy. The online passcode will be available for visa European and Turkish connections only. The internet in hotels and Airbnb is unstable and constantly fluctuates; that does work or surfing the internet frustrating. All restaurants have WiFi, but mostly unstable. Therefore, you need to hop from hotel to hotel in search of stable internet. For foreigners, the internet or WiFi is limited, and therefore you ought to have a SIM from turkey, or European SIM will also be best.
Restricted Websites
In turkey, there is a list of a local websites that won’t work. Therefore, you need to be cautious of these:
-
PayPal- Is one of the most renowned platforms for foreign transactions, but it is inaccessible from turkey. There are instances where travellers face difficulties in using PayPal for any financial transaction. It would be best to have a PayPal application, as it is the only way to access your PayPal account in this region. Keep in mind that you do not use any third-party application or proxy, as the server might permanently block the account.
-
Booking.com- The website is completely lapsed in turkey, as the country does not allow the traveller to book any hotels or places through this website. Some travellers were unable to book hotels and inns at the last moment. Being in a foreign country, it is the worst nightmare not to be able to book hotels. Even if you have a Turkish SIM, the server won’t allow you to use this website.
-
Wikipedia- One of the common portals to know about any region is restricted in turkey. Therefore, it is recommended to have complete research on the region pre-handedly. You can also use the”cache” function in Google.
Weather
Turkey is widespread across two continents and has a diverse topography. So the weather of the country depends on the regions you are travelling to. It has weather from desert-dry climates to sizzling summers and also snowy winters. The Northeastern region experiences cold weather, and the center (west of Cappadocia) is hot, and the Mediterranean area that includes Istanbul has an extreme climate. The weather also depends upon the months you are visiting, and therefore have meticulous research on the region and its weather before spending vacation or work stay.
Regional Outfit
As turkey is very diverse in culture, topography, and politics, you will find people of a different cultures. There is a woman who is covered completely except their eyes. Kayseri is the region where societies are very conservative, whereas Izmir societies are open-minded. Sultanahmet has several museums covered with old antiques and a market that sells unique things. Depending on the region of your stay, you need to carry clothes that will help you gel with others. Summery clothes will make you more comfortable in different turkey regions.
Seasons to Visit
Winter - The months of November to March experience the heavy winter in turkey. During these months there is low tourism, and therefore several old architectures are kept close.
Fall - September and October are the months high for tourism in Turkey, and the entire region has temperate weather. Therefore, it can be an optimum time to plan your vacation.
Summer - During summer, the temperature rises to 100F, but you can enjoy the vacation if you prepare for the season. Remember to carry UV umbrellas, sunglasses, sunscreen and water. It would be best if you were hydrated enough to tackle the scorching heat. Cappadocia and Ephesus have unbearable heat during this season. Between 12 PM to 5 PM, try to remain indoors as the heat is at its peak.
How much it costs to travel to Turkey?
The cost of travelling and staying in turkey depends on the month, region you visit. You must spend at least TRY 434 or $50 per day. This is the least amount or the introductory price you need to stay in turkey. Travellers spend TRY 135 or $15 per day on meals and almost TRY 67 or $7.16 as transportation cost. For couples, the hotel price is around TRY 364 or $ 40 per day. If you can spend this amount of money on your trip, you can have a basic stay and meal. It takes around $ 695 or TRY 6077 for a couple to spend a week in turkey. All these price rates for hotels and meals are collected from the past travellers who have provided their reviews. Thus it provides an excellent idea of all the costs of spending a vacation in this country.
The Turkish government provides a rebate on tickets for kids who are below a certain age. It helps to bring down the cost. If you are planning to go in groups, the average expenditure of the trip will come down. There are also cheaper hotels with good interiors, but you need to have meticulous research. The major cost that travellers find when they visit turkey is their meals and hotel rents. During the off-season, the hotels' rates are way below the average. So it is wise to visit during this tenure.
What are the Prime Attractions of Turkey?
Turkey is known for scenic beauty and historical monuments in the entire world. Here are some major places that must be on your bucket list when you are travelling to turkey.
Aya Sofya
This is one of the most astonishing and beautiful monuments in the world. The Byzantine glory is the main attraction of Istanbul and Turkey. The building attracts more than millions of tourists across the world. Aya Sofya depicts the power and might of Constantinople and has a hollow frescoed interior. There are delicate minarets that were added after the conquest of the Ottoman Empire.
Cappadocia
The surreal rock valley is a dream destination for every photographer. Due to wind and water, it created a cliff ridge and also hill crests. It creates a rippling panorama of wacky-shaped pinnacles. You can opt for trekking the hilly region, and if you are not prepared to do so, you can also rent a hot air balloon ride. This region was an important site during the Christian era.
|
