Turkey is one of the most visited countries in the world. It's hardly surprising when you do a little research into why. Turkey has an epic history combined with fast-paced modern life to check out in Istanbul.
Throw in mountains, ski resorts, traditions, excellent food, shopping, and ancient ruins, and you can pretty much understand why most airlines fly to Turkey several times a day - especially Turkish Airlines.
To give you the best experience possible for your first Turkish adventure, let's check out what you should do versus what you should be cautious about.
1. Do Head Away From The Tourist Resorts In the summer, the south coast is packed with tourists worldwide. Visit Antalya or Marmaris, Kusadasi or Bodrum, for instance. These resorts are beautiful, but they don't show you the best of the country in terms of traditions.
Sure, you'll see the natural beauty, taste the food, and listen to local music, but you won't get a truly authentic experience. While visiting the coastal resorts, one of the best tips for traveling to Turkey we can give you is to seek out something a little more traditional.
There are few cities as historic as Istanbul. This is the only city in the world that straddles two continents; Asia and Europe are separated by the winding Bosphorus and connected via bridges, ferries, and the Marmaray Metro service.
The country is home to so many incredible artisans sharing their crafts, and you will be sad if you have no space to bring some of these stunning pieces of work home!
1. Don't Refuse Food Or Tea If Visiting Someone If you're visiting a home, don't refuse any food given to you or tea. You might be full and not at all hungry, but at least eat some of it!
You might be tempted to change some of your money into lira before you visit Turkey, but it's best not to. Instead, if you want to change cash, do it when you arrive. You'll get a much better rate, which means more for your money.