Tips for Traveling to Turkey: 23 Things to Know for the BEST Trip in 2024

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Looking for tips for traveling to Turkey? I have got you covered!

Every time you travel somewhere new, you realize how different we all are. Each country does things differently. Thinks differently.

There is nothing worse than getting somewhere and expecting one thing but getting an entirely different thing.

They store their property, products, and information differently. When you travel, you embrace courage and learn something new. I had to learn these the hard way.

I enjoy learning new things and new ways to do things.

A different way of thinking and experiencing reminds me that my way isn’t the only “right” way.

As I have lived in Turkey and explored so much of it, Turkey is one of those places that took some adjusting to get used to it.

I had to figure out that I couldn’t buy band-aids where I typically would in America and so on.

Traveling cultivates compassion.

But there are also things that just kind of drive you batty as you travel.

I want to save you some grief with these travel tips and things to know about Turkey so that you can enjoy your trip to Turkey to the fullest.

1. What floor am I on?

If you’re from America, we all know that the bottom floor is the 1st floor in any building. Here in Turkey, that is not the case.

They number floors starting with 0. So the bottom floor is always zero. The next floor up that we would typically call 2nd is the 1st.

A great help to figuring out what level you’re on is to count how many flights of stairs you go up.

This is especially helpful when you want to order food or something to where you’re staying. They will always ask for your floor number.

2. Tea is life

In every culture, there is something we enjoy doing to convey the hospitality that we have for the people we are welcoming.

Here in Turkey, drinking tea with someone is an important part of life. If someone offers you tea, welcome it gladly!

They are extending their hospitality to you and it would be so dishonoring to reject them.

That being said, it is important to note that when people ask if you want çay and it sounds like chai, it doesn’t mean chai, it means Turkish tea which is black tea.

If you, like myself, have a sensitivity to caffeine at night, I have found these De-Caffeinate pills to be magic workers!

One day a friend joked that maybe they had a pill for that. So I did what any wise person would, I checked to see if Amazon did. THEY DID!

They also work marvelously. Definitely give them a try when traveling abroad.

3. Keep Tissues on Hand

As I traveled around Europe, I was always so sad at how hard it was to find a public restroom if I needed to go.

It seems to be a common thing outside of America. Turkey does have a number of public restrooms that you can use thankfully.

But the unfortunate circumstance comes up often of no toilet paper. Especially if you are out in rural Turkey.

Always, always, always carry a pack of tissues in your day bag. Trust me. I have needed them on more than one occasion!

Pro tip: Never flush the toilet paper. I know. I know. But often the pipes just can’t handle it. There are always signs asking you to not do it.

4. Getting around Turkey

The public transportation system in Istanbul is pretty great! It includes buses, metros, ferries, minibusses and when you want, taxis are available.

Buses, metros, ferries, and the Marmaray (similar to the metro but goes between sides) are all paid for by the IstanbulKart (no cash).

Their public transportation card can be reloaded. Check back soon for an in-depth how-to for your Istanbulkart.

Dolmus and minibusses are paid for with cash only. These are like big vans, small buses that you can get to take you throughout Istanbul.

When taking taxis in Turkey, you can use a credit/debit card as well as cash. If you use Uber, it will look just like a regular taxi but you can pay with the app.

But beware, sometimes there will be a problem with the card reader so it is best to always have cash on hand in case there is a problem.

Outside of Istanbul public transportation is much more scarce. I recommend renting a car in Turkey if you go out of Istanbul and want to explore at all.

There is so much more freedom!

5. Squatty pottys

As Turkey has updated buildings and facilities, they have installed many Western-style toilets but you can’t always find one.

Typically you will see a sign on the door that indicates a Western-style or a squat-style toilet. You will get used to it.

If you want to be able to use the restroom in rural Turkey, you will master this task.

Pro tip: Fully squat. Trust me on this one. Upon coming, I was suddenly eternally grateful for my years of growing up going camping and traveling to Uganda.

6. Food in Turkey

I absolutely love Turkish food. If it is your first trip to Turkey, don’t feel like you need to try everything, you just won’t be able to!

They use a lot of cumin, mint, red pepper flakes, and garlic in their food and often overcook their vegetables but somehow they still taste good.

I have written a few different posts on Turkish food. You can read more about Turkish food here.

Pro tip: In touristy areas especially, make sure you ask to see a menu with prices.

One time I went with a couple of Turkish friends to a fish restaurant to celebrate a friend with mezeler and raki. I figured they knew what they were doing so I just went with it.

I was expecting to pay 50 tl or maybe even 80 tl for my portion of dinner. In the end, my portion was 220 tl and others paid more than me!

If you don’t look at a menu with prices, you might find yourself at the end of a great night with a 1200 tl bill when you thought it would be much cheaper.

7. Tap water

Many people say you can’t drink the water because it has viruses and bacteria in it. While that was once true, it isn’t true anymore.

There have been great strides towards cleaning the water. Unfortunately, it is still best to not drink it straight from the tap because of heavy metal levels.

Some people still use tap water for tea or the like, you will notice that there is lots of scaling and deposits in their kettles.

It is best to use bottled water to avoid drinking such heavy metals.

I still use tap water to boil pasta or potatoes or something where I will not be drinking the water. In 2023 I installed a water filtration system and it has been great!

If you don’t have access to the big 5-gallon containers at your place you can get really large bottles of water and refill your smaller bottles regularly.

There is also a great water filter option that is specifically good for tap water and heavy metals. You can read more here about why I support Epic Water Filters.

They have a couple of options.

• Epic Filter with Nalgene body
• Epic Filter with Glass bottle
• Epic Filter with Vostok | Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel

Needless to say, this company is on it! They also have pitchers you could bring if that was more suitable to what you were doing.

8. MOney in Turkey

While Turkey has grown and become much more modern in recent years, cash is still king. You will definitely get discounts when you pay in cash.

If it is for anything big, make sure you get the appropriate level of receipt.

It is also important to note that they don’t typically accept American Express or Discover. You may find someone here or there but on the whole, they are not widely accepted.

Also, if you do anything online, you will find that you have problems if your card/bank doesn’t support 3D security.

I am personally a fan of simply withdrawing cash in the local currency from ATMs instead of carrying large amounts of dollars.

There are a couple of reasons why and I go more in depth in this post about the currency in Turkey.

It is also good to have a little bit of cash on hand if you want to do a bit of tipping though it isn’t usually expected in Turkey unless you’re in a tourist area.

You can also use the WISE Card. Free ATM withdraws up to $100 a month then really low fees plus it works with multiple currencies. It’s a no-brainer.

9. Animals

Most people are animal lovers. While I grew up in a house full of pets, I realized that I am not really a pet lover.

That being said A. I do have a soul and 2. I am quite lovely with pets, I just don’t want one in my house.

For the animal lovers you will love seeing so many animals as you wander the streets in Turkey. They are often very well taken care of by the locals.

Because Turks believe animals hold an inherent value, as Muhammed did, they often care for animals quite well.

They provide temporary shelters and put out food often for them. The dogs, though massive, are surprisingly docile and rarely bark.

I have only ever seen them barking at those who are picking up recycling, oddly enough.

And on Instagram, you can find so many great photos of these cats of Istanbul with the hashtag #catsofistanbul.

10. Jay-walking – how to cross the street in Istanbul

Crossing the streets in Turkey was something I definitely had to get used to here. Essentially you cross wherever you want to.

Technically it is illegal but it is done all the time, regularly in front of police, and is something that is just accepted.

So typically the cars are going slow enough that you can easily cross even on a big street. But you just have to own it.

My biggest tip is to follow the locals. It is a little nerve-wracking at first but then it becomes quite comfortable.

Also typically drivers are slow to let you cross even if you have not waited like you should. Rarely do they honk and make a big deal out of it, especially in the rain. They get it.

Obviously, you don’t have to cross like a local. If you’re more comfortable waiting for the light, please do that.

I just want to make you aware of the culture around crossing the street….as it is quite different from the States.

12. Things to know about time in Turkey

Before visiting Turkey you should also definitely know that Turks value the person they are with more than the next appointment.

When I first got here, it was so overwhelming that I had a schedule and it often felt like it was being tossed aside but that is just how it goes in a highly relational culture.

You will find this throughout the Middle East, Africa, and India as well.

So let go and go with the flow. Stop for the tea and trust that you will see everything you need to see.

If you give up the rigid hold you have on your schedule, you will likely have a much better trip than you thought possible.

13. Body language Travel Tips

There are a few things Turks do in everyday interactions which can be confusing if you didn’t know what they meant.

The Double Kiss – Whenever they greet someone, it is done with a kiss on each cheek. During the pandemic, this was of course not done and it was so weird. But it is back to normal.

The Double Blink – When I first got here I would ask my friend how she was and she would double blink at me…I had no idea what that meant. Finally, I discovered that it means “Yes” or “I’m good.”

The Upward Nod – When someone nods upward, either with raised eyebrows or perhaps leaving the nod and just does an eyebrow lift, it means “No.” You’ll often see it on the street as taxis pass and someone says they don’t need one.

Watch your hands – There are many different things we do with our hands and I learned early on in international travel it is best to not use them the same way I would in the States.

In one place pointing with the forefinger is acceptable and in another place, it is like you’re flipping a person off. Just be aware and be careful.

I hope you have enjoyed learning some things you really should know before going to Turkey.

Turkey really is such an amazing and beautiful country albeit quite different from the Western world.

I really hope that you enjoyed all of these different essential Turkey travel tips.

If you’re visiting Turkey soon, make sure you check out my travel blog post on packing travel hacks to make your life easier.

Were you surprised by any of these? Which one are you most glad to know?

read more:

• Check out this post on visiting during Ramadan
• Before you go, learn a little about Turkish culture with these 5 sayings
• Explore beyond Istanbul, from Istanbul: 11 day-trips you shouldn’t miss