Best currency to take to Turkey?

[sukstr]

Hi,

My wife and a couple of friends are off to Turkey for a week's holiday later this month. What is the best currency to take with them?
The choices are Turkish Lira, Euro, US dollar or pounds.

Of course there is also the further options of loading a pre-pay credit card - but I suspect they won't get such good deals if paying by plactic.

thanks,



Steve

[M4RKM]

none of these are useful these days.. it's all about dubloons..

umm.. i might as well put some seriousness to this post..
from reading other threads on here, it really depends on which part of turkey you are going to, as to which currency they prefer!

do a quick search and i'm sure you'll find some useful info!

[MrsE]

Originally Posted by markymoo

none of these are useful these days.. it's all about dubloons..

umm.. i might as well put some seriousness to this post..
from reading other threads on here, it really depends on which part of turkey you are going to, as to which currency they prefer!

do a quick search and i'm sure you'll find some useful info!

Even the areas that favour Euros are still happy to take pounds.

With the pound so weak against the Euro, there would be no point in changing at this time.

[soco1]

When in Turkey I tend to spend their own currency!
Change your sterling when you get there.

[bringmeshoes]

i tend to take mostly travellers cheques because they are insured if anything happens to them, i also take about £100 of local currency to see me through the first day and give me chance to see where i get the best rate to exchange the travellers cheques

[alanrowell]

I find New Turkish Lira useful in Turkey.

I also prefer not to have the cost & hassle of Travellers Cheques

[dzug1]

Originally Posted by sukstr

Hi,

My wife and a couple of friends are off to Turkey for a week's holiday later this month. What is the best currency to take with them?
The choices are Turkish Lira, Euro, US dollar or pounds.

Of course there is also the further options of loading a pre-pay credit card - but I suspect they won't get such good deals if paying by plactic.

thanks,



Steve

Unless they already have the $$$ or the €€€ there's no point in incurring double exchange costs by taking them to exchange when they get there

[simpywimpy]

just been to turkey last month and was under the impression that dollars would be the best but it didnt really matter to be honest.

You get slightly better rate there than at home but I would go for the lira as there really isnt much in it.

If you are flying back from bodrum airport by any chance the bar prices are horrendous so take water - they let you through with it. Duty free was really cheap too.

[aardvark65]

We go regularly and always change up sterling to Turkish lira whilst there. Agree there is no point in changing twice - you always lose. If you have euros already they maybe useful for duty free etc.

[doelani]

we are going to turkey tomorrow for third time and we take a few hundred pounds in turkish lira and the rest in sterling. I also take bank card as back up in case we have no money left got duty free on way back lol I have only ever used a credit card once in Turkey and the guy in the shop " just had to go next door to use their machine" lol I was straight on phone afterwards to make sure only one transaction was put through and cancelled card.

We do tend to spend in sterling as many shops have prices marked in £ and Euro's , helps us gage what we are spending and if it is worth it.

OK I admit it my hubby buys the " 4 tshirts for £10" lol

[whu]

depends where in Turkey you are going - in Kalkan it is better to have local currency - change it there

[MrsE]

Originally Posted by simpywimpy

If you are flying back from bodrum airport by any chance the bar prices are horrendous so take water - they let you through with it. Duty free was really cheap too.

You think Bodrum is bad?

Have you used Dalaman

I think its a little worse

[DGJsaver]

so guys

if its commison free to get euro travellers cheques but NOT commision free to get sterling cheques , is it worth getting euro cheques if your confident of using them all ? exchange rate wise at the turkish end i mean ?

Dan

[whu]

Originally Posted by MrsE

You think Bodrum is bad?

Have you used Dalaman

I think its a little worse

agreed Dalaman is very expensive - definately take your own water etc

[MrsE]

Originally Posted by DGJsaver

so guys

if its commison free to get euro travellers cheques but NOT commision free to get sterling cheques , is it worth getting euro cheques if your confident of using them all ? exchange rate wise at the turkish end i mean ?

Dan

If you are happy to carry your holiday money as cash (& use the hotel safe over there) then I think its got to be the easiest & cheapest way.
You can source the best exchange rate yourself.

Even if you get them commission free this end, won't they charge you to chane them?

[DGJsaver]

Originally Posted by MrsE

If you are happy to carry your holiday money as cash (& use the hotel safe over there) then I think its got to be the easiest & cheapest way.
You can source the best exchange rate yourself.

Even if you get them commission free this end, won't they charge you to chane them?

when we were there last year they didnt charge in the jewellers etc to change sterling travellers cheques

im just wondering if the rate the turks give for euros is better than for £ ???

[ttoli]

You get a far better rate locally than in the UK, the rate here today is 2.5 YTL= 1.00GBP.

[DGJsaver]

Originally Posted by ttoli

You get a far better rate locally than in the UK, the rate here today is 2.5 YTL= 1.00GBP.

hi

what is the euro to ytl rate at the moment ?

[Backbiter]

Any advice on curency for Istanbul? Going there for one day on a cruise in August. Are pounds and Euros readily accepted there?

[MORPH3US]

Number one travellling tip I have ever been given.... GET A NATIONWIDE CURRENT ACCOUNT.....

Sorry to shout, but that is a seriously good tip...

Free cash withdrawals abroad at good rates. Add to that, from most cash machines I have used in turkey, you can choose to withdraw Lira, pounds or dollars.

Oh and it also means you can withdraw it as you need it so its more secure.

If you really can't do the above though, I would take GBP with a little bit of Lira for the first day until you find somewhere to change your cash to lira over there (NOT at hotel because crap rates).

Most shops and restaurants will accept lira, pounds, dollars or euros, but if you pay in anything other than what the bill is in (usually lira) be prepared for them to calculate at rubbish rates...