Currency Preferred In Turkey ?

Lovingitifitsabargain

Off to Turkey in May can someone please help am I best to take Lira - Euros or English money - thanks in advance

lauraaurora

I went to Side (near Antalya) last September, and was told by someone that had just come back from another part of Turkey, that Euros would give me the best battering power when buying in the markets etc. However in Side, I generally got a much better deal with Lira. To be honest, I think it depends on where you are spending your money, and who you are spending it with. The hotel took all three forms of currency, as did everyone else, but the Turks seem to 'round up' figures when quoting in Euros and Pounds...
I just took a bit of all three, and when I'd run out I used my Switch card in the ATM to get out cash, and got Lira for the rest of the holiday.
Sorry it's a long answer, but hope it helps! Have a lovely holiday! :j

alanrowell

I'd use an ATM card, but otherwise it depends on if you are in the UK or not - if UK change GBP, if in the Eurozone then change Euro.

fishhawks

I'm just back from Side where we took some of all the currency - English £10 & £20 (not Scottish) turkish lira and euro. Personally I found euro easier to follow as with lira some places are still working in millions (this year turkey got rid of the zeros off the prices, the exchange rate was 2.5 million to £1 now it is 2.5 lira to £1) If you want to use lira, I would recommend you use an ATM or exchange at the hotel (or any shop or even burger bar will exchange money) as the rate they are offering is 2.5 where as I got 2.24 from Thomas Cook.

Hope this helps - enjoy your holiday

nickers

Depends which area of Turkey you're going to. Around Dalaman, they deal mostly with Turkish lira and Sterling. Around Antalya it is much more German so mostly deal in Euros - we went to Belek one year and had trouble spending Turkish lire, they all wanted Euros! But in the more English part, Fethiye, etc the normal currency is Lire.
Hope this helps.

Lovingitifitsabargain

thanks for that nickers off to Belek myself so will go with the euros

Claretsumo

I'd just use Lira. In the past, Turkey was suffering from almost hyper inflation so traders used to like sterling as it tended to change in value over a short period of time. Nowadays their economy is more stable and they have just devalued the currency. Ok boring bit over, have a fab time, it's a great country with great people and most of all - there are lots of bargains to be had!