Turkey Tips please

markgparker

Never been to Turkey, any tips? and what's the best currency to take?

PompeyPete

It's a v.big country. What do you want out of your visit?

jaybeetoo

markgparker wrote: »

what's the best currency to take?

Get a Halifax Clarity card and get cash (Turkish Lira) from a machine when you arrive.

citykid5

most of the touristy areas have atm,s that give gbp at no charge. all places except gbp or you will get a better exchange rate by changing gbp to tlr over there then you'll get in the uk . exspect about 3.10 to the pound from the exchange shops in turkey. you will be amazed how cheap turkey still is. after a recent visit to fethiye in june we were paying £1.50 for a beer and sub £2 for a full english

n0785

Relative of mine is only back and said the exchange raid from GBP to Lira was far better out there so I would recommend changing your money when you arrive.

PompeyPete

Be careful if you change cash at an exchange kiosk (Doviz).

The 5 Lira note can easily be mistaken for a 50 Lira note. So make so you familiarise yourself with the money, and check all the notes properly [at the counter] when they're handed over.

Ditto if you take a taxi. Apart from making sure the cabbie uses the meter, when you pay the fare count out the money to the driver.

maman

I got into the habit of taking sterling and changing it daily back in the day when inflation was crazy in Turkey. It's not now but I still take sterling and change it out there.

We always used to use the PTT (Post Office) but it's been recently privatised and there's commission to be paid on exchanges. At our resort, local shops were now giving a better rate than the PTT so we used those. The great thing about using the shops is they're open all hours so you don't really need to think ahead.

I've also got a Post Office credit card that doesn't make charges so I take that for emergencies.

greenface

Where are you going in turkey ?

[Deleted User]

markgparker wrote: »

Never been to Turkey, any tips? and what's the best currency to take?

Guard your wallet with extra vigilance and be prepared for endless hassle from stall-holders and beggars of every description.
The Turks are an untrustworthy bunch with a less than civilised attitude towards women and human rights.
Do not fall foul of the police as they are more crooked than the criminals.
There are very good reasons why the rest of Europe has spent the last 30 years preventing Turkey from becoming a full member of the EU.
Even Romania has been allowed in before them !

maman

Deleted_User wrote: »

Guard your wallet with extra vigilance and be prepared for endless hassle from stall-holders and beggars of every description.
The Turks are an untrustworthy bunch with a less than civilised attitude towards women and human rights.
Do not fall foul of the police as they are more crooked than the criminals.
There are very good reasons why the rest of Europe has spent the last 30 years preventing Turkey from becoming a full member of the EU.
Even Romania has been allowed in before them !

That's not the Turkey I recognise from annual trips over 20+ years.

jaybeetoo

maman wrote: »

I got into the habit of taking sterling and changing it daily back in the day when inflation was crazy in Turkey. It's not now but I still take sterling and change it out there.

Using the right card in an ATM in Turkey is cheaper than exchanging cash (and safer).