Turkey
Visa: Turkey offers many nationalities visa-free entry for 60 to 90 days, including EU citizens, UK, Japan, and South Korea. Others use the official eVisa system.
Policies shift periodically. Always check the government portal rather than relying on third party summaries.
Language: Turkish (Türkçe) — part of the Turkic language family, closely related to Azerbaijani, Turkmen, and Uyghur.
In tourist hotspots (Istanbul, Cappadocia, the coastal resorts) you'll get by with English, especially with younger people.
Step outside those zones and English drops off fast. Download Google Translate's Turkish offline pack and save key place names in Turkish for taxi drivers.
Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY). Visa and Mastercard work in most urban settings: hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, intercity bus bookings, and major attractions all accept cards.
The gap is street-level spending: simit carts, small local eateries, public toilets, dolmuş minibuses, and market stalls generally require cash.
I survived 24 hours without cash, but if you plan to stay longer, definitely have some cash with you. ATMs widely available.
Airport exchange rates are poor, so get cash from a city centre money exchange instead.
Transport in Istanbul： I simply used my credit card. You can also get an İstanbulkart/İstanbul City Card for all public transport.
What To Expect
Turkey has too many places worth seeing and no single itinerary that covers them all. One or two weeks barely scratches the surface. Istanbul alone straddles two continents with Byzantine basilicas, Ottoman mosques, and a contemporary energy that rivals any European capital.
Inland, Cappadocia's volcanic fairy chimneys and underground cities feel like a different planet. Pamukkale's white travertine terraces are the country's most photographed natural wonder.
The Lycian coast stretches south with coves, ruins, and the kind of turquoise water that makes the Mediterranean look effortless. Further east, places like Mardin, Lake Van, and the ruins of Ani sit near the borders of Syria, Iran, and Armenia, far from the standard tourist circuit but among the most memorable parts of the country. The distances between these regions are real. Domestic flights and an extensive intercity bus network make getting around manageable, but the smartest approach is to pick a region and do it properly rather than trying to tick boxes across the entire country. Summer crowds along the southwestern coast and in central Istanbul are intense. Spring and autumn are when Turkey actually breathes.
Related Guides
Istanbul in 24 Hours: The Ultimate 1-Day Layover Itinerary
2026-06-17How to conquer Istanbul on a layover: a fast-paced 1-day itinerary covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and the best street food stops.
Istanbul in 24 Hours: The Ultimate 1-Day Layover Itinerary
2026-06-17How to conquer Istanbul on a layover: a fast-paced 1-day itinerary covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and the best street food stops.