PLAN YOUR FIRST TRIP TO TURKEY

Are you looking for all of the information on how to plan your first trip to Turkey? We understand it can be overwhelming getting began out so we’ve created this step by step guide to get you began out.

If the thought of walking thru historic Mosques, seeing mind-blowing Ottoman architecture, listening to the call to prayer, and having magical adventures in a faraway land is on your bucket list, Turkey is the best location for your next vacation.

WHEN TO GO TO TURKEY?

To plan your first trip to Turkey, you need to go when the climate is brilliant. Are you trying to look the tulips bloom in Istanbul in the spring, experience the Mediterranean without the extreme heat and humidity, or ensure you miss the rainy season? Depending on what you need to do and where you need to go, there are great times to tour Turkey. Generally, the great time to go to is April to October. Here’s what you can expect:

Spring | March-May

In March and April, the climate is beginning to warm up and it’s a brilliant time to discover without it being too warm or humid. The wildflowers start to bloom, and you’ll discover colorful fields of flowers throughout the country. In the cities, you’ll discover flowers and mainly in Istanbul, the well-known tulips will be blooming.

Summer | June – August

This is the peak tourist season. It’s warm and you’ll discover the costs higher in the course of this time. Expect high humidity and temperatures alongside the coastal areas of Turkey. It’s a superb time to experience the beach and swim in the Mediterranean.

Fall | September – November

The tourist season starts to gradual down. The temperatures are still warm; you can still plan a beach holiday and experience swimming in warm waters. You’ll discover the traditional sites to still be a buzz however much less crowded than the summer months. This is our favorite time of the year to tour Turkey. In Istanbul moving into late October and November, you may begin seeing rain, so it’s constantly desirable to come organized with a rain jacket or umbrella just in case.

Winter | December – February

These are the cold months with a gradual quantity of activity happening throughout the most important cities. In Istanbul and the northern part of Turkey, you’ll have snow and rain and alongside the coast, you’ll have torrential rain the blows through regularly. You can still plan on visiting the traditional sites, simply don’t forget your winter coats, hat, and gloves.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST

The national currency of turkey is the Turkish Lira (TL).  To plan your first trip to Turkey, you need to know how much to save for your trip. Where you go and the time of year that you make a decision to go to will play into the cost. The tourist season runs from April to October, with the peak season and maximum costs from June to August. Below is a general concept of what the common day by day price will be per person per day in TL, relying on your preferred type of travel:

Budget

One hundred fifty TL – 250 TL per person per day staying in hostels, pensions, and one & two-star hotels. This would consist of eating at less expensive eating places and visiting in-country through bus and through train.

Mid-Range

400TL – 500TL per person per day staying in three & four-star hotels, eating in some nicer eating places, visiting through air, and probably some car rental.

Luxury

1200TL + per person per day staying in 5-star hotels, eating in high-end eating places, visiting through plane, rental car, and taking part in a few personal tours or a personal blue cruise.

PRE-TRIP PLANNING

PASSPORTS AND VISA

Before you begin researching your trip, ensure your passport will be valid greater than 6 months earlier than you intend to tour. It can take time to process applying for or renewing your passport even in case you expedite it. Allow for 8 – 12 weeks to receive your passport in the mail. You will need to get a Visa to go into Turkey.

TYPE OF TRAVEL

Before you begin researching places of where to go and what to do when you plan your first trip to Turkey, there are some questions you need to ask yourself first:

1. How do you want to travel?

• Do you enjoy gradual tour or like to go at a fast past seeing as much as you possibly can?
• Are you seeking out a few adventurous sports like hiking, paragliding, or a hot air balloon experience?

2. What are your interests?

• Are you a foodie and you need to try all of the “great of the great” meals in every of the areas you travel?
• Do you want to see the historic or religion sites in the towns you visit?
• Do you want to see the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Turkey? Or do you want to enjoy time at the beach or water sports?

3. How many days do you need to travel?

• Do you’ve a complete week to tour, 14 days or an entire month? This will assist you decide how much time you’ve for every area or activity.

After answering all of these questions and having a standard concept of ways much time you’ve, your interests, and what type of travel you enjoy, you can dig into the locations and sports that match up with what your best trip to Turkey looks like.

RESEARCH YOUR TRIP TO TURKEY

There are lots of sources you may research and plan your first trip to Turkey online. A few places that we suggest are:

Online News & Magazines, Blogs and Podcasts

The options will feel endless, and you’ll feel like you want to do everything. Before you begin making any selections for your family trip to Turkey, begin collecting your thoughts and bookmarking sites or sports you’d want to do.

GUIDEBOOKS

Picking up a traditional guidebook at your local bookshop is an excellent reference guide for all matters in Turkey. They’ll come up with in-depth information on destinations and sports as well as tour tips.

BUILD YOUR ITINERARY

There are such a lot of magical locations to see when you’re building out your itinerary for your first experience to Turkey. Once you’ve gone thru the process of researching places and sports that fit your style of Travel. It’s time to begin building out your itinerary. Many human beings get stuck right here due to decision fatigue and trying to do everything. Here are a few guidelines on where to begin:

ITINERARY SUGGESTION

As a baseline, you can begin with at the least 3 nights in every location to reduce the time you spend traveling and enjoy every place as much as possible.

• 3-5 travel days after arrival – We advise choosing one destination – a city or a region.
• 7-10 travel days after arrival – We advise choosing 2 – 3
• 9-14 travel days after arrival – We advise choosing 3 – 4

The maximum famous itineraries will range 8 – 14 days that normally consists of traveling to the classic areas of Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, and the Mediterranean region.

Try not to squeeze in too much. If you underestimate your tour time, you may end up tired, feeling like you’re spinning your wheels, and not have time to enjoy and soak in your experiences during your trip.

WHEN SHOULD YOU START BOOKING YOUR TRIP?

It’s never too early to begin reserving and making plans your trip to Turkey.

• HOTELS

We would recommend beginning with your hotel bookings first to make sure you get the resorts and rooms that you want. If you wait too long, many resorts will fill up or the great rooms will not be available. You can book directly with the resorts or go through a reserving site such as Booking.com or Airbnb. Check the cancellation guidelines when reserving.

• FLIGHTS

Depending on where you’re flying in from, you may be capable of discover a direct flight into Istanbul from a city close to you. You can book at least 6 months in advance. We recommend setting up a travel comparison on Skyscanner to discover the best rate for your perfect flights.

• TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Day tours and sports can sell out during peak tour times. If you’re looking to experience the Hot Air Balloons in Cappadocia, book this as quickly as you’ve your travel dates for your trip. Most sports will offer a complete refund up to 24 hours earlier than your activity starts. Be sure to ask for the refund policy earlier than reserving.

MOST POPULAR CITIES

• ISTANBUL
• CAPPADOCIA
• AEGEAN REGION
• EPHESUS
• MEDITERRANEAN REGION
• ANTALYA

ACTIVITIES AND TOUR

There are many distinctive options for exploring independently, with a small group, or with a personal guide. Each has its pros and cons – you understand yourself best and the way you like to travel. Use the recommendations below while you plan your trip to Turkey.

Istanbul is the most visited city in all of Turkey with an array of sports and tours. A few of our recommendations: Hagia Sophia Blue Mosque Topkapi Palace Bosphorus Boat Tour Grand Bazaar Turkish Bath Local Food Tour

Next in line is the area of Cappadocia with one of the most unique landscapes you’ve seen you can visit fairy chimneys, interconnected underground cities with the largest going eight stories underground, and head up in the air in a well-known sunrise hot air balloon ride.

Travel along the Mediterranean Coast to go to Antalya, Cirali, Kas, or Fethiye and enjoy some fun in the sun canyoning, hiking, rafting, paragliding or simply enjoying a beach vacation by the water.

Head over to the Aegean region to go to the historical city of Ephesus, taste the fruit wines of Sirince and the thermal pool of Pamukkale.

Don’t forget the meals! Every region is well-known for a particular meals unique to its area.