Turkey: Travel Guide

Turkey is best for...

Couples: Gifted with rich heritage, Turkey is the perfect getaway for two with enchanting land, seascapes and fascinating cultural landmarks. Why not escape to the magnificent Istanbul's historical quarters to soak in the spectacular sights and traditional culture, visit the romantic Cappadocia or even a visit to one of many beautiful beaches of Antalya that you can discover with your partner.

Families: Find your ideal spot on one of many stunning beaches in Fethiye, Alanya and Didim. Filled with excellent restaurants and bars, they offered relaxed environment, azure waters and child-friendly surroundings. When you fancy a change of scenery, take a trip to the magnificent Istanbul. Surrounded by phenomenal historical heritage, why not venture on a family-friendly tour where you can discover one of the most amazing cities in the world. Turkey is also filled with theme parks offering exhilarating rides and adrenalin pumping rollercoasters.

Night Owls: Whether you want to dance to beats or spend your evenings like the local Turkish people do, Turkey has a lot to offer. Why not discover Raki nights with Turkish Art or traditional music in the background or visit one of Istanbul's many bars and nightclubs when you really want to party all night long. Turkey's nightlife is ideal for those who love cities that never sleep.

Getting around Turkey

By car hire: With an extensive and well-maintained system alongside picturesque villages and fascinating sights off the beaten track, hiring a car in Turkey is the ideal way of exploring the stunning country, with road- tripping making an exceptionally rewarding experience in Turkey.

By air: With almost 50 cities in Turkey ,home to active domestic or international airports, travelling by air is a convenient way to explore at your own pace as you can fly from one end of the country to the other in just under two hours.

By Metro: Although train travel in Turkey is limited, the options are improving, with larger cities providing a metro and tram system. The main exception to this is the busy high-speed line that connects Istanbul and Ankara together.

By bus: Buses take travellers between cities across Turkey at any hour of the day or night, which are supported by an extensive network of 24-hour rest stops. Many long-haul buses also stop every few hours, allowing passengers to eat, drink, smoke, pray and shop for local food produce and souvenirs. Some of the smaller villages are also served by at least one daily dolmus (shared taxi) .

travel advice

If you want to experience both oriental and European elements, Turkey is the place to have this experience. From shopping in Bazaar to taking your stress away in a Hammam, Turkey is somewhere to immerse yourself in culture.

FCDO website.

Fast facts for Turkey

Language: Turkish, although English is also widely spoken and understood, particularly in the main tourist areas and hotspots. If you are considering heading off the usual visitor trails, make sure you pack a phrasebook or download a translation app.

Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)

Local time: Turkey is 3 hours ahead of UK time during the winter and 2 hours ahead of UK time during the summer.

Fly to:

  • Antalya Airport for Alanya, Antalya, Belek, Kemer, Lara and Side
  • Bodrum Airport for Bodrum, Gumbet, Torba and Turgutries
  • Dalaman Airport for Dalyan, Fethiye, Icmeler, Olu Deniz and Marmaris
  • Izmir Airport for Cesme, Kusadasi and Izmir
  • Istanbul Airport has 2 airports
  • Transfer times vary from 15- 120 minutes

Flight time from the UK: The flight time from the UK to Turkey is around 4 hours.

Tourist information: Find further information on various Turkey destinations at the official Turkey tourism website

Visa/health: British citizens do not require a visa for Turkey holidays for visits up to 90 days in any 180- day period, but you do need a valid passport. Visit the UK government's Turkish travel advice for up- to-date visa and health recommendations. 

More travel guides:  We also have other travel guides available for destinations including  Egypt  | Greece  |  Portugal Spain  | Balearic Island Canary Islands | United Arab Emirates

Your Guide to Turkey holidays

  • Food & Drinks
  • Beaches
  • We Love
  • At a Glance

Food & Drinks

Baklava is made with filo pastry and filled with pistachios. It is the perfect combination of rich, buttery and sweet. It is so scrumptious that you won’t be able to help yourself going back for some more.

Meze is a platter style dish and that is why it is our favourite; it is a range of food, and it means you get to try a bit of everything. Meze can contain meat, fish, feta cheese, dips and olives.

Beaches

If your someone who loves sandy beaches, Antalya has a range of sandy beaches to choose to sunbathe on:

  • Lara Beach is a quiet beach alongside Duden Waterfall Park. This beach is perfect for a peaceful day on the beach and an independent tour of Duden Waterfalls.

  • Phaselis Beach is full of history as it still has its preserved and well-maintained ruins.

  • Damlataş Beach is a small and intimate beach which is located at the end of Kleopatra cave.

For the night owls, Ayayorgi Bay is the beach to be at. There are a range of beach clubs to choose from where you will have live DJs after the sunsets.

We Love

We love Turkish food. In fact, we love all Turkish food but if we had to choose our top 2, it would be Baklava and Meze.

We also loved visiting Suluada. Suluada translates to “watery island” in Turkish. Suluada is an Island that is hotel free, restaurant free and shop free. It is pretty much free from everything and that is the beauty of it. The attractiveness of this island is its vibrant blue waters and its underwater wildlife.

At a Glance

  • The average flying time from the UK to Turkey is around 4 hours
  • You can fly from all UK airports, depending on the final Turkish destination
  • The transfer time is between 30-120 minutes depending on the resort
  • Time zone GMT+03:00

Frequently Asked Questions