Turkey travel information
At the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Turkey is rich in cultural heritage. As Constantinople and later Istanbul, the capital city was at the heart of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, and fabulous monuments include early churches with fine mosaics and grand domes, towering mosques and oriental bazaars. The vast central plateau of Anatolia was the cradle of Hittite and Phrygian civilisations, and there are also rich remains from Pontic, Roman and Seljuk empires.
Cappadocia is an almost surreal landscape of pink cones, pinnacles and ravines, the soft volcanic rock having been hewn into elaborate cave systems for more than 5000 years. The Mediterranean and Aegean waters of Asia Minor were busy in Classical times, with Roman galleys, Greek triremes, Phoenician merchantmen and Egyptian dhows plying their trade between some of the most famous cities of the ancient world. Ephesus, Miletus, Knidos, Caunos are some of the most beautiful and well-preserved sites of the ancient world.
Country facts for Turkey holidays
Weather
Aegean and Mediterranean coastal areas enjoy the typical Mediterranean climate. There is hardly a drop of rain during the sunny and hot summer (May to October). Winters are mild and rainy in these regions. The water temperature in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas is warm during the long summer season (May to October) which constitutes the swimming season and fluctuates between 23° and 28°C from north to south.
The Marmara region around the Sea of Marmara, including Istanbul, has a transitional climate between an oceanic climate and a semi-Mediterranean climate, but it does rain, albeit not a lot, during the very warm summer (as showers which tend to last for 15-30 minutes). Its winters are colder than those of the western and southern coasts. The water temperature in the Sea of Marmara is also colder than the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, with the water temperature reaching only between 20° and 24°C during the summer (June, July and August) and the swimming season is restricted to those summer months.
The Black Sea region has an oceanic climate (thanks to the protective shield effect of Caucasus mountains) with the greatest amount of precipitation and is the only region of Turkey that receives high precipitation throughout the year. Summers are warm and humid while the winters are cool and damp. The water temperature in the whole Turkish Black Sea coast is always cool and fluctuates between 10° and 20°C throughout the year, and is even less suitable for swimming during the summer than in the Sea of Marmara.
Languages
The official language of Turkey is Turkish, but some Turkish residents speak Kurdish and/or Arabic.
Money
From 2005 through 2008, Turkey's currency was called the New Turkish Lira (Yeni Türk Lirasi, YTL or TRY). As of January 1, 2009, the "New" (Yeni) has been dropped. The currency is again simply the Turkish Lira.
Time zone
Turkey is in the Eastern European Time Zone. Eastern European Standard Time (EET) is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
Watch videos about Turkey holidays
Watch videos about these European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) in Turkey, covering areas of outstanding natural beauty. To watch videos of the Eden Destinations of Turkey which can help you plan your holiday to Turkey, follow the link to
Turkey holiday videos.
The Aya Sofia was breathtaking and the Topkapi Palace was also very atmospheric. The hamam (turkish baths) were brilliant...
(more)
