Turkey
Turkey26 guides across 4 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in Turkey
Practical essentials for Turkey
Turkish lira (TRY)
Turkish; English is common in the big cities and the resort towns, much less so inland
Type C/F, 230V 50Hz
An Istanbulkart covers metro, tram, bus, funicular and ferry with sharply discounted transfers; contactless bank cards work on many turnstiles but not on the Marmaray, and charge the full fare every tap.
About 10% in restaurants, in cash and handed to the server; round up taxi fares, and check whether a service charge is already on the bill.
Tap water is treated to EU standards but old building plumbing means almost everyone drinks bottled water, which is cheap and everywhere.
Right-hand side; visitors need a 1968 International Driving Permit or a notarised Turkish translation of their licence — the 1949 permit is no longer accepted.
112 (all services)
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from Turkey
The 8 Unmissable Experiences in Antalya, Ranked
From the lanes of Kaleiçi to the Roman theatre of Aspendos, these are the experiences that define the Turkish Riviera's capital — ranked.
Paying More in Cappadocia Moves You Away From the Balloons
Goreme holds the cheapest beds and the balloon launches at the same time, which means every step up the price ladder in Cappadocia buys quiet and a terrace while quietly taking away the walk, the minibus and the view from bed.
What to Eat in Izmir: A Dish-by-Dish Guide to Turkey's Aegean Table
Boyoz at breakfast, kumru by the sea, stuffed mussels at midnight — the dishes that define Izmir, and where locals actually eat them.
Three Days in Cappadocia, Planned Around the Wind
The balloons are grounded on something like a third of mornings, which is why two nights is a gamble and three is a plan. A day-by-day route through Göreme, the northern valleys, Derinkuyu and Ihlara.
Dinner in Cappadocia Is a Transport Problem
The villages here each cook differently, and the shared minibus decides which of them you can reach for dinner. Where to eat in Göreme, Ürgüp, Ortahisar and Avanos, what to order in each, and how to get back afterwards.
In Cappadocia, You Book a Village, Not a Hotel
In Cappadocia the village you sleep in decides the trip, because the balloons only lift from one side of the plateau. A working guide to Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp and the quieter three, with the walks and distances checked.
Four Roads Out of Cappadocia
Three nights in the valleys and a flight home wastes the geography. Cappadocia sits within half a day's drive of Konya's madrasas, Hattusa, the Ankara museum that explains it, and the Cilician coast — here is how the roads actually run.
Where Cappadocia Looks Its Best: The Most Photogenic Spots, Ranked
Cappadocia's beauty is scattered across a dozen valleys and villages and the hour decides everything — here is where the region photographs best, ranked, with the timings, costs, walks and detours that make each one work.
The Quiet Corners of Istanbul That Locals Love
Away from the Sultanahmet queues, Istanbul softens into painted houses, antique lanes and tea gardens above the Golden Horn. Here is where the city goes to breathe.
The Cappadocia Villages Most Visitors Never See
Goreme's crowds thin out within ten minutes' drive: five quiet villages, a harder second day to the south, and the order to do them in.
First Time in Istanbul: Everything You Need to Know
Where to stay, how the ferries work, what the Istanbulkart is and how to plan your days — the practical playbook for a first visit to Istanbul.
Antalya Deserves Four Days, and the Order Matters
A walled old town, two Roman cities on the plain, a mountain citadel and a hillside that has been on fire for centuries — four days covers Antalya properly, and the sequence is what makes them work.