First-Timer's Guide to Turkey: Essential Travel Tips

A first trip to Turkey is easier than many people expect, but a few practical details, from how to pay to which apps to download, make the first days far smoother. Here is what to sort out before you go and once you land.

Money, cards and cash

The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY, ₺). Cards, including contactless and phone payments, are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, shops and supermarkets, but keep some cash for bazaars, small cafés, dolmuş rides, public toilets and tips. Use ATMs attached to banks, and when a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose lira instead, as your own bank's rate is usually better. Prices change often, so treat older online price lists with caution.

Plugs, power and practicalities

• Plugs: Turkey uses European two-pin plugs, types C and F, at 230 V. Travellers from the UK, US and Australia need an adapter, and US devices should be dual-voltage.
• Time zone: Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year, with no clock changes.
• Toilets: look for "WC" or "Tuvalet"; some public ones charge a small fee, so keep coins handy.
• Small extras: tissues and hand sanitiser earn their place in a day bag.

Tipping in Turkey

• Restaurants: around 5–10% in sit-down places if service isn't already on the bill.
• Cafés and lokantas: round up or leave a few coins.
• Taxis: round up to a convenient figure.
• Hotels: a small tip for porters and housekeeping is appreciated.
• Hammams: a tip for your attendant is customary.

Cash is the easiest way to tip, as card terminals don't always offer the option.

Apps worth downloading

• A map app with offline maps saved for Istanbul and your other stops.
• BiTaksi or Uber for taxis with fare estimates in Istanbul and other large cities.
• A translation app with a camera mode for menus and signs.
• The TCDD app for high-speed train tickets, plus a bus ticket app for intercity coaches.
• The official Istanbulkart app to check your balance and top up.
• Your airline and accommodation apps for check-in and messages from hosts.

Etiquette in brief

Cover shoulders and knees for mosque visits, and women should bring a scarf for their hair. Take your shoes off when invited into a home, accept tea when it's offered and haggle only where prices aren't marked. Speak respectfully about Atatürk and national symbols. A simple "merhaba" when entering a small shop and "teşekkürler" (thanks) when leaving goes a long way.

Your first hours after landing

1. 1Switch on your eSIM line as soon as you land, so maps and messages work straight away.
2. 2Withdraw a modest amount of lira from a bank ATM in arrivals, or plan to pay by card.
3. 3In Istanbul, buy an Istanbulkart from a machine for the metro or airport bus; elsewhere, use the official airport shuttle or a metered taxi.
4. 4Save your accommodation's address in Turkish, plus a screenshot in case your battery runs low.
5. 5Take it easy on day one: jet lag and Istanbul's hills are a tiring combination.

Stay connected in Turkey

Turkey is not part of the EU, so if you are arriving from Europe, your home plan's "roam like at home" allowance usually won't apply, and roaming can cost a lot per day; check your current tariff. A HelloSIM eSIM avoids that: it is data-only, so your number and WhatsApp stay as they are, you install it at home over Wi-Fi, and it connects when you arrive. Once there, set it as your line for mobile data, turn on data roaming for the HelloSIM line and switch roaming off on your home line. If Turkey is one stop on a longer European trip, look at the regional plan as well.