Turkey / Türkiye Cumhuriyeti – Let’s explore here

What’s it like in Turkey?

Turkey is a transcontinental country – it is located both in Europe and in Asia. Because of this, the information on the country is located both in our European and in our Asian travel destination sections. Don’t worry though, all the information for this amazing country is captured on this page.

Turkey is an unbelievably varied and beautiful, large country in southern Europe with a very rich and very long history. The capital of the Roman empire, Constantinople eventually became Istanbul, the capital of Turkey.

Due to its size, its terrain is very diverse, with plains, mountains, rolling hills, large lake areas. Mount Ararat – described in the Bible as the resting place of Noah’s Ark – sits in the far east, and is the highest peak, at 16,854 ft (5,137 m) above sea level. The country has seas on three sides – the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

he population of Azerbaijan is around 85 million people (2023), about six million of whom live in the metropolitan area of the capital, Ankara. By contrast, Istanbul is home to over 15½ million people and is the most visited city in the world (2023). Istanbul is also the only city in the world to sit in two continents – one in five Turkish citizens live there.

Did you know that citizens of Turkey were still referring to themselves as Romans until relatively recently, and that the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire repeatedly laid claim to the Roman Empire and the title of Caesar of Rome? It really is a fascinating country with such a huge depth of history.

A bit about the history of Turkey

Ancient and Classical Periods

The area now known as Turkey has a rich history dating back to ancient times. The region was home to several ancient civilisations, including the Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians and Lycians. In the 6th century BC, the area became part of the Persian Empire before being conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Following Alexander’s death, the region came under the control of the Seleucid Empire and later the Roman Empire.

Byzantine Empire

After the division of the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD, the eastern portion, known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to rule over much of modern day Turkey. The capital, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), became a major center of Christian culture and political power. The Byzantine Empire lasted for over a thousand years, despite frequent invasions and internal conflict, before finally falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was founded around 1299 by Osman I in the region of Anatolia (modern day Turkey). Over the next several centuries, the Ottomans expanded their empire, conquering much of south eastern Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. The empire reached its peak in the 16th century under Suleiman the Magnificent. However, by the 19th century, the empire began to decline due to internal problems, military defeats and nationalist movements within its territories.

World War I and the Fall of the Ottoman Empire

During World War I, the Ottoman Empire sided with the Central Powers but was defeated. After the war, the empire was dismantled by the Allied powers, and large portions of its territory were divided. This led to widespread discontent and the Turkish War of Independence, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 officially recognised the borders of the modern Republic of Turkey, and the Ottoman Empire was officially dissolved.

Republic of Turkey and Reforms

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became the first president of Turkey and implemented wide ranging reforms to modernise the country. These included the adoption of a secular constitution, the introduction of the Latin alphabet, and the establishment of a more industrialised economy. Atatürk’s reforms aimed to transform Turkey into a modern, secular and national state, which led to significant changes in the country’s social, cultural, and political structures.

Mid 20th Century and Political Instability

After Atatürk’s death in 1938, Turkey continued its path of modernisation but faced political instability. The country experienced several military coups throughout the 20th century, most notably in 1960, 1971, and 1980. Despite this, Turkey remained a key player in both NATO and the broader Middle Eastern and European geopolitical landscape.

Economic Growth and Modern Developments

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Turkey experienced significant economic growth, especially after the 1980s, when the government began liberalising the economy. The country became an important regional power, balancing its relations with Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. Turkey sought to join the European Union, but accession talks stalled in the 2000s.

Recent Political Changes and Challenges

In recent years, Turkey has seen shifts in its political landscape, with increasing centralisation of power under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in power since 2003, first as prime minister and later as president. Under his leadership, Turkey has experienced both economic growth and political tension, including disputes over its role in regional conflicts, democratic freedoms, and the balance between secularism and religion in governance. Today, Turkey is a key regional power with a growing economy, an important role in international politics, and a complex domestic political scene.

Turkey road trip

Our Turkish road trip was part of a much larger European road trip.

The north west

For this Turkish road trip we travelled from Bulgaria down to the Gallipoli peninsula. Just getting into Turkey was a bit of a trial, due to having to haggle in order to purchase separate insurance, as well as obtaining a toll pass. The far north west of Turkey is pretty and mountainous, which levelled out as we approached the famous Gallipoli. To the Turning, Gallipoli is celebrated as a mighty victory, whereas it’s quite different if you’re from the UK. It was really interesting to visit Gallipoli, as a huge market opened up on one of the days we were there, which was really interesting. Despite its history, it’s a greta place with loads of super friendly people, as is the case for all of Turkey!

The south west

South western Turkey is amazing, in particuar Ephesus, which is one of the best archaeological sites we’ve ever been to! We also stopped over in Bodrum for a few days, in between the old town and the marina, up on the hill, what a great place to visit. The views are excellent, you can even see Kos in Greece!

It was in Bodrum that we realised just how big Turkey is, as on the map it looked like we’d covered no distance at all, and yet we’d already been travelling for many days! All of the coastal towns so far had been excellent, it really is a very beautiful country.

From Bodrum, we stoped over in the city of Antalya, which was also super friendly, and much bigger and busier than we had anticipated. We even got a private parking space right outside our accommodation, that had a dedicated watchman 24 hours per day!

Central Turkey

From the southern coastal towns of Turkey, we headed into central Turkey, to the famous Cappadocia, where people take a hot air ballon over the amazing landscape. It really lived up to its fame, as it’s completely amazing! Unfortunately for us though, our booked ballon ride didn’t;t transpire due to high winds – this is quite common it seems. Ah well, next time!

The east

We then travelled across to the far less populated parts of eastern Turkey, which really are very different from everywhere else we’d been so far. The landscape kept changing and becoming ever more wild and fabulous. The people remained as friendly as ever though. Some of the towns we visited had a far more religious feel that those in the south and west, and it was really interesting to see the differences.

From there we headed into the Caucasus countries of Georgia and Armenia, before returning back in to Turkey again on our way back to the UK for Christmas.

The north east

On the return journey we entered Turkey at the Aktas border points and followed the Black Sea coast towards Istanbul and Greece.

At the start of our return journey, in very late November, we were caught out by an unforecast major storm that hit the Black Sea, parts of Russia, Georgia and north eastern Turkey. All mountain roads were closed due to over two feet of snow that had fallen overnight, and most small towns and villages became impassable. The government issued statewide disaster messages due to the high levels of flooding that hit the coast, and the police stopped almost all traffic from travelling any roads that weren’t being cleared by snow ploughs. It was an arduous journey through treacherous conditions that only very experienced drivers could have undertaken. We were delayed for over four hours, making our travel that day very tiring, at over nine hours.

The north

After finally reaching Trabzon, we were met by super friendly people who went out of their way to help us settle in, so lovely! All alongtheu northern coast were some excellent towns and villages that we’d very much like to come back and explore some more. The Black Sea is very different and much lovelier than we’d imagined!

Samsun was different again. It was clear that it had expanded rapidly only very recently, and it felt like a very busy place with lots of people going about their business. It was really quite different to Trabzon, much less of a touristy feel.

Eventually we arrived in Bolu, which we knew nothing about, and yet people we talked to knew everything about where we’re from. they knew more about our local football teams than we do!!

From there, we headed over across the Bosphorus Strait and on to Greece.

Map of our first road trip through Turkey

Map of our second road trip through Turkey

Our favourite places in Turkey

These are some of the best places that we explored on our road trip through Turkey. We’ve put them in alphabetical order.

Antalya

Antalya is a vibrant, busy, large city of over 2½ million people (2019) on the south west coast of Turkey. As well as being populous, it’s also the fourth most visited city in the world (2023)! There’s loads to do and see in Antalya, and the people are friendly and welcoming. Prices are much higher that in surrounding areas however, and parking is not easy.

Bodrum

Bodrum is a lovely city on the coast in south west Turkey. It’s split between two centres, which have distinctive differences. The marina side of the city to the east, has many restaurants and cafes and caters very much more for tourists. Whilst the western side of the city appears to cater more for the 200,000 locals. You can see Kos in Greece from Bodrum, it’s that close!

One of the seven Wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, was located in Bodrum ( Halicarnassus) as it was called back then. Built in 350BC, It was destroyed by successive earthquakes from the 12th – 15th centuries. There’s also a 15th century castle in Bodrum, built by the Knights Hospitaller.

Çıldır

Çıldır is a small village in north east Turkey, 16 miles (25km) from the border with Georgia. There is an accompanying freshwater lake which freezes over in winter. The village is located 6,427 ft (1,959m) above sea level, and in our experience winter comes early here!

Erzurum

Erzurum is a lovely large city in central eastern Turkey, with super friendly people. There is a general sense of calm and quiet around the city, giving it a very serene, relaxed and slightly religious feel. There’s a great castle which was constructed by the Byzantines in the 5th century AD. There’s also a lovely 14th century madrasah (religious place of learning) that’s well worth a visit.

Fethiye

Fethiye is a coastal tourist destination in the south west of Turkey. It’s a vibrant place during the summer months, but quiet (but still warm) in November. There are lots of restaurants and cafes as one would expect, and the views from the beach are great.

Gelibolu

Gelibolu, also known as Gallipoli, is a lovely, small town located in the west of Turkey. It sits on the shore of the Dardanelles (or the Strait of Gallipoli) and is both authentic and friendly. Famous for the World War I campaign, it was one of the greatest Ottoman victories, and is considered as a defining moment in Turkish history, contributing to the establishment of the Republic of Turkey eight years later.

Göreme

Göreme is a very touristy area in central Turkey, famous for its plethora of hot-air ballon rides over the spectacular scenery. It’s also very famous for its incredible hoodoos (also known as fairy chimneys), many of which were hollowed out for use as houses and churches.

There are many (overpriced) restaurants and cafes in the town, as well as some reasonably priced local markets and eateries, if you look off the beaten track. There is plentiful accommodation and parking. The ATMs in the centre of the town dispense both Turkish Lira and Euros.

Kalkan

Kalkan is a lovely town and one of the most beautiful locations along Turkey’s southern Lycian Coast. It’s not a place that is geared towards mass tourism, and so remains more natural, with crystal-clear sea, and stunning views.

Kaş

Kaş is a picturesque town and another of the stunning locations along Turkey’s southern Lycian Coast. Like Kalkan (see above), it’s not a place that is geared towards mass tourism – although it does receives many tourists and visitors – and so it too remains a more natural resort, with lovely clear sea, and stunning views.

Oltu

Oltu is a small region in north east Turkey, covered with forest and mountains, and the views from the roads are very scenic. The weather can change dramatically from sunny to snow in very short time frames.

Selçuk and Ephesus

Selçuk is a really friendly, small town, close to Ephesus, in the south west of Turkey. In addition to the magnificent Ephesus, there are many antiquities in the area which are very important to pilgrims, including the Basilica of St. John and the House of the Virgin Mary. Also, one of the ancient seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Artemis, was located in Selçuk.

Ephesus was an ancient city, built in the 10th century BC, which eventually came under Roman control in 129BC. It is one of the most magnificent sites of antiquity, with many incredible sights to behold, and is definitely one to put on a bucket-list. Pictures simply cannot do it justice!

Ephesus is located a couple of miles away from Selçuk. Ephesus can get extremely busy, and very hot in the afternoon, so it’s best to arrive early. The entrance fee isn’t cheap, but is definitely worth it. We parked right next to the entrance and paid very little for someone to watch the car.

Whilst in Selçuk, we happened upon a small restaurant that was full of locals, including the local police. Upon giving it a try, we could see why it was so popular.

Taurus mountains

The Taurus mountains are located in South western Turkey, near to the coast. These pictures were taken north of Antalya, on the way to Göreme. It’s mostly an isolated, forested area, with some spectacular views.

Tortum lake

Tortum lake is located north east of Erzurum in north east Turkey, about 100 miles (160km) from the Georgian Border at Sarp. The mountains are incredibly picturesque, whilst the geology is simply astounding.

Yusufeli

Yusufeli is a small town in north east Turkey, about 100 miles (160km) from the Georgian Border at Sarp. A dam has recently been completed (2022) on the Çoruh River. The Kaçkar Mountains mountains overlook the town, the highest peak being Mount Kaçkar, at 12,917 ft (3,937m) above sea level.

Zara

Zara is a small town to the east of Sivas in central Turkey. There’s not much going on the the area, but it’s a good stop on the long route through the central belt of Turkey.

What’s it like to drive in Turkey?

They drive on the right hand side of the road in Turkey. A Carnet de Passages is required to overland in Turkey.

In the main, roads are good in Turkey, especially in the tourist areas. Drivers tend to be quite polite outside of the cities. There are many traffic police, and there are many road tolls. Purchase of a GPS sticker from a PTT post office is advisable to help reduce road toll fines, and to ease travel through the numerous toll gates. You can also check for outstanding fines before leaving the country.

Police road blocks in Turkey

The traffic police also set up regular road blocks with traffic cones, and stop a random set of 6-8 vehicles for standard documents checks. More often than not, if they notice your car number plates are not Turkish, they will wave you on and wish you a safe journey. If you do get stopped, they’re generally very jovial.

Driving in the mountains in Turkey

Whilst amazingly picturesque, the mountains in the east can be very unpredictable, both with rock falls and with unexpected snowfall. Good all season or winter tyres can be required, as well as experienced driving techniques.

As an aside, having just watched the classic film Midnight Express again – a film which has always annoyed the Turkish authorities – what you shouldn’t be doing is trying to smuggle 2kg of hashish out of the country by plane! 🥵

Do you require an international driving permit in Turkey?

We’ve created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which answers this question, and more, which you might find helpful.

Can you use your UK driving license when driving through Turkey?

We’ve created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which answers this question, and more, which you might find helpful.

Do I need a carnet de passages to drive in Turkey?

We’ve created a dedicated page to driving abroad, which answers this question, and more, which you might find helpful.

What are the speed limits in Turkey?

The speed limits for cars in Turkey are:

• 30 mph (50 km/h) for urban Turkey
• 45 mph (90 km/h) outside of built up areas
• 55 mph (90 km/h) on dual carriageways
• 75 mph (120 km/h) on motorways

What currency do they use in Turkey?

In Turkey they use the Turkish lira. The use of credit / debit cards is now widespread, although not guaranteed – have some cash just in case, particularly in cafés and restaurants, and definitely in rural areas. Travellers cheques are accepted in major cities. There are lots of ATMs.

You should make yourself aware of the amount that your bank charges you for using credit and debit cards abroad. Often credit cards are cheaper for purchasing items directly, and for withdrawing cash from ATMs.

What language do they speak in Turkey?

They speak Turkish in Turkey, although in tourist areas and large cities, English is understood, particularly by the younger generations.

What time zone is Turkey in?

Remember, when you’re planning your next trip to take a look at what time zone it’s in.

Do I need a visa to visit Turkey?

We’ve created a dedicated, more comprehensive page on visas, which you should find helpful. Check it out!

Is wild camping legal in Turkey?

Yes, wild camping is fine in Turkey, although you should avoid national parks and natural reserves.

What plug / socket type do they use in Turkey?

Health issues in Turkey

Is it safe to drink water in Turkey?

Yes, it is safe to drink tap water in Turkey, although in our experience much of it has an unusual taste. Bottled water is readily available across the country. There are also many natural springs throughout the mountains that can also provide water – most of these springs have road signs indicating their locality.

What vaccinations are required for Turkey?

This NHS website is kept up to date with all relevant information on vaccinations in Turkey.

Phones in Turkey

What is the country calling code for Turkey?

The country calling code for Turkey is +90

What are the emergency phone numbers in Turkey?

• The emergency number for police in Turkey is: 112
• In Turkey, the emergency number for ambulance is: 112
• The emergency number for fire in Turkey is: 112

Turkey SIM card

If you’ve got some useful info that you’d like to share, let us know! 

And don’t forget to check out all the other pictures!