Are you going on holiday in Turkey ? Arm yourself with our advice.
- In many hotels, the light and air conditioning will not turn on until you insert a large rectangular keychain (it has room keys on it) into a special section located on the front door of your room.
- Tips. Usually, in the amount of 5% to 15%, it is customary to give waiters in restaurants, cafes, hotels and Turkish baths. Tipping is not given in taxis and fixed-route taxis.
- You should not drink tap water, it is better to buy bottled water, it is sold in any store.
- In the first days of your stay in the country, it is better to limit the choice of exotic and spicy dishes.
- When entering a private house, it is customary to take off your shoes and leave them at the entrance.
- Drinking alcohol (even beer) on the street and in public places can be frowned upon.
- Catering establishments in Turkey are divided into taverns, where you can get a hot dish like thick soup all day long, and restaurants (kebab parlors), where they do not serve soups and vegetable dishes, but there are all kinds of roasts. It is not customary to offer a menu, but everyone can go into the kitchen and choose a dish to taste (however, menus are often offered in the resort area).
- Turkey has a huge selection of souvenirs. Jewelry made of gold, silver, onyx and copper items. Leather clothes are cheap.
Turkey: Culture of Turkey
It is always worth remembering that in another country you are visiting, and respect the customs of other peoples. So having bought tours to Turkey, do not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with local rules and traditions.
According to Jibin123, the majority (99%) of Turkish people are Muslims. This is reflected in almost all areas of everyday life. 5 times a day, faithful Muslims perform namaz – a special prayer, the beginning of which is announced from the minarets by muezzins. Before entering the mosque, believers wash their hands, feet and face, and remove their shoes. The doors of the mosque are always open, so guests of the country can see the architecture and interior decoration at any time. However, it is better not to do this during prayer – for 20 minutes after the call to prayer, and on Friday, since this day is sacred for Muslims.
It must be remembered that the mosque is a temple. Therefore, it is necessary to come here in neat, clean clothes. Women should wear a long skirt and cover their head, men should wear trousers. It is not allowed to visit the mosque in T-shirts, shorts, short skirts and translucent or tight-fitting clothing. It is also important to be quiet.
Local residents are distinguished by good nature and politeness, they are ready to help. Like other Eastern peoples, they are slow, they can be late, and even important business meetings do not start without discussing the weather or other neutral topics. Turks respect people who respect their traditions and know a few phrases in Turkish.
In most resorts, hotels, shops, restaurants and bars, many employees speak English, Russian, German, so the traveler will not experience discomfort.
Before you take a photo of a local resident, you should ask permission. In most cases, there are no problems with this, but it’s better to clarify anyway, since Islam prohibits the image of a person.
Turkish stores have fixed prices, so there is no point in haggling. If you want to feel the oriental flavor and save money, visit the bazaar. Here you can and should bargain. The initial cost can easily be reduced by a third, or even by half.
The main holidays in Turkey are:
- 01.01 — New Year.
- April 23 – Children’s Day and National Independence.
- May 19 – Sports and Youth Day.
- August 30 – Day of victory over the Greeks.
- October 29 – Republic Day.
- November 10 – Memorial Day of Ataturk. This is the first president of Turkey, who is very revered in the country. It is better to avoid jokes about him. On this day, at 9:05 a.m., there is a moment of silence throughout the country. All passers-by stop, cars honk, sirens turn on.
Religious holidays in Turkey are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so they do not have exact dates. Usually they last 3-4 days, and many Turks go on vacation. Therefore, hotels, cafes and restaurants can be overcrowded, and banks are closed.
The most important holidays:
- Eid al-Adha is the main Muslim holiday of sacrifice.
- The holiday of sweets Sheker-Bayram, which marks the end of Ramadan.
- Holy month of Ramadan. At this time, faithful Muslims do not drink or eat from morning until evening prayer. Many cafes and restaurants are closed until the evening, and in provincial cities it is considered impolite even for tourists to eat and drink in front of local residents.
