Travel News July/August 2019 Lure of the Lira for


UK holidaymakers City breaks and sizzling sunspots! O


NCE known as the seat of ancient civilisation, Turkey’s colourful past owes much to its culture clash between the east and the west.


It straddles Europe and Asia, on the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the Sea of Marmara and beyond the Mediterranean, to the Black Sea.


Its biggest city, Istanbul is booming again as a city break destination, boosted by the opening of what will eventually be the world’s biggest airport, handling around 200 million passengers a year. In recent months fl ights have switched from the space restricted Ataturk airport to the vast new Istanbul Airport, the need for which was principallly driven by the success of the country’s carrier Turkish Airlines


which fl ies to more world wide destinations than any other airline and operates twice daily from Dublin. Turkey is a land of contrasts, diverse landscapes, historical sites, Mediterranean beaches and fabulous cuisine. And compared with much of Europe, Turkey’s budget friendly currency, the lira, means it’s still a relatively aff ordable holiday. Indeed in the 2019 Post Offi ce Travel Money report the popular resort town of Marmaris is the third cheapest resort surveyed, just behind Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach and Portugal’s Algarve.


Although local prices in Turkey have risen, sterling’s surge in value against the Turkish lira means that barometer costs are down seven per cent on last year. According to Post Offi ce Travel Money - to get the best deal when shopping in Turkey, visit a few diff erent shops or hotels to get a good idea of the basic price, and then decide the top price you’d be willing to pay. Go low on your counter-off er to allow plenty of room for negotiations, and get ready to walk away if things aren’t going well – it might encourage the shopkeeper to make a better off er. And don’t be pressured by hospitality, it’s ok to walk away even if you’ve been off ered food or drink tea off ered by the shopkeeper, but don’t accept them if you don’t intend to buy.


Bargaining is common in Turkey and not just at the bazaar...


Dining out in Turkey is inexpensive and an experience. The cuisine is a fusion of the best of many international fl avours including Middle Eastern, central Asian and Balkan. It varies across the country - Istanbul tends to be lighter on spices and features more vegetable and rice dishes.


The resort of Kusadasi on the Aegean


On the Black Sea coast you’ll fi nd fi sh, especially anchovies, while in the south east you’ll experience an array of memes and kebabs.


Meze are cold starters, a Turkish delicacy, while


FOCUS ON TURKEY 29


FLYING THE FLAG - cheerful tourist Alona Chemeris enjoys a boat trip on the Bosphorus


Iskender kebab is made with meat (lamb) mixed with spices and herbs and skewered and grilled. Manti is a pasta lover’s dream dish, handmade dumplings fi lled with beef or lamb and served with creamy yoghurt sauce. And the best thing is, you can get a main meal in an inexpensive restaurant for less than £4. A 500ml bottle of domestic beer will cost you between £1-30 and £2-55 in a restaurant - slightly more for imported beer. Make sure you try some Turkish raki. Made with twice-distilled grapes and aniseed it’s the perfect celebratory holiday drink.


In bars and restaurants it is customary to tip 5-10 per cent of the total bill, while in hotels tip between fi ve and 20 lira for service. It’s not a given to tip taxi drivers, but its normal to round up the taxi fare to the nearest lira. Most UK and Ireland travellers to Turkey are either there to experience the magic of Istanbul as a weekend break destination, or on a package holiday to the


Aegean sunspots such as Bodrum and Izmir. You could easily spend four or fi ve days on an Istanbul city break. Best bet is to start your visit with a hop-on/ hop-off tour of the city and visit places like the Topkapi Palace. After you’ve got your bearings you can go back to those places which require more time and attention like Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO heritage site where you can admire Ottoman and Byzantine architecture. British citizens need a visa for Turkey. Your passport must also be valid for 60 days beyond the expiry date of your Turkish visa. British citizens need a visa to travel to Turkey.


You can apply for a visa online at www.evisa.gov.tr before you go.


There is no problem getting Turkish lira in advance of your visit, and is stocked by most leading exchange bureaux. You can also pick up your lira on demand at more than 10,000 Post Offi ce branches in the UK.


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