What to pack for a trip to Turkey?

Guide 

• Travel information
• The most useful items
• Packing list
• What should you eat when visiting Turkey?
• How much money should you take with you?
• Safety
• Useful information

Each year many tourists decide to go to Turkey when choosing a holiday destination. There is nothing odd about it - luxurious resorts, beaches stretching for kilometers, interesting gastronomy and affordable prices can tempt many fans of quiet rest. For those who prefer a more active sightseeing, Turkey offers a variety of cultural and architectural sights. Check what to pack when planning a trip to Turkey!

Travel information

Most useful items 

• Masks and antibacterial gel - an essential element of our suitcase during the coronavirus pandemic. It is also worth taking wet wipes with you. Remember to take enough masks to have two for each day - disposable or reusable when we wash them.
• Visa - attention! From March 2020, the purchase of a visa for some EU citizens before coming to Cyprus has been abolished. This is great news for budget-conscious travellers - so far, the electronic visa cost 35 euros.
• Passport - a document necessary to cross the border of the territory of Turkey. Passport must be valid for a minimum of 180 days from the date of entry into Turkey. Remember that you must have it with you at all times during your stay.
• Health insurance - when you buy a trip, the cost of health insurance is included in the price of your trip. However, if you are traveling by yourself, be sure to invest in health insurance.
• Turkish Lira - the current currency in Cyprus is the Turkish Lira. Despite the fact that in many places you can also use euros or dollars, it's usually very unfavorable. Warning! Always check that when withdrawing money from an ATM, you will not be charged a high commission - even up to 10 euros. If you want to save some moeny, check which currency cards are free or offer a currency conversion fee.

Packing list 

LUGGAGE 

Suitcase (80L) 

•      Travel insurance
•      Wallet
•      Health insurance
•      ID card
•      Credit card
•      House keys
•      Cash
•      Hotel booking confirmation
•      Plane tickets

•     Socks x7
•     Pants x7
•     Sleepwear / Pajamas
•     Bikini / bathing suit
•     Bra x2

•     Flip-flops / slippers
•     Comfortable shoes
•     Sandals

•     T-Shirt x5
•     Leggings
•     Trouser belt
•     Summer jacket
•     Hoodie
•     Trousers

•     Shower gel
•     Hair conditioner
•     Shampoo
•     Toothbrush
•     Toothpaste
•     UV cream
•     Face cream
•     After sun cream
•     Perfume
•     Antiperspirant

•     Bronzer
•     Eyebrow gel
•     Eye pencil / Eyeliner
•     Lipstick / Lip gloss / Lipliner
•     Foundation / BB Cream
•     Powder
•     Make-up removal products
•     Cotton pads
•     Under-eye concealer
•     Highlighter

•     Earrings
•     Watch

•     Contraceptives
•     Prescription drugs 
•     An anti-diarrheal drug
•     Painkiller
•     Pills for sore throat
•     Patches with dressing

•     Beach towel
•     Hairband
•     Glasses box
•     Sunglasses
•     Telephone
•     Luggage tag
•     Cotton mask
•     Inflatable pillow
•     A large suitcase
•     Headphones
•     Phone charger

What should you eat when visiting Turkey? 

• Kebab - an absolute classic of Turkish cuisine. If you expect a well-known, not very attractive taste of meat in a soft roll, the aroma of which is killed with a cheap garlic sauce, which we are used to in Europe, don't worry - local kebab is a completely different dish. It is fresh, perfectly seasoned meat, served with seasonal ingredients - vegetables, sheep cheese or pita bread.
• Pide - Turkish pizza! It is usually very cheap and filling. Most often it is in the form of a boat filled with toppings - cheese, vegetables, meat or ... an egg. It resembles Georgian khachapuri in taste and form.
• Meze - waiting for us before every meal in the restaurant! These are hot and cold starters served before a meal - hummus, olives, pita bread, patties and salads. Just in time to stimulate the appetite!
• Ezme - resembles a bit pico de gallo. It is served with many dishes as an addition - it's a sour, crisp salad made of finely chopped tomatoes. It will be a bit different in every restaurant - with or without paprika, lots of garlic or onion, mint, chili or pomegranate.
• Nar ekşisi - pomegranate sauce. A huge amount of pomegranates grows in Turkey, which is why they are fruits often used in local cuisine. This thick, dark red sauce can always be found on the restaurant table as a basic addition to salt, pepper and olive oil. It is sweet, sour and… very healthy. It is most often used in salads, but the Turks marinate meat in it and dip bread in it.
• Tea - drunk by Turks all day long. It is served in characteristic, small, tall glasses. Mostly very sweet. Often we get it… for free - in restaurants, gas stations or just in the store or in the queue.
• Künefe is a very surprising culinary experience. It is an extremely sweet dessert made of kadayifu, a dough made of flour and water, forming thin "hairs" on the surface of the dish, and a special, unsalted, white cheese. The whole thing is fried and poured over with a large amount of water and sugar syrup. The cheese inside is chewy and filling, and the top of the cake is very crispy.
  
  

How much money should you take with you?

• Turkey will welcome us with quite attractive prices. We will pay about EUR 4-5 for a meal and around EUR 6-7 for a meal with a drink. 
• If you plan to rent a car, remember that we will pay a minimum of 35-50 euro per day. Make sure that the insurance is already included in the price.
• In the summer season, tickets to popular attractions are more expensive. If you dream of a romantic hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia, you must be ready to spend around 150 euros.
• If you are planning to stay in Hamam, which is a Turkish bath, be prepared to spend around 15-30 euros. In more luxurious resorts, prices can start from 50 euros.

Safety

Useful information

• In Turkey it's appropriate to leave a tip for the service provided. It is in good taste to leave a euro or two to a taxi driver, waiter or hotel cleaner.
• Remember that if you want to visit the mosque, you must have your shoulders, knees and head covered.
• Don't be surprised that many local restaurants and bars serve a man first, then a woman. In this way, the Turks show the woman respect.
• If you hear loud screams while walking around Turkey in the evening - you don't have to worry. Turks are very expressive, they talk loudly and loudly, it does not usually mean a fight, but just a lively discussion.
• The Turkish approach to time is very similar to that known from the south of Italy - often the time they arrange is contractual, and being ten or fifteen minutes late is not a reproach.
• Remember that the prices at the market or in shops are rarely the final prices - there is a strong tradition of bargaining in Turkey. Do not hesitate to offer a lower price - you can probably get down from the initial one by a few euros.
• Be sure to take some time to discover the country's rich offer of Turkish sweets in local pastry shops, restaurants and shops. It is worth buying fresh products such as baklava or halva. The ones that are packed and sold in souvenir shops have worse ingredients, often lie on shelves for weeks and have little to do with sweet products made on a regular basis.