About Turkey

Situated  at the eastern end of the mediterranean, Turkey is a mountainous country that sits largely in Asia but spans the Bosphorus Straight to gain a toehold in Europe.  In fact, its this pivotal position between Europe, Asia and the Middle East that has meant a long and often turbulent history. As a result of this modern Turkey has been left with an amazing wealth of archaeological and architectural treasures.  Indeed it has been said that the country has more ancient Greek ruins than Greece itself and more Roman remains than Italy.

Despite an increase in tourism in recent years, it can be likened to Spain and Greece before mass tourism took hold. Although places like Bodrum and Marmaris have become sprawling resorts, in most places life continues in a very traditional way.  In rural areas the pace of life is slow and most people still farm the land, while standards of living are comparatively low.

Set across the two continents, Turkey has two distinct faces - European with its cosmopolitan cafes and boulevards and Eastern with its bustling markets and back streets.  From belly dancing to scuba diving, from bazaars to beaches, Turkey has something for everyone.

The Turkish people are characteristically friendly and helpful to visitors from abroad. The crime rate in Turkey is low compared to Britain and other Western European countries. Violent crime is particularly rare. Burglary and car crime are also less common but likely to increase with the rise in tourism.

Food

Visit any local market and you will be amazed at the variety and quality of produce on offer.  This abundance of fresh, natural foods has given rise to a rich national cuisine of which the well known kebab is only a small part.  There are a wealth of other tasty dishes, vegetables and seafood and a dazzling array of interesting starters, known as meze.

Eating out is amazingly cheap in Turkey and the menus in many restaurants are diverse - offering anything from pizzas and pasta, to Turkish specialities, to up market European dishes. It is widely thought to be among the best cuisine in the world.

If you are eating in and are looking for more usual western ingredients- do not worry - Turkey has many supermarkets.  There is a large supermarket in Fethiye that sells most of the things we find at home.  They also sell delicious cakes and pastries - a huge slice of gateaux cost only about £1.

Language

Turkey's official language is Turkish although significant minorities speak Kurdish and Arabic.  However, English is widely spoken in the coastal resorts. Our experience has been that everyone from workmen up are very keen to practice their English!

Currency

The local currency in Turkey is the Turkish lira - which until last year had denominations in millions!  However last year it was revalued so that now the exchange rate is now in the region of 2.3 YTL to the £.  You will find however that many shops are very keen to take sterling and will often give you prices in £.

On entry to the country you will need to buy a visa which is done before you reach passport control at the airport.  The cost of this is £10 sterling in cash- so make sure you have some sterling for this.  You also need at least 6 months validity on your passport.

Religion

99% of the population are Muslim and you will see many mosques and hear the daily calling.  However, most Turks are far more moderate in their beliefs than their neighbours in the Middle East.  Turkey is the only secular Muslim country in the world.

The Weather

In the Mediterranean and Aegean regions, the summers are hot and dry and the winters are short, warm and mild, with most of the rainfall taking place only from November to February.

                                April   May  June  July  Aug   Sept  Oct 

Max temperature         20     25      30    33     34    29    25

Min temperature            8      12     18    20     22    18    12

Rainfall ( days)              8       6       3      2       2      3     8   

For up to date forecasts look at bbc weather forecast for fethiye