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With a wealth of multicultural cities, historic sites to visit, beaches and arguably some of the best food in the world, Turkey offers almost everything the modern traveller could wish for.
- Currency: Turkish lira (TRY)
- National Language: Turkish
- Time difference: Turkey is two hours ahead of the UK
- Flight time: Average flight time from London is four hours
Did you know?
Ancient market place
Turkey is home to one of the world's oldest malls - Istanbul's famous Grand Bazaar was established around 1455, after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. These days, it's a maze of 61 streets with more than 3,000 shops spread out across over 300,000 square feet.
According to Travel + Leisure, the Grand Bazaar was the world's #1 attraction in 2014, drawing over 91 million people.
Ski destination
Even though Turkey is known for its stunning coastline it's also home to spectacular mountain ranges. Wintertime visitors can hit the slopes at nearly a dozen resorts. Palandöken, in the eastern province of Erzurum, is Turkey's highest at 10,200 feet (3,125 meters) and claims Europe’s longest natural ski run. If you like the sound of that, check that your travel insurance covers you for winter sports activities.
More than 130 peaks reach over 9,800 feet (3,000 meters).
Second oldest Metro system
More than a century after a sultan dreamt of a rail link beneath the Bosphorus Strait, Turkey opened the Marmaray metro line in 2013. The former imperial city is also home to the Tünel, a short funicular that’s the second-oldest continuously running underground railway after London’s. Istanbul may be Europe's largest city, but half of it actually extends into Asia.
Balloons over Cappadocia, Turkey
Turkey is so much more than a cliché of East meets West
Turkey is a modern country, blending ancient and contemporary in equal measure. Turkish people are friendly and welcoming.
Turkey has a Mediterranean climate with mild temperatures. Pack lightweight clothing and don't forget the sunscreen - Turkey gets lots of sun and limited rainfall.
The local food is Turkish, which is world renowned for its spices and unique flavours.
Source: http://www.gototurkey.co.uk
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advise against non-essential travel to anywhere along the Syria and Iraq borders in Southeast Turkey because of the ongoing conflict in the area and the high risk of terrorism. In other areas of the country visitors should be alert to possible terrorist attacks and avoid demonstrations. Read the latest FCDO advice for Turkey.
What does our travel insurance cover?
Our travel insurance for Turkey offers:
• Up to £10 million of emergency medical cover
• Compensation of up to £10,000 if you have to cancel your trip
• Cover for groups of up to 10 people on one policy
• Cover for travellers over the age of 65
If you’re a frequent traveller, you may want to think about multi-trip cover.
Optional extras can be added to protect you against theft of bags and their contents, valuables and money. If you’ve got an action-packed trip planned, check the activities covered in our policies to make sure yours are included.
Just be mindful if you’re looking to get a job during your trip to Turkey that work-related incidents are not covered.
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