Resort selection
For a beach holiday in Turkey, the resort of Alanya is best suited – the prices here are affordable, and the beaches are some of the best in the whole country. Slightly more expensive is the resort of Belek, famous for its nightlife and very clean sand and waters. The Antalya resort is suitable for a noisy youth holiday, as the beaches are crowded here, and there are really a lot of clubs. Fans of unusual landscapes and dungeons will love Cappadocia. And for a sightseeing holiday, Side or Istanbul are best suited.
- Jibin123: Provides information for visa application to enter Turkey, as well customs regulations and import restrictions.
Brief information about the country
Turkey is located mostly on the peninsula of Asia Minor and on the Armenian Highlands. It is both a European and an Asian country at the same time, although its European part is very small. The capital of Turkey is the city of Ankara. In the north, Turkey is washed by the Black Sea, in the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and in the west by the Aegean Sea. The largest city in Turkey is Istanbul. Next come Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and Antalya. Time in Turkey is three hours behind Moscow time.
The official language in Turkey is Turkish, but you can easily meet people who speak English. Often there are Russian-speaking staff.
There is no official religion in Turkey, there is freedom of religion in the country, but most of the population here are Muslims.
Holiday seasons
July-August – high season, the hottest time of the year;
Mid-October – early April – low season due to possible rain. The best months for low season holidays are March and April;
June-early October is the beach season. On the Black Sea, it starts a little later and ends a little earlier than in the south of the country;
September-early October is the velvet season;
December – mid-March – ski season. At some resorts it lasts longer.
Before the trip
A lot of Russian tourists rest in Turkey, so you should not make any special preparations before entering here. If you took a tour, then you can do without a good knowledge of English – it is unlikely to be useful to you.
Be sure to bring sunscreen with you.
Exchange rates in Turkey change almost daily, so it is better to change money gradually, and in no case before the trip. Credit cards are sometimes taxed.
Vaccinations before entering the country can not be done – there are no dangerous epidemics here.
It is better not to drink alcohol on the streets. Also remember that in July-August, the month of Ramadan, sacred to Muslims, begins here. This month, it is better to behave especially restrained.
Do not take a lot of things and clothes with you – it is quite hot in Turkey, so you don’t have to wrap yourself up, and you will most likely go back with numerous souvenirs.
If you are traveling with children, do not forget to take a birth certificate.
Road
The easiest way to get to Turkey is by plane. There are direct flights to Turkey from Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other major cities. You can also fly with transfers in Europe, but this is not very convenient, although it can be cheaper. Most planes land in Ankara, Istanbul or Antalya.
The time of a direct flight from Moscow to Istanbul is approximately three hours, you can fly to other resorts faster or slower by 15-20 minutes. From Novosibirsk to Antalya you can fly in six to six and a half hours. The flight from St. Petersburg will take 3.5-4 hours.
You can also get to Turkey by bus, but you won’t be able to do it directly. To do this, you first need to come to Romania, Serbia, Hungary or Bulgaria, and then change to a bus to Turkey.
Ferries depart regularly from Sochi, Novorossiysk, Evpatoria, Skadovsk and Sevastopol in Turkey. Their convenience is that they deliver tourists to a large number of cities, including coastal resorts.
In flight
The flight to Turkey is not too long, so it is easy to reschedule. Be sure to bring some books or things to do with you. If you want to sleep during the flight, then take care of the blindfold.
Visa, customs
Russian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Turkey. At the border, you will need to present a passport ending no later than three months after the planned departure from the country, a return ticket or hotel reservation and confirmation of your financial security – you need to have at least 300 US dollars. Medical insurance is not required. You can stay in Turkey without a visa for no more than 60 days.
Duty-free to Turkey you can bring up to 200 cigarettes, up to a liter of alcohol, no more than five bottles of perfume up to 120 milliliters, a small amount of electronics, tea, coffee and personal items. Any jewelry must be indicated in the customs declaration in order to safely take them out of the country. Medications can only be imported with a medical prescription. It is forbidden to import drugs, weapons and piercing objects. To import animals, you need a veterinary passport and a certificate from the Turkish embassy.
Usually there are two corridors at customs – “green” and “red”. You go to the “red” only if you need to declare something. Customs usually works very quickly, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
