Istanbul essentials

Money: the Turkish lira

The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY, ₺). Its exchange rate changes often, and prices in Istanbul rise frequently, so check the current rate and treat the prices you read online as a guide. Cards, including contactless, are accepted almost everywhere; carry some cash for small cafés, markets, tips and taxis. Use bank ATMs and, when a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, choose lira.

Visas and entry rules

Türkiye is not in the EU or the Schengen area. Citizens of EU countries, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada can visit visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and citizens of several EU countries can enter with a national identity card. Other nationalities may need an e-Visa, which you buy online in minutes at the official site, evisa.gov.tr; avoid third-party sites that charge extra.

Your passport should be valid for at least 150 days from the date of entry. Rules change, so check the official sources for your nationality before you travel.

Arriving at the airports

Istanbul Airport (IST), on the European side, is linked to the city by the M11 metro to Gayrettepe (change to the M2 for Taksim) and by Havaist buses to Taksim, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy and many other districts; a taxi takes around 45–75 minutes depending on traffic.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), on the Asian side, is linked by the M4 metro to Kadıköy, from where ferries cross to Europe, and by Havabus to Taksim and Kadıköy. Check current fares on the operators’ websites; they change often.

Getting around

Buy an İstanbulkart at the yellow machines in stations and piers: it works on the metro, trams, buses, funiculars, the Marmaray and the city ferries, and one card can be shared by several travellers. The T1 tram links Sultanahmet, the bazaars, Eminönü and Karaköy; the M2 metro runs through Taksim; ferries cross between Europe and Asia every few minutes from Eminönü, Karaköy and Beşiktaş.

Taxis use meters; the BiTaksi app is a handy way to book one, and Uber in Istanbul books licensed taxis. Traffic can be very heavy, so use rail and ferries whenever you can.

Tipping

In restaurants, a tip of around 10% is customary if service is not already included; in simple lokantas, rounding up is fine. Round up taxi fares, and tip hammam attendants and hotel porters a little. Tips are often appreciated in cash.

Visiting mosques

Mosques welcome visitors outside the five daily prayers; the Friday midday prayer is the busiest time, so avoid it. Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, and a headscarf for women (scarves are often provided at the entrance). Take off your shoes and carry them in the bags provided, speak quietly, do not walk in front of people praying, and ask before photographing people.

At Hagia Sophia, foreign visitors pay an entrance fee and visit the upper galleries, while the ground floor is used for prayer.

Practical tips

The emergency number is 112. Plugs are types C and F, at 230 V. Türkiye stays on UTC+3 all year. Most people drink bottled water. Turkish is the language; English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and shops in the centre, and a few words of Turkish, merhaba (hello) and teşekkürler (thank you), go a long way.

Museums and palaces close on set days: Topkapı on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe on Mondays. The Museum Pass Istanbul covers many state museums; check which sites it includes before you buy.

When to go

April to June and September to November are ideal: mild, sunny and lively, with tulips in April. July and August are hot and humid, perfect for the Princes’ Islands and Bosphorus evenings. Winters are cool and wet, with occasional snow, but quieter, atmospheric and full of hammams, boza and chestnuts.

Questions and answers