Practical advice, guides to places in Turkey and trip stories, written by our local guides.
Travel TipsCan you see Karahan Tepe and Göbekli Tepe in one day? Distances, the shared ticket and its 2027 price, Karahan Tepe's current closure, a day plan from Şanlıurfa and which tours include both.
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Travel TipsThe balloon age rule that operators actually publish, which cave rooms sleep a family of four, what children enjoy most and a 3-day family plan with real 2027 prices.
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Tours & ExperiencesWhere to see a real sema in Istanbul: Hodjapasha's nightly ceremony and the Kasımpaşa Mevlevi Lodge, times and prices, the Galata lodge museum, what each part means, etiquette and Konya's Şeb-i Arus.
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Travel TipsOfficial ticket prices and combined passes, 2027 closing days, what to see in the Selamlık and Harem, the new phone-photo rule, and three ways to pair the palace with a Bosphorus cruise.
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Tours & ExperiencesTesti kebab, Kayseri mantı, pastırma, clay-pot home cooking, kuru kaymak and Emir wine: what to eat in Cappadocia, how the registered recipes work, where to eat and which tours include meals.
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Travel TipsAvanos pottery, Kayseri carpets, kilims, onyx, Emir wine and edible gifts: what to buy in Cappadocia, where each is really made, how to dodge pushy shops and what you can take home.
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Travel TipsA packing list for Turkey by season and region, built on MGM weather data: layers for Cappadocia dawns, mosque clothes, Pamukkale's barefoot rule, plugs, medicines and a printable checklist.
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Prices & CostsHow to pay in Turkey this year: lira or card, what ATMs charge foreign cards, the home-currency trap, the 2026 ban on service and cover charges, and how much to tip.
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Tours & ExperiencesWhere and when to photograph Cappadocia: balloon viewpoints at first light, Love Valley, Uçhisar, Paşabağ and Red Valley at sunset, monthly light times, rooftop etiquette and the 2026 drone rules.
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Tours & ExperiencesWhat goes on a Turkish breakfast table, from kaymak and menemen to simit and su böreği, how a serpme spread works, and where in Istanbul to sit down for one, area by area.
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Travel TipsA first week in Turkey and a first week in Greece, side by side: the route, the travel days, entry rules in 2026, what the big sites cost, the food, the beaches and how to do both.
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ItinerariesMimar Sinan built Istanbul's skyline. The mosques of his you can visit, what to look for in each, a one-day walking order and half a day in Üsküdar, plus prayer times and dress rules.
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ItinerariesHow many nights to spend in Cappadocia, how the region fits together, which valleys to walk first, the paid sites worth a ticket and sample plans for two, three and four nights.
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Getting AroundWhich Istanbul sights are step-free and which have stairs, how the metro, tram and ferries work for wheelchair users, free museum entry rules and a slower two-day plan.
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Travel TipsHow Istanbul drinks tea and Turkish coffee: how each is brewed, what to say when you order, the customs locals follow, and the coffee houses and tea gardens worth a detour.
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Travel TipsSimit, balık ekmek, midye dolma, kokoreç and 11 more: what each Istanbul street food is, where locals buy it, the best time of day to eat it and how to stay safe.
Read MoreTravel TipsThe Spice Bazaar streets, Arasta, Galata, Çukurcuma, Nişantaşı, Kadıköy and the weekly markets: where Istanbul really shops, what to buy and how to avoid overpaying.
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Tours & ExperiencesFrom Constantine in 330 to the conquest of 1453 and the Bosphorus palaces: which Istanbul sites are Byzantine, which are Ottoman, and how to see both in the right order.
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ItinerariesA realistic 10-day route through Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus, with day-by-day plan, real flight and road times, 2026 entry fees and three alternative routes.
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Travel TipsWhat Turkey is like from December to February: regional weather averages, Cappadocia snow and balloon odds, ski resorts, winter museum hours, New Year and the Doğu Express.
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Travel TipsTurkey is safe for normal trips: US Level 2, and the UK only warns against the 10 km Syrian border strip. Scams, taxis, earthquakes, water, 112 and insurance explained.
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