Rehearse your Türkiye trip before you go

Entry rules by passport

Checked Oct 2026. Rules change: check the embassy or official site before you travel.

Traps travellers fall into

In the game these hide among the recommendations. See if you can spot them.

• The shoeshine man drops his brush IstanbulThe dropped-brush shoeshine is a classic Istanbul scam; walk on, or decline before he starts
• 'Tea at my cousin's shop' IstanbulFriendly strangers around Sultanahmet are often carpet-shop runners; only visit a shop you chose, when you actually want to buy
• A bar a new friend suggests on İstiklal IstanbulBar invitations around Taksim and İstiklal are a notorious overcharging scam; never follow strangers into a bar. In trouble, call 112
• A square-side restaurant with no prices IstanbulNever eat where the menu has no prices; for fish, agree weight and price first
• Paying the taxi IstanbulSome Istanbul taxi drivers swap the note you hand over; say the amount aloud as you pay, or use a taxi app or card
• A cat on the café chair IstanbulIstanbul's cats belong to everyone; don't evict them — take the next seat

Month by month

• JanuaryJanuary in Istanbul is about 9°C, sometimes snowy. Cappadocia turns white, but more balloon flights are cancelled.
• FebruaryFebruary in Istanbul is a cold 9°C. Ramadan begins around 8 February, and the streets come alive after sunset.
• MarchMarch reaches about 12°C. Ramazan Bayramı (around 9–11 March) brings domestic travellers, and the bazaars close.
• AprilApril reaches about 17°C; Istanbul's tulip festival blooms and the sites switch to summer hours.
• MayMay is a pleasant 22°C. Kurban Bayramı (around 16–19 May) fills buses and flights.
• JuneJune reaches about 27°C, over 30°C on the Aegean side.
• JulyJuly reaches 29°C, and Ephesus and Pamukkale top 35°C; see the ruins in the morning.
• AugustAugust reaches 29–36°C, the hottest and busiest month.
• SeptemberSeptember eases to about 25°C, and Cappadocia's balloons fly most days.
• OctoberOctober reaches about 20°C as the rains return; 29 October is Republic Day.
• NovemberNovember–December: Istanbul 10–15°C and wet; Cappadocia below freezing at dawn, sometimes snowy, with more balloon cancellations.
• DecemberDecember in Istanbul is about 11°C and wet; Cappadocia drops below freezing, sometimes with snow.

Sample routes

• ClassicClassic: Istanbul and CappadociaFrom the city of mosques and bazaars to a valley of dawn balloons.Istanbul → Cappadocia
• DetourDetour: Ephesus and the white terracesWalk Rome's marble streets, then climb warm terraces barefoot.Istanbul → Selçuk (Ephesus) → Pamukkale
• Off the pathOff the path: the fast train to the dervishes' KonyaSpeed across the Anatolian plateau, watch Saturday's free sema, then on to Cappadocia.Istanbul → Konya → Cappadocia

Hidden gems

• The colourful hills of Balat IstanbulAn old Greek and Jewish quarter of wooden houses, steep lanes and old cafés.
• A sunset hike in Rose Valley CappadociaA walk through valleys of pink rock that blush red at sunset, past rock-cut churches.
• The Terrace Houses Selçuk (Ephesus)Rich Romans' homes under a protective roof, with mosaic floors and frescoes.
• The theatre of Hierapolis PamukkaleA Roman theatre almost intact on the hillside, for those who make the climb.
• Saturday night sema (free) KonyaThe whirling ceremony in the order's own city, every Saturday at 7 p.m., free.
• Regional Anatolian cooking on the Asian side IstanbulOn Kadıköy's market street: home dishes from all over Anatolia you won't find elsewhere, served by the plate.
• Lunch in an old Greek mansion CappadociaA painted mansion in a village where Greeks lived until the 1920s; family cooking.
• The hill village of Şirince Selçuk (Ephesus)A white-housed village 20 minutes away by minibus, with fruit wines and olive-oil soap.

1 more to find in the game.

Before you go

• Install a travel eSIMFor maps and taxi apps
• Pack mosque-appropriate clothes and a scarfCover shoulders and knees; women cover their hair
• Pack a winter coatBelow freezing at dawn in Cappadocia
• Install a taxi app (BiTaksi)Fewer fare surprises
• Look up tipping5–10%