Middle East / Destination guide
Türkiye
Plan your journey city by city. Explore destination facts, arrival planning, and practical travel guides.
18 of 26 guides checked against official sources · others are editorial previews- Capital
- Ankara
- Currency
- TRY
- Languages in source
- Turkish
- Geographic region
- Western Asia
Source-imported reference data; not an entry or visa guide. Source & verification notes ↗
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Istanbul / Airports
Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen: Two Airports, Two Continents, One Card
How Istanbul's two airports on opposite continents connect to the city, and how the İstanbulkart transit card works across metro, bus, tram and ferry.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Practical information
Istanbul Archaeological Museums: Tickets, Hours, Museum Pass
Foreign visitors pay €15 for the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, which open daily 09:00–18:30 with no weekly closing day. Tickets stop at 17:30; the Museum Pass is valid.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Practical information
Beylerbeyi Palace Tickets: Price, Hours and Closed Day
Beylerbeyi Palace costs 800 TL for foreign visitors, or 100 TL for the garden only. Closed on Mondays; ticket office 09:00–17:00. When a combined ticket pays.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Practical information
Dolmabahçe Palace Tickets: Price, Harem, Hours, Closed Day
One 2,000 TL ticket covers Dolmabahçe's Selamlık, Harem and Painting Museum for foreign visitors. Closed on Mondays; ticket office 09:00–17:00.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Practical information
Galata Tower Tickets: Price, Hours and Museum Pass Cut-Off
Galata Tower opens daily from 08:30; day tickets stop at 18:14, also the Museum Pass cut-off. The Ministry's tower site lists €30 entry; confirm it at the window.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Shopping
Grand Bazaar vs Spice Bazaar Istanbul: How the Hans Work
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is a 15th-century grid of streets, bedestens and hans; the Spice Bazaar is a 1660s L-shaped arcade. How each works, who runs it, opening days and which to visit.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / First-time visitor
Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Istanbul: Fees, Prayer, Dress
Tourist visitors pay €25 for Hagia Sophia's upper gallery, while the Blue Mosque is not on any official fee list we found. How tickets, prayer times and dress rules work at both.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Transportation
Istanbul HGS Tolls in a Rental Car: Bridges and Tunnel
How HGS tolls work in a Turkish rental car, 2026 prices for Istanbul's bridges, the Eurasia Tunnel and Osmangazi Bridge, the 15-day rule for unpaid passes and new speed fines.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Practical information
Islamic Science and Technology Museum Istanbul: Price, Hours
The Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam in Gülhane Park costs €10 for foreign visitors aged 8+. Winter hours 09:00–18:30, tickets until 17:30.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Airports
Istanbul Airport: How Early to Arrive for Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines advises arriving at Istanbul Airport 3 hours before international flights; counters close 60 minutes before. Plan about an hour by taxi.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Practical information
Maiden's Tower Tickets: Price, Boat Times and Opening Hours
Maiden's Tower entry is €27 for foreign visitors plus a 110 TL boat fee. Boats leave Karaköy and Salacak; the last one out is 17:00 and the tower closes at 18:00.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Practical information
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts Istanbul: Tickets, Hours
Foreign visitors pay €17 at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Sultanahmet, open daily 09:00–18:30 with tickets sold until 17:30. The Museum Pass is valid.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Money & payments
Museum Pass Istanbul: Is the €105 Card Worth It?
Usually not: the €105, five-day Museum Pass Istanbul skips Hagia Sophia, and the seven open paid Ministry museums on the fee list cost €112 in total. See the arithmetic for three real itineraries.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Practical information
Istanbul Sights Closed on Monday or Tuesday: Weekly Planner
Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi close on Mondays, Topkapı on Tuesdays and Yıldız on Wednesdays, while the Galata Tower opens daily. Plan your days and holidays around them.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Transportation
Princes' Islands Ferry Fares and Island E-Bus and Taxi Costs
A ferry to the Princes' Islands costs 151.23 TL with a full-fare İstanbulkart, or 272.18 TL on İDO from Kabataş. Island e-buses charge visitors 158.35 TL a ride.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Transportation
Istanbul Taxi Fares: Meter Rates, Minimum Fare, Airport Cost
An Istanbul taxi meter starts at 71.94 TL plus 47.92 TL per km in a standard taxi, with a 230 TL minimum fare, under İBB's tariff in force since 20 July 2026.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03Istanbul / Practical information
Topkapı Palace Tickets: Harem Price, Hours and Closed Day
Foreign visitors pay 2,750 TL for Topkapı's combined ticket, which includes the Harem and Hagia Irene. Ticket office 09:00–17:00; closed on Tuesdays.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Layovers
Touristanbul: Free Istanbul Layover Tour, Times and Rules
Touristanbul is Turkish Airlines' free city tour for 6–24 hour layovers at Istanbul Airport. See tour times, who qualifies and how much time to leave.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Practical information
Turkey Customs Allowances: What Visitors Can Bring In
Adults entering Türkiye may bring 600 cigarettes, 1 litre of spirits or 2 of wine, and €430 of gifts duty-free. Declare over €10,000 cash when you leave.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / First-time visitor
Turkey e-Visa and Entry Rules: Who Needs One, Days Allowed
Many passports enter Türkiye visa-free for up to 90 days in 180; others need an e-Visa from evisa.gov.tr. Passports must be valid 60 days beyond your stay.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Layovers
Turkish Airlines Free Hotel in Istanbul: Transit vs Stopover
Turkish Airlines gives free Istanbul hotels on 12-hour Economy or 9-hour Business connections, or planned Stopover nights booked 72 hours ahead. Compare them.
Official sources checked 2026-10-30Istanbul / Food
Turkish Breakfast and Simit in Istanbul: What to Order
On weekdays Istanbul breakfast is often just simit and tea; at weekends it is a late-morning spread. How to order kahvaltı, serpme and simit, and who sets the city's simit price.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Food
Turkish Tea in Istanbul: Ordering Çay and Saying No
Understand Istanbul’s small glasses of çay, choose a lighter brew and handle tea offered while shopping without assuming you must buy something.
Official sources checked 2026-10-16Istanbul / Transportation
Istanbul on Two Continents: What the Bosphorus Divides and How to Cross It
What the Bosphorus actually separates in Istanbul, how the public ferry network works as everyday transport, and how to plan a day around a water crossing.
Editorial preview · factual review pendingIstanbul / Practical information
Yıldız Palace Tickets: Price, Hours and Wednesday Closing
Foreign visitors pay 900 TL for Yıldız Palace in Beşiktaş. Tickets are sold 09:00–17:00 and the palace closes on Wednesdays; a 2,750 TL combined ticket adds Dolmabahçe.
Official sources checked 2026-11-03İzmir / Day trips
Ephesus from Izmir: Train to Selçuk and Ticket Choices
Take İZBAN to its Selçuk terminus, then pay €40 for Ephesus and €15 more for the Terrace Houses. How the tickets, hours and the €95 Aegean museum pass fit a day trip from İzmir.
Editorial preview · factual review pending