General Information	Geographic and Weather Conditions
Holidays and Traditions	Transportation

Population: Approximately 80.000.000  by latest official records of 2007. 13 % of the population lives in Istanbul, 6 % in Ankara, 5 % in Izmir and 3 % in Adana.
Language: Turkish.
Religion: 98 % Moslem.
Literacy Rate: 77 % by records of 1991.
Capital: Ankara.
Political System: Secular, Parliamentary Democracy.
Women's Rights: Equal rights, voting since 1934.

Passport and Visa: A valid passport is necessary. Brazilian and Argentineans do not need a visa, Americans and Brazilians can obtain a single entrance, 3 months stay visa at the terrestrial, maritime or airport Turkish borders (20 USD for Brazilians, 90 USD for Americans - 2008 tariff). To obtain multiple visas, with stay longer then 3 months please consult the Turkish Embassy. For citizens holders of other passports please contact the Turkish Embassy. No vaccination is necessary.
 

Currency: The monetary unit is the Turkish lira (TL). There is no limit on the amount of American currency that can be brought into Turkey. Not more than USD 1.000 worth of Turkish currency may be taken in or out of the country. Major credit cards are accepted in most tourist areas, restaurants and major stores. Travel checks can be cashed at any bank or currency exchange.   Electricity: Voltage is 220 V. Plugs are usually of the two-round prong European style.  Public Hours:  Banks: Banks are opened from Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM.  Exchange Offices: Exchange Offices usually give a better rate then the banks and are open from Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 18:00 PM. Some of them are open at night and at weekends.  Museums: Museums are open every day between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Exceptions: Beylerbeyi Palace and Dolmabahçe Palace are closed on Monday and Thursday; Sophia Museum is closed on Monday; Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday; Kariye Museum is closed on Wednesday.Covered Bazaars like Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar are closed on Sundays.  Note: Offices, banks, most stores, the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar are closed during religious and secular holidays.

 Time Difference: Turkey is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

 What To Wear: Summer in Turkey is hot with sunlight from very early in the morning until almost 9:00 PM. Cotton is the norm especially along the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines. Spring and autumn evenings can be cooler in Eastern and Central Anatolia and along the Black Sea Coast. Most of Northern and Eastern Turkey get snow in winter. Be sure to pack a comfortable pair of walking shoes, with so much to see you will need it. Please observe the proper respect for any place of worship you enter by not wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts. Otherwise, shorts are perfectly acceptable throughout Turkey.
 

What to Expect in Turkey: Our company, Levante Tours always attempts to provide the best in services in all regions, such as accommodation, transportation, guidance and meals arrangements. However, the best by Turkish standards may not meet with your standards, you have the power to control the way you respond to a situation and tolerance. The combination is to ensure a pleasurable experience for everyone as a traveler who's open to new customs and cultures. We guarantee that Turkey would be an experience to remember.

Shopping: Turkey is famous with its fine craftsmanship and beauty of its carpets, leather goods and jewellery. Shopping mostly needs endless bargaining instead of price-tags. An unforgettable part of anyone's visit to Turkey is browsing through brightly colored carpet shops. Inside a carpet shop, the seller provides detailed information while shopkeepers unfurl dozens of elaborately patterned Turkish carpets. The most famous Turkish silk carpets are the Hereke decorating the Ottoman palaces and also the Kayseri. The quality of Turkish leather is exceptional, they use lambskin material that is very soft by touch. Most of the leather goods are made in Istanbul, but can be found all over Turkey. Gold and silver are reasonably priced, but semiprecious stones such as lapis and onyx, are Turkey's specialty. The stones are often set in copper and brass by craftsmen famous for their expertise around the world.

 

Ramadan and Sugar Festival (Seker Bayrami): Referring to the Moslem calendar, the date of Ramadan changes every year. Ramadan consists of fasting for a month, which means that it is forbidden to eat, drink, smoke or have sexual relations in-between the rising and setting of the sun. The Sugar Festival closes this fasting month, with 3 days of celebrations. During the festival most of the stores, including the Grand Bazaar and also the administrative offices are closed. Families dressed in new clothes, visit each other with Turkish delights or other sweets.

The Sacrifice Holiday (Kurban Bayrami): This holiday celebrates the memory of Abraham and it takes place two months and ten days after the Ramadan Festival. The celebration 4 days in which homage is paid to the family and the dead. Each family tries to obtain a lamb that will be sacrificed on the first day of the celebration. The central purpose of the holiday is to share with those who have less, particularly the poor and homeless. 

The Roman calendar is used in Turkey since Ataturk governed the country. Several national holidays are celebrated by the Turkish Republic. Administrative offices are closed on the following holidays:

January 1st -Celebration of New Year.  April 23 -Celebration of National Sovereignty and Childhood. In memory of the first meeting of the Grand National Assembly in 1920, Ataturk declared that children should take power on this day. School children parade in all cities.  May 19 - Celebration of Youth and Sports. Commemorating the Ataturk's arrival in Samsun, where the 'War of Independence' began.  August 30 - Celebration of Victory. This holiday is in memory of the Turkish victory in Izmir during the War of Independence in 1922.  October 29 -National Celebration of the Turkish Republic. This is the most important holiday of all. It is commemorated throughout Turkey with military parades and festivities.

 

Airlines: Most European airlines, besides Turkish Airlines have flights from major cities via Europe to Istanbul or Turkey .

 Ferry Boats: Some international ferry transportation arrangements from Greek Islands, such as Samos, Rhodes and Chios, to Turkey can also be done by our agency. Please contact our agency for further information.
 
 

Domestic Flights: Within Turkey, domestic flight is a quick and efficient way to travel between cities. Depending on the destination, the duration may approximately one hour. Buses: For travelers with more time, buses are an inexpensive and frequent form of transportation. The coaches are mostly double deck for a trip of 7 hours (distance from Istanbul to Izmir).

 Rental Cars and Limousine Service: Rental cars are available in most of the major cities and tourist centers. They are mostly with manual transmission. In major cities you may find the branch offices for most of international companies’ such as Avis, Hertz, Budget and Europcar. For a luxurious way of transportation, limousine services are also available.
 

Trains: Transportation by train to most of the major cities is available. Since the train system is not very well developed and comfortable on some routes, so we prefer recommending other transportation ways on the same route if available.   Yacht Chartering: Considering the coastal length and beauties of Turkey, yachting is a relaxing and enjoyable way of traveling along the coasts. You'll not only have the chance to snorkel and windsurf on secluded beaches, but also see a side of Turkey which most of traveler's miss - the small towns and villages or even ruins of ancient settlements. Different size of yachts and gullets are available mostly through contact of travel agencies. The Gullets are the preferred ones for a blue trip along the southern coasts in Turkey.