Weather

Istanbul has a temperate climate with cold and dry winters and hot and humid summers. Between December and March, Istanbul is cold, rainy, windy, and mostly grey with temperatures averaging 4°C (39°F). Snow showers are common, usually occurring at least once a year. During summer, temperatures average 25-30°C (78-88°F), and most days are sunny with blue skies. Rainfall is rare, and humidity makes it feel much hotter, especially in August. The best weather is in spring and fall; from April to mid-June, days are temperate and evenings are cool. From mid-September to November, the city is colder but still pleasant, although a bit rainy and windy.

Drugs

Illegal possession, use, or sale of all types of drugs is strictly forbidden in Turkey.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited at all enclosed public areas in Turkey, including bars, cafés, and restaurants. The smoke ban also applies to all forms of public transportation. If you get caught smoking at a smoke-free zone, you will be charged a fine.

Drinking

The rules and regulations surrounding alcohol consumption have recently changed. The legal age for buying alcohol is 18; however, those under the age of 24 can’t attend events, organizations, or parties that are sponsored by alcoholic beverage firms.

Public Toilets

Public toilets are found all over Istanbul with entrances marked as “Bayan WC” for women and “Bay WC” for men. It’s a good idea to carry a pack of tissues as toilet rolls are often out. You will often come across ‘a la turca’ facilities (comprising of a hole on the floor), especially in touristy areas. However, hotels, restaurants, bars, and shopping malls all have Western-style (a la franga) facilities.

Tipping

- Taxis: You don’t have to tip taxi drivers. The only time a tip would be appropriate is if you have luggage and the driver has assisted you with them. The maximum amount recommended is 5 TL.

- Restaurants: Some restaurants include tip in the check. When the tip is not included, a 10% tip is considered the norm. 

- Hotels: Recommended tips for bellboys is 5-10 TL, depending on the hotel that you’re staying at and the amount of luggage you have.

Time

Turkey is 2 hours ahead of GMT. The 24-hour clock is used. Day-light savings run from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Voltage

Turkey uses 220 V, European-style rounded tip two-prong plugs. Check in advance whether you’ll need an adaptor and/or transformer.

Opening Hours

Museums are generally open between 9am-5pm. Private businesses are usually open from 9am-6pm, government offices from 8am-5pm. Most shops are open from 9am to 7-8pm, and they are closed on Sundays. Shopping malls are usually open from 10am-10pm.

Home & Personal services

Istanbul is a very practical place to deal with repairs and cleaning services for many household needs. There are many craftsmen with specialized skill sets that offer high-quality services, often at prices that are far lower than what you would normally get abroad. Every neighborhood will have at least one electrician, plumber, locksmith, tailor, cobbler, watch repair shop and dry cleaner, and more specialized services are available throughout the city. Check our Home & Personal Services listings to find services near you.

Laundromats & Dry Cleaners

There are many laundromats (çamaşırhane) and dry cleaners (kuru temizleme) spread around Istanbul. Some Laundromats offer fixed rates, while others charge based on weight. Check our Home & Personal Services listings for a list of dry cleaners and laundromats.

Mail Services

Turkish post offices are spread around the city and can be recognized by their yellow and blue PTT signs.

For visitors without a permanent address, the post office offers ‘poste restante’ services. In order to collect your mail, you’ll need to have your passport with you and pay a small fee. The main post offices in Istanbul are located in Sirkeci and Taksim. Visit http://www.ptt.gov.tr/en/ to find a post office near you.

Phone Services

Most payphones in Istanbul operate with a phone card which can be purchased at any Post Office (PTT) or from street vendors (who charge a commission). Some payphones also accept tokens (jeton), although these are increasingly rare.

You will find selling points for the three major GSM operators (Turkcell, Vodafone, and Avea) at almost every central location and shopping mall.  The options of pre-paid and post-paid SIM cards are available in all the operators, which allow you to make and receive international calls, send text messages, and also offer 3G and internet services. Phone credit for pre-paid SIM cards can be purchased online as well as from official GSM operator shops and most kiosks.

It is possible to set a fixed phone line from Türk Telekom once you have a residence permit.  Visiting the nearest post office branch with your passport, bank details, and proof of address will be enough to get a new phone line.  If you are renting or buying property with an existing phone line, check for any previous unpaid bills.

Istanbul Area Codes

Phone lines in Istanbul have two different area codes for the European side and the Asian side, though they only need to be dialed if the call is made from the opposite side. Remember to dial 0212 for your calls to the European side when you are on the Asian side and 0216 for the Asian side when you are on the European side. 

International Dialing Code

The international dialing code to call Turkey from abroad is (+90) followed by the area code and the number.When calling abroad from Turkey, you must first dial the international code (00) followed by the country code.

Useful Numbers

Telephone Directory/Enquiries: 11833

Telephone Repair: 121

Tourist info line (for Turkey): 170

Women Visitors

Istanbul is a paradox; in some respects, it is as laid back and cosmopolitan as any major European city, in others, still marred by lechery towards and disapproval of Western women (although this is largely confined to specific pockets of the city). The areas surrounding Beyoğlu, Bebek, Nişantaşı, Etiler, and Ortaköy are very Western and women dress pretty much as they please without any undue attention drawn to them. Sadly, in Sultanahmet, where most of the tourist attractions are located, Western tourists often become targets, being hassled to buy the shopkeepers’ wares and, if a woman, probably stared at and possibly verbally-harassed. Don’t wear short skirts, shorts, or skimpy tops in Sultanahmet (particularly as you will most likely visit mosques, where you might not be allowed in if you are inappropriately dressed, and not wearing a head scarf), and certainly dress modestly, with shoulders covered, in the religious areas of Fatih and Balat, further inland from Sultanahmet. If you do get hassled, ignore it. If it persists, you should try saying “Ayıp” (Shame on you), but do not get drawn into any kind of dialogue. Try to avoid eye contact and walk away. Realistically, you will not encounter anything worse here than you might encounter in other Mediterranean countries—expect something along the lines of the attention you would get in a Southern Italian town. Don’t let it spoil your experience of a wonderful city!

Disabled Access

Istanbul has improved in terms of disabled access recently, but sadly there are certain areas still lacking, and the very nature of Istanbul makes it difficult for wheelchair users with its uneven, cobbled, narrow streets, very steep hills, and huge volumes of pedestrian crowds and road traffic. Most hotels, apart from the really high-end ones, do not have provisions for wheelchair users. However, the majority of the public transport system has been improved—most Metro stations now have lifts, the trams and light railways are wheelchair-accessible, and there are two bus lines which are designed for wheelchair users (the 222 operating the Topkapı-Emirgan route and the 28T operating the Pendik-Kadıköy route). In addition to this, 450 “low-riding” Mercedes buses have been introduced to the bus system, which facilitate wheelchair use. Ferries built post-2008 also accommodate wheelchairs.

Turkish National Holidays

During national holidays, banks and governmental offices are closed. Restaurants and shops do not close; in fact, they tend to be more crowded than usual. 

January 1: New Year’s Day

April 23: National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı)

May 1: Labor Day (Işçi Bayramı)

May 19: Atatürk Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day (Atatürk’ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı)

August 30: Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı)

October 29: Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı)

Turkish Religious Holidays

The dates of religious holidays change every year as they are based on the Islamic calendar.  Most banks will be closed during the religious holidays but you may find some branches open on the second or third day. The government offices are closed all through the holidays.

The dates for 2011 are as follows:

August 30-September 1: Ramadan Feast (Ramazan Bayramı)

November 6-9: Sacrifice Feast (Kurban Bayramı)