Practical Information

Turkey is as accessible and modern as any of its Western European counterparts with regard to the tourism sector. You can expect the same, if not better standards as vacation destinations in France, Spain or Portugal, in terms of service, convenience, and organization.

Visas and Passports: All visitors to Turkey will need a valid passport that does not expire within 6 months of the date of entry. Citizens of the U.S., U.K., E.U. and Australia will all need visas for entering Turkey. No visa is required for citizens of Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. Most visas are valid for 3 months, and allow for multiple entries during this period. For U.S. citizens a Tourist Visa is $45, $20 for Australians, U.K. citizens £10, and not more than €20 for E.U. citizens. Visas can easily be obtained upon entering the country before passing through passport control and customs, and can be purchased with both U.S. Dollars and Euros. Please note prices are subject to change.

Getting There and Away:

By Plane: Daily flights are available from all European Capitals, New York, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Turkish Airlines offers several direct flights from both Istanbul and Ankara to Antalya (45min) and other southern resort towns. Check www.turkishairlines.com for details.

By Train: Turkey is also accessible by train from Sofia, Bulgaria in the West, but rail travel is not recommended as the Turkish rail system has yet to be given the modern face-lift that most other sectors of the infrastructure have.

By Road: You can reach Istanbul from the border crossing with Greece at Alexandropoulus and Thessaloniki. Alternatively near Edirne at the Bulgarian border, which offers a modern, superhighway directly to Istanbul. Be prepared to wait a little while at both crossing during busy travel times. Antalya is accessed by a 2-lane highway from Istanbul (10hrs) and Ankara (8hrs), visit www.theaa.com for a free, detailed route planner. Alternatively Antalya and other southern golf resorts can be reached by overnight bus from both Istanbul (12 hours) and Ankara (9hrs). The bus system in Turkey is well developed, comfortable and efficient.

By Sea: Ferries run from several Greek Islands, Athens and Northern Cyprus on a daily basis to the southern Turkish ports of Bodrum and Marmaris. From there Antalya (2hrs) is easily accessed by minibus transfer. There is also a ferry available from Venice, Italy to Izmir. Check www.ido.com.tr for details.