Visiting Turkey On A Budget – Tips of getting the most for your money.

With a lot of people struggling in the current financial turmoil many countries are experiencing, having a holiday in Turkey might seem a distant dream but with a few tips to being money savvy you can still enjoy visiting Turkey on a limited budget.

With the high exchange rate at the moment, tourists are getting more money than ever and although prices in Turkey have risen quite considerably in some areas you are still getting good value for money.  We have put together some helpful tips on being a budget friendly traveller.

It is always advisable to change your money when you are in Turkey, never do it in your home country or at the airport, they will always give you a much lower rate.  There are many ATM machines in Turkey that allow you to withdraw Turkish Lira out of your bank account but always check your bank charges and exchange rates, the same applies when using your credit or debit cards.  Throughout Turkey there are many currency exchange shops which by law must show what their exchange rates are.  Easy to use as long as you remember to take your passport with you.

You will always pay more when dining in Turkey if you choose a restaurant that is along the beachfront, although quality of food is generally always good and you have a lovely setting to sit and eat, rental costs for these establishments are always high so food will always be more expensive.  Look for local Turkish restaurants, usually traditional in décor and basic but fabulous food and cheaper prices.  Look where the locals eat.

When looking at types of accomodation for your holiday budget, although all-inclusive hotels might seem a good deal, but if you want to get out and explore and don’t drink huge quantities of alcohol it might be more cost effective to look at other types of accomodation for your holiday.  Small bed and breakfast hotels are a great idea and you can eat at local Turkish restaurants, self-catering properties are great, local markets with the freshest of produce at cheap prices can be a good choice when deciding on your holiday home.  Another option is house sitting for people’s animals, here you pet sit and get free accomodation.

Turkey is renowned for it’s famous bazaars and great shopping and if a price isn’t displayed then they expect you to haggle for a mutually acceptable price.  Many tourists feel nervous at doing this but for markets this is standard practice, prices are deliberately inflated in order for you to haggle with the vendor, start at 50% cheaper and barter until you come to an agreement.  Where prices are displayed, restaurants, bars, named shops and excursions etc, the price shown is the price you pay.  

While holidaying in Turkey it may be expensive to use your home country internet provider, it’s always worth checking the data roaming charges on your mobile phone but a tip to save money if you do need internet is to ask in local bars and restaurants while you are dining and they allow you to use their internet.

Getting around in Turkey can be inexpensive, there are always local buses which are not expensive and check when using taxis that the meter is on.  If travelling long distances compare coach prices to flight prices as there are many domestic flights within Turkey and a much quicker option.

There are many budget ideas you can try to make your holiday in Turkey as inexpensive as possible, you can buy discounted museum passes in all areas on Turkey, it is worth checking out the many phone apps available and exploring which ones are most suited to the type of trip you are looking for.