Antalya

The Aegean Coast possesses some of the most spectacular andsignificant of Turkey's archaeological sites with a rich culturallegacy from early Greek, Roman and Ottoman civilisations. Theancient cities of Ephesus and Troy are permeated with the past,where amphitheatres, chariot-rutted streets and columns reek ofhistorical importance. It was here that St Paul laid thefoundations for the beginnings of Christianity, and where the faceof legendary beauty, Helen of Troy, 'launched a thousandships'.

Besides historical attractions, the Aegean is known for itsmagnificent coastal scenery and long stretches of sandy beaches,where pine trees and olive groves clad the hills surroundingpopular resorts like Bodrum and Kusadasi. Inland, the calcium-richmineral springs that surge over the edge of a mountain plateau atPamukkale form Turkey's leading mineral spa and is one of the mostcelebrated natural attractions in the area.

The city of Izmir, once famous for its figs, is today the modern capital of the region, anda major port and busy commercial centre, with good hotels and restaurants.

Currency

The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which was introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created.  Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports and ferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions, but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies.  Banks open mainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas.  ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, but Turkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet on their keys.  Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus.  Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular are Visa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of the more expensive places.  Travellers cheques can be exchanged at some banks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cash or credit cards.  US dollars or Euros are preferred.  Some hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars as payment.

Time

Local time is GMT +2
(GMT +3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).

Language

Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood in the
main tourist areas.

Antalya Climate

Temperatures in the Antalya region begin to rise in the springtime, with April and May seeing temperatures between 16C and 22C. Sunshine is virtually guaranteed from April to October, with August regularly receiving up to 12 hours of sun.  Humidity starts to increase as the weather gets hotter, reaching over 60%, and temperatures during July and August can reach 30C and above.  Sea temperatures range from 17C in the spring time to 24C in the height of the summer, creating perfect conditions for swimming and water sports.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz.
The European two-pin plug is standard.

Tipping

Tipping is a way of life in Turkey and it is customary to give some small change for most services, or a small percent of the bill.  In bigger hotels and restaurants if a service charge is not added to the bill, it is customary to tip between 10 and 15%.  For taxi fares it is enough to round up the bill.  Attendants at Turkish baths expect to share about 15% of the total bill if service has been good.

Communications

The international country dialling code for Turkey is +90.  The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom).