Hos geldiniz means welcome and is probably the most frequently used phrase in the Turkish language. Turkey is truly the land of welcomes. Turkish people are, by nature, very open, warm, friendly, honest and welcoming. Indeed many people say that Turks are very similar in nature to Irish and they certainly share our sense of humour and our ability to enjoy a joke - even at our own expense. Turkey is a vast country stretching from the Black Sea in the north to the Mediterranean in the south and from the barren east to the sparkling blue waters of the Aegean Sea in the west. It is here on the Aegean coast that the most popular tourist resorts are located including our featured resorts of Kusadasi, Cesme and Ozdere.
Turkey is steeped in history and almost every road you travel has sites and ruins whose names feature boldly in the histories of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Perhaps, most surprising for the newcomer, is the number of Christian sites dating from the time of Christ and the apostles and of course the house of the Virgin Mary located close to Kusadasi. The highest mountain peak in Turkey is Mount Ararat which, according to the Old Testament, was where Noah’s ark came to rest as the great flood subsided. Turkish is the official and predominant language but most people who work in the service and tourism sectors in the main resorts and cities speak English. The vast majority of Turks are Muslim by birth but you will find that only a small number of people in the cities and resorts are fervent practitioners.Useful Information about Turkey
Accommodation and Infrastructure
The general standard of tourist accommodation in Turkey has improved in recent years and is now generally on a par with similar accommodation in western Mediterranean destinations. However the public infrastructure such as roads and footpaths in many areas fall short of what you would find in Ireland. Public utilities such as electricity supply can also be erratic at times and some services in your selected property such as air conditioning and lifts may be affected by low voltage or power cuts. Many, but not all, of the properties we feature have their own back-up generators. Marble and ceramic tiling are used extensively both indoors and outdoors for flooring and paving and become extremely slippery when wet so extreme caution is needed especially around swimming pools.
Currency and Shopping
The local currency is the Turkish Lira (YTL). All major credit cards are widely accepted as are many debit cards such as Laser.Turkey is a shopping paradise and best buys include branded fashion wear, leather goods, gold, jewellery, rugs and spices.
Getting Around
In all towns and resorts there is a wonderful local minibus service called the “Dolmus”. They provide a frequent and cheap transport service from every area of the resort to the centre and the main beaches and apart from its marvellous efficiency travelling on the Dolmus affords an opportunity to mix with the local people as they go about their daily lives. For those who want to explore rural life in Turkey there is also a Dolmus service from the resorts to all outlying villages. Turkey also has an excellent intercity bus service which is relatively cheap and on the longer journeys on board stewards serve tea, coffee and other refreshments. There is also a very good domestic air service with a number of low cost operators on most routes.
Turkish Food and Choice of Restaurants
Most resorts have a wide choice of restaurants and cafes offering an extensive selection of international dishes including European, Chinese, Mexican etc. The local Turkish cuisine is really excellent and is based around the best local produce including beef, lamb, fish, fresh vegetables, fruit, olive oil and a great range of different mouth watering breads. We recommend you try it at least once during your stay. Our “Exclusive To Sunway Holidays” properties all offer a very good a la carte menu selection to suit all tastes including Turkish dishes. When selecting a restaurant please bear in mind the general rule of thumb which applies in all destinations - if the prices on offer are considerably cheaper than those generally available there has to be a catch and you are better off going elsewhere.
Excursions and Trips
Our local handling agents in Turkey are Travel 4u and they offer a wide range of trips and excursions to our guests. You will find details of these in the Information Book in your selected hotel or our representative will be happy to provide you with more information. Among the most popular trips are:
- The ancient city of Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis which was one of the seven wonders of the world
- The House of the Virgin Mary
- The cotton castles of Pamukkale
- Visits to the wonderful city of Istanbul
- Visits to Troy with its famous wooden horse and the battlegrounds of Gallipoli
- Boat trips, aqua parks, scuba diving, water sports etc.
