Istanbul Tourist Information Official Site
Information about Istanbul
The official language of Istanbul is Turkish. If you want to immerse yourself a little more in Turkish culture, you can learn some of these useful words and phrases.
Useful expressions in Turkish
Hello = Merhaba / Hello = Günaydın / Good evening = Iyi Günler /
Good night = Iyi akşamlar / Goodbye = Güle Güle /
Please = Lütfen / Thank you = Tesekkürler / Yes = Evet /
No = Hayir / Excuse me = Affedersiniz / Maybe = Belki /
Welcome = Hosgeldiniz
Words of interest
Man = Erkek / Woman = Kadın / Toilets = Tuvalet /
Breakfast = Hahvaltı / Food = Yemek /
Dinner = Aksam Yemegi
Language
Firefighters : 110 / Emergencies : 112 / Police : 155 / Gendarmerie: 156 / Turkey prefix : 0090 /
Istanbul prefix Asian part : 0216 /
Istanbul prefix European part : 0212.
These numbers are free and reachable at any time of the day and night throughout the year in Istanbul.
Useful numbers
Among the emergency numbers, you will find below a list of the most useful numbers in case of problems during your stay in Istanbul:
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Consulate of France: (0212) 334 87 30 / Help desk on poisons : 114 /
Municipal police : 153 / Traffic: 154 /
Tourist information : 170 /
Health aid office: 184 / Information : 11811
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Unlike emergency numbers, these numbers are not free and should only be dialed if really necessary.
Service numbers
As for the service numbers, the list below indicates some useful numbers during your trip to Istanbul:
International Museum of the Baroque
Other information of interest
Official time
Turkey's official time is GMT + 2, an hour longer than in France.
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Electricity and sockets
The catches in Turkey are the same as in France. They have two round outputs and their voltage is 220V.
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Opening time
Although the official opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., you will find shops with much more varied hours for everyday purchases (snacks, souvenirs, etc.). The Grand Bazaar and the other markets are open until 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
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Health issues
If you are concerned about health issues, you can purchase private insurance before traveling, as the European Health Card is not accepted in Turkey.
Uses and customs
The atmosphere in Istanbul is very relaxed and surely the tourist has more privileges than the locals. The most important thing to know is that in order to enter a mosque you will have to wear sober clothes: pants below the knee and covered shoulders. Women will also need to cover their hair.
Summer in Istanbul
Summers in Istanbul are hot and it rains little. Daily maximum temperatures often exceed 30ºC (especially in August) and minimum temperatures rarely drop below 20ºC. The nights are very pleasant.
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Winter in Istanbul
The months from December to February are the coldest and rainiest. It is common for temperatures to drop below 0ºC or for it to snowing.
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Best time to travel to Istanbul
Our favorite months to visit Istanbul are May, June, September and October. These mid-season months have a very pleasant temperature and low rainfall.
If you can't get there during these months, we recommend avoiding the winter cold.
Weather
Generally speaking, it can be said that the prices in Istanbul are lower than in France, although if you compare the prices in Istanbul with those in the rest of Turkey, you will see that they are considerably higher.
Here are some examples of prices in Istanbul to plan your budget:
Tram ticket: 2.75 TL (0.30 €). / Tea : 1.50 TL (0.20 €) / Lamb kebab : 3 TL (0.30 €) to 5 TL (0.50 €). / Half-liter beer : 5 TL (0.50 €) to 7 TL (0.70 €) (beer in Istanbul is very expensive) / Dinner for two in a standard restaurant : without wine, from from 40 TL (4 €) / Double room in a central hotel : from 100 TL (10 €) per night. / Taxi from the airport: from 40 TL (4 €).
Visits to monuments : From 10 TL (1 €) to 20 TL (2 €).
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Although most establishments accept to change euros or dollars on the spot, the best option is to pay directly in your currency. Indeed, the exchange rates on the spot are generally not very favorable for the traveler.
Price
Turkey's official currency is the Turkish lira (TL). Currently in Turkey you will find banknotes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish liras. The coins are 1 lire and 50, 25, 10, 5 or 1 kurus (100 kurus (YKR) = 1 TL).
You will find banks and ATMs all over Istanbul. Banks are open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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Where to change money?
Although the recommended option is always to withdraw Turkish Lira directly from ATMs, if you want to change euros or dollars, it is best to do so at exchange offices. They have a slightly lower exchange rate than banks, but they don't charge a commission.
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The exchange rate
One euro equals ten Turkish liras (10 TL) and one dollar equals eight lira (8 TL).