Many people scoff at travelling this winter month, but Istanbul steps up as a perfect city break. If you are willing to forget about sunbathing and swimming, in return for cultural heritage and urban vibes, head to Istanbul after your celebrations. Benefits of visiting in January include fewer crowds at major tourist attractions, cheaper flight and hotel prices, traditional winter food and drinks like Salep.
A city that instantly leaves a mark on those who visit, Istanbul is a bustling and cosmopolitan metropolis visited by millions of tourists every year. Some even return year after year, while others find it reinvents their outlook on life, promoting a new path and they return to be an expat by buying a property. We give you four good reasons why you will simply love Istanbul and all the city offers.
The whens and how-muches of tipping -or baksis (baksheesh) - can be confusing to newcomers to Turkey - especially those of us who come from a non-tipping culture. Here is a breakdown of how to navigate Turkey's tipping culture. When to tip, how much and those times when a tip just is not appropriate at all.
The long list of apps for expats in Istanbul ensures that every resident, regardless of age or nationality, can effectively plan their time and receive advice, information, and tips direct from their mobile phone. Indeed, apps are now an essential part of our lives, whether ordering food, paying bills, or trying to get from one place to another.
Ah, Ankara, Turkey's capital ruling city. To many foreigners, this vast city is not as well-known as Istanbul. Indeed, some people from other nations assume the Turkish government rules from Istanbul. That city does lead in business, education, tourism, and finance. However, for politics, Ankara reigns supreme, and for visiting tourists, Ankara offers insight into Turkey's second-largest city.
For expats looking at the education and school system in Turkey, local research and knowledge are necessary. Whether you choose to put your children in state schools or private is a personal choice, but it is wise to know what education they will receive, any outgoing costs and their curriculum so you can plan your new life around that.
There's much to love about Turkey. Great Turkish food, beautiful golden beaches, fascinating history and a great lifestyle for expats in the country. But what about the people? Loyal, passionate and embarrassingly direct, here's why we love the Turks in all their complicated glory.
Expat life in Turkey brings many benefits. Some of them - the favourable climate, the good healthy food - are well known. But did you know that there are other positives to living in Turkey that might just drastically change your life? Read how a Mediterranean diet, improved social life and immersing yourself in a new culture might be just what the doctor ordered.
When it comes to living in Istanbul, stats show this is a popular hub for foreign expats. A recent report said that excluding refugees, 645,000 foreigners with residency permits lived in Turkey's biggest metropolis. Sitting next to the Marmara Sea, Bosphorus, and Golden Horn, Istanbul occupies Turkey's Northern, western corner and sits on an advantageous geographical location.
Despite being one of the world's most wonderful cities, with a population of about 16 million people, Istanbul is unfortunately one of the most congested. However, if you're smart, you can avoid the worst of it. Read our guide to discover ways to beat the traffic while getting the very best out of this magnificent city.
This checklist for moving to Turkey aims to help anyone make a smooth transition from their home country to their new abode. Every year, increasingly more foreigners move here, and the lure is easy to understand. From the gorgeous climate to long, sandy stretches of beaches, the welcoming Turkish hospitality and society, foreigners find it easy to settle in.
The vast list of famous, pretty villages in Turkey is an excellent way to get to know this lovely country's heart, culture, and traditions. From Northern plateau regions to Mediterranean fishing villages, you could spend a lifetime exploring them and always be delighted at the beauty they portray. Many also still adhere to timeless, age-old Turkish culture, as seen in architecture, daily life, and the welcoming hospitality of locals.
The gateway between the Middle East and Europe, a vast and diverse country, Turkey stands at a crossroads of cultures and traditions solidified over hundreds of years of different empires and influences resulting in a huge variety of customs and local traditions that you should be aware of depending on where abouts in the country you find yourself. Highlighting the key differences between Turkey and what you come to expect as the norm back home, we blog to make your move to Turkey easier, your purchase of a house smoother, and your transition into life in Turkey a seamless and easy process. Think we have missed something from our list? Comment and let us know your experiences of culture in Turkey.
When assessing how good is a Turkish passport, we turned to an authority ranking system to find out. The Henley Passport Index compares passports worldwide to rank according to the number of visa-free destinations. Currently, they say Turkey ranks 56th globally out of 200 passports for nationalities across the globe.
If you are asking is Turkey good for expats, a good place to look is TUIK stats. TUIK is the Turkish Statistical institution, and they collect information from around Turkey, including how many foreigners live here. In 2020, just over 2 and half million foreigners resided in Turkey. They comprised of more than 100 nationalities. That says a lot that all these people choose Turkey as their home.
When people ask us whether Antalya is a good place to live, we need only look at current stats to see it is. Thousands of expats living in Antalya - Turkey, make it a multicultural destination comprised of different nationalities. It is the number one destination for retired expats and ranks in the top three positions where foreigners buy property in Turkey.
In our line of work, many clients ask us if Turkey is a good place to live? We always answer yes. We love living here and always endorse Turkey as an ideal place to retire. Do not just take our word, though. To date, Turkey is home to thousands of expats. While working expats tend to head to large cities like Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, retired expats mainly settle in Aegean and Mediterranean coastal resorts.
If you are thinking of being an expat in Turkey, congratulations on choosing a wonderfully diverse country with much to offer. Turkey has attracted thousands of working and retired expats who live in many towns, cities, and villages. The variety of nationalities is also significant. Germans, Russians, Brits, Europeans, Asian and Middle Eastern nationalities living in Turkey.
While many of our clients are retired, wannabe expats, younger generations often ask if it is easy to find a job in Turkey. Many foreigners want to work in the country and live here all year round. Before 2000, anyone could get on a plane and work in a bar or restaurant the next day. In the years to follow, Turkey tightened up and started deporting and fining foreigners without a work permit, and by receiving cash in hand, they were not paying taxes and had no healthcare coverage.
Moving countries is exciting. New food to discover, new neighbourhoods to explore. But there's also the uncertainty of negotiating the strange new customs and sights of your new home. We outline a few things you might not know about Turkey, from its obsession with cay (tea) to its ubiquitous fountains.