Turkey first-time visitor guide

Kebab: The original. Turkish-style doner kebab. ₺80-150 ($2.70-5). At every street corner.

Köfte: Grilled meatballs. ₺100-180 ($3.30-6). Often served with rice and salad.

Meze: Small shared appetizers. Hummus, eggplant salad, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), calamari. ₺60-120 per item.

Turkish Delight (Lokum): Sweet jelly cubes. ₺200-500/kg. Shops at Grand Bazaar.

Baklava: Flaky pastry with pistachios and syrup. ₺50-100/kg. Karaköy Güllüoğlu in Istanbul is famous.

Çiğ Köfte: Raw meatballs (actually vegan wheat + spices). ₺10 ($0.35). Popular street food.

Breakfast: Turkish breakfast is a feast. Sucuklu yumurta (sausage eggs), menemen (scrambled eggs with peppers), cheese plate, olives, bread, honey. ₺250-400 ($8-13).

Turkish coffee: Unfiltered, very strong. ₺40-60 ($1.35-2). Traditional after-meal coffee.

Ayran: Salty yogurt drink. ₺15 ($0.50). Refreshing with spicy food.

Hagia Sophia: Now a mosque, free for everyone. The surrounding ticket office is for Topkapi/Palace of Topkapi tickets, not Hagia Sophia itself.

Currency: Turkey uses Turkish Lira (₺). Don't carry Euros — many places won't accept foreign currency anymore.

Tourist zones taxi scams: Always use BiTaksi or Istanbulkart. Never negotiate directly with taxi drivers from Grand Bazaar area.

Credit card: Some local restaurants only accept cash. Carry small ₺ notes.

Haggling: Expected at Grand Bazaar and street markets. Start at 30-40% of asking price.

Pickpockets: Heavy in Grand Bazaar, Beyoğlu, Eminönü tram area.

Dress modestly: Mosques require covering shoulders and knees. Grand Bazaar/Blue Mosque are tourist-friendly but respect matters.

Earthquake zones: Eastern Turkey is seismically active. Check latest conditions before heading east (Cappadocia is safe, eastern Anatolia less so).