Istanbul Guide

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Seyran Apartmanı, Mete Cad desi, Taksim; h 9.30am-6pm mid-Apr–Sep, 9am-5.30pm Oct–mid-Apr; m Taksim)

to retain daylight-saving (summer) time year-round. Turks use the 24-hour clock.

Nationals of the fol lowing countries (among others) needed to obtain an electronic visa (www. evisa.gov.tr) before their visit: Australia, Canada, China, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, UK and USA. These visas were valid for between 30 and 90 days and for either a single entry or multiple entry, depending on the nationality. Visa fees cost US$25 to US$70, depending on nationality. Indian nationals needed to ‘meet certain conditions’ before being granted an electronic visa. Your passport must have at least six months’ validity remaining, or you may not be admitted into Turkey. See the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www. mfa.gov.tr) for the latest information. Women Travellers Travelling in İstanbul as a female can be easy and en joyable, provided you follow some simple guidelines. Tailor your behaviour and your clothing to your sur rounds – outfits that are appropriate for neighbour hoods such as Beyoğlu and along the Bosphorus (skimpy tops, tight jeans etc) are not appropriate in conservative suburbs such as Üsküdar, for instance. It’s a good idea to sit in the back seat of a taxi rather than next to the driver. If approached by a Turkish man in circumstances that upset you, try saying Ayıp! (ah- yuhp ), which means ‘Shame on you!’ You’ll have no trouble finding sanitary napkins and condoms in pharmacies and supermarkets in İstanbul; tampons can be a bit difficult to access. Bring a shawl to cover your head when visit ing mosques.

Toilets Most public toilets are of the Western sit-down variety; those in mosques are excep tions and are mainly squat style. Toilets near transport hubs and stations and in and around major sights usually charge a fee of ₺1. There are handy public toi lets in the Grand Bazaar, on the Hippodrome in Sultanah met, and in the underpasses next to the ferry docks at Eminönü and Karaköy. The Ministry of Culture & Tourism (www.turizm.gov. tr) currently operates three tourist information offices or booths in the city and has booths at both international airports. In our experience, the Sirkeci office is the most helpful and the Sultanahmet office is the least helpful. Tourist Office – İstanbul Airport ( % 0212-891 6205; İstanbul Airport, Arnavutköy; h 9am-11pm) Tourist Office – Sabiha Gökçen International Airport ( % 0216-588 8794; h 8am-7pm) Tourist Office – Sirkeci Train Station (Map p238; % 0555 675 2674, 0212-511 5888; Sirkeci Gar, Ankara Caddesi, Sirkeci; h 9.30am-6pm mid Apr–Sep, 9am-5.30pm Oct– mid-Apr; j Sirkeci) Tourist Office – Sultanahmet (Map p240; % 0212-518 8754; Hippodrome, Sultanahmet; h 8.30am-6.30pm mid-Apr– Sep, 9am-5.30pm Oct–mid-Apr; j Sultanahmet) Tourist Office – Taksim (Map p244; % 0212-233 0592; www. kulturturizm.gov.tr; ground fl, Tourist Information

Travellers with Disabilities İstanbul can be challenging for mobility-impaired travel lers. Roads are potholed and footpaths are often crooked and cracked. Fortunately the city is attempting to rectify this. Government-run muse ums are free of charge for people with a disability. Pub lic and private museums and sights that have wheelchair access and accessible toilets include Topkapı Palace, the İstanbul Archaeology Museums, İstanbul Modern, the Pera Museum and the Rahmi M Koç Museum. The last three of these also have limited facilities to assist accessibility for vision impaired visitors. Airlines and most four- and five-star hotels have wheelchair access and at least one room set up for guests with a disability. All public transport is free, and the metro and trams can be accessed by people in wheelchairs. FHS Tourism and Event (www.accessibleturkey.org) is an İstanbul-based travel agency that has a dedicated department organising ac cessible travel packages and tours. Visas At the time of research, na tionals of the following coun tries (among others) could enter Turkey for up to three months with only a valid passport (no visa required): Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. Russians could enter for up to 60 days.

Directory A–Z  TOILETS