A little more prepared for Turkey.
Pack for the region and season: Istanbul’s waterfront needs wind and rain layers, while inland Ankara has colder winters, hotter summer afternoons and exposed citadel walks.
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Ankara
The inland capital has cold winters, sometimes with snow and ice, and hot, comparatively dry summers. May and September often suit city walks; spring showers and cool evenings still call for layers.
Open city guide
Istanbul
April–May and September–October usually suit walking better than midsummer heat. Winters are cool and frequently wet; waterfront wind makes layers useful in every season.
Open city guideBefore you zip the bag
City walks and ferry decks
- Bring grippy shoes for steep lanes and wet paving.
- Keep an extra layer for breezy ferry crossings, even after a warm afternoon.
- For Ankara, add winter insulation or summer sun protection according to the forecast.
Mosque visits
- Pack shoulder- and knee-covering clothes and a headscarf where required.
- Follow prayer-time visitor restrictions and current entrance signs.
- Currency
- Turkish lira (TRY)
- Plug types
- C / F · 230 VCheck your adapter →
- Emergency number
- 112
Türkiye — emergency services · World Standards — Turkey electricity · Türkiye migration authority — entry
Stay connected
Mobile data for your trip. Check what your current plan includes for roaming. If you need another option for maps, messages and booking details, compare NXTL eSIM coverage and rates. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, and check coverage for every stop. Download important maps and confirmations for offline use too.
Useful reads for Turkey
Anıtkabir: Lion Road, courtyard and museum
Allow space for the approach, the memorial architecture and the museum at Anıtkabir. This is a place to move calmly, with a plan that respects security, ceremonies and the weather.
Ankara Citadel: Hisar Kapısı, old houses and city views
Follow a compact walk through the citadel neighbourhood, with a museum or seated lunch as a natural companion. The lanes are as rewarding as the panorama, especially when the weather makes high edges unappealing.
Ankara Ethnography Museum: woodwork, textiles and everyday life
Take a focused look at carved wood, woven textiles and the objects of daily life in Ankara’s Ethnography Museum. It offers a different kind of history from the archaeological collections by the citadel.
Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum: an art-focused visit
Give Ankara’s Painting and Sculpture Museum a visit of its own, with time for the building as well as the galleries. Pair it with nearby craft collections only if you still want more after a break.
A first weekend in Ankara: citadel lanes and Anıtkabir
Spend one day around the citadel and another with the capital’s memorial and museums. Keep the climbs, meal breaks and indoor alternatives realistic rather than crossing Ankara repeatedly.
A first weekend in Istanbul: the old city and the water
Give the monuments one day and the waterfront another. This two-day outline leaves time for meals, queues and the ferry home.
Galata to Karaköy: tower views, lanes and baklava
Start on the hill and finish beside the piers, with an optional museum visit and a proper sweet stop rather than a race between viewpoints.
Süleymaniye: a hilltop mosque and Golden Horn views
Make the climb for Sinan’s spacious mosque, its courtyard and the relationship between the hill and the water below.
Sultanahmet: mosque details and a cistern below the square
Use the square to orient yourself, visit the mosques respectfully and choose a cistern visit without overfilling the day.
Üsküdar by ferry: a meal and the Salacak shore
Cross for a waterfront walk and a cooked lunch, with Maiden’s Tower as a shore-view anchor rather than a compulsory boat excursion.