Now is your chance to experience every aspect of Turkey to the fullest. Take this opportunity to travel to Turkey and read what you will be expecting when you get there! Here's our travel guide for first-time visitors.

What are you waiting for? Time to explore the magical world of Istanbul, Turkey.

All passengers who are not fully vaccinated entering Turkey from the some countries must present a negative PCR test result.

It should be done within the last 72 hours prior to the arrival of their inbound flight to Turkey or an antigen test results within 48 hours prior to the arrival of their inbound flight.

All passengers aged six and over travelling to Turkey will have to complete a Turkey Entry form.

The form must be filled in at least 72 hours before travel.

Upon submission of the form, a Hayat Eve Sığar (HES) code is automatically generated, which will allow the Turkish authorities to contact travellers who come into direct contact with a COVID-19 positive during their flight or during their trip in the country.

All travellers staying in Turkey must obtain a transport ticket and a HES code for any of the public transport (bus, metro, ferry, tram, etc.) during your stay in Turkey.

All tickets for Istanbul Kart (the city of Istanbul) must strictly be for individuals only. Travellers can activate the HES code on the Istanbul Kart using this link: https://kisisellestirme.istanbulkart.istanbul/

For intercity transport (planes, buses, sea shuttles, etc.), a reservation, a transport ticket, and a HES code are required.

*The online form which automatically generates a HES code before travelling to Turkey can be found here: https://register.health.gov.tr/

In Istanbul and on the Aegean and Mediterranean coast, the best seasons are in spring and autumn.

The climate is milder, and there are fewer tourists. The weather is pleasant, with comfortable temperatures averaging around 15°C.

Other things to know:

Those planning to enter Turkey via Ankara will need to arrive in Ankara Esenboğa Airport, while those entering via Istanbul will need to get in through Ataturk International Airport (Istanbul).

Airlines that operate on these routes and provides flights to Istanbul are Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines (to Ankara), while All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Philippines Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.

One local cuisine that travellers should sample is Durum. It’s one of the most popular types of Turkish street food and can be found pretty much anywhere.

It is enjoyed by both tourists and locals alike and is a great way for budget travellers to keep their finances in check but at the same time enjoy authentic Turkish food.

Another local cuisine to try is Kofte, which is an important dish in Turkish cuisine.

Kofte refers to a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes popular in Central Asia, India, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

You can find almost 300 varieties of kofte in Turkey, some of the most well-known being:

Sweet-toothed travellers should make it a point to try these delightful delicacies:

Salep flour is made from orchid tubers containing a nutritious, starchy polysaccharide called glucomannan and is the perfect beverage to try.

Dusted with cinnamon and enjoyed as a dessert beverage, the salep drink is sweet and intensely rich with a unique, somewhat floral flavour.

It is a great beverage for winter as it is best served piping hot.

The famous Blue Mosque (or Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is an Ottoman-era masterpiece and functioning place of worship in Istanbul.

The mosque's upper levels are also painted blue, with lots of natural light and more than 200 stained-glass windows.

The interior's entire spatial and colour effect makes the mosque one of the finest achievements of Ottoman architecture.

The Aya Sofya has remained one of Istanbul's most cherished iconic landmarks. It is one of the world’s greatest architectural works and is regarded as the 8th wonder of the world.

Must-know:

The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) is the largest and Istanbul’s most unusual tourist attraction.

It is considered one of the city's most impressive and mystical buildings.

The two Medusa Heads, which are used as supports under the two columns at the northwest edge of the cistern, take the most interest and attracts the visitors.

Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets.

It consists of 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops selling everything from the finest silky shawls and scarves in traditional patterns to traditional items, from antiques, lamps, carpets, jewellery, leather goods, ceramics, and souvenirs.

Topkapi Palace is one of the largest palace-museums in the world with its buildings, architecture, collections and approximately 300,000 archive documents.

Of the many highlights here, the most popular are the following:

Explore these wonderful places to visit in Istanbul. Get flight deals on Traveloka now!