Türkiye – broad history and mass tourism today

Since the founding of the republic in 1923 as the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has been secular and Kemalist in orientation. The country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, initiated a modernization of Turkey through social and legal reforms modelled on various European nation states.

The current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been at the helm of the country since 2003. Since around 2012, he has led the country in an increasingly authoritarian manner. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press in particular are considered to be severely restricted. The currency and debt crisis triggered by its economic policies as well as high inflation have continued since 2018, which makes Turkey quite attractive from a tourist perspective.

The culture of today's Turkey is a fusion of the ancient Turkish nomadic culture of Central Asia and Siberia, the Greco-Roman era, the culture in the Ottoman Empire with its Byzantine, Persian, Arabic, Caucasian, Armenian and Kurdish influences, as well as the strong European direction since the founding of the Republic Ataturk. The cultural centre of the country is the metropolis of Istanbul.

With the political changes, the content of Turkish literature also changed. Early representatives include Fakir Baykurt, Sabahattin Ali, Sait Faik Abasıyanık and Yaşar Kemal, who put ordinary people at the centre of their work. With the turn to describing living conditions, social and political criticism of the state is inevitable. The state reacts with censorship and political violence. Authors like Nâzım Hikmet, Yaşar Kemal and Aziz Nesin spend many years in Turkish prisons because of the persecution of their publications. Kemal therefore referred to the prison as a “school of Turkish literature”.

Turkish cuisine has also influenced Greek and the rest of the Balkan cuisine - including etymology. For example, tzaziki comes from the Turkish cacık, and Ćevapčići comes from kabapcik. Yogurt also comes from Turkish Yoğurt. Doner kebab is made from beef, veal or poultry. In Turkey, but also in other countries, the kebab is also served on a plate.

Car number plates of Türkiye - numbers mark origin

For the traveler initially unfamiliar are the license plates on motor homes and camper vehicles starting with numbers that meet us on the roads so far and increasingly in Western Europe which are reflecting the numbers of the provinces of Turkey.

Euro transfers to Turkey are showing a rapid decline

Since the time of the German economic miracle with a rapidly increasing number of Turkish guest workers in the 1960s and 1970s, the amounts of monthly transfers from Germany to Turkey to support the family members who remained there had also increased continuously.

The history of tolls or road user charges

Just a few days ago we pointed out the changed rules for using the few Turkish motorways that have been technically modernized from the KGS system (rechargeable card) to the HGS system and have therefore initially caused problems for some motorway users.

From Augsburg via Belgrade to Izmir and Antalya

During our last stay in Switzerland we had already considered using the car for the next return trip to Turkey, just to test the route and border crossings and perhaps also to refute one or the other prejudice of rip-offs during the tour and prices to explore for toll and diesel yourself.

Hints and Tips for Travellers to Turkey

Friendly behaviour is always treated with kindness. Show some respect to elderly people and learn some Turkish words and phrases. Women should dress suitably if they don't want too much publicity and harassment. 

Renting and Leasing of accomodation

Within the last 15 years the number of inhabitants of Turkey and its big cities has increased enormously. It is not just the foreign citizens who have settled over here who are responsible for that. Lots of Turkish people have moved to big cities as well. Because of the development here, they think that they will easily find jobs and earn their money.

Start-up capital in Turkish companies

Shares of the proceeds to which foreign investors are entitled from a complete or partial liquidation of a company that is subject to the Foreign Capital Promotion Act can be obtained through sale at a reasonable price.

Outside Facilities - open for everyone

Together with the increasing number of foreigners living over here in Turkey, the faces of the villages and towns are changing too. More and more attention is being paid to the planning and construction of modern traffic areas, to large, well-kept green areas and in general to the development of a modern infrastructure.

Festivals and Celebrations in Turkey

On this date in 1920, during the War of Independence, the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established in Ankara by Mustafa Kemal and laid down the foundations of a new independent state from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.

Embassy and Consulate - best address for information

British or Irish Citizens who are not staying in Turkey for more than three months need their passport for entry into Turkey. In addition, they will need to purchase a visa, currently costing £10 sterling. If you need more detailed information:

World Wide Known Tradition - Hookah - turkish nargile!

With great relish Ahmed is leaning back and blowing a thick cloud of white smoke into the air. After a gulp of tea and a few words with his neighbour he turns back to his hookah. With the help of a pair of small tongs he puts several pieces of coal into the correct position on the wooden head of the hookah.