When in Turkey, euro or lira?
Jun 8th, 2010, 02:19 PM
#1
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When in Turkey, euro or lira?
Hey! We will be in Turkey at the end of June and have noticed that all of our hotels and airport transfers, etc. have been quoted in Euros. Do the ATM's dispense both euros and liras? Will we need lira for museums, restaurants, and shopping? Thanks!
Jun 8th, 2010, 02:33 PM
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ATMs only dispered lira (I was there in 2007
All hotels were in lira, except for one high end Sheraton in Antalya that quoted us in $.
While driving down to Antalya from Cappadocia, wew bought some fruit from a roadside vendor. I had run out of liras and only had euros, which he took. Otherwise, never used euros.
OC, who lives here, will be the best source. With financial ups and downs, maybe the euro is more accepted there now
All hotels were in lira, except for one high end Sheraton in Antalya that quoted us in $.
While driving down to Antalya from Cappadocia, wew bought some fruit from a roadside vendor. I had run out of liras and only had euros, which he took. Otherwise, never used euros.
OC, who lives here, will be the best source. With financial ups and downs, maybe the euro is more accepted there now
Jun 8th, 2010, 02:59 PM
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We were in Kusadasi last spring and the ATM there dispensed YTL's (turkish lira), euros AND dollars! I wanted to get YTL's but mistakenly got dollars. My impression was many places took E's or YTL's but for some things, like tokens for public transportation, you did need the turkish lira. I'm prone to paying in local currency, I figure any time a business converts the monies for you, the exchange rate is not in MY favor.
Jun 8th, 2010, 03:16 PM
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I only saw ATMs dispensing lire, which of course is what I would use in Turkey.
I think the reason some places quote prices in € or $ is not because they want you to pay in € or $, it's because so many people are unfamiliar with the value of Turkish lire, but they can relate to the € or $. I did not encounter any place in Turkey where the € was preferred or accepted for a decent exchange rate.
PS I asked this same question last year when I was planning my Romania trip. Romania does not use the € but whenever I looked up prices, they always quoted the € price. I think the reasoning is the same. They generally don't accept € but most people know the value so that's what they use.
I think the reason some places quote prices in € or $ is not because they want you to pay in € or $, it's because so many people are unfamiliar with the value of Turkish lire, but they can relate to the € or $. I did not encounter any place in Turkey where the € was preferred or accepted for a decent exchange rate.
PS I asked this same question last year when I was planning my Romania trip. Romania does not use the € but whenever I looked up prices, they always quoted the € price. I think the reasoning is the same. They generally don't accept € but most people know the value so that's what they use.
Jun 9th, 2010, 02:41 AM
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One thing to keep in mind is that you may need to purchase a visa once you land in Turkey. The airport that we landed in near Istanbul quoted prices for the visa in lira, euro, and stirling, with the lira price being substantially cheaper if you were lucky enough to have exchanged some currency in advance. Other than that, lira was definitely the mode of currency in Istanbul; hotels quote euro to help make it easier for tourists to assess cost.
Jun 9th, 2010, 03:47 AM
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Lizzia06, I don't know where you landed but in Istanbul there is an ATM right by the line to buy your visa so exchanging in advance is not necessary. However on another thread we were told you must pay in US$, at least that's the case for US citizens. I will try to find that thread later and provide a link.
To the OP, if you are American make sure you have $20 for each person's visa, and correct change is always helpful.
To the OP, if you are American make sure you have $20 for each person's visa, and correct change is always helpful.
Jun 9th, 2010, 06:02 AM
#7
Some clarification:
Visa fees are in USD for Americans, British Pounds for the British and in Euros for Europeans. I am not sure but Australians, New Zealander and Canadians may have to use USDs also.
All you have to do is to google it or also check on Trip Advisor.
- The YTL is now defunct. Those of you who have a sizeable amount left can change at Ziraat Bankasi (the agricultural Bank) or keep them as souvenirs. This goes for both coins and paper.
- The hotels make annual deals with travel agents in Euros or USDs, thus fixing their prices in either or both of those currencies, in order to make it easier on the incoming travelers, as was stated by previous posters.
When you pay, your credit card slip will probably show Turkish Liras at the current exchange rate even if the price was quoted in another currency.
- The exchange rates in the free market change every 15 or 30 minutes. There is a Currency market street like a tiny auction house where a strange crowd mills about shouting prices and amounts in their own jargon, within the Grand Bazaar near the silver dealers area.
The margin between buying and selling rates close to this section and further towards the Golden Horn is miniscule and the FX shops there are the best places to wxchange into or out of TL.
- Check sites like, www.doviz.com for FX and Gold and Silver prices before going shopping in the Grand Bazaar.
Visa fees are in USD for Americans, British Pounds for the British and in Euros for Europeans. I am not sure but Australians, New Zealander and Canadians may have to use USDs also.
All you have to do is to google it or also check on Trip Advisor.
- The YTL is now defunct. Those of you who have a sizeable amount left can change at Ziraat Bankasi (the agricultural Bank) or keep them as souvenirs. This goes for both coins and paper.
- The hotels make annual deals with travel agents in Euros or USDs, thus fixing their prices in either or both of those currencies, in order to make it easier on the incoming travelers, as was stated by previous posters.
When you pay, your credit card slip will probably show Turkish Liras at the current exchange rate even if the price was quoted in another currency.
- The exchange rates in the free market change every 15 or 30 minutes. There is a Currency market street like a tiny auction house where a strange crowd mills about shouting prices and amounts in their own jargon, within the Grand Bazaar near the silver dealers area.
The margin between buying and selling rates close to this section and further towards the Golden Horn is miniscule and the FX shops there are the best places to wxchange into or out of TL.
- Check sites like, www.doviz.com for FX and Gold and Silver prices before going shopping in the Grand Bazaar.
Jun 9th, 2010, 07:03 AM
#10
Michel_Paris, hi!
The YTL meaning yeni Turk Lirasi, or, in English, New Turkish Lira, was a bridging currency between the previous TL and the current one which has six zeros removed.
So, what used to be 1,000,000TL becam YTL 1 and then after 2-3 years TL 1.
Lizziea60, yes, the price of visas for different nationalities are listed in different currencies. But, the currency you pay for your visa depends on your nationality. It is a easy to perceive the meaning of what you see especially if the visa price list was posted on the wall by the local authorities.
The YTL meaning yeni Turk Lirasi, or, in English, New Turkish Lira, was a bridging currency between the previous TL and the current one which has six zeros removed.
So, what used to be 1,000,000TL becam YTL 1 and then after 2-3 years TL 1.
Lizziea60, yes, the price of visas for different nationalities are listed in different currencies. But, the currency you pay for your visa depends on your nationality. It is a easy to perceive the meaning of what you see especially if the visa price list was posted on the wall by the local authorities.
Jun 9th, 2010, 07:30 AM
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Thank you for all of your replies. One clarification though: If all of our hotel prices are quoted in euro and we are paying cash, they will be expecting the price equivalent in lira, right? We have no need to be carrying euros around.
Jun 9th, 2010, 07:41 AM
#14
You can pay in TL cash or by card. Either way, the quoted price should be concerted to TL at the publishe Central Bank rate of that day and not the free market rate which fluctuates during the day.
Do not pay any attention to the FX rates posted on the wall behind the hotel reception. Ask them for a daily newspaper and check that they use the published rate. These rates are usually on page 3,5 7, or 9 on a table which usually says "Merkez Bankasi Doviz Kurlari"
Currently the Euro rate is about 1.93TL
Do not pay any attention to the FX rates posted on the wall behind the hotel reception. Ask them for a daily newspaper and check that they use the published rate. These rates are usually on page 3,5 7, or 9 on a table which usually says "Merkez Bankasi Doviz Kurlari"
Currently the Euro rate is about 1.93TL
Jun 9th, 2010, 08:59 AM
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Thank you lizzie. I did get lire from the ATM right by the visa line but there was no mention of paying for my visa in lire. If they had suggested that I would have done it, but of course that's my fault for not asking the Fodorites first.
Jun 9th, 2010, 11:17 AM
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"Thank you for all of your replies. One clarification though: If all of our hotel prices are quoted in euro and we are paying cash, they will be expecting the price equivalent in lira, right? We have no need to be carrying euros around."
That's correct.
That's correct.
Jun 9th, 2010, 11:21 AM
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"That's actually not true - I'm a UK resident traveling on my American passport. I paid lira "
Was it equal to $20 US? Most Americans will be coming from the U.S. and have the $20 needed for the visa. I don't recall seeing an ATM in Ataturk airport before the visa window.
Was it equal to $20 US? Most Americans will be coming from the U.S. and have the $20 needed for the visa. I don't recall seeing an ATM in Ataturk airport before the visa window.
Jun 10th, 2010, 02:05 AM
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Luisah - the point of posting that above was to say that it wasn't equal...the lira price was much cheaper than paying in $ or euro. It's seriously not enough to worry about...the point is, just have some cash on you in case there isn't an ATM between you and the visa desk.
