I am going to Turkey next week. I would like to know if credit cards are widely accepted, or should I rely on bring more traveler checks with me? Thanks

Depends on where you want to use your credit card. Hotels-yes but for local restaurants and shops I would rely on cash. I don't care for the hassle of travelers checks and just prefer using the ATM to get cash when needed.

ATMs are everywhere which is my preferred method of getting cash. I only used my credit card for hotels, you can probably also use them at nicer restaurants and shops. Food is quite cheap there, we ate for under $10 most nights so I thought it was better to have access to cash. Also at the Grand Bazaar for buying trinkets and souvenirs, it was better to have cash.<BR><BR>The only place we used travelers checks was at a pottery store and we could have used them to pay our guide in Cappadocia but that was confirmed before I left home.

Regarding credit card use, definitely rely on cash for smaller towns and shops. We often find places that say they take credit cards, but either resist (because of the fee they are charged) or up the price to cover the fee or the technology is just not as reliable and the card transaction doesn't work or in small towns they have to actually take your card to the next shop since they are sharing the machine.<BR><BR>A word on exchanging forgeign currency into Turkish Lira - always check your bills before leaving for Turkey and replace any that have rips, writting, tape, etc on them. I can't believe the number of times a major bank in Turkey has refused to exchange a slightly damaged bill - they are afraid of tkaing on the risk of not being able to change it themselves (now that is Cnd funds - so they may be more willing to accept all U.S. bills).<BR><BR>We always take our ATM card now and withdraw as we need it. Always make sure you are not taking out from your VISA credit card!

Forget the travelers checks. Use the ATM and US Dollars. We spent twenty days in Turkey and found that everyplace took American Dollars. Had no real problems with VISA except a lot of places don't want to go thru the hassle and % loss on the transaction. ATMs were plentyful and easy to use.

We relied on ATMs and used credit card for big purchases (eg: carpets). Take also US$ as with some merchants, bargaining was done in US$ and they seemed happier to accept US$. Whether this is norm, I don't know, it was just the impression I got with some merchants wanting to know in what currency I will be paying before lowering the price. <BR><BR>Oh, and the best time to use ATMs in turkey is in the morning. They tend to run out of cash during the later part of the day. <BR><BR>I don't think I would rely on credit card as a lot of business is done with the guy ont he side of the street. <BR><BR>

we just came back from turkey three weeks ago. don't take travel cheques especially canadian ones. we hard a very hard time to exchange them and the commission was around $12. credit card are ok but also not accepted as much. ATM are good there was a thread about it earlier should check that out. something about having trouble accession savings avounts. also US moeny is easier to exchange then Canadian.