Good to know: customs, etiquette and everyday life in Turkey

Hospitality and tea, family and faith, gestures and small everyday rules: knowing a few customs helps you feel at home in Turkey much sooner. Our team has been guiding visitors through the country since 1989 – here we explain what you will come across on your trip.

Being a guest in Turkey

What makes a good gift?

• Invited to someone's home? Flowers, sweets from a patisserie or a small gift from your home country are always welcome. What fits – and what to avoid.
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Food and drink: tea as a ceremony

• Breakfast with cheese, olives and tea, soup before the main course, tea fresh from the double teapot: why food in Turkey means hospitality – and how to behave at the table.
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Family and relatives

• Family matters a great deal in Turkey – and almost every relative has a word of their own: abla, ağabey, teyze, amca. Here's how to tell who is who.
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Communication and etiquette

Body language

• Head tilted back, eyebrows raised, a soft "tsk": that means "no". The key gestures that help you get by without speaking Turkish.
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Customs and traditions

• Traditions around mourning and funerals, and other customs that accompany life – and how to respond respectfully as a guest.
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No-gos in Turkey

• What can get you into trouble on holiday, or even lead to a penalty – from insulting state symbols to taking antiquities out of the country. The key rules at a glance.
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Faith, festivals and traditions

Religion – Islam

• The call to prayer, visiting mosques and Ramadan – including the drummer who walks the streets before dawn. What you should know and how to behave in a mosque.
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New Year's Eve

• New Year's Eve is celebrated in style in Turkey – with family dinners, fireworks and curious good-luck customs such as red underwear at midnight.
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Farewell to military service

• Honking convoys with flags, drums and zurna at the bus station? Most likely a young man is being seen off to military service. The story behind this custom.
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Practical tips for your trip

Toilets: alafranga and alaturka

• Besides Western-style toilets (alafranga), many places still have squat toilets (alaturka) with a water tap. How to cope with ease – and why a pack of tissues never hurts.
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Smoking

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• Smoking is banned in enclosed public spaces, on public transport and inside restaurants and cafés. Where smoking is allowed – and what non-smokers can expect.
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