© All rights reserved
İstanbul is a city unlike any other – where two continents unite as one. Within this vibrant metropolis, its 15 million citizens thrive in their work and daily lives. The facades of buildings and homes line and rise up from both shores of the Bosphorus Strait, where the waters of the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea merge.
Churches, synagogues, and mosques are still found, co-existing peacefully side-by-side, in its historic old city center. The new part of downtown features high-rise office buildings, luxury hotels, well-appointed restaurants and bars, and fashionable shopping districts. Beneath İstanbul’s breathtaking skyline of domes and minarets, a constant buzz of activities ensues – crowds bustling, vehicles rumbling along cobbled streets, and the lively calls of street sellers blending with sounds of ships in the busy port. İstanbul is a living museum, the treasury of a great past, yet it retains incredible vitality and remains as an important artistic and cultural center. However long you stay, even if it's for just a few days, your time in this memorable city will be filled with admiration.
Istanbul is truly delightful!
The official language is Turkish but most touristic establishments are multilingual, with English, French and German spoken widely..
Most businesses are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Banks are open weekdays From 8:30 a.m. to noon, and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Bank branches located in major hotels offer additional hours.
The official currency is Turkish Lira. Exchange rates are published daily by the Republic of Türkiye Central Bank. But in this metropole, foreign currencies (Euro, Dollar, Pound, etc.) are widely used and accepted in many shops and hotels of the city.
Apart from this, credit cards (Mastercard, VISA, American Express, Diners Club) can be used..
The actual standard time zone in Türkiye is UTC/GMT +3 hours.
All provinces in Türkiye are within the same time zone therefore the clock in Türkiye is always the same throughout the country.
The coastal areas of Türkiye bordering the Mediterranean Sea have a temperate climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet and cold winters. The Marmara region tends to have milder summers. The Central Anatolian plateau of the interior of Türkiye has a continental climate with sharply contrasting seasons.
Türkiye is in the EU trade zone and EU customs regulations are applied. All exhibition and marketing materials are temporarily imported for the duration of the Congress.
Visitors are required to hold a valid passport to enter Türkiye. Visa requirements may change according to the country so visitors should check the validity of their passport and visa requirements before their travel. Detailed information on visa procedures is available on the Consular lnfo page of the Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The electrical supply in Türkiye is 220 V/50 Hz. Major hotels provide adapters and converters for guests.
Shopping is a great adventure in Türkiye, particularly when visiting the bazaars in the various cities. The best buys are leather and suede, copper, brassware, tiles, porcelain, jewellery, embroidery, ceramics and the famous Turkish carpets and kilims. Remember to bargain, as that is part of the enjoyment.