VISA:
US citizens and the citizens of UK need a visa to travel in Turkey. You may obtain this visa upon your arrival at the Istanbul airport. The fee is $100 for the Americans and  GBP  10 for the Britishin . The visa is valid for three months.

TRANSFER:
The group transfer is included in our price. However, if you are arriving on your own and need a transfer from the airport to the hotel We can arrange individual transfers at an extra cost of US$20 . Please let us know your arrival information.At the airport after you leave the customs area , look for a MELITOUR sign .

• If you plan to arrive a few days before the tour to get over jet lag we can reserve a room at Hotel Ayasofya Single US$50, Double US$70)
• We can suggest itineraries for those who want to explore on their own or with a guide before or after the tour. Simply send us an e-mail with your request.
• In case of unexpected delay or change of flight, should there be a problem in meeting the person who should be waiting for you at the airport please call Hotel Ayasofya at 0212-51694-46 or take a taxi to Hotel Ayasofya. Your taxi fare will be refunded.

• Hotel Ayasofya
  Kucuk Ayasofya Mahallesi
  Demirci Resit Sokak
  Sultan Ahmet Meydani Alti

• CLIMATE
• In April  Turkey is very pleasant. Cool evenings and warm and clear days.During the day layering is recommended. Mid day you might need to go down to only a T shirt.At night you might need a good heavy sweater especially at the high lands in the Toros Mountains
• WHAT TO WEAR
• Don’t forget your swimming suits. A scarf for mosque visits will be handy, also since we take our shoes when we enter the mosques and people's homes and easy slip on and off type of a shoe will be more comfortable. The women will need to wear a long skirt or long pants in the mosque .Through out the tour shorts are O.K.
• LAUNDRY
• You can have laundry done in all the hotels where we have more than one night stay. We generally arrange for a laundry for the group upon arrival to Cappadocia .
• MEALS
• Turkish food has enough variety to meet every one’s need. Vegetarian menus are available. If special diet food is required we can arrange for that easily.
• EXTRA EXPENSES
• Virtually everything on the tour is included except for your drinks. Your daily average expenditure while on the tour will be about US $20 a day per person (mostly for drinks and souvenirs), though your actual expenditure could be far lower. People on shoe string budgets have spent as a little as $100 during the entire tour, while others have spent thousands of dollars ( usually on carpets.)
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• PERSONAL CHECKS

• If you want to make a purchase over $100 you can pay with your traveler's checks . But cashing traveler's checks in a bank is expensive and not always easy. Do not rely on traveler's checks for cash.

• ATMs are available. US$ currency can be used through out the country. If you need to change US$ to Turkish Lira, .you can do it at the airport very easily. The rates almost all the same. Personal Checks are honored if you should do a big purchase and are treated like cash.

• CREDIT CARDS

• Yes you can use your credit card in many places in Turkey but please remind your bank or credit card organization that you are going to be in Turkey for a while. Because for some reason the banks or credit card companies block the card when they see purchase is made in Turkey

• SHOPPING INFORMATION

• This tour is quite hectic. So you will have very little time for shopping. But amazingly people find enough time to shop .One of my groups had shopped so much in the seconds that we had time for shopping we had a garage sale at the end of the tour.
• If you are interested in buying kilims and or carpets make sure you have your dimentions and colors with you. Very few leave Turkey with out a Kilim or a Carpet on these tours
• KILIM, CARPET, TOWELS, FELT
  However, the Turkish Carpets are so inviting it is very difficult to resist the temptation. If you already have the bug for the Turkish,Kurdish and Central Asian KILIMS you will find your self in heaven. If you have not yet developed a taste ,this might be the place to get aquatinted with that incurable bug.
• PESTEMAL
  In the Turkish Bath, the pestamal is used like a wrap around the body. We will be able to buy the pestemals off from a loom
• WOODWORK IMBEDDED WITH MOTHER OF PEARL
  Gaziantep is known for this craft which used to be favorite art/craft of the Ottoman Sultans. Mirrors,jewelery boxes, shelfs,chairs and many more tempting and carriable pieces hand made in Gaziantep are available in the souvenier shops.
• BRASS WORKS
  Very delicately carved trays, pots and shish kebab scewers and statuetts will be nice Christmas gifts.
• MINIATURE PAINTINGS
  Replicas of Ottoman paintings are favorite shopping theme for most of Melitour tour members. They are available only out side the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
• SILVER JEWELERY
  Authentic or replicas of old jewelery are available at few places along the tour. Especially the jeweler at Ephesus has excellent examples of old jewelry.
• TEXTILES
  Material with wood block prints, scarves with OYA,  lace, suzanis
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