If you want to feel like a local, here are some useful tips about where to go and what to do! One of the great spots to watch the sunset in the city is a restaurant & bar called "NuPera". Especially, in summer the view is superb from its terrace overlooking to the silhouette of Old Istanbul. What could be more romantic and magical then having a glass of champagne with the view of the old city. Or "360" a trendy restaurant with its hip crowd enjoying the full panorama of Istanbul from the rooftop. Do not forget to stroll around Ortakoy District where the young Turks make their way to the traditional coffee houses as they walk by a Synagogue, a Greek Orthodox Church and a Mosque. Istanbul offers a lot more for shoppers besides the traditional shopping experience in the Bazaar. New and trendy shopping malls are popping up like mushrooms all over the city. Among them "Kanyon" and "Akmerkez" are ideal for shopaholics! Of course, last but not least is "Nisantasi District". If there is one area of Istanbul that you want to see trendy, high-end locals, members of the Turkish jet-set, world brand stores, small but high-quality fashion designer boutiques with chic cafes and restaurants Nisantasi is the place to be...

Turkey requires visa for citizens of the United States which can be obtained at the airport upon your entry. Make sure you get your visa before you line up to go to passport control. All you need is a valid passport and $20 in cash.

Even though, there is no dress code in the museums the visitors are expected to be properly dressed especially in a mosque. Proper attire would be long sleeve shirts and pants. In case you have not brought any pants thinking that it would be too hot in summer, not to worry! You will be provided with a temporary long skirt before entering the mosque. For popular mosques such as Blue Mosque or The Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent, ladies do not have to cover their heads with a head scarf.

Value-added tax (VAT) of 8 to 18 % is already added to everything that is purchased in Turkey, but you can get a refund at the airport or by mail. Some of the stores are able to offer tax free shopping.

Customary tipping at the restaurants for waiters is between 10% to 15%. The locals tip taxis drivers 10%. Gratuities for the guide and the driver are not included in tour prices.

If you know what you are looking for, the bazaars throughout Istanbul and Turkey are rich with great bargains. The best deals can be made on jewelry, carpets, and antiques, but always bring an expert along if you plan to buy something very expensive. Turkish handicrafts include a rich variety of textiles and embroideries, articles of copper, onyx, and tile, mother-of-pearl, inlaid hardwoods, leather and suede products, jewelry and, above all, carpets and kilims.

Summertime is hot, humid. Wintertime is not very cold - temperatures average 40°F - but it is damp, with an average 3.5" of rain per month. This leaves spring and fall, specifically April, May, and June, plus September and October, with a temperature range of 55 to 80°F.

Istanbul's Atatürk International Airport lies about 15 miles west of Sultanahmet. A taxi into town takes about half an hour. All the taxis are metered but sometimes they may try not to use it. There are shuttle buses into town from the airport.

Turkish food is a mixture of the culinary traditions of Central Asia with a heavy Mediterranean influence and a hint of Ottoman Empire tossed in for good measure. Tender young lamb is featured on all menus, often as shish kebab (pieces of meat threaded on a skewer and grilled) or doner kebab (pieces of lamb packed tightly around a revolving spit). Or try dolma, grape leaves stuffed with rice, nuts, and currants that are sweeter and more complex than the Greek variety. There are also a wide range of Turkish sweets and pastries, including the infamous Turkish delight, which is made from honey, roses, mint, pistachio, coconut bound by Arabic gum and designed to sweeten the breath after coffee which is like marshmallow. And your breath will need it, because the Turkish coffee is very strong but tasty, the sludge in the bottom will be used by the fortune teller to read your fortune so don’t drink that. The national drink is raki (anisette), known as "lion's milk," and it is aniseed liquor which digestive like pernod or ouzo. Turks drink black tea in tulip shaped glasses. They serve apple tea which tastes like apple ciders but that drink has become popular among tourists but locals don’t drink that much. Ayran is a cold drink that they like to drink which is basically yoghurt and water. They say it is like butter-milk but it tastes much better.

Republican Parliamentary Democracy

Male : 94.3 % Female : 78.7 % (2003 est)

Language : Turkish Capital city : Ankara Population : 73 million Area : 312,000 square miles Telephone calling code : 90 Electricity : 220 volt Local Currency : New Turkish Lira (YTL) As of May 1st 2007 : $1 = 1,35 YTL

January : 1, New Year's Day April : 23, National Sovereignty and Children's Day May : 19, Commemoration of Atatürk August : 30, Victory Day October : 29, Republic Day