Money

It's always advisable to bring money in a variety of forms on a vacation: a mix of cash, credit cards, and traveler's checks. You should also exchange enough petty cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping, and transportation to your hotel; you can easily withdraw money upon arrival at an airport ATM located in the arrivals terminal.

Making the handling of Turkish money even easier, on January 1, 2005, the Turkish Central Bank lopped six zeros off a currency that saw phenomenal inflation in the past decade or so. But those were the old days. With a national economic growth rate rivaling that of China's, Turkey's economy is stronger than it's ever been. Meanwhile, those millionaire banknotes of yesteryear have been replaced with the New Turkish Lira (yeni turk lirasi, or YTL). Banknotes come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100YTL, while coins, called the New Kurus, come in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 kurus pieces. There is also a 1YTL coin. As of this writing, 1YTL cost about 40p, while the U.S. dollar had plummeted from 1.35YTL (where it hovered for the previous two editions of this guide) to 1.25YTL. Prices quoted in this guide are based on these rates of exchange. Both conversions appear in this book, but because there is no consistency to which currency prices are quoted in Turkey (£, YTL, euro, $), the currency in which the original fees were quoted appear first in the listings, followed by the conversion into £ and/or $ (1€=$1.45 or 71p). In cases where conversions don't add up, it's because prices were quoted in multiple currencies at the time of research. Oh, and I also round off (to the nickel/5 pence for amounts under 10 and by the dollar or pound for amounts over 10).

Until about 2 years ago, local prices were frequently quoted in U.S. dollars. But the weakness in the dollar has prompted a shift to the euro, which has resulted, for Americans at least, in a remarkable loss of value. Hotel rooms previously costing $80 per night now cost 80€, or $116, with no commensurate upgrade in services. Note: Where applicable, the dollar or pound is exchanged to the euro in this guide based on a rate of $1.45=1€ and £1=1.40€.

Although I have tried to be as accurate as possible in quoting prices in this guide, please be aware that there are a number of things working against me. Obviously, the fluctuation of exchange rates plays an enormous role. But equally capricious is the erratic nature of on-the-spot price quotes and market demand. Recent shocks in petroleum prices have also resulted in titanic increases in the cost of transportation in Turkey. Finally, don't be surprised if prices change in the time between when I research and write this book and when you read it -- the time lag, given that this is a biennial guide -- could be up to 2 years.

ATMs

For years, the easiest way to get money away from home was to head to the friendly neighborhood ATM. Unfortunately, a recent innovation by U.S.-based banks has been to charge a commission of up to 5% on withdrawals in addition to the per-transaction fee of $3. On principle, I'll probably just carry around cash, but for those of you willing to succumb to endless, creative bank fees, all cities and major tourist destinations in Turkey have bank machines on the Cirrus (tel. 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com) and PLUS (tel. 800/843-7587; www.visa.com) networks.

Among the most reliable of the local banks are Akbank, Türk Is Bankasi, Garanti Bankasi, Yapi Kredi Bankasi, and Ziraat Bankasi. Ask whether you need a new personal identification number (PIN), as most ATMs in Turkey accept numbered passwords only, and some limit their input to four digits. Also, be aware that the ATMs are often fickle or empty, so always carry around alternatives in the form of cash or traveler's checks for emergencies.

Credit Cards & Debit Cards

Private bank accounts are not the only method where banks have been creative with mining additional fees. Purchases on credit card accounts are now also subject to a percentage fee, usually around 5%. In an annoying twist, these very same credit cards offer some of the more competitive exchange rates. It's up to you to do the math, though. Nevertheless, it's highly recommended that you travel with at least one major credit card. You must have a credit card to rent a car, and hotels and airlines usually require a credit card imprint as a deposit against expenses. Debit cards are also a commonly acceptable form of payment in most establishments.

Traveler's Checks

In Turkey, as in many other European countries, local merchants are loath to accept traveler's checks, as banks charge large fees to cash them out. Banks tend to charge high commissions or hide the commission in higher rates, as do the exchange offices around town. Hotels are most amenable to exchanging your traveler's checks, but hotel exchange rates are notoriously unfavorable. The post office will probably be your best bet for exchanging them for cash.

You can buy traveler's checks at most banks. Most are offered in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500, and sometimes $1,000. Generally, you'll pay a service charge ranging from 1% to 4%.

The most popular traveler's checks are offered by American Express (tel. 800/807-6233, 800/221-7282 for cardholders; this number accepts collect calls, offers service in several foreign languages, and exempts Amex gold and platinum cardholders from the 1% fee); Visa (tel. 800/732-1322; AAA members can obtain Visa checks for a $9.95 fee -- for checks up to $1,500 -- at most AAA offices or by calling tel. 866/339-3378), and MasterCard (tel. 800/223-9920).

Be sure to keep a copy of the traveler's checks serial numbers separate from your checks in the event that they are stolen or lost. You'll get a refund faster if you know the numbers.

Another option is the new prepaid traveler's check cards, reloadable cards that work much like debit cards but aren't linked to your checking account. The American Express Travelers Cheque Card, for example, requires a minimum deposit ($300), sets a maximum balance ($2,750), and has a one-time issuance fee of $14.95. You can withdraw money from an ATM ($2.50 per transaction, not including bank fees), and the funds can be purchased in dollars, euros, or pounds. If you lose the card, your available funds will be refunded within 24 hours.