Antalya is the most popular resort on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Here, all year round, even in winter, life is in full swing, and numerous tourists sometimes get trapped, because they do not know 8 things that it is better not to do in Antalya.
The main rules of conduct in Muslim Turkey, in general, are known to everyone: do not flirt with local girls, do not behave aggressively with men, do not provoke them with words or actions to be rude. Then the vacation will be easy and pleasant and will be remembered with nostalgia.
But there are still a number of rules, the violation of which can cost a lot of nerves, and sometimes money. Let's figure out how to behave in Antalya, what bans are there, and what experienced tourists recommend to those who come to this city for the first time. So, in Antalya it is better not to do the following things.
Use payment cards in unverified places
Bank cards in Turkey in general and in Antalya in particular, of course, can be used, but only in large shopping centers. In small shops and modest, family-run taverns, it is better to pay in cash.
If you still have to get the card, then in no case lose sight of it. For settlements in restaurants, ask to take out the terminal and carry out the banking operation yourself. This precaution is due to the fact that craftsmen in the resorts of Turkey masterly steal data from payment cards. Therefore, it may happen that your account will empty while you are still on vacation.
Buy sweets in packages
Agree that it is very convenient to take home tightly closed cardboard beautiful boxes with Turkish sweets - they will not wrinkle in your luggage, will not ruin your clothes, and they will go as a gift to your family and friends.
In fact, Turkish manufacturers, selling, for example, delight in packages, resort to several tricks:
- use the fact that the tourist does not see the contents of the box, and significantly reduce the amount of sweets in it;
- sell stale goods in packages that are no longer in demand in the market;
- they do not always write information about a product in a foreign language - more often on sale there are boxes only with Turkish inscriptions.
It is better to buy any Turkish sweets by weight at local markets. There you can always try the offered goodies before buying.
Rent a car in unverified locations
Some modern tourists are so used to not depending on public transport for their travels that renting a car for them has long been a familiar procedure. Naturally, there are rental offices in Antalya, but you shouldn't rush to get a car there.
Car rental in Turkish resorts will cost much more than in Europe. This is due to the expensive insurance and high cost of cars in this country.
You can find semi-legal offices that rent cars at divine prices, but their policy is aimed at receiving high fines for the slightest damage to the rented car.
Purchase excursions from random guides
The right to excursion activities in Turkey is issued by the Ministry of Tourism. Such licenses will definitely be available in major travel agencies operating in seaside resorts. However, tourists on the beaches and on the streets will also be caught by local guides who do not have such a permit, but they want and can earn money.
By agreeing to an excursion from such a guide, you run the risk of learning not very high-quality services - bad vehicles, a crumpled story about the sights, etc.
Go to hammams at cheap hotels
Many Turkish hotels offer their customers a range of additional services. The advantages of the hotel include the presence of its own hammam. However, if you choose to stay not an expensive five-star hotel, but some kind of private boarding house, then the hammam in it can become a place where it is easy to pick up a skin infection.
The steam rooms and pools in Turkish baths in low-grade hotels are unlikely to be sanitized frequently, and, unfortunately, no one is watching.
Travel to factories in search of a fur coat by taxi
All tourists who have come to Turkish resorts at least once were probably offered a shopping tour of the nearest factories where leather jackets or fur coats are produced. Usually travel agencies gather a group of people and take it by bus to production sites until each tourist chooses the right thing for himself.
Taxi drivers from Antalya provide similar services to vacationers. True, they will take you to those factories that will pay them separately for this. The production will not remain at a loss: they will add the amount of the commission paid to the taxi driver to your purchase.
Insult national symbols
We believe that it would never occur to you to disrespect the flag, coat of arms and national leaders of Turkey, in particular Ataturk. But some completely innocent actions on your part can also be considered offensive.
For example, many tourists like to be photographed against the background of the national flag of the country where they came to rest. For spectacular shots, some travelers can climb closer to the flag: make their way onto the open balconies of official buildings where flags are hung, unfold a flag swirling in the wind, or even remove it. And such an act can be regarded by the Turks as reprehensible.
Recently in Turkey, a young man received 15 years in prison for similar actions with the flag.
Leave your passport in your hotel room
A tourist arriving at a beach resort, going to a restaurant or shopping outside the hotel, usually leaves documents in the room. However, in Turkey it is recommended to carry your passport with you, because the police can come up to you at any time and ask you to show your identity card.
Such actions of the authorities are associated with an increased flow of immigrants who remain in the country illegally and may be potential terrorists. Therefore, checking documents both in cities such as Istanbul and at sea resorts is a common thing.
You can also carry your driver's license or hotel voucher with you.
If suddenly you are stopped by the police, and you cannot show them your passport or any other document proving that you are a simple tourist, then prepare for a trip to the police station, where they will establish your identity.
