Re: [guadec-list] Currency in Turkey

["Deniz Koçak" <deniz kocak gmail com>]

2008/5/15 Görkem Çetin <gorkem gorkemcetin com>:
> Calum Benson yazmış:
>> So, I know the New Turkish Lira (TRY) is the official currency in
>> Turkey, but I've also read varying reports about how widely the Euro
>> is accepted, and how much (or little) you get ripped off if you try to
>> use it.
>>
>> What's the best advice for people coming to GUADEC from the Euro
>> zone?  Change our Euro to TRY before we leave, change it when we get
>> there, or just use Euro (where possible) when we get there...?
>>
>
> Dear Calum,
>
> In southern parts, especially in touristic places, Euro is almost "the"
> currency. On the other hand, since Istanbul is a cross-cultural place,
> chances are you better go with Lira option.
>
> What I'd suggest to newcomers is the following:
>
> 1. Upon you arrive at the airport, exchange some money (i.e 100 Euros)
> for your daily expenses until you reach hotel. This covers your costs
> until nighttime, including the expenses like the restaurant/pub/cafe
> /sightseeing the first day. This is because there's a service fee of 3%
> at the airport exchange office.
>
> 2. As you travel downtown, find an exchange office and convert, say, max
> 50 Euros for your daily expenses. This is roughly equivalent to 100
> Lira, which, I believe, you cannot easily spend the whole day.
>
> Please ask your hotel whether they accept Euros or not in any case -
> however I believe that all hotels in Istanbul should accept Euros.
>
> 1 Euro is about 2 Liras - the currency is waving around 1.93 and 1.98.
>

You can look at exchange rates here
http://www.tcmb.gov.tr/kurlar/today.html. This the central banks web
site and the rates accross the exchange offices/banks are similar to
that. Moreover you can find so many exchange office in istanbul.