USEFUL INFORMATION ON FETHIYE & TURKEY
Health & Insurance
Fethiye is fortunate in the field of sanitary services. There are two State Hospitals with a capacity of 200 beds. In addition there are 12 village clinics located in the centre of the town and communities. Besides these there are private hospitals such as Letoon Hospital and Lokman Hekim Esnaf Hospital, Likya Health Services, all possessing adequate technical equipment and capacity.
Private institutions have contracts drawn up with insurance firms abroad whereby they fulfil the legal formalities in connection with services rendered to patients within the scope of the their insurance policies.
Chemists
Most chemist shops 'Eczane' in Turkish have English speakers with good knowledge of European equivalent drugs and reference books. If you are going abroad always take a note or extra prescription of any important drugs you take at home, in case you need to replenish away from home. Chemists are closed at weekends but they will write a SIGN in their door or window to tell you the nearest chemist address and temporary opening hours as they operate on a week-end rota basis.
Mobile Phone (GSM): At present there are 3 Mobile Telephone networks in Turkey. You can obtain a pre-paid line from any of these for cheaper calls especially within Turkey, also benefiting from GPRS and WAP facilities. For a prepaid line, it is enough to submit your identity card or your passport. If you dont have a prepaid line you can buy telephone 'kontor' cards to top up credits to your mobile telephone.
Food & Beverages
All kinds of vegetables and fruit are grown in the fertile soil of Fethiye and therefore you can find all the delectable dishes of the Turkish cuisine. There are numerous restaurants in the centre of the town and in Ölüdeniz, Çalış and Göcek, serving sea food, kebab, spit kebab, hors d’oeuvres, pastries and vegetarian menus. If you wish to have a different lunch or dinner, you can cook your own meat on a brazier, while enjoying the outstanding panorama of Kaya Köyü, feast on trouts at Yakapark and around Saklıkent, buy your fish or meat from the market place and have it cooked at the small restaurants, or have a taste of the pancakes, filled with herbs typical to the region.
For entertainment during the night, you will find bars with a different atmosphere in Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü, Çaliş, Göcek, Paspatur and around the Marina. If you wish to go to these later, you can sit at one of the cafes along the seashore and sip your Turkish coffee while watching the fishermen repairing their nets.
Market Place & Shopping
Bazaars
The covered market place at the centre of the town, renovated recently while preserving its traditional architectural features, is one of the most interesting and colourful spots of Fethiye. The covered market place has two sections, with shops in the first section and open stands in the second section. All kinds of herbs, herbal teas, medicinal plants, fresh fruit and vegetables are sold here. In the second section is also known as the fish market. You can buy fish and meat from fishermen’s stands, butchers and sellers of dairy products.
While shopping at the Covered Bazaar, you can stop for a meal at the small restaurants in the Fish Market. There you can buy your fish from the Fish Market and the restaurants will cook it for you at a reasonable price, serving it with salad and other foods. The Covered Bazaar is open every day of the week.
The traditional open markets in Fethiye are set up in town on Tuesdays and Fridays and at Günlükbaşi on Sundays. You can shop at smaller open markets which are set up in other districts on various days of the week. At these markets, villagers offer their own fresh fruit, vegetables and other greenery, and dairy products such as milk, yoghurt and cheese for sale. Another feature of the bazaars on Tuesdays and Sundays is that there are stands for textiles. At these stands you can get various clothes, locally woven cloths and handcrafts. For shopping at the market places, payment in cash is preferred rather than the use of credit cards.
Paspatur
Paspatur, known as the Old City, is one of the most colourful shopping and entertainment centre of the town. There are 7 entrances two of which are on the main streets. It displays an extraordinary panorama for those camera-addicts with its restaurants, old buildings under protection, streets, bath, mosque, cafeterias on the sidewalks and bars. Paspatur means “water channel -trench”, named after the irrigation system built for the town in the past. A popular belief about Paspatur is that “those who take a drink of the waters of Paspatur, will come to Fethiye again...”
At the Paspatur Market, shops are open until very late at night, selling all kinds of goods ranging from traditional handcrafts to souvenirs. Some shops are open also during the winter months.
Festivals & Public Holidays
National and religious holidays in Turkey are the periods when schools, some bureau, banks and government offices are closed. The religious holidays are observed by traditional rules. Care is taken to display attitudes strengthening the friendship and peace among the people, contributing to mutual respect and love. There are 2 religious holidays in Turkey: Ramadan and Sacrificial Bayram.
Ramadan Bayram: On the basis of the Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated every year 10 days before the date of the previous year at the end of the fasting month, Ramazan, for 3 days. It is also called Şeker (Sugar) Bayram. The main traditional feature of this period is sweets and holiday.
Kurban Bayram: It is celebrated 2 months and 10 days after Şeker Bayramı. The main traditional feature of 4 days period is sacrificing the animals and holiday.
23 April - National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
19 May - Ataturk’s Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day
30 August - Victory Day
29 October - Republic Day
Sports Activities
There is a football stadium and a covered sports hall in Fethiye. The Fethiyespor football team is in the 3rd League of Turkey. The basketball and volleyball teams are playing in the amateur league of Mugla.
The Rowing and Sailing Club of the Fethiye Municipality, though very recently established, is already successful in national contests. The Port of Fethiye is very suitable for rowing. With the endeavours of the Fethiye Municipality, many national and international Rowing Contests have been organized here.
The paragliding activity at Babadağ has in recent years become an international festival where famous sportsmen all over the world are participating. Work is under way to have this as a traditional festival.
Work Permits
A foreigner wanting to work in Turkey is obliged to submit the required documents (photocopy of the passport, photocopy of his diploma, marriage certificate of people married to a Turkish citizen-all duly certified by the Public Notary). The work permit is granted independently from the visa. In the case of application by the company, intending to employ the foreigner, to the Under secretariat of Treasury and Foreign Trade of the Prime Ministry of the Turkish Republic (an approval or rejection is furnished in latest two weeks), the foreigner is obliged to obtain a work visa from the Turkish Consulate in his own country in order to be able to work in Turkey. Once this visa is obtained, he is expected to approach the security authorities where he resides to inform them of his work permit and obtain his residence permit on the basis of his work permit.
Marriage
Recently Turkey has become the most sought-out destination for organised weddings abroad. And as many couples are finding out, it’s also the most romantic and convenient place to choose an exotic setting for their special day. Since it’s only a short flight from Europe and the UK, its easy for wedding guests to fly out to join the couple if they wish. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkey has a rich culture and a history of tolerance towards those of different religions.
Electricity
The voltage of the electricity used in Turkey is 220 volts. The sockets have two pins and it is feasible to have adaptors for the outlets. The organization which furnishes the electricity to the city in Fethiye is TEDAŞ. You can settle the electricity bills of your home and bureau either directly at TEDAŞ or through branches of the banks.
Water
With the exception of some metropols, the water flowing from the fountains in Turkey can be used for drinking. However, in as much as the high mineral content in the water may not be to your taste, you may prefer to buy bottled water on sale at the markets and grocery stores. Bottled water is sold in plastic bottles of 0.5, 1, 1,5 and 5 litres. The water supply to the city is provided by the Fethiye Municipality and by municipalities in other districts. The bills for the water supplied to your home and bureau can be settled directly at the cashier’s office at the municipality.
Laundry & Dry Cleaning
Your laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing can be handled by the laundry and dry-cleaning shops in the centre of Fethiye. You leave your items generally for one day and get them back washed, cleaned and ironed.
Hair Dresser
In Fethiye there are separate hair dressers for men and women. In all areas it is possible to see a barbershop or a hair dresser in almost every corner. For men to go for a haircut or a beard-trim is almost like participating in a traditional ceremony. To chat with your barber on subjects ranging from sports to politics, to partake the coffee or tea proffered, and to have your head, shoulders and arms massaged after the shave are all an enjoyable part of this ceremony.
The hair dressers are equipped almost like a beauty saloon. From having a haircut to manicure and pedicure, all your needs are taken care of on a “woman to woman” basis in comfortable surroundings with masterful and creative hands.
Films & photos
At the studios located at the centre of the town and in tourist regions, are equipped with up to date technology, you can have your coloured and black-and-white photos and dias developed. In these shops and other markets you can get whatever type of films you are looking for.
Office Hours
Government offices like the Governor’s office and the Municipality have office hours at 08.30-12.00 and 13.30-17.00. Private enterprises and banks have their own office hours which are parallel to government offices. The Police Force, the Gendarmerie, the Fire Department and Hospitals, where emergency calls are made, work for 24 hours every day of the week.
V.A.T.
The application of V.A.T. shows some variations in the Turkish tax system. In fundamental foodstuffs like bread, this tax is 1% while in fundamental consumer goods and service sector it is 18%. In luxurious consumer goods the ratio is 24%. On the basis of Tax Legislations, all goods for sale are subject to V.A.T. You are expected to get an invoice or a cash receipt for all your purchases.
CURRENCY REGULATIONS
Monetary: The unit currency is the Turkish Lira, or “YTL”
Coins are ; 1, 5, 10, 25 Kurus (100 Kurus = 1 YTL), 1.- YTL, and the banknotes are ; 1.-, 5.-, 10.-,20.-,50.-,100.- YTL
The exchange rates for foreign currencies are published daily.
Changing Money or Travellers Cheques: You will always need your passport when you change Traveller’s Cheques in Turkey and you may need it when you change cash as well. We recommend you change your money at reputable Exchange Rate Bureau (Dovis in Turkish) or Post Offices (P.T.T).
Post Offices will take a commission charge in Turkish Lira for foreign cash exchange, but not always for Traveller’s Cheques. Euro cheques are readily accepted by banks and also many shops. Banks will charge a fee for exchanging cash or Travellers Cheques.
Credit & Cash Cards: Big hotels and more expensive shops will accept your credit card. Car rental agencies certainly will. Make sure in advance because not all establishments accept all cards. If you have American Express, Visa, Master Card, Access and Euro card, you are probably equipped for any establishment that take cards. We recommend if you are planning a large purchase when in Turkey and will do so by credit card, you notify your card provider before departure so your transaction will be easily approved in electronic system (as they can be stopped due to their internal 'security procedures'.)
Exchange Receipts: Save your currency exchange receipts. You may need them to change Turkish Lira’s back at the end of your holiday and to show to the custom you purchased valuables such as jewellery or souvenirs.
Banks: Banks are open Monday to Fridays 0930 to 1630 and usually are closed for lunch breaks.
