First trip to Turkey next month, mostly Istanbul and the Aegean coast. Can I rely on my contactless card, or should I carry Turkish lira?
Cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities: restaurants, supermarkets, museums and most shops. Contactless is very common.
Keep some cash for small things: tips, public toilets, street food, small village shops and some dolmuş minibuses.
Always choose to pay in Turkish lira when the card machine asks. If you pick your home currency, the shop's exchange rate is usually worse than your bank's.
ATMs are easy to find. The ones belonging to the big banks tend to charge lower fees than the stand-alone machines in tourist areas, so it's worth walking a few minutes.
In bazaars, paying cash can help when you're agreeing a price, but it's not required.
Log in or create a free account to answer. It takes a few seconds.