As with any holiday destination, you can either choose to experience it in luxury or on a budget. While you will see a different side to the country if you’re travelling on a budget, you won’t necessarily lose anything: in fact, you could save a lot of money. While the English pound is worth more than the Turkish Lira, meaning the exchange rates will benefit you, it is still expensive to travel to and around any foreign country. We have compiled a few tips to help you visit Turkey on a budget without feeling as though you’re missing out on anything.
B&B
It can be easy to become determined to find the cheapest accommodation possible when travelling on a budget; however, this can be a false economy. Although a cheap hostel saves you money initially, remember what you’re losing by staying in budget accommodation. The cheapest hostels will simply offer you a bed, probably in a shared room, and shared bathroom facilities. You will also have to make sure you’ve remembered to bring your own toiletries, some of which are provided by more expensive accommodation, and you will have to provide your own breakfast. Although it may feel as though you are paying a lot for bed and breakfast accommodation, it will save you money on spontaneous breakfasts and snacking throughout the day.
Careful dining
If you are staying in breakfasted accommodation you can make the most of this and fill up at breakfast. If you eat enough at your accommodation in the morning you will only need a small lunch before your evening meal. Although it is easier to eat at a restaurant or cafe for lunch it can become expensive if you do it every day for one or two weeks. Instead, buy food from a supermarket or local shop which can be formed into a make-shift, lunch time picnic. While you are unlikely to have cooking facilities within your accommodation, unless you’re in self-catered apartment, you can patch together a few cheese sandwiches and a packet of crisps. While this may not be the most nutritious way to dine, it is one of the cheapest. As long as you don’t go to the touristiest restaurants, evening meals are relatively cheap and huge portions are usually served, in the typical Turkish fashion, so make sure you eat something filling and nutritious after a long day of sightseeing or sun bathing.
Rail and road
While domestic flights may be the quickest way to travel to, from and around the country, it is not the cheapest way to get around. If you are staying in the bigger towns and cities it is easy enough to travel around and see the sights by local bus. However, if you’re travelling across the country or to, say, Bulgaria or Georgia, the train is your best bet. The trains are reliable and cheaper to use than aeroplanes. It will take longer to reach your destination by train than by plane but, on the bright side, you will get to see much more of the country whilst you’re travelling.
