While it is mandatory to buy travel insurance for Turkey, travel insurance is a wise choice nonetheless as it benefits you in situations such as; flight delays, loss of passport, baggage loss, medical emergencies, adventure sports, political unrest, and other such mishaps.

So, don’t blindly buy the cheapest travel insurance because it’s a mandate but, look at the kind of situations it covers, the process ease and how easy it is to make claims. In our case, travel insurance for Turkey can be bought online within minutes and. everything from making claims to documentation is online, paperless and hassle-free.

Yes, since 2016, the Turkish Consulate has made it compulsory for anyone applying for a Turkish tourist visa to include valid Turkish travel insurance as part of their documentation process. Without travel insurance for Turkey, the consulate may not approve your visa.

A $50,000 Turkey Travel insurance plan from India for 4 days - 1 adult is starting from ₹395 (Excluding GST).

Obtaining a visa for Indians travelling to Turkey is actually pretty simple and quick! Additionally, if you already have a valid U.S.A, UK, Ireland, or Schengen visa, then you can get your visa within minutes!

Indian citizens do need a visa to enter Turkey. Indians who hold diplomatic passports are exempt from visas for travel to Turkey for up to 90 days. Besides, Indian citizens who hold ordinary, special, and service passports are required to have a visa to enter Turkey.

Starting April 15, 2024, Indian citizens travelling to Mexico, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela, transiting via Istanbul Airport in Turkey, must obtain an electronic Airport Transit Visa.

• Receive Compensation for Lost/Stolen Baggage - In case of baggage delay or loss of baggage in transit, you will receive a flat compensation against it.
• Avail Coverage for Re-Issuance of Passport - In case you lose your passport, or it is stolen, expenses related to the re-issuance of the same would be covered under Digit’s international travel insurance policy.
• Bounced Bookings - Bounced booking might occur when your accommodation or common carrier is overbooked, resulting in you losing your spot! This can happen primarily during the holiday season or during a particular event or festival, where there are chances for an upsurge in bookings to a particular.
• Common Carrier Delay - If your flight or any other common carrier is delayed from the scheduled departure time due to reasons mentioned in your policy, you get paid.
• Financial Emergency Cash - If you fall prey to pickpockets on a trip, this will cover you for the amount of travel funds lost.

Disclaimer: Your policy is subject to the terms and conditions mentioned in your policy schedule and the policy wording. It is important that you thoroughly review these documents before making any decisions.

While you compare travel quotes from different travel insurance for Turkey, make sure you are aware of the following:

• The medical benefits available and the limit of the Sum Insured for each.
• Terms of claims. The terms can often be tricky and very rare, meaning that despite the benefit, you’ll never really be able to claim it.
• The claims process involves checking the company’s previous claim records. After all, that’s the whole point of insurance, right!

Turkey is famous for its intricate architecture, appetizing kebabs and knives, exquisite museums, and an array of stories behind it all.

Rich in history, culture, and the ideal fusion of the East and the West, Turkey has been a popular tourist destination in recent years. Due to its proximity to most countries and its cuisine and warm black Turkish tea, among other reasons, Turkey is such a delightful travel experience.

The best time to visit Turkey is between April, May, September, and October. The country perfectly combines European and oriental elements and boasts intricate architecture, breathtaking scenery, and fascinating history.

Although safe, sometimes Turkey has been unfortunately faced with terrorist attacks. While in Turkey, stay updated about the news, speak to locals, and be aware and we’re sure you’ll be just fine.

• Avoid talking about controversial subjects such as the Armenian genocide, Kurdish separatism, or issues with Cyprus. The Turks can be quite emotional about them all.
• If you’re visiting one of the many mosques, make sure you are dressed appropriately for the same (even if you’re not- it's okay. Usually, mosques provide the needful for tourists).
• Finally, in case of any emergency- it's wise to keep the local police number handy, i.e., 1155.

If you’re visiting Istanbul, you will most likely experience at least one scam. However, to make things easier for you, we've compiled a list of tourist scams in Turkey to be aware of and avoid!

• Overcharging cab drivers - Always be persistent about using the meter before you even start your trip. Another option could be using cab apps like Uber or Careem. This way, you won't get into arguments or pay anything extra!
• Be aware of the Cobbler scam - The Cobbler scam is most likely found around Taksim Square in Istanbul. How it works is that a poor man will start polishing your shoe or offer to, after which they'll ask for a hefty amount.
• Carpet scam - Of course, Turkey is famous for its carpets made of soft wool, superior cotton, and fine silk, and many tourists want to take one back home. Again, make sure you have at least 50% of the initial offer, and second, make sure it's originally Turkish.

Where the East meets the West

Intricate architecture. Appetizing kebabs and kanafehs. Exquisite museums and an array of stories behind it all.

Rich in history, culture and the ideal fusion of the East meeting the West, Turkey has been a popular tourist destination in the past few years, owing to its proximity to most countries and of course, its cuisine and warm black Turkish tea, among other reasons that makes Turkey such a delightful travel experience.

Check: Best Time to Visit Turkey

Top things to do in Turkey

• Explore the mesmerising city of Istanbul - Get lost in the only transcontinental city of Eurasia. With the exuberant history, art and culture the city boasts of, you can never have enough of Istanbul. From the many brilliant museums and monuments, beautiful mosques, the buzzing bazars, the iconic Taksim square, and the charming cruise along the Bosporus, it’s the one city that meddles in both tradition and modernity beautifully 🙂  
• Step into a real life fairy-tale at the Princess Islands - Step out of the hustle bustle of the city and take a boat on a day trip to the Princess Islands. A chain of nine small islands in the Sea of Marmara, visiting them is an experience of a lifetime. With absolutely no cars, the islands are home to horse drawn carriages and bicycles so you can relish a day of quietness and serenity. Almost feels like being drawn into a classic storybook, doesn’t it?
• Take a ferry ride to Bursa! - Explore the lesser touristy city of Bursa. Although slightly conservative, Bursa was the first major capital of the Ottoman state and includes many points of historic interest. Only an hour away from Istanbul, it is also home to ancient bazaars, weekly markets and the popular mountain town of Uludağ. 
• Try your hand at Skiing in Uludağ - Take the gondola up from Bursa to the little mountain town of Uludag. With a host of ski resorts available, you can sign up for ski lessons and try your hand at this thrilling adventure sport 🙂  
• Take a magical balloon ride up in Cappadocia - You’ve probably already seen all those dreamlike photographs famous all over Instagram. People from all over the world travel to Turkey’s Cappadocia to experience the magical hot air balloon ride over this astonishing town – which is nothing like you’ve seen before! Owing to volcanic eruptions some thousand years ago, Cappadocia is known for its fairy chimneys and cone shaped rock formations spread all over the arid region- something you don’t want to miss! 
• Inspire your soul at Konya - Home to Rumi’s grave, Konya is one of the oldest and largest cities in Turkey. Popular for its whirling dervishes, mystic ceremonies, Rumi’s museum and other significant archaeological sites; it is the one powerhouse of philosophy, history and of course, poetry 🙂  
• Party in Antalya - Famous for its hiking trails, turquoise blue waters, Roman and Greek archaeological sites, astounding mountains and of course the famous parties! Flanked with beautiful beach resorts, hotels, hiking trails and lots of street food, Antalya should be on every adrenaline junkie’s itinerary!  
• Eat & Shop till you drop - Whether it’s the Grand Bazaar or an array of street shops, Istanbul is perhaps every shopper’s paradise. From intricate ceramic plates, rich prayer mats, diverse tea ranges, handwoven carpets and everything else you possibly need to doll up your home-you can spend an entire day shopping at the bazaars, followed by some mouth-watering kebabs and Turkish delights!  
• Swim & Heal in the White Miracle Town - You know there’s probably something about the place, when two million tourists travel there every year. Located in the city of Denizli, Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its spectacular and artistic expression of nature as you can find carbonate minerals left through flowing water. Known for its many healing properties, the same is collected in terraces along the vast mountainside, creating milky pools of water below. 
• Take the road less travelled - If you have a good two weeks in hand, take the country by road and explore the many popular and unpopular destinations- all of which represent a culture and story of their own. The only thing you need to make sure is, to have a valid International Driving License and, whether your travel insurance covers your rental car or not. Fortunately, we at Digit would cover car damages and medical emergencies under our travel insurance. So, don’t get fooled into buying another one (apart from the liability insurance) in Turkey!

Check: Airports in Turkey

Check: List of Cities in Turkey

Turkey Visa for Indian Citizens

Obtaining a visa for Indians traveling to Turkey is actually pretty simple and quick! Additionally, if you already have a valid U.S.A, UK, Ireland or Schengen visa, then you can get your visa within minutes! 

• Download the visa application and fill in all your details 
• Attach the required photograph on your form (2.5 inches x 2.5 inches, with white background) 
• Compile supporting documents such as hotel bookings, flight tickets, travel insurance, bank statements, etc among others (as per the checklist given while filling in the form) 
• Submit your form, along with your valid passport at the VFS with the required fees of INR 4270 
• Collect or get your passport couriered back within few days (typically within a week or two) 

Indians with a USA, UK, Ireland or Schengen visa:

• Log in online to https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
• Apply for the Turkey Visa by filling in the form and uploading the required documents 
• Make the required payment of 20$ (INR 1,391)  
• Download e-visa, sent to your email within 48 hours (although there are expedited options too)

Safety Tips & Precautions for Indians

• Although safe, sometimes Turkey has been unfortunately faced with terrorist attacks. While in Turkey, stay updated about the news, speak to locals and be aware and we’re sure you’ll be just fine. 🙂
• Avoid talking about controversial subjects such as the Armenian genocide, Kurdish separatism, or issues with Cyprus. The Turks can be quite emotional about them all. 
• If you’re visiting one of the many mosques, make sure you are dressed appropriately for the same (even if you’re not- it's okay. Usually, mosques provide the needful for tourists).

Finally, in case of any emergency- it's wise to keep the local police number handy i.e. 1155

Famous Scams in Turkey

If you’re visiting Istanbul, you’re most likely to experience at least one scam here. However, to make things easier for you- we've put down a list of the most famous ones to be aware and stay away from! 

• Be wary of overcharging cab drivers. Always be persistent about using the meter before you even start your trip. Another option could also be using cab apps like Uber or Careem (Popular Middle East Car Services). This way you won’t get into arguments or pay anything extra!  
  
• Be aware of the cobbler scam, most likely found around Taksim Square in Istanbul. How it works is, a poor man will start polishing your shoe or offer to and after which, they’ll ask for a hefty amount. The best thing to do is, ignore and walk forward. Don’t worry, your shoes can get a quick fix later too 🙂 
  
• Don’t fall for anyone that asks, “Would you like a drink my friend?” a very famous scam around Istanbul, where a man will start talking to you and amidst the conversation ask for a drink. Politely decline or make up an excuse. 90% of times, what they’re really going for is to lure you into a bar and scam you into paying a huge amount (yes, they might just disappear when its time to pay!) or, you’re likely to get you robbed. Either ways, stay safe and don’t fall for such offers, especially when you’re not traveling in a group! 
  
• While shopping, the rule is to always bargain! Much like the street shopping in Indian markets, Turkish merchants too are going to quote an extremely high price (especially if they know you’re a tourist!). The best way to deal with this is, quote at least 50% less than what they ask for and then come to a final middle-ground. Another tip would probably be, don’t ask for prices until you’re really sure you want to buy something.  
  

The carpet scam! Of course, Turkey is famous for it and a lot of tourists want to take one back home. Again, make sure you at least go down 50% from the initial offer and second, make sure its original Turkish and not a Chinese rip off (some shops in Istanbul apparently do sell fake ones!).

The only way to find out is look around, research and only then make a wise choice (cause damn, even after the bargain- carpets can be expensive!)

Check: Tourist Scams in Turkey

Indian Embassy in Turkey

In case of loss of passport or any other emergency, it’s handy to have the number of Indian Embassy in Turkey, located in Ankara and Istanbul, they can be reached on +903124382195 and +902122962131 respectively.