Things to pack for Turkey can be a tad bit tricky for first time travelers owing to the ever changing climate. However, I am right here to assist you in your Turkish adventure.
Afterall, I have spent a good amount of time traveling across the length and breadth of this very beautiful nation. So let me help you pack.
21 Mandatory Things to Pack for Turkey
No matter what season you’re planning a visit in, here is a complete list of essential things to pack for Turkey –
1.
A Credible Hand Sanitizer for Maintaining Hygience
Cleanliness and hygiene is an absolute must in the Turkish region. And so, make sure you carry a clinically approved hand sanitizer.
Use it as often as you can in public places.
2.
Turkish Coins for Using Public Washrooms
Turkey as a country mostly has Squat washrooms. You will be using them at some point in time during your trip.
Therefore, carry Turkish coins of denomination 1 because these toilets are not free to use. Most public toilets charge you a Lira.
3.
Cool Reversible Outfits to Save the Extra Luggage Space
The one thing you need in Turkey is to stay light luggage wise. Therefore, pack reversible clothes as much as possible.
These include tees, skirts, jackets and even dresses.
Wearing a reversible dress in the streets of Istanbul felt liberating
4.
Non Plastic Water Bottle for Keeping yourself Hydrated
As Responsible Travellers, we must always leave places exactly the same as they were when we first arrived there.
Therefore, carry an environmentally friendly water bottle. It’ll help the ecosystem of Turkey and keep you hydrated during your vacation.
5.
Fun Colourful Swimwear for Antalya, Bodrum & Istanbul
Turkey has some really stunning beaches in cities like Istanbul, Antalya and Bodrum. Do not forget to add a swimsuit to your packing list for Turkey.
I was overjoyed with my visit to Buyukada Islands, where I swam in the amazing beaches at Buyukada Island.
6.
A Comfortable Backpack or Handbag for Day Trips
Your packing list for Turkey will be incomplete without a comfortable, easy to carry backpack or a handbag. By the way, try placing your backpack in front and not back. Your handbag can be tilted on the side towards the front.
Based on a suggestion of a close friend, I carried an anti theft bag with me at all times. It saved me a lot of vacation hassle.
I carried this black bag throughout my day trips across Turkey
7.
A Classy but Affordable Hat to Save your Skin in Summers
Your packing list for Turkey must include a hat or a cap at all times. Reason being, it can get really sunny in Turkey at times. Carrying a hat will always protect your face from getting a bad tan in Turkey.
It will also protect your skin from harmful radiation of ultra violet rays. Mind you, Turkey gets hot in summers. So be pack a good quality hat, or even a cap.
8.
A Pair of Enjoyable Shoes Especially for Istanbul & Cappadocia
Your list of things to pack for Turkey should have a pair of comfortable shoes. This holds true especially if you’re visiting a place like Istanbul. The bazaars in Istanbul are so huge that you are sure to tire your feet halfway down exploring them.
It is also advisable to include some flats in your packing list for Turkey. For traveling to a place like Cappadocia, carry hiking shoes. I invested in a pair of anti-skid shoes. So can you.
9.
Good Quality Toilet Paper to Save yourself the Trouble
This may sound weird but it is essential to carry your own toilet paper rolls. Public toilets in Turkey do not have western commodes. Hence no toilet papers are available there.
You should look out for your body safety while using washrooms whether you are a man or a woman. So pack lots of Toilet paper.
10.
Travel Journal to Document your Turkish Experience
Turkey is a gorgeous country with varied landscapes. And so, you absolutely must record your experiences in the form of a vacation travelogue.
Trust me, you will cherish it later.
Trust me, you will cherish your Turkish holiday memories by capturing them in a travel journal
11.
A Medium Size Towel for Turkish Hammams
Carry your own cotton towel in case you feel like dipping the amusing Turkish Baths, natively known as Hammams. You will end up paying double the price at Hammam if you forget to pack your towel.
Make sure the towel you carry is good in its absorption capacity.
12.
A Handy Camera for Capturing Varied Turkish Landscapes
The things needed for Turkey definitely include a good camera. Turkey has a lot to offer when it comes to photography. It has some of the most beautiful places that can’t be left uncaptured.
Turkey has really unusual landscapes and unique destinations that are truly perfect for photography lovers. I used my One Plus mobile camera for most pictures, and they turned out really well.
13.
A Fully Functional Adapter in Case of Emergencies
Make sure that you add an adapter for Turkey to charge your devices in your list of things to pack for Turkey. The power sockets in Turkey have 2 pins.
So decide accordingly.
14.
Sunscreen with SPF more than 50 to Prevent a Sunburn
Summers are pretty hot in Turkey. Therefore, you must be carrying sunscreen in your handbag at all times. Else you will end up with sunburns.
Keep the 50+ SPF sunscreen lotion in your daily backpack or handbag and reapply every few hours.
In places like Eskisehir, Cappadocia and Istanbul, keep applying suncream frequently
15.
A Small Foldable Umbrella for a Monsoon Visit
If you’re deciding to vacation in Turkey during monsoons, pack a foldable umbrella. It will help you stick with your itinerary without disruption.
A small umbrella will do. Don’t carry a heavy one.
16.
A Light Jacket for the Fall Season
A lot of travelers visit Turkey in and around the Fall season. Now that is the time when the chilly weather has just set in and so carrying a jacket with you will be an asset.
The market is full of high utility jackets for both men and women. So make sure it becomes a part of your assortment of things to pack for Turkey.
17.
Bare Makeup Essentials for Women
Be it your cold cream, moisturiser, mascara, kohal or anything that you love to put on yourself, keep your make up essentials bare.
What I am implying here is to ditch that make up bag. Not needed. Just add this stuff to a small corner of your bag.
Pack bare make up essentials like I did. Ditch the pouch!
18.
A Shower Cap to Keep Your Hair Dry Before Your Day Trips
Adding a nice shower cap to your Turkey packing list can prove to be a boon. After all you don’t need your hair drenched and soaked in pictures while you’re traveling around.
A shower cap will help you get ready quickly because your head will be protected during bath time.
19.
Sunglasses for Strolling Through Bazaars of Istanbul
The markets of Istanbul, better known as Bazaars are a haven for shopholics. In fact, while going for the top buying things in Istanbul, wear sunglasses because it tends to heat up during noon.
I am not talking about peak summers but scorching noons in general.
20.
A Scarf to Cover your Head
Scarf is one of the necessary things to pack for Turkey, especially if you are a woman. You will be required to cover your head while entering any mosque in Turkey.
Not abiding by certain rules while entering the mosque might land you in trouble. Hence, it is better to carry a scarf than to buy one at exorbitant prices from the shops outside the mosque area.
21.
Travel Insurance Documents for a Safe Trip
Last but not the least, please pack your Travel Insurance documents for Turkey. Since 2016, it is mandatory for travelers to buy Insurance before visiting places around Turkey.
I know it sounds like a drag but trust me, it is super important for your trip.
Essential Things to Pack for Turkey During Summers
Summer season generally lasts in Turkey between May to mid August. It tends to get really hot. But it ideally is the best time to go swimming at the beaches in Buyukada Island, Antalya and Bodrum. Pack the following essentials –
- Sunscreen
- Hat or Cap
- 4 pairs of cotton socks
- Backpack
- Comfortable shoes or flats
- 4 T-shirts (men)
- A pair of sunglasses
- 2 shorts (men & women)
- A dress and a jumpsuit (women)
- Scarf
- 3-4 tops (women)
- 2 pairs of jeans (men and women)
- Shopping bag
- Flip flops
- A light jacket
- Innerwear
- An extra pair of innerwear (for the Turkish bath)
- Swimsuit and Sarong (for women) swimming shorts (for men)
My summer essentials for short trips in Turkey
Essential Things to Pack for Turkey During Winters
Packing list for Turkey during winters will definitely be bulkier than in any other season. The winter months for Turkey are December, January and February. Pack the following essentials –
- A wind sheeter
- A winter coat
- A raincoat
- A small foldable umbrella
- 2 pairs of Jeans (men and women)
- 4-5 full-sleeved shirts (men and women)
- Boots
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Backpack
- 2 sweaters
- 4 pairs of socks
- 2-3 skirts paired with thick stockings (women)
- Mufflers
- Thermals
- Innerwear
- An extra pair of innerwear (for the Turkish bath)
Enjoy winters in Turkey by keeping warm like I did
Essential Things to Pack for Turkey During Spring & Autumn
In spring (April – May) and autumn (September- November), Turkey has pleasant weather. The packing list for these months will be somewhere between summer and winter. Add the following to your packing list –
- A wind sheeter
- A light jacket
- A raincoat
- 2 pairs of Jeans (men and women)
- Scarf
- Backpack
- A sweater
- 4 pairs of socks
- Innerwear
- An extra pair of innerwear (for the Turkish bath)
- Hat or Cap
- A pair of sunglasses
- Backpack
- Comfortable shoes or flats
- 4 T-shirts (men)
- 2 shorts (men & women)
- A dress and a jumpsuit (women)
- 3-4 tops (women)
- Shopping bag
- Flip flops
- Swimsuit and Sarong (for women) swimming shorts (for men)
This is me buying Iranian saffron for my mom in Istanbul during Fall season
What Should Women Travelers Pack for Turkey?
The packing list for females visiting Turkey depends on which region you are planning to travel to.
Places like Istanbul, Buyukada Island, Antalya, Bodrum and Marmaris have a more Europeanized approach when it comes to dressing.
You can feel that the dress code for women here is generally more relaxed than in other regions in Turkey like Bursa and Konya.
If you are a woman travelling to Turkey during the peak season between May to October, you can consider packing shorts, dresses, tank tops, jumpsuits and crop tops. It will certainly not be a problem.
By the way, I’ve written a detailed piece on what to wear in Turkey. So if you’re looking for a dress code to follow in Turkey, my blog will prove useful.
Here is a hand’s down packing list for females visiting Turkey.
- 2 dresses
- A pair of flats
- Scarf
- Sport shoes
- A jumpsuit
- A skirt
- 3-4 T-shirts
- A hat
- 4 pairs of socks
- Swimsuit and sarong
- Sunscreen
- A pair of sunglasses
- Two pairs of jeans
- A pair of shorts
- Innerwear
- An extra pair of innerwear (for the Turkish bath)
Short dresses make a perfect outfit for beaches at Turkey
I hope that you have a wonderful experience in Turkey. If you have any questions regarding the packing list for Turkey, feel free to drop them down in the comment section. I will try to answer them as soon as possible.
Happy wayfaring!!