What to wear on tours in Turkey

[Rosieo]

I was told that women should wear long skirts and men should wear long pants when touring Turkey. Is this true? Would we not wear shorts of it is hot?

[Boo's Mom]

I was told that women should wear long skirts and men should wear long pants when touring Turkey. Is this true? Would we not wear shorts of it is hot?

 

We toured Turkey last summer.

 

Capris are fine for women.

Shorts for men.

 

Just be a little more conservative than normal.

There are tourists everywhere and they are in shorts and t-shirts, etc....

 

If you go into a mosque the people working at the mosque will give the women something to cover up with. ie: around your waist if you are wearing shorts. Around your shoulders if you are sleeveless or short sleeved.

 

Enjoy Turkey.

It is amazing and BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

[bobalink]

I was told that women should wear long skirts and men should wear long pants when touring Turkey. Is this true? Would we not wear shorts of it is hot?

 

I have been to Turkey twice. Once for a 10-day land trip and once on a cruise. You will see every kind of dress!

 

I think you can choose your wardrobe depending on where you plan to visit. If you are visiting Ephesus, it is perfectly fine to wear shorts. It was extremely hot this past summer.

 

We wore capris and "broom" skirts for the entire trip. When we visited the mosques in Istanbul we had to remove our shoes, and in one of them, cover our heads with a scarf.

 

You may find this website helpful in planning your trip to Turkey:

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/WhenToGo/WhatToWear.html

 

This photo shows you the variety of clothing worn at Ephesus:

 

Ephesus by BobalinkToo, on Flickr

 

This is an example of a "broom" skirt. Very cool and always appropriate for visiting religious sites:

 

skirt by BobalinkToo, on Flickr

 

Enjoy your visit to Turkey. It is fascinating, the people are wonderful and the food is delicious!

[Keith1010]

I was told that women should wear long skirts and men should wear long pants when touring Turkey. Is this true? Would we not wear shorts of it is hot?

 

If you plan to visit the Mosques then you need to cover shoulders and arms and knees.

 

Other than that shorts are fine and you don't have to cover arms, etc.

 

Keith

[Rosieo]

Thanks for the replies. Just the answers I was looking for!

[TLCOhio]

YES! It can be warm there and it is important to focus on "comfort", not putting on a "fashion show" to impress a few people's narrow, personal taste. You will see it "ALL" in such busy tourist and resort place in and around Istanbul, Ephesus, etc. Also, make sure your shoes are solid, comfortable and SAFE!! The pavement conditions in many of these older areas can be challenging. This includes downhill at Ephesus. People will be looking up to see the spectacular sights and not be watching where they are walking, the slick stones, etc. Be careful!!

 

Below are a few of my visuals to get you excited about the greatness there in Istanbul, Ephesus, etc. These pictures also give you a sampling on the wide range of dress. At the famed Blue Mosque, they have items available to cover your shoulders, etc., if needed.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 84,772 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Looking downhill towards the library and other ruins from when Ephesus, along the Turkish Coast, was Rome's capital of Asia Minor. The history here is real and totally amazing!:

 

 

 

At Ephesus along the Turkish Coast, here is the famed outdoor theater that hosted Saint Paul preaching, plus rock stars, etc. At this site in the 1st century AD, the Apostle Paul spent over three years in Ephesus preaching the Gospel. This included a sermon condemning pagan worship in this theater:

 

 

 

Another area for seeing added ruins at Ephesus:

 

 

 

Here was our first view of Istanbul in 2006 from our just-docking cruise ship as we smelled the sweet blend of this historic Turkish city. YES, you could really smell how “special” is this unique city with so much culture, charm and interest!:

 

 

 

One of the many Istanbul outdoor dining places in the historic area. This is Albura in the heart of Akbiyik Caddesi, a mostly-pedestrian street in Sultanahmet's prime boutique hotel, restaurant and cafe district:

 

 

 

Entering the Blue Mosque are thousands of tourist and worshipers:

 

[texancruzer]

My two cents......

 

If visiting a big city (such as Istanbul) you really need to cover up a bit more than shorts....... longer capris work just fine....... As you can see in the picture of the Topkapi palace someone posted above..... not any shorts.

 

But if visiting Kusadasi/Ephesus the dress is much more relaxed as this is a beachside resort city. Many Turks come here to vacation and it is much more relaxed ........ I still wore capris to ephesus tho (but short ones :D )

[Minoushka]

I wore cargo capri pants and a a thin strapped top I carry a thin back pack with a long sleeved shirt in it It is good for religious places and for cool AC in vans

It was very hot all over Ephesus

[Travelcat2]

IMO, tourists should be respectful of the Turkish people who themselves do not wear shorts -- even in 100+ degree weather. A short-sleeved blouse (covering shoiulders) and pants (cotton so it's cool) is best. If you carry a shawl with you, it can be used to cover your head and arms in a mosque.

 

The photographs show how many tourists have no clue how to dress in a Muslim country. Can you wear shorts? Absolutely!!! It is my choice to dress in a more respectful manner.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We were just in Istanbul. I wore capris, a tank top and a short sleeved shirt over it. My husband wore long khakis and a tee-shirt. Most tourists were wearing something similar. I did not notice many people in shorts; maybe a few men in long cargo shorts.

 

I just looked at some of my pictures; a few men were in shorts that were just above the knee. Everyone has shoulders covered. I don't remember any shorts on women.

 

The weather was warm but not really hot.

 

We went to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. Head coverings were not required. I also didn't see anyone being given a scarf or other covering, but most people were dressed fairly conservatively.

 

There were pictorial signs showing what could not be worn, including bare shoulders and shorts.

 

In Ephesus, the weather was quite hot (in early May). I wore longer shorts that came mid-knee and a tank top. I had a scarf along just in case, but it's not needed. Pictures from there show most people in long pants or capris with tees and also a lot of shorts and tank tops.

 

Whatever you do, wear good, supportive shoes, especially in Ephesus!

[lanceholt]

In Ephesus and Sirince Village my husband wore longish shorts and a knit shirt with sleeves. I wore longer capris and a elbow length sleeve knit top. Be sure to take hats that protect your neck as well as your face and comfortable supportive shoes are a must as all the walking is on uneven ground.