Turkey is a big and multifaceted country with diverse landscapes, from mountains to salt flats to the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea. It’s sunny, it’s steeped in history and legend, it’s controversial and it’s plain beautiful. It’s also a wonderful mix of Eastern and Western cultures.
Although a Muslim-majority country, Turkey, on the whole, feels pretty secular. There are, of course, conservatives attitudes within the society, and right-wing politics still prevail, but the general feeling when you are in Turkey is that it’s close to Europe.
It’s more obvious in big cities with their huge shopping malls and supermarkets, global coffee houses and liberal women’s fashion.
Turkish people are very friendly and hospitable. In most tourist hotspots you will find the locals who staff shops and restaurants are multilingual – they speak English, German, French, and Russian and don’t think much of it. If, in turn, you can learn some basic conversational Turkish, you will be much more respected.
There are very conservative parts of Turkey, but they are very rarely expat hotspots.
In general, you will still find Turkey exotic, but mildly, not too overwhelming. You will find that life in Turkey is more relaxed and less stressful compared to major western countries.