Turkish Hospitality

Hospitality (Misafirperverlik) is not a cliché but deeply rooted in Turkish culture. A guest is "sent by God" (Tanrı Misafiri) — you will feel this everywhere:

• You will be offered Çay (tea) — in a shop, with a craftsman, with a taxi driver. Accept! It obliges you to nothing.
• If you ask for directions, you will often be personally taken there — not just described.
• In rural areas, you will be invited to eat. It is polite to initially decline (the invitation will be repeated) and then accept.
• A small gift (sweets, chocolate, something from Germany) is a nice gesture, but not expected.

The downside: In tourist areas (Sultanahmet, Grand Bazaar, Bodrum Bar Street), "hospitality" can also be a sales strategy. Learn to distinguish between genuine warmth and commercial friendliness — usually, the first Çay is genuine, the second may be sales-oriented.