Holiday money for Turkey
Turkey is one of British holidaymakers’ favourite summer destinations. With its lengthy high season and exceptionally good value, tourists can enjoy their holidays without breaking the bank.
If you want to buy Turkish lira holiday money from the Post Office, you can do so in-branch, online or on a Travel Money Card. Our Click & Collect service allows you to order Turkish lira online and pick up your cash at a designated branch – and if you order before 3pm, you can pick it up on the next working day from your nearest branch or have it delivered to your home.
If you buy your Turkish lira online, you could get a better rate than buying in-branch. Whether you’re off on holiday this week or in a couple of months’ time, buying when the Turkish lira exchange rate is good means you can lock in the saving. And don’t forget to buy your Travel Insurance.
Get our best rates online. The more you buy the better the rate.
You can sell us back any spare currency you bring home too.
Ever wondered why the symbol for pounds (in terms of weight) is “lbs”? You may be surprised to learn that “pounds” and “lira” mean almost the same thing. A libra was a Latin unit of weight equivalent to the English “pound”, and we get the word lira from libra.
So Turkish lira are, in a sense, Turkish pounds.
The currency of Turkey was revalued in 2005 to make its note values more manageable. In 2009, a new series of banknotes was issued which are currently in use. 1 lira is divided into 100 kuruş, which are in currency as coins.
The relative value of Turkish lira has decreased over recent years, meaning excellent savings for British holidaymakers. That doesn’t mean to say that the trend will definitely continue, so it’s a good idea to buy your travel money at the most favourable rate available.
Get your Turkish lira from us
We make it easy to get lira for your holiday:
- Order Turkish lira online up to five working days in advance
- Pick up your lira at a Post Office branch or have them delivered to your home – minimum order value of £400 applies online.
- Online orders placed before 3pm, on a working day, can generally be delivered to your home the next working day. Home delivery for orders of £500 or over is free, or for orders of under £500 there is a small delivery charge of £4.99. Where an order is placed on a Friday and delivery to your home is required on a Saturday, there will be a charge of £1.50.
- Home delivery applies to online orders only.
- Pick up your lira on demand at over 10,000 Post Office branches
- Show us your Post Office Money receipt and we’ll buy back all your leftover lira banknotes, commission-free.
To get the best deal when shopping in Turkey:
- Visit a few different shops or hotels to get a good idea of the basic price, and then decide the top price you'd be willing to pay.
- Go low on your counter-offer to allow plenty of room for negotiations.
- Walk away if things aren't going well – it might encourage the shopkeeper to make a better offer.
- Don't be pressured by hospitality – it's ok to walk away even if you've been offered food or drink tea by the shopkeeper, but don't accept them if you don't intend to buy.
- Bargaining is common in Turkey and not just at the bazaar - you can also try bargaining for hotel rooms.
Is Turkey expensive to vist?
Our Family Holiday Report showed that Turkey is one of the best value tourist destinations surveyed. Here’s a look at the average cost of common tourist purchases in the beach resort of Marmaris:
| Bucket and spade |
£2.90 |
| Inflatable lilo |
£1.45 |
| Swimming goggles |
£1.45 |
| Mask and snorkel |
£3.63 |
| Suncream (200ml SPF15) |
£6.82 |
| Insect repellent(50ml) |
£1.44 |
| Cup of coffee |
£0.72 |
| Bottle of beer/lager |
£0.72 |
| Bottle/can of Coca Cola |
£0.97 |
| Glass of wine |
£1.21 |
| Family meal for four (3 courses for two adults, two for children, bottle of house wine and soft drinks) |
£28.51 |
Compare Turkish lira rates over time
The smart way to travel
Keep track of your holiday spending and instantly convert local prices into pounds with our free smartphone apps. There are three handy apps to download for iOS and Android, including Travel Essentials, Travel Money Card & Currency Converter. You can also download an instant currency converter for your Apple Watch.
Don’t forget your toothbrush
There’s always so much to do before you head off. You’ve just ticked Travel Money, but what have you forgotten? Here’s a pre-travel checklist to help jog your memory. And don’t forget to pack travel insurance for Turkey
