Visas
All participants in the congress will require a valid passport and a visa for visiting Turkey. Please contact your nearest Turkish Embassy/Consulate for this purpose. Participants from those countries where there is no Turkish diplomatic representation can obtain their visa at the airport on arrival to Turkey.
Banking and Exchange Facilities
Foreign money can be changed at banks during normal business days (09.00-17.00 Monday-Friday) as well as at hotels, at the airport and in exchange offices. Exchange rates are set daily by the Central Bank. All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops. Automated bank machines are available at many points throughout the city and at the airport.
Currency
The official meeting currency is Euro. The exchange rate for Turkish Lira can be learning from the web site of Turkish Central Bank’s web site.
Time zone
Turkish Standard Time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Climate
Average day temperature in Istanbul at the beginning of September is around 20-25 °C.
Electricity
General Household electric power is 220 volts.
Restaurants
There is a wide choice of restaurants in Istanbul offering everything from excellent national cuisine to first class international dishes. Traditional Turkish cuisine is famous for its many specialties prepared with fresh vegetables.
Shopping
Most shops in Istanbul are generally open from 09:00 to 19:00 Monday to Saturday. Some of the supermarkets, shops, newspaper kiosks, restaurants and food shops are also open on Sunday.
Taxi
All the taxis in the city are yellow colored with a sign “taxi” written on them.