As tentative signs start to emerge of a revival for the travel industry, our minds are turning to potential holiday destinations for this summer.

With sun, sea and shish kebab, Turkey has long been a popular travel destination for Britons in need of some vitamin D.

But can British holidaymakers get there? And will we even be welcome?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Am I allowed to travel to Turkey from the UK?

At the moment, the Foreign Office is advising against all non-essential international travel – including to Turkey.

The ban doesn’t make travel abroad “illegal” as such – but it does invalidate your travel insurance and means you may find it tricky to get help from the embassy or consulate if things go wrong.

However, the government has announced that this blanket warning will be relaxed from 10 July, alongside the ditching of compulsory quarantine for inbound travellers, for those entering England from 59 destinations deemed “low-risk”.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that Turkey is on this list of “travel corridors”, meaning the FCO travel ban will be lifted and travellers returning to England from there will be exempt from the 14-day quarantine period.

How could I get there?

Turkish Airlines is probably your best bet initially, offering (unsurprisingly) the greatest range of destinations in Turkey. Regular flights from the UK are already in operation, with four direct flights a day between here and Istanbul, and daily nonstop services to Dalaman and Antalya.

British Airways starts flying from London Heathrow to Istanbul from 16 July and to Dalaman from 17 July, with the first flights out priced at a whopping £628 and £590 respectively at the time of writing. The airline restarts flights to Bodrum on 1 August.

Although Turkey is open to international flights, easyJet isn’t currently restarting any of its routes from the UK to four Turkish destinations (Dalaman, Bodrum, Antalya and Izmir) until August.

Ryanair is currently operating no flights between the UK and Turkey; there are services available between Dublin and Bodrum and Dalaman.

Will they let me in when I arrive?

Yes. Turkey reopened its international borders on 12 June, including to British nationals.

Will I have to quarantine when I arrive?

Possibly. All arrivals into Turkey are subject to a medical evaluation, which includes temperature checks. Passengers showing symptoms are required to undergo a swab test for coronavirus.

If your test is positive, you’ll be provided with medical treatment at a state-run facility or, if preferred, a private medical facility (the latter at your own expense).

Can I travel within Turkey?

Turkey has now lifted most restrictions on internal travel, according to the Foreign Office.

Anyone wishing to undertake intercity travel using public transport is required to obtain an “HES” (“Hayat Eve Sığar”) code. This can be done through the e-Devlet system, the Hayat Eve Sığar’ smartphone application and by SMS.

A reduced schedule of domestic flights has been operating since 4 June.

Train services (Ankara-Konya, Ankara-Istanbul, Ankara-Eskisehir and Konya-Istanbul) are operating on a reduced timetable, as are inter-city coach services. Check with travel providers before booking.

Regular bus services have resumed in most areas.

Are hotels open?

Yes. Hotels have been allowed to reopen in Turkey since 1 June, albeit with extra measures in place. These include temperature checks on arrival, mandatory PPE for staff and disposable plastic coverings for in-room items such as TV remotes.

Are restaurants, shops and attractions open?

Restaurants, bars, cafes and beaches all re-opened on 1 June, alongside museums and ancient sites. However, strict rules on mask-wearing are in place (see below).

What rules are in place?

The wearing of masks is obligatory throughout Turkey in crowded places and specifically in markets and supermarkets, hairdressers and barber shops. Masks are also compulsory on all public transport, including Metro, buses, taxis and ferries.

When visiting the following provinces you have to wear a mask at all times when outside the home:

Adıyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Amasya, Ankara, Ardahan, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bartın, Batman, Bilecik, Bingöl, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Çanakkale, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Düzce, Elazığ, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Iğdır, Isparta, Istanbul, İzmir ,Kahramanmaraş, Karabük, Kayseri, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Konya, Kütahya, Malatya, Mardin, Muğla, Muş, Nevşehir, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Siirt, Sivas, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Tokat, Tunceli, Uşak, Yalova, Yozgat and Zonguldak.

Anyone caught breaking the rules can be fined 900 TL (£106).

There is also a curfew in place for those aged 65 and over, who are only allowed outside between the hours of 10am-8pm. Under 18s can be out at any time but must be accompanied by their parents.

Will I have to quarantine when I come home?

For the moment, yes. When you arrive back on UK soil, you’ll currently have two weeks of mandatory quarantine to look forward to.

The policy was implemented on 8 June and put in place indefinitely.

However, the government has announced that the current rules will be relaxed from 10 July for a range of destinations.

Countries regarded as “low-risk” by the Joint Biosecurity Centre – which was set up to coordinate the government’s response to the pandemic – will be exempt from mandatory quarantine.

Turkey is on the list of countries exempt from quarantine when entering England, alongside France, Italy, Spain and Greece. Click here for the full list of destinations.

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