Turkey
A transcontinental country in Eurasia, Turkey, is known for its rich history, delicious cuisine, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, varied natural landscapes.
Useful info:
Currency: Turkish Lira.
Language: Official language is Turkish, and it is the first language of over 80% of the population. Luckily younger generation in major cities does speak English, making it easier for the travellers to communicate.
Visa: Pakistanis need to prearrange visa for Turkey. If you are applying from Dubai, they have recently appointed VFS Global, and you need to direct your visa application through them. Single entry visa fee is 61 US$ +35 US$ service fee for all nationalities except UAE Nationals.
Pakistanis can get one-month single entry e-Visas if they have a valid US, UK, Ireland or Schengen visa stamped on their passports.
Climate: Turkey has a varied climate with hot summers in some parts of the country to snowy winters in other regions. Generally speaking March to May is the best time to visit when the whole country experiences spring.
If you want to visit Istanbul, plan your trip either in April to May or September to early November when the weather is pleasant with clear skies.
Trivia: Istanbul is the only city in the world located on two continents, Europe and Asia.
Food:
Turkish cuisine varies across the country and is mostly continuation of Ottoman cuisine. Being a Muslim majority country, all the restaurants offer Halal food.
Being a cosmopolitan city, Istanbul has many restaurants offering various cuisines, but I suggest to stick to Turkish menu during your stay, after all, it’s one of the most prominent in the world. If you like fine dining, do head to Beyti restaurant in Istanbul, it offers superb dishes in traditional Turkish way.
Doner Kebab and Baklava are must try.
Transportation:
Turkey has several international airports which are extensively served by their flagship carrier Turkish airline and Pegasus, a no-frills airline. Talking about Istanbul, it has two international airports; Istanbul Atatürk Airport on the European side of the city and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport on the Asian side of the city.
Istanbul has quite a good network of public transport that includes, buses, metro and tram however it gets quite crowded especially during peak hours.
Taxi are mostly non-metered, and it is recommended to agree on the destination and fare beforehand.
Accommodations:
Talking about Istanbul, there is a range of hotels matching your needs. You can find a 3-star hotel room starting from 20$/night in the city centre and a guesthouse starting from 10 $.
I stayed in Swissôtel The Bosphorus, Istanbul and it turned to be an excellent hotel with Bosphorus view. It also offers an exceptional breakfast with a range of dishes and juices. Room rents start from 160 US $/night inclusive of breakfast.
There are many listing available on Airbnb as well (use this link to get 25$ off).
You can also check other travel resources which will help you plan your trip better.
Nightlife:
Nightlife in Istanbul is enormous on both Asian and European side of the city. On the Asian side, Iskele Street and Kadife Street offer a lot of pubs in the street whereas, on the European side of the city, nightspots are spread out over Istiklal Street, Nevizade, Nişantaşı and Ortaköy.