[ptaipale]

That's what I thought too, too: exit from euro does not have to mean exit from EU.

BTW at least in Istanbul - not necessarily elsewhere in Turkey - you'll shop in many places with cash euros. But yes, there are some places where you actually do need liras. For exchanging cash, I've for a long time depended on withdrawing cash from an ATM; the rate is better than in kiosks in almost any country (particularly better than the rip-offs at my home airport which is close to a scam).

Higher flight prices are possibly due to airport taxes and such things, or just random air ticket pricing quirkiness, probably not EU. From where I live, flights to Istanbul that I sampled are slightly cheaper than flights to Athens (distance is practically the same).

It is interesting that Turkey requires a visa from a number of EU countries. A visa seems really simple to get, though (on arrival at airport).

The recent Greek hyperbolic anger against Germans is one thing that discourages me from going there as tourist (I'm not German, but I might be mistaken for one). In that, Tsipras and his crowd are not doing a great service on their country. But maybe it was what they needed to do in order to win elections and then explain why things don't start improving overnight.

[jules]

Yes, it may be irrational, but I do think that's what many people fear. Even if you don't expect any real problems, the feeling that you are not appreciated in another country can easily make people decide to visit another country instead.

BTW, Turkey recently changed the rules regarding visas; now you cannot get a visum at the airport any more, you need to apply and pay online and print out the application form, which you exchange for a visum at the border. It's still easy, but these small hurdles do add up.