Turkey has always been famous for its robust Turkish coffee and strong black tea. Did you know that along with the beverages themselves, the preparation and consumption of tea and coffee are an integral part of Turkish culture and daily life?

It's not only the British who are famous for their tea. Turkey has a tea, or 'çay' culture all its own that's steeped in hundreds of years of tradition.

It is hard to imagine breakfasts, social gatherings, business meetings, negotiations for carpets in the Grand Bazaar, or ferry rides across the Bosphorus in Turkey without the presence of tea. With tea servers in streets, shopping malls, and parks shouting, “ÇAY!” (chai) the beverage is always within shouting distance. It is fundamental to Turkish social life and plays a large role in Turkey’s domestic economy.

In Turkey, tea is consumed all day long starting with breakfast and continuing right on through until bedtime. Offering tea and drinking tea together is a gesture of friendship.

"Teatime" is usually between three and five in the afternoon, where tea is served along with delicious sweet and savory biscuits and cakes. But tea drinking is not limited to these few short hours.

In every home and workplace a pot of tea will always be brewing and ready to drink or offer guests. Workplaces are required by law to allow at least two tea breaks within the working day. Offering a glass of tea to a newcomer or guest is customary, and refusal is unheard of.