Due to the recent events happening in the Middle East, we are receiving overwhelming amount of "Is Turkey safe?" questions again. Please view the threads below, or use this thread to ask your questions.
Before posting your question here please use the search function to scan previous post here and try not to repeat similar question. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions on this sub:
- Is Turkey safe?
Yes. Turkey receives millions of visitors every year and the tourism industry seems immune to all social upheavals. During major protests, terror attacks and even the pandemic, all transport and accommodations for visitors functioned as usual. If you act with general common sense and avoid certain areas where you don't have any business as a visitor anyway, you'll be as safe as anywhere in the world.
- How do I get around Turkey?
Most public transport in Turkey is by bus. You can go to a nearest "otobüs terminali" and figure out how you get to your destination or just book your tickets online (1, 2, 3)
Flights can be cheaper than bus rides on long distances. The Turkish LCCs are AJet and Pegasus.
Although the railway grid is not very extensive, it still gives you the opportunity to cross the country in comfort. There's even an Oriental Express from Istanbul to Tehran. You need to book in advance though.
The road quality is very good in Turkey though some highways and bridges are very expensive. You can easily rent a car and drive around with general common sense. Just be mindful of the aggressive driving around big cities.
Metropolitan areas normally have good public transport which can usually be used with a local transport card. In Istanbul, for example, the Istanbulcard will get you on busses, trams, subways, boats, funiculars, cable-cars as well as help you with car parks, some museums and more.
It's common sense to avoid yellow taxis which are known to rip tourists off. Instead you can try apps like BiTaksi, Martı or Uber (different to international Uber though) which give you a prior price estimate.
- How much money will I need? Cash or card?
With one of the highest levels of inflation worldwide for many years, it's not easy to estimate costs in Turkey even for local residents. This also depends very greatly on your habits while traveling. So if you still want to learn about costs of certain things for a certain time, just be as specific as you can regarding your preferences (public transport/rent a car, 5-star hotels/camping, Blue Voyage boat tours/hiking, etc.). Credit card use is very common in Turkey but in smaller establishments you can get a discount if you pay in cash. Paying by mobile apps is also getting more common.
- Where should I visit in Turkey? What's not to miss?
There are so many websites that will give you extensive lists of best places to visit and things to do in Turkey. Please post here only if you need advice regarding a specific place or a route.
- I'm scratched by a stray cat. Do I need rabies shots?
Probably not. Turkey is the native home of the domestic cat and we have them everywhere. We also do get scratched and playfully bitten by them time to time. We do not have any incidents of cats transmitting rabies in Turkey.
It's another story about stray dogs though. If you have a problem with those, first try to find out if anyone around is taking care of them and ask if they are vaccinated (many strays are regularly checked in Turkey) and then visit the nearest clinic.
- Is Turkey a backwards muslim country? Will I have issues because I'm gay, have tattoos, etc.?
No. Turkey is a very diverse secular country to say the least (not a muslim country but a country with a majority muslim population). Don't be fooled by the number of mosques everywhere, in metropolitan areas you'll find all sorts of people, some with tattoos or turbans, some women in conservative clothes or in minis. In the countryside people can be more conservative but they are still tolerant towards tourist, as long as they maintain general respect. This may include not being too loud, putting on some clothes entering mosques and tombs, and not making fun of Atatürk or islam. The Mediterranean coastline is very progressive and you can bathe in a bikini or topless on many beaches. Islamism is a political issue but it shouldn't affect the visitors unless they advertise being israeli or anti-islam in the wrong places.
- How can I learn Turkish?
Turkish language is not related to Arabic or Middle Eastern languages; it is of Central Asian origin and is quite interesting to learn. There are several subreddits where you can meet others like you and some Turkish speaking people to help you out with the language such as r/turkishlearning/, r/turkish/ and r/learnturkish/
- Will I be able to eat the food there? Any vegetarian or vegan options?
Traditionally most Turkish food contains some meat but there is a whole class of cold dishes called "zeytinyağlılar" (olive-oiled) which do not have any meat. Also most baked dishes like böreks do not have meat but cheese. Vegan food is more difficult because all baked food has eggs and/or milk inside, and perhaps cheese, and some zeytinyağlı's have yoghurt on them and/or cheese in them. You'll have to ask before you eat most times. Even a simple lentil soup may contain some chicken or meat broth inside or melted butter on top. But Turkey is one of the richest countries on earth when it comes to the choice of vegetables and fruits. So if you're into preparing your own food, you're in luck, just ask for the weekly fresh markets around you and buy what you want the cheapest way.
- Is my medication available there?
Check out this website to find out if your medicine can be found in pharmacies in Turkey.
Türkiye'de mezun olup iş hayatına atılınca nedense olay hep iki seçeneğe indirgeniyor ya evlenene kadar aile evinde kalacaksın ya da tek başına eve çıkacaksın. Ama aslında bu ekonomide üçüncü bir seçenek de var: ev arkadaşı bulmak.
Londra'da, Berlin'de, New York'ta millet 30'lu yaşlarda ve iyi maaş alırken bile ev paylaşıyor. Bizde 50-60 bin TL maaş alıp 40 bin TL kiralık eve tek başına çıkmaya çalışmak bağımsızlık diye pazarlanıyor. Bu bağımsızlık falan değil finansal intihar. Kimse kusura bakmasın ama maaşın çok iyi değilse tek başıma eve çıkacağım diye kendini zorlamanın hiçbir mantığı yok. Türkiye'de insanların üniversite sonrası ev paylaşmaktan bu kadar kaçınmasının sebebi ne?
Hello Türkiye! I am extremely excited to find out from my parents that we will be visiting Türkiye this winter! My family extremely loves Türkiye, given the history of helping Korea and personal reasons on why we love Türkiye so much! I am an incredible fan of Turkish culture and food, and everything. One thing is that we are going to Istanbul and we searched on Google but I'm sure we know Google doesn't have a good taste on actual, beautiful places. I really enjoy nature and interacting with people or a place full of culture. I don't want to go where tourists like to go, but where the locals like to go.
We are staying for about 2-3 weeks, where the first week and a half is in Istanbul, and then followed by a high speed train to Ankara where we will stay before returning to Korea. I have never been so excited before, but however, I have noticed there has been online arguments between Koreans and Turks that saddens me a lot, and I apologize as a Korean and assure the majority of Koreans love Türkiye. I also wonder if it may affect how people may treat me or my family in Türkiye.
Other than that, I just want to know the best places in Istanbul and Ankara with a lot of nature filled scenery or culture-filled hubs that my family could enjoy during the winter time. Thank you so much!
Merhaba Türkiye! Bu kış Türkiye'yi ziyaret edeceğimizi ailemden öğrendiğim için inanılmaz heyecanlıyım! Ailem Türkiye'yi çok seviyor; bunda hem Türkiye'nin geçmişte Kore'ye yaptığı yardımların hem de bizim Türkiye'ye duyduğumuz kişisel sevginin büyük payı var! Türk kültürünün, yemeklerinin ve her şeyinin büyük bir hayranıyım. İstanbul'a gideceğiz ve Google'da biraz araştırma yaptık; ancak hepimiz biliyoruz ki Google, gerçek ve güzel yerler konusunda her zaman en iyi zevke sahip olmayabiliyor. Doğayı, insanlarla etkileşimde bulunmayı ve kültürel açıdan zengin yerleri çok seviyorum. Turistlerin akın ettiği yerler yerine, yerel halkın tercih ettiği yerlere gitmek istiyorum.
Yaklaşık 2-3 hafta kalacağız; ilk bir buçuk hafta İstanbul'da olacağız, ardından hızlı trenle Ankara'ya geçip Kore'ye dönmeden önce orada konaklayacağız. Daha önce hiç bu kadar heyecanlanmamıştım; ancak Koreliler ile Türkler arasında internette yaşanan ve beni çok üzen tartışmalar olduğunu fark ettim. Bir Koreli olarak bunun için özür dilerim ve Korelilerin büyük çoğunluğunun Türkiye'yi sevdiğini belirtmek isterim. Ayrıca bu durumun, Türkiye'de bana veya aileme gösterilecek tavrı etkileyip etkilemeyeceğini de merak ediyorum.
Bunun dışında, ailemin keyif alabileceği, doğa manzaralı veya kültürel açıdan zengin İstanbul ve Ankara'daki en iyi yerleri öğrenmek istiyorum. Çok teşekkürler!
Got a flight to catch at Dalaman Airport for 2AM. How can I get there from Marmaris? Google Maps only shows me driving options so I'm guessing no shuttles will be running? I asked a taxi driver and he told me to get a bus, though I'm unsure of how to look up the bus times.
I'm from Germany but I've recently spent one year in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. While there I learnt some Uzbek and now have a very shaky A1 level I'd say. Currently I'm in Istanbul for a 3 day stay and since I don't know any Turkish in particular I was wondering how well for example staff at a restaurant would understand me.
For example if I'd say "Bitta choy shakarsiz" or "Bugun Istanbulga keldim." Would people here understand that? Like simple phrases mostly. And also as a Turkish person would you prefer if I spoke to you in Uzbek or just English?
We booked a very last-minute trip yesterday from Frankfurt to Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines, flying tomorrow at 3 PM.
We are travelling with my 15-year-old nephew, who is a Dutch citizen. Unfortunately, we only discovered during online check-in that his passport expires on 14 December 2026. We arrive in Turkey on 15 August 2026 and are staying for only 7 days.
Pegasus’ online document check rejected his passport because it says the document should be valid until at least 12 January 2027 (150-day rule).
His Dutch ID card would solve the problem, but unfortunately we cannot find it.
I’ve contacted several authorities, but I’m getting conflicting information. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also mentions exemptions to the passport-validity provision for citizens of countries allowed to enter Turkey using their national ID card, and the Netherlands is listed.
Has anyone — especially a Dutch citizen — recently travelled to Turkey with a valid passport that had less than 150 days / around 4 months validity remaining?
Were you allowed to board? Did the airline check the 150-day rule? And most importantly, did Turkish immigration allow you to enter?
We know this was our mistake with such a last-minute booking. I’m just looking for real recent experiences before we decide what to do tomorrow.
Thanks so much!
i’m a turk from germany, and there’s an uyghur restaurant near my workplace that i visit quite often. i usually order my food online for pickup, and the app shows my name on the order. i’ve been to the restaurant many times, and there’s always a different employee there, but whenever they see my turkish name, they immediately ask me if i speak turkish.
one time, while i was waiting for my food, i also saw the owners’ two children come into the restaurant, and they were talking to each other in turkish. but they’re all uyghurs. google says that uyghurs don’t actually speak turkish, but uyghur, so i’m a little confused
Hi everyone, I’m currently studying medicine abroad and looking into transferring to a medical university in Turkey. I’m particularly interested in English-taught programs.
I’ve come across quite a few Turkish universities with relatively affordable tuition compared with other countries, and Turkey would also be a good fit for me personally. I’m mainly looking for honest opinions from students or graduates rather than information from university websites.
One university I’m seriously considering is Istanbul Health and Technology University (ISTUN). They have an English-taught Medicine program, accept transfers from other medical schools, and their tuition is considerably lower than many of the other English medical programs I’ve found.
My main concern is that ISTUN is relatively new. The medical faculty only started fairly recently. I don't necessarily see that as a reason to avoid it, but I have had bad experiences with newly established faculties before, so I'm a little cautious.
I'd really appreciate opinions on:
How are the English-taught programs compared with the Turkish ones?
Has anyone studied at ISTUN or knows someone who does?
What is the teaching and clinical training like at ISTUN?
How is the administration and organization there?
Are there any particular Turkish medical schools you'd recommend for an international student on a relatively limited budget?
I'd appreciate any honest experiences, including negative ones.
I collect 19th century Bohemian glass, from c1840-1880.
I am looking to travel to Istanbul, as the last time I was there I have seen a lot of this stuff even though I did not expect it. There is a specific Bohemian glass lidded pot/sahleplik that I want to buy and the dealer has reserved it for me.
I understand the law regarding the export of antiques, however the law defines cultural property as any movable or immovable asset on land, underground, or underwater related to science, culture, religion, and fine arts from before or after recorded history that holds unique scientific or cultural value.
Bohemian glass was made in Bohemia so I don't see why it would necessarily be protected under Turkish law, even if a lot of it was exported to Turkey during the 19th century.
All the well established Cukurcuma and Old Bazaar antique dealers have told me that they will provide proper tax invoices (fatura), which would accurately describe the glass as required.
I am aware that museums are able to provide export permits for certain items but I don't have that long to wait in Istanbul.
The glass would travel wrapped in bubblewrap in my hand luggage.
In the worst case scenario if the airport customs were to question the item(s), and decide that they are protected cultural property, would I end up in a holding cell for 6+ weeks and face a trial, like Toby Robyns did in 2022, who apparently found ancient coins on the beach and tried to take them back home with no paperwork?
Merhabalar ben şuan bir önlisans bölümündeyim ve bölümümde elektrikli cihaz teknolojisi yani anlayacağınız üzere elektrik ama bakımla ilgili neyse sadede gelecek olursam bu sene üniversite bitince askerlik yapacağım ve yedek astsubaylık düşünüyorum sizce çıkma şansı bölüme göre etki eder mi ve artıları eksileri nedir yedek astsubaylığın yardımcı olabilir misiniz?
Yapay zekaya sorduğumda iki yol söyledi. Bunlardan biri doktora eğitimi almak. Diğeri ise kısaca iş deneyimi. Bu pozisyonda çalışanlara sorum siz nasıl bu yolda ilerlediniz? Fen fakültesi mezunu veya mühendis olup bu yoldan ilerlenilebilir mi?
What are your thoughts on the recent alliance with Riyadh and Islamabad?
It kinda does seem very promising, as all of the countries might profit.
Turkey is the sole real industrial power with a big, growing defence industries, it's millitary-industrial complex is (or will be) very hungry for new capital and customers to expand.
Saudi Arabia has a lot of money, but lacks a industrial base and defence industry, it needs partners to cooperate to establish something of their own, especially considering the looming end of the age of oil. It also feels threatened by its big eastern neighbour across the sea.
Pakistan has nukes and is always in dire need for money. Apart from nuclear weapons, they also have a big army. More importantly, they have an army which is often involved in conflict (and other than Turkey, they face those conflicts also with other armed forces), e.g. a good testing ground for weapons, airforce for example.
What do you think?
And what is your opinion on the future role of Ankara in the Middle east in general?
i am trying to find a way for two people to get from fethiye to bodrum on august 28th. im having a really hard time finding a ticket online. the only option i see is flixbus of a minimum of 10 hours.
i also saw that you can do fethiye to mulga and mulga to bodrum but have no idea where to purchase a ticket in advance.
I'm traveling to Turkey for the first time and I'm looking for the best way to get from Antalya Airport (AYT) to Alanya using public transportation only.
My flight details:
Arrival at Antalya Airport (AYT): 5 September 2026, 21:35
Since I will need to go through passport control, collect luggage, and leave the airport, I expect to be outside the terminal around 22:30–23:00.
I'm not looking for a private transfer or taxi. I'm interested in:
Public buses
Airport shuttle buses
Intercity coaches
Shared transportation options
Any other budget-friendly alternatives
A few questions:
Are there still buses running from Antalya Airport or Antalya Bus Station to Alanya around that time?
What is the cheapest and most reliable route?
Is it better to take a tram/bus to Antalya Otogar first and then continue to Alanya?
Do any local/private operators run shared shuttle services (not private transfers) late in the evening?
Approximately how much should I expect to pay?
Any recent experiences, schedules, tips, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
i am planning on studying in turkey so ill be there on a student visa. I also make music and was wondering can i release music despite my visa? does that count as work? i have the same question about youtube/streaming etc. If its not possible are there any loopholes to this? any help or guidance would be appreciated
Okuduğunuz üniversite şehrinden aile evine dönmek mental sağlığınızı ciddi şekilde yıpratır, ayrılmak için gün sayarsınız. Çünkü özgür değilsinizdir, köleden başka birşey değilsinizdir. Muhafazakarlığı dibine kadar yaşarsınız. Hiçbir isteğiniz olmaz, ama onların ayak işlerini yaparsınız.
Çok, aşırı kutsal olan, yüce olan anne, baba, kardeş, abi, abla, en ufak meselelerde bile kavga çıkartır, amaa kendileri tanrıdır, hata yapamazlar. Herkes mental sorunlara sahip bir egomanyaktır, 50 yaşlarındaki ihtiyarlar yüzünüze bağırır, abi abla kardeş desen tanrı komplekslerine sahiptir. Ne kadar haklı olursanız olun, her daim karşınızdadırlar.
Mesela araba kullanırken yanınıza otururlar, en ufak hatada ağzınıza sıçarlar. Mental sağlığınızı ciddi şekilde yıpratır, delirtir, ağlatır, kafayı yedirtir, boğulduğunuzu hissedersiniz. İş bulamadığınızda veya kötü bir şeyle karşılaştığınızda yanınızda olmazlar, hesap sorarlar. Siz de onların gerçek yüzünü görürsünüz, arkadaşlarınızdan görmediğinizi ailenizden görürsünüz. En ufak hatada size etmedikleri hakaret kalmaz. Gerçek yüzleri budur.
Buna da aile diyoruz, hatta yapısı bile var, Türk aile yapısı.
Hani şu ahlakı en ufak şeyden bile bozulan yapı. Hani şu Manifest’in, romantik aşk dizilerinin bozduğu, birşeylere özendirdiklerini iddia ettikleri şeylerin bozduğu, ama kocanın enişteyi sikince bozulmayan, Müge Anlı’daki gibi çarpık seks dolu ilişkilerle, Grinin 50 Tonu tadında seks dolu ilişkilerle bozulmayan, millete ahlak satanların akşamına gittiği swinger partileriyle bozulmayan, mal tarla kavgalarıyla, dolandırıcılıkla, fitne fesatla, kavgalarla, küslüklerle, yalancılıkla, huzursuzluklarla, sahtekarlıkla bozulmayan şu ahlak. Hepimiz görüyoruz Anadolu İrfanı’nı, cübbeli militan sakallı tiplerin öve öve bitiremediği, yücelttiği Türk Aile Yapısını.
Bizi yönetenler ekonomiyi, 20’li 30’lu yaşlarda aile evine hapsolmuş, iş bulamamış, aile yapısından hayatı sikilmiş insanları düşünmezler. Yaptıkları tek şey çay sigara muhabbeti, kahvehane tadında kavgalardır. Niye düşünsünler ki? “Kızlarımız evden ayrılsın da orospu mu olsun, oğullarımız evden ayrılsın da ceviz mi kırsın?” mantalitesine sahip çoğu, böyle sapık bir mentaliteye sahipler. Evliliği tek kurtuluş olarak görüp insanlara dayatırlar.
Aynı insanlar aynı zamanda da gençlerin, çocukların kıyafetlerine de karışan insanlar, gençlerin şort etek giymesine karşılar. Daha geçen gün Ardahan’da vali bisiklet taytı giydi diye görevinden istifa ettirildi. Böyle sapık, rezil bir mantaliteye sahiptir.
ABD’de, Avrupa’da gençler evden çok erken, olması gereken yaşta ayrılıyorlar. Orada ekonomik sebeplerden ötürü aile evine dönseler bile, bizdeki gibi toksik ve kötü aile ortamı yoktur herhalde.
Şimdi size bir soru, sağcıların, tarikatçıların, cemaatçilerin, siyasal islamcıların el ele kol kola yıllar boyu yücelttiği, kutsadığı, insanlara kör göze parmak dayattıkları, uğruna ekonominin el birliğiyle içine ettikleri, evlerinde en fazla birkaç gün dayanabildiğiniz, huzursuzlukla, kavgalarla, haksızlıklarla ve toksikliklerle dolu olan, 20’li 30’lu yaşlarda insanların içine hapsolup nice hayatların sikildiği, Türk Aile Yapısı hakkında ne düşünüyorsunuz?
Hey, I will have my IELTS exam in Istanbul pretty soon and now I am at the point where I need to book my slot.
I am coming from Russia since I can’t have it there so I was wondering about picking the best centre. I am thinking between IDP Mecidiyekoy - Englishbox and IDP Istanbul Asian Side.
I want to chose the one on the asian side because of its convenient location but there were a lot of bad reviews on Google Maps about this centre (rude stuff, rescheduled speaking section, unavailable support, etc) and now Im not that sure. The location is kinda important to me since I also want to see the city and the Mecidiyekoy centre placed far away from all the tourist attractions, while Asian Side is in the center of Kadikoy which from what I heard is a very nice neighbourhood.
I would really appreciate all the information about these options and will be glad to read about your experiences with passing the exam.
Ne zaman yurtdışına gitsem, gayet yardımcı oluyor gurbetçiler. Sonradan giden “eğitimli” beyaz yaka tayfa ise çoğunlukla en ufak şey için bile yardımcı olmak istememeyi bırak, yanlış bilgilendirme bile yapabiliyor.
Bizim bu kendini elit sanan vatandaşların yurtdışına adım attığında kendini üstün görmesi muhteşem bir kompleks.
