4 Safe and Unsafe Places to Visit in Turkey in 2024

Turkey was founded on October 29th, 1923 with Ankara as its official capital. Since then, millions of individuals have migrated to this Middle Eastern country in hopes of a safer environment with better opportunities. This is mainly because Turkey has acted as the largest refugee hosting country in the world for over seven years, especially for families from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. In addition, millions of travelers have been attracted to Turkey to experience the unique mix of cultures, since Turkey possesses both Asian and European influences. 

However, since the early 2010’s, tourism numbers have decreased. For countless years, the media has focused on the unsafe areas of Turkey (namely near the Syrian border), where terrorist organizations like Daesh, PKK, and a few other far-left groups remain active. This has then brought the same questions to curious travelers hoping to explore this area: “Is Turkey safe?” I’m here to tell you that after extensive research and months of following global news outlets amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I traveled to Turkey in 2021. Below is a list of safe areas I’ve composed while traveling through this country as a 20-something, blonde American girl with only a boyfriend in tow:

1. Bodrum

Whenever I see pictures of Bodrum, I’m convinced that the “B” stands for beautiful beaches. No, really! Since Bodrum is so close to the border of Greece, there are a number of Greek similarities in Bodrum. From the bright white dwellings to the iridescent blue-hued waters, this coastal Turkish town is one that attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors per year. If you’re a beach lover, this area is both a safe and relaxing spot to enjoy a holiday. While I’ve never been to this region, I have multiple friends who frequently visit Bodrum as a vacation destination and absolutely love it.

2. Istanbul

The former Constantinople, Istanbul is rich in history, culture, and cuisine. Split by the Bosphorus Strait that divides the two continents of Istanbul into the Asian and European sides, visitors come from near and far to:

I got the pleasure of visiting Istanbul during the summer of 2021. My boyfriend and I stayed in Fatih and would walk about 30 minutes into the heart of the city to explore the major tourist areas. This included stopping for simit (I was obsessed with these sesame seed bagels), shish kabobs, street corn, and anything else that caught our attention. We met up with a guide, a man recommended by a friend who had visited Istanbul a few weeks prior, and he showed us everything we needed to know. He brought us on the metro, through the Grand Bazaar, into the Hagia Sofia, and out for Turkish delight. Throughout the entire 4 day span we stayed in Istanbul, we felt safe at almost all times. The only times I felt a little uneasy were walking at night through the city, especially if I wasn’t dressed in traditional garb with my platinum hair covered up. Other than that, I would recommend a visit to Istanbul to anyone!

3. Cappadocia

4. Antalya

Another popular beach town is Antalya. Located in the southern region of Turkey, Antalya is filled with Russian tourists looking for a break from everyday life to relax, tan, and explore. 

Personally, I loved visiting this area! On our first day in Antalya, we stayed in Kaleici (the Old Town), roamed, and took as many pictures as possible to send to the family (especially of all the cats). We appreciated this area with little restaurants and felt like the nightlife was very encouraging for tourists. After that, we left for an all-inclusive stay on the water and stayed there to swim and tan before all the true adventuring began. I’ll admit that the only venture we did after arriving at the hotel was to lay on a few popular beaches I had been dying to go to (namely Mermerli Beach) but I think we would’ve recommended it no matter what! This means that if you’re a beach bum, sun worshiper, or all-inclusive vacation junkie, Antalya is a holiday spot similar in both safety and sand to Bodrum.

Basic Safety Tips When Traveling Turkey

While there are towns and cities within Turkey that are safe, I’d like to highlight that tourists should practice basic precautions wherever they travel to this country. These include: 

Unsafe Areas in Turkey

It is no secret- Turkey shares a border with a number of countries, and not every single one is entirely safe for travelers. In the northwest, Turkey’s border is shared with countries such as Bulgaria and Greece. These countries are generally safe for tourist travel, which is why it is not surprising that many towns and cities located in the northwest of Turkey are also safe.  However, the southern and eastern border of Turkey is shared with Iran, Iraq, and Syria. All three of these countries are war torn countries that are deemed as level 4 areas with strict government advisories that tourists should not visit these areas. Because of this, I believe a good rule of thumb to remember is to try to stay in the southeastern and eastern parts of Turkey and away from any parts near the Syrian border. The eastern areas are also known to have a high level of terrorist activity. 

Is Turkey Safe To Travel to as a Solo Traveler?

While most people will tell you that it IS safe to visit Turkey as a solo traveler, I can't help but think that this question doesn't solicit an easy "yes or no" type of answer. To me, whenever I hear a question about solo traveling, I think of the experience a woman traveling solo would have versus a man traveling solo. I can see a man having no problem traveling to Turkey solo, but I think in order for a woman to travel to Turkey alone she would need to stay very vigilant, especially with the clothes she wore and when walking at night.

When I traveled to Turkey in August of 2021 with my boyfriend Dorian, I was careful to pack outfits that didn't show too much skin. This included long dresses that covered my shoulders and went down to my knees, pants, high-cut shirts, and more. I also packed shorts and T-shirts for when we were exploring the beach region. During our stay in Antalya, which is a beach resort town, I wore shorts and a t-shirt the whole time and never really got stared at. I believe that this is because the majority of the people around were Russian tourists. Once we went to stay in Cappadocia, I started to get laughed at in public for wearing shorts, so that's when I switched to wearing the clothes I brought with more coverage. Could I get away with wearing shorter things and the type of outfits I'd wear in the U.S.? Yes. But again, Cappadocia was also a major tourist area. Finally, once we got to Istanbul, I was pretty much stared at 24/7. No matter what I wore I was laughed at and pointed at. I did not feel comfortable going out in public here as much as I did in the other two regions, and I don't think that I would ever feel safe walking through Istanbul at night alone. Therefore, I would say that I would not feel comfortable traveling here solo, but I was also a bleach blonde, 22-year-old American woman when I visited, and that was just my personal experience.

Is Turkey Safe To Travel to for LGBTQ/ Gay People?

Turkey does not outlaw homosexuality, but the country does not offer any legal protection to LGBTQ citizens or tourists. It is also important to understand that Turkey does not recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnership benefits. Turkey has a large Muslim population that frowns upon public displays of affection, whether you're in a heterosexual or homosexual relationship. This basically means that if you're planning to travel to Turkey and you identify as an LGBTQ person, I'd advise keeping any public displays of affection to a minimum for both your safety and comfort.

More Information

To learn more about whether or not Turkey is safe to visit when you are planning on traveling there, I encourage you to follow the current COVID-19 advisories, as well as trustworthy global news outlets. While the places mentioned above may be safe most of the time, all it takes is one incident or natural disaster to occur (take the fires burning in Turkey during summer of 2022 as an example) for it to become unsafe to travel to. Otherwise, happy planning!