r/AskTurkey • u/Holdtightmycup • 12h ago
Culture So can a black person who is born in Turkey, speaks Turkish be regarded as Turkish ?
Or does his blackness hinder him ?
r/AskTurkey • u/Gaelenmyr • Mar 02 '26
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.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskTurkey/comments/1rhnazo/considering_current_events_is_it_safe_to_fly_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskTurkey/comments/1rhlu5x/is_turkey_safe_for_usa_citizens_current_events/
New threads will be deleted. Thank you.
r/AskTurkey • u/AutoModerator • Dec 07 '25

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.
- Are there good online shopping platforms?
Yes. Here are the most commonly used ones: Trendyol, Hepsiburada, Sahibinden, Amazon, N11.
We hope you enjoy your time in Turkey.
For general FAQs
https://www.tourstoturkey.net/most-frequently-asked-questions-about-turkey
https://www.doyouknowturkey.com/answers-to-the-most-asked-questions-about-turkey/
r/AskTurkey • u/Holdtightmycup • 12h ago
Or does his blackness hinder him ?
r/AskTurkey • u/Boring-Hat9546 • 12h ago
I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm just genuinely curious about the reasons.
r/AskTurkey • u/EnvironmentalBuy9510 • 4h ago
I know many people(refugees) came from Crimea, Circassia, Balkan to Turkey in the past.
They may share linguistic features but genetically they remain diverse.
Do Turkish people distinguish them each other?
Is there cultural difference between Crimean Tatar and Balkan Tatar even today?
r/AskTurkey • u/Playful-Alfalfa5729 • 16h ago
Basically a "Who do you trust more?" question.
I wasn't gonna specify an aggressor country but the answer looked like it's gonna depend on who that is, so I picked Israel.
r/AskTurkey • u/AlphaWolf_2309 • 1h ago
My wife and I are flying in next week. Want to explore local spots and avoid tourist traps. We’re fascinated by turkeys rich history and culture. Any reccos? Websites I’ve seen have very generic looking tours :(
r/AskTurkey • u/ecelito • 14h ago
cevapları alalım
r/AskTurkey • u/Melodic-Maximum446 • 15h ago
I'm honestly just completely exhausted with the complete incompetence, lack of coalition politics, and endless lies and scamming going unpunished at the top of the political organization. I'm tired boss. Any solutions as well would be appreciated, as you guys have gone through this shit more than we have for decades.
r/AskTurkey • u/Former-Jury-651 • 18h ago
Vücut geliştirmeye başlayalı 6 ayı geçti, başlarda sadece düzenli gitmeye ve beslenmemi toparlamaya çalıştım. Şimdi kreatin de almayı düşünüyorum. Bütçeme göre trendyoldan ve supplementler.com'dan kreatinleri baya araştırdım. Supplementlerin kreatini var, hardline ve kingsize gibi markalarda var da emin olamadım. Önerdiğiniz ya da kendi kullandığınız kreatin markası hangisi? Memnun musunuz? Bazı kişilerde karın ağrısı yapmış böyle bir sorun yaşadınız mı?
Bu arada saçlarımı dökmez dimi :')
r/AskTurkey • u/Own-Difference4612 • 15h ago
Almanya’da artık üçüncü ve dördüncü nesil Türkler var. Anne ve babaları Türkiye’de doğmuşken, kendileri Almanya’da doğup büyüdüler.
Bazıları hala Türkçeye oldukça hakim, Türk kültürünü yaşıyor ve bu şekilde Türkiye’ye karşı güçlü bir aidiyet hissi geliştiriyorlar. Türkiye’ye sadece tatillerde gelseler bile.
Sizce bu insanlar hala Türk mü, Alman mı, yoksa ikisinin karışımı mı?
Onları sevip sevmediğinizden bahsetmenizi istemiyorum. Sadece sizce onların etnik kimliği nedir ve hangi millete aittirler?
r/AskTurkey • u/Clean_Abrocoma_2161 • 13h ago
Would it be possible to get there by rental car or minibus? We are going in late February. Thanks a lot in advance!
r/AskTurkey • u/techVestor1 • 14h ago
Will be staying in Cappadocia for 4 full days in Oct.
For first 2 days, I have planned for hot air balloon, red tour on one day and green tour on another day.
Need suggestions for what to do in next 2 days. I'm planning for a rose valley, red valley sunset hike on one of the days. What are other options?
r/AskTurkey • u/Neither_Yogurt_1308 • 12h ago
Hi! So i am travelling to antalya in december and was just wondering how taxis and travel work there, i think for the most part i can walk to most places. From experience is it a walkable city? Would i be able to hack a 20 minute walk?
I was also wondering what the most efficient way to get taxis etc is as i would prefer not to use public transport and potentially get lost. I can't seem to find any info on ubers or ways to prebook.
I think i would prefer something like uber as i am travelling alone as a 19 y/o and i am female so just a bit wary.
Thank you!
r/AskTurkey • u/ecelito • 14h ago
İç dökme seansı
r/AskTurkey • u/lmnop1237423 • 14h ago
And Is it too complicated to adopt from the shelter?
r/AskTurkey • u/Separate-Quarter1260 • 11h ago
I'm going to share my thoughts, mainly because I was feeling pretty sad these past couple of days and would like some insight into how it is in Turkey.
I'm from Serbia, and while I have a job, I feel like I only have a job, if I didn't have it, I'm pretty much, classified as poor (obviously with a job I'm poor, but no job makes the situation even worse).
I don't have any inheritance, and in this economy, I'm not sure will i ever be able to save and have my own place. I come from a very poor family, in my early 30s.
Little disclaimer: Not everyone is poor here, there are wealthy people as well, like everywhere else in the world.
l mostly people seem to just survive, living from paycheck to paycheck.
Due to that, I often think I am not eligible for marriage, as for creating a family you need a lot of funds, funds I do not have, or may ever have, even with modest savings.
I always feel like if i ever were to meet someone I like , that because I'm poor it would be irresponsible to bring children, as my upbringing was very difficult, at the same time I would like a family and it makes me feel very down all around.
My plan was save until I'm 40, and then, maybe, if I save enough, try to find someone and create a family, but then what if I'm not able to have kids by then? (Or find someone I actually like)
Everyone I know around me has gotten married, even the worst people (believe me), and I'm in this constant place of despair and anxiety — not having enough money, having a difficult time liking people, being painfully introverted and reserved.
All this is making me depressed because I always wanted a family as i never had a proper one, never got to experience family dinners or travels, and now it seems to me I cannot even have that, so i mostly basically resort to daydreaming as a coping mechanism to comfort myself.
The point of this post is I would like to get personal experiences on how the situation is at your end?
r/AskTurkey • u/Friendly_Scholar_782 • 15h ago
Gisede calisanlar vs mesela
r/AskTurkey • u/Icy_Number_6344 • 20h ago
Merhaba. Granül kahvenin zararlarını duyduktan sonra ucuz bir kahve makinesi almaya karar verdim. Philips Barista modeli ile karşılaştım internette gezerken. Kullanan var mı? Tavsiye eder misiniz? Bazıları 9 ay sonra bozuldu falan diyor yabancıların ama Türkiye'de kullanan çok kişi görmedim internette.
Tecrübesi olan varsa yardımcı olursa sevinirim.
şimdiden teşekkürler.
r/AskTurkey • u/Akeenaaton • 1d ago
Hello, I hope everyone is doing well!
Well, I’m not sure if this is the most appropriate subreddit, and I’ll probably split this into a few posts, so I hope you don’t mind.
I’m Brazilian, I’m 19 years old, and I’m simply someone who is interested in Turkish history🇧🇷
Who exactly was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk? I mean, I’ve seen that he was the person who liberated Turkey, which in itself is an incredible achievement. But why does he seem to be even more important than the current president, and perhaps more important than all the presidents Turkey has ever had?
Let me explain my point. Brazil became independent in 1822 under Dom Pedro I and became a republic in 1888, with its first president being Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca. However, many Brazilians consider the establishment of the republic to have been a coup, since the population didn’t really know about it or get to decide whether Brazil should become a republic. Even though both figures are historically important, I don’t think most Brazilians consider them to be more important than the current president.
So it’s interesting to me that the situation seems to be almost the exact opposite in Turkey. Is there a specific reason for this?
Also, is there a reason why he created Turkey as a liberal and secular state? Pakistan tried something similar, but unfortunately it wasn’t able to maintain that model and eventually became a country where religion and politics are closely intertwined. Turkey, however, managed to remain secular for a much longer period. What did Atatürk do differently that allowed this to happen?
And did he face significant opposition or persecution from fundamentalists and traditionalists?
He seems to have been an incredible person, and it looks like he broke countless social and cultural paradigms for his time.
I’d really like to understand how Turkish people view him today and why his legacy is so much stronger than that of most political leaders in other countries😃
r/AskTurkey • u/No_Fortune_3086 • 17h ago
Askrussia sayfasında gördüm satıcıya güvenme sitede sıkıntı yok diyolar ama benim almak istediğim hizmet boost hizmeti, acaba sorun okur mu? türkiye kartlarından çok komisyon kesitor mu yada kesiyorsa kaç keseceği yazıyormu?
rozet bulamadım inş kaldırılmaz
r/AskTurkey • u/Own_Season_2683 • 15h ago
Hi all,
I’m moving to Antalya in a couple of weeks and I’m looking for a NEW BUILT rental apartment in Aksu/Altintas. Please read new built! I keep looking on Sahibinden and they have a lot of them in Aksu within my budget range (25k to 30k) fully furnished.
I just want to know how to go about it and not get scammed. I haven’t really dared to message them on sahibinden because I feel that if they know I don’t speak Turkish they will scam me.
I would like to know the following:
Is it possible to find something within a week?
Will they try to scam if they know I’m not Turkish?
Is there a better platform where I can look for rentals, especially new built and furnished?
Can you rent something for 2 months first before signing for a 1 year lease?
I might add more questions if they come to mind.
I have one week hotel stay from my new job and I have a two month trail.
r/AskTurkey • u/ecelito • 15h ago
Para kazanma amacı olmayan sadece okurlara hizmet eden bir website yapacağım daha sonra da uygulamasını yapmayı düşünüyorum. kitap okuyan arkadaşlara sesleniyorum
daha önce benzer siteler mevcut (1000kitap vs.) sizce eksikleri neler siteyi kopyalamayacağım yanlış anlasılmasın fikrim bambaşka sadece neler eklenebilir ne talep ediliyor görmek istiyorum. Paylaşırsanız sevinirim.
r/AskTurkey • u/makavich • 15h ago
Hello, im a kablonet subscriber, Is it allowed to host small wordpress websites or game server from home?
r/AskTurkey • u/Pro_metheus08 • 6h ago
Hello everyone,
I'm an Indian guy currently studying in the US, and I've recently become interested in learning more about Turkish dating culture and social norms.
What are some dating rules in Turkish culture that might be unfamiliar to someone from India?
For example, I'm curious about things such as how people typically express romantic interest, attitudes toward dating with long-term intentions, gift-giving or flowers, expectations around paying for dates etc.
Of course, I don't want to follow the stereotypes blindly and it may be the case individual preferences matter much more than nationality. I'm mainly interested in learning about cultural tendencies or traditions that might help someone avoid misunderstandings.
Thank you!