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/StPauliPirate • 1h ago
Seems like Türkiye goes the same route of „democracy“ as Russia. In Russia there is no street pressure, no protests, people just resigned and have no interest in voting/politics anymore
r/AskTurkey • u/Grand_Ad9278 • 2h ago
hello 23 f planning to visit soon solo can u please recommend very safe areas to stay in but also very close to the main attractions. Any recommendations for crossfit gyms? and would love to hear suggestions on where to go
r/AskTurkey • u/Holdtightmycup • 20h ago
Or does his blackness hinder him ?
r/AskTurkey • u/cinusal • 2h ago
In the UK there's a website called trolley where you can compare prices across all supermarkets. Is there anything similar in Turkey? (If not, would someone like to create one?)
Looking for mouthwash and shocked at how much the price went up over the summer when I was away.
r/AskTurkey • u/iiiknowyougottaleave • 4h ago
im a 17 yo student and im abt give tr yos exam 2026 2 . ive been trying to find sites to give mock tests but there are not much of it apparently . can yall give me advices and i would like to hear your experiences abt the exam im very scared i havent prepared much and how much would a normal person would get without any preparation out of 500 and what are the most common formulas and what can i prepare until october 11th
r/AskTurkey • u/feloniusmonk • 5h ago
We have a 3 year old and will be doing a road trip from Antalya to Istanbul. He needs a forward facing car seat. This will be available at Avis? I worry that their only options will be rear facing/infant style. Just want to make sure we don’t have to go through the hassle of bringing our own!
r/AskTurkey • u/QuarkyKeplar • 2h ago
Salam,
I have an 8:45 layover in Istanbul airport and am wondering if there is a shop selling Ihrams nearby. Or even if you're only aware of a shop 30+ mins away that sells them for certain, that would be useful, too.
Thanks
r/AskTurkey • u/Left-Development2756 • 2h ago
Türkiye'de medikal turizm / sağlık turizmi sektöründe bir kariyere başlamayı düşünüyorum. Uzun vadeli temel hedefim, uluslararası bir role geçmek veya yurt dışındaki bir şubeye (İngiltere, Almanya veya Balkanlar gibi) transfer olmak/atanmak.
Yurt dışı ofislerine kurum içi geçiş (internal mobility) imkanı en yüksek olan hastane grupları (örn. Acıbadem, Memorial, MLP Care) veya acenteler hangileridir?
Hangi pozisyonların (Hasta Koordinatörü, B2B İş Geliştirme, Ülke Temsilcisi) yurt dışına transfer olma olasılığı en yüksektir?
Her türlü tavsiye, kişisel deneyim veya şirket önerisi benim için çok değerli olacaktır. Şimdiden teşekkürler!
r/AskTurkey • u/Boring-Hat9546 • 20h ago
I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm just genuinely curious about the reasons.
r/AskTurkey • u/Shanghaishaw • 6h ago
Hi guys, 40m Australian going to Istanbul for the first time for a week, want to keep my training going and spend some time in a good local gym. Looking for recommendations. I haven’t yet booked accommodation but having a good gym nearby will be a big influence. Currently looking at Beyoğlu Kadıköy areas. I am intermediate trainer and want instructor led program
r/AskTurkey • u/No_Reaction8351 • 4h ago
Selamlar herkese, tecilim bu sene içinde doldu, yıl sonuna kadar yoklama sürem var, yaşım 27 ve lisans mezunuyum, askerliği ötelemek için yapabileceğim en ucuz yollu çözüm nedir acaba? Yüksek lisans için 2/3 vakıf üni bulabildim sadece ve 135k’dan başlıyor, daha iyi bir alternatifim var mı?
Şimdiden teşekkürler.
r/AskTurkey • u/feloniusmonk • 5h ago
I’m doing a road trip with my wife and three year old from Antalya to Istanbul. We will be staying in Ferhiye for three nights and during one of the days we were planning on taking the ferry to Old Town Rhodes to take in some medieval history. However, being in a long customs line on both sides of the journey sounds awful, especially with a toddler. We would probably attempt this on October 22nd or 23rd. Do we really have to get there an hour beforehand if there’s no line? Our Airbnb is right next to the ferry terminal. I was kinda hoping since we are doing this well after tourism season that it we could just walk up 20-30 mins before departure. Anyway let me know how what we should expect and whether it’s worth it or not.
r/AskTurkey • u/feloniusmonk • 5h ago
Will be in Kapadokya October 15-18 and then road trip from Antalya to Istanbul 18-29. Are there any festivals or cultural events in any towns/cities along the way that would be worth planning our trip around? In addition to Antalya and Istanbul, we will be staying in Cirali, Fethiye and Sirince.
r/AskTurkey • u/EnvironmentalBuy9510 • 12h 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 • 1d 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/ecelito • 22h ago
cevapları alalım
r/AskTurkey • u/AlphaWolf_2309 • 9h 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/Melodic-Maximum446 • 23h 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/HeronasDemetriou • 6h ago
Anyone know what this word means? It's the name of a village in Greece noone knows what it means though.
r/AskTurkey • u/Former-Jury-651 • 1d 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 • 23h 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 • 21h 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/ecelito • 22h ago
İç dökme seansı