Hi there,
My girlfriend and I are thinking about a short trip to Turkey. We would be going June 3-7. We've already done Rome, Barcelona and Pars together with no problems, but Turkey has me a bit nervouse.
We are both in our 20's, American/Canadian and blonde so we will stand out.
We plan on hostelling and flying to Istanbule from Vienna then travelling around. Not sure of the details yet. Just wondering if we should be concerned about safety and this part of the world.
Thank you for your help!
No concerns at all. You'll enjoy every minute of it -- great place, figure out a way to stay longer.
"no concerns at all" might be a stretch Ed. Having been a young blond in Greece, I can tell you there are things one should pay attention to.. not neccesarily "dangers" but one does need to be a bit smart.
Watch your drink in bars( do this anywhere really) , don't wander drunkenly down secluded areas late a night, and don't let new friends know where you are staying, meet them places ( for drinks etc). Obviously this doesn't matter with the new friends you meet in your hostel.
Use common sense and you will be just as safe or more safe than you would be in any other North American city. You probably would also get just as much attention in Rome than in Istanbul!
Pat said it right on. Of course, you could skip alcohol all together and drink other Turkish delights.
Turkey is perfectly safe to visit as a woman. Turkish men are usually very respectful.
I have been to Turkey and have worked with many Turkish men here in Germany, and they are delightful people.
We had an excellent guide in Istanbul and she told us that street crime there is almost non-existent because the street life is very vibrant (sidewalks full of people of all ages well into the night), and also because thievery is a shameful act to a Muslim. Also, most Turks come from intact families. Divorce is rare compared to the U.S.
Anybody can have a bad experience, but we loved Istanbul and we found the Turkish people to be exceptionally warm, friendly, and good-humored.
You could color your hair...brunettes are perfectly safe. ;)
Take the usual precautions for women travelers as you would've done in Rome and Barcelona. I've only been to Istanbul and not other parts of Turkey, and found it to be generally safe. We were two women traveling together. In the touristy areas, you might get unwanted attention, men calling out to you - usually because they want to sell you something, and often just because you're foreign. Stay alert on public transport especially when it's crowded (as much for 'wandering hands' as for pickpockets), and remember to respect local customs.
Hi.
I traveled to Turkey last year. I loved it and would like to return some day. I felt safe, taking the usual precautions of course.
I was regularly harassed, however, in Istanbul....and not just by carpet salesmen. I had 3 separate incidents where men "tailed" me. One time I was harassed to such an extent that the next day a Turkish man (and a young Canadian girl who was only allowed to visit turkey while escorted by him) came up to me and said "your that girl that was being harassed". I am beyond my 20's, not flashy, generally don't wear makeup, plump...., so I did not expect such constant attention. It was quite a pain-in-the-butt, and at one point I wondered why I went there.
That said, I think it is safe and I want to return to Turkey (more so the countryside) at some point. I was traveling solo and maybe that was part of it. (I would not want my nieces to travel there alone). But I would recommend you be more "stand-off-ish"...maybe drop the quick smile and greetings that most of us use casually...even blatantly ignore people and just go about your sightseeing to avoid the harassment while in Istanbul. And take the usual precautions of being aware of your surroundings.
