r/AskTurkey Mar 02 '26

Announcement Recent Safety Questions

23 Upvotes

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 Dec 07 '25

Announcement Turkey FAQ for visitors - Please read before posting!

56 Upvotes

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 12h ago

Culture Gürültü yapan evlada laf söylememek

36 Upvotes

Özellikle toplu taşımada sıklıkla bağıran, devamlı ağlayan, ağzını kapatmadan etrafına doğru durmadan öksüren çocuklar oluyor. Hadi onlar çocuk ancak hemen yanındaki aileleri de sakinleştirmek, uyarmak ile hiç uğraşmıyorlar. Bu durumun sebebi nedir? Sanki umurlarında değilmiş gibi.

Bu durum, eskiden de mi böyleydi?


r/AskTurkey 4h ago

Travel & Places What does this sign mean?

Post image
4 Upvotes

This sign is on a public footpath, pointing into what looks like someone's property. Does this mean that what looks like a driveway is actually a public road or footpath?

Taken near Bodrum


r/AskTurkey 9h ago

Education Help with Master's

9 Upvotes

Merhaba!

I am a student of English language and literature from Croatia and I need your help with graduating :)

I'm doing a research on understanding of English blends among non-native speakers of English, specifically the Turkish and the Italians. I am interested to know how Turkish speakers percieve English blends and to what degree they can understand them. I need a few more people to fill it out, since all of my Turkish friends already did it. If some of you are interested in filling it out, you can DM me and I will send it to you. It is completely anonymous. It takes about 10 minutes to fill it out and it is not very hard :)

Şimdiden teşekkür ederim!

P.S. sorry for the format (I'm on my computer) and the title, I didn't know how else to put it in the form of a question, and I really hope it follows the community's guidelines.


r/AskTurkey 10h ago

Travel & Places Visiting turkey in october

7 Upvotes

hello everyone, I’m Arpan. I am 24 years old and I’m visiting Turkey solo for the first time in October. I’m planning my first day in Istanbul then two days in Cappadocia, and after that, the last three days in Istanbul, it would be really great if some local can accompany me or any other tourist as I’m on my solo trip to Turkey and would also really love recommendation for the local spots and experience real culture of Turkey .


r/AskTurkey 5m ago

Travel & Places How do foreign drivers usually settle camera speed fines in Georgia without a local bank account?

Upvotes

Hey all, Question for anyone who does regular driving trips through Georgia in foreign-plated cars.

I know speed cameras log foreign plates directly into the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs database. My concern is that the official government payment page (videos.police.ge) usually rejects non-Georgian debit/credit cards when trying to pay online from abroad.

From what I understand, under Georgian law a published camera notice is considered delivered after 30 days. I know third party travel sites like Georgian APPA let you check your plate against the official police register and settle fines using foreign cards, but for those who drive there regularly:

Do you usually check the public register manually after a trip, subscribe to plate alerts, or just wait to clear everything at PayBoxes/terminals inside the country next time you visit? Thanks!


r/AskTurkey 2h ago

Shopping & Prices Gümrükten eşya getirmek

1 Upvotes

Herkese selamlar

Dubaiye gideceğim, gelirken ps5, oyun ve gaming kulaklık getireceğim bunlardan yana sıkıntı olur mu? Bide 2 ps5 getirmek istiyorum diğerini eşimin valizinde getirsem sorun olur mu ve bunu uçaktayken elimizde taşıyabilir miyiz yoksa valizde mi taşımamız gerek


r/AskTurkey 2h ago

Travel & Places Finlandiya Turistik Schengen

0 Upvotes

Merhaba, daha önce Finlandiya Schengen'e başvuran var mı? Tüm belgeleri İngilizce istiyor sanırım ve Cascade kuralına uyuyor mu? son 1 senedir Finlandiya Schengen vizesine başvuran varsa iletişim kurarsa sevinirim.


r/AskTurkey 3h ago

Personal Issues [Antalya Havalimanı] Küçük bir rica / Geocaching

1 Upvotes

Merhaba arkadaşlar!

Uzaktan bir geocaching / yön bulma oyununa katılıyorum ve Antalya Havalimanı otopark alanının oradaki çalıların yakınında bir ipucu hidden/gizli.

Şu an Antalya'da olmadığım için, havalimanında çalışan, birini karşılamaya gelen ya da orada olan biri benim için o noktanın hızlıca bir fotoğrafını çekebilir mi?

Tam koordinatları ve konum detayını özel mesajdan (DM) atabilirim. Şimdiden çok teşekkürler!


r/AskTurkey 3h ago

Miscellaneous Do a lot of Turks treat coffee reading seriously? As in they will pay for it

1 Upvotes

I have been in Turkey for quite a while, I know that falcı is a thing like in touristic area (never tried, just saw) and something that you do for fun after drinking turkish coffee. But is it something that a sizeable amount of people treat seriously as in they will pay good money for it and made someone can have this falcı as a fulltime job?

I know that many people from different countries also have somekind of spiritual leaders they follow and stuff, or say something like astrology, fengshui, tea reading, palm reading etc are something too. Which for fengshui, personally I get how it might help for your house decor and stuff.

Im asking because I recently heard about someone going to a falcı and paid for the service, not even in a nearby location.

Thank you


r/AskTurkey 5h ago

Travel & Places Turkey

0 Upvotes

Hi all , I am going to Turkey for two weeks and was wondering if anyone has done any kind of fishing there 🎣✈️


r/AskTurkey 19h ago

Cuisine Help me find this Sevilen Gatto Strawberry drink from Turkey 🇹🇷🍓

Post image
13 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping someone on here might be able to help me track down a drink I’ve been trying to find for ages.
I’m looking for Sevilen Gatto – Strawberry (Çilek Aromalı Şarap Kokteyli) from Turkey. I’ve attached a photo of the exact bottle I’m looking for.
It’s a 5% strawberry-flavoured wine cocktail/wine cooler made by Sevilen.
I’ve searched everywhere I can think of online, including UK retailers and Turkish websites, but I cannot find anywhere currently selling it.
I’ve managed to find evidence that Gatto is still being sold/served in Turkey in 2026, including Antalya, Alanya, Istanbul and Marmaris, so I’m hoping someone in Turkey or someone familiar with Turkish wine/alcohol retailers might know where I can get hold of it.
I’m based in Scotland, UK, but I’m happy to pay for the bottles and reasonable shipping costs if someone can point me towards a legitimate retailer or supplier that can legally ship it to the UK.
I’m specifically looking for the Strawberry Gatto shown in the photo, not another Sevilen product.
If anyone has seen this recently, knows where I can buy it, or knows a Turkish shop/supplier that stocks it, I’d be incredibly grateful! 🙏
Thanks! 🍓🇹🇷


r/AskTurkey 1d ago

Travel & Places I visited Istanbul and it wasn’t like what I expected?

41 Upvotes

I went to Istanbul and I was warned that people are so mean hostile against tourists (specially middle eastern). I am a female but i’m not a hijabi, honestly, people were so nice to me, some men were really helpful to me and my mom. So my question is what is the reason?

When i asked my friends, they told me the following: 1- Probably bec you are not a hijabi?

2- Also multiple times people had mistaken me for a local and when i tell them i don’t speak turkish they literally say ‘’you look like a turkish woman’’


r/AskTurkey 11h ago

Travel & Places How is Carsamba viewed in Turkey?

2 Upvotes

I am an gurbetci and my mother is born and raised in Carsamba, Samsun. I heard bad things about Carsamba, is it really like the texas of Turkey? Besides this, is there a chance that people from that region are gocmen from Ukraine or Russia, I heard something like that.


r/AskTurkey 11h ago

Travel & Places What to buy from turkey as a first time visitor?

2 Upvotes

I don't want to be a dumb tourist buying expensive worthless things

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, what are things I shouldn't leave before getting? whether its food, souvenirs, cosmetics, or anything really

We will be going to Tarabzon

Also any cheap tour offices would be appreciated and if there is somewhere you recommend please tell me.

honestly, any knowledge would be appretiated

thank you!


r/AskTurkey 15h ago

Travel & Places Best places for hiking and chill away from crowded areas in the winter

3 Upvotes

Hello, I am visiting Türkiye in the winter and I some people recommend I visit Uludağ because I like camping and hiking, so my question is, how can I find a cabin that is in the middle of a forest and far away from tourists so I can hike and just chill for like 3 days, is it even possible to find one there that is not in a complex and isolated ? And is it safe enough? Also is there a better alternative? And thank you


r/AskTurkey 3h ago

Personal Issues Türkiye’den tamamen çıkmak mı, yoksa Avrupa’da başka bir ülkeye geçmek mi?

0 Upvotes

30 yaşındayım ve eğitim, iş ve çeşitli uluslararası projeler nedeniyle hayatımın farklı dönemlerinde Avrupa’da farklı ülkelerde yaşadım. Şu anda Türkiye’de yaşıyorum ama işimi tamamen remote olarak kendim yürütüyorum. Online şahıs işletmem var; dolayısıyla Türkiye’de muhasebecim, vergilerim ve düzenli olarak yürütmem gereken bazı resmi işler var.

Uzun vadede Avrupa’ya taşınmayı ciddi ciddi düşünüyorum ama benim durumum biraz farklı. Klasik anlamda “Avrupa’da iş bulup taşınayım” durumunda değilim çünkü zaten kendi işim ve gelir kaynağım var. Fakat gelirimin aylık olarak sabit olmaması ve henüz €2,500+ net seviyesinde olmaması nedeniyle İspanya’nın digital nomad/digital expat gibi oturum seçeneklerinin benim için çok kolay olmayabileceğini düşünüyorum. Türkiye’deki işletmemi de düzenli olarak yurt dışında yaşayacaksam muhtemelen kapatmam veya yapısını değiştirmem gerekecek.

Asıl mesele ise artık Türkiye’de yaşamaktan ciddi anlamda yorulmuş olmam.

Buradaki genel agresiflik, insanların birbirine karşı tahammülsüzlüğü, trafikteki davranışlar, kurallara uyulmaması, sürekli bir stres ve kaos hissi beni oldukça yoruyor. Günlük hayatta sürekli tetikte olmanız gerekiyormuş gibi hissediyorum.

Avrupa’da yaşadığım dönemlerde özellikle daha düzenli, sakin, kurallı ve öngörülebilir toplumları çok sevdim. Özellikle Kuzey Avrupa’nın bu tarafı bana çok daha uygun geliyor.

Ama tabii Avrupa’nın her ülkesi de aynı değil.

İtalya’da yaşadım ve açıkçası uzun vadeli yaşam açısından bana çok uygun gelmedi. Tatil için, kültür, yemek, şehirler ve yaşam tarzı açısından harika buluyorum ama bürokrasi, işlerin yavaş ilerlemesi, bazı yerlerde dolandırıcılık/hırsızlık riski ve kurumlara duyulan güven açısından benim aradığım şey değil.

Portekiz konusunda da benzer şekilde, insanların genel olarak çok “güvenilir ve düzenli” olduğu şeklindeki expat anlatısına tamamen katılmadım.

Bu yüzden şu anda daha çok Finlandiya, İsveç, Danimarka, Norveç gibi Kuzey ülkelerini düşünüyorum. Fakat onların da son yıllarda eskiye göre değiştiğini ve özellikle yabancılar açısından bazı konuların zorlaştığını duyuyorum.

Benim için önemli olan şeyler:

  • Sakin ve medeni günlük hayat
  • İnsanların birbirine ve kurallara saygılı olması
  • Güvenlik
  • Bürokrasi ve devlet kurumlarının düzgün işlemesi
  • Sağlık sistemi
  • Kendi işimi/remote işimi sürdürebilme
  • Yabancı olarak tamamen dışlanmadan sosyal bir hayat kurabilmek
  • Uzun vadede oturum alma imkanının gerçekçi olması
  • Çok yüksek bir maaş gerektirmeden yaşayabilmek
  • Türkiye’deki sürekli “kaos/stres” hissinden uzaklaşmak

genel olarak, benim durumumda olsanız hangi Avrupa ülkesini düşünürdünüz?

Özellikle Kuzey Avrupa dışında, “çok bilinmeyen ama uzun vadede yaşam kalitesi gerçekten iyi” dediğiniz ülkeler varsa onları da duymak isterim.


r/AskTurkey 13h ago

Culture Perfumes, make-up of Turkish people?

2 Upvotes

Hello!

I'm interested in what are the most popular perfumes, both for males and females that people wear in Turkey, as well as make-up brands?

Thank you. 😁🎀


r/AskTurkey 23h ago

Education 27 yaşında Elektrik Elektronik mühendisliği okumak

7 Upvotes

Selamlar, kısaca kendimi tanıtmak istiyorum.

Dijital Oyun Tasarımı bölümünden 2024 yılında mezun oldum. Yaklaşık 5 yıl boyunca sektörde freelance ve full-time olarak çalıştım ve bu süreçte güzel paralar da kazandım. Fakat son dönemde Türkiye'de oyun sektörünün ciddi şekilde küçülmesi nedeniyle gelirlerim oldukça düştü ve açıkçası bu alandan da soğumaya başladım.

Bu nedenle YKS'ye tekrar girip Elektrik-Elektronik Mühendisliği yazmayı düşünüyorum. Mezun olduğumda yaklaşık 31-32 yaşlarında olacağım. Sizce bu yaşta yeniden 4 yıllık bir mühendislik eğitimi almak mantıklı mı?

Elektrik-Elektronik Mühendisliği'ni düşünmemin en büyük nedeni, diğer mühendisliklere kıyasla oldukça geniş bir iş alanına sahip olması. Şu anda LinkedIn üzerinden araştırdığımda da mezunların büyük çoğunluğunun bir yerlerde çalıştığını görüyorum. Bu da bana iş bulma konusunda daha güvenli bir seçenek gibi geliyor.

Diğer bir seçeneğim ise bir kursa gidip CNC operatörlüğü veya elektrik teknisyenliği öğrenmek. Ancak teknisyenlikte belirli bir noktadan sonra yükselme imkanının sınırlı olması ve uzun vadede yerimde sayma ihtimali beni endişelendiriyor.

Sizce bu seçenekler arasında hangisi uzun vadede daha mantıklı olur? Özellikle 31-32 yaşında mühendis olarak mezun olma fikri sizce geç mi?


r/AskTurkey 1d ago

Miscellaneous Bu gerçek bir tatbikat mı? yoksa polisler sosyal medya için içerik mi çekiyor, bir de turist birisini kullanmışlar çok garip geldi.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

89 Upvotes

Böyle bi video gördüm bugün galiba eski bi video bi çoğunuz daha önce görmüş olabilirsiniz.

Bu olay tamamen şaka troll için mi yoksa gerçek bir tatbikat mi?

Polislerin görev sırasında resmi uniforma ile böyle bi video çekiceklerini sanmıyorum sırf sosyal medya için, bir de turist birini kullanmaları zaten çok acayip.


r/AskTurkey 18h ago

Medical Dentists turkey

3 Upvotes

Can someone please recommend a good dentist in turkey preferably antalya for crowns and a dentist that has a in-house lab bonus points for photos thanks all


r/AskTurkey 16h ago

Travel & Places Macaristan vize randevusu bulamamak

2 Upvotes

Merhaba. Ben ESC ile 2 aylığına macaristana gideceğim. Gönderen kuruluşla iletişim halindeyim. Bana randevu al sonra 1 hafta içinde evraklarını hazırlarız dediler. Ancak 1 haftadan beri her gün bazen birkaç defa as visanın sayfasından randevu bakmama rağmen uygun randevu bulunamadı diyor. Normal bir şey mi bu? O kadar çok denedim ki randevu aldım yazanlar bile garip geliyor bana. Sanki hiç yokmuş gibi orada randevu. Yakın zamanda macaristan vize randevusu alabilen oldu mu as visa solutions dan? Merak ediyorum.


r/AskTurkey 12h ago

Travel & Places Leaving a foreign car in Turkey

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

What is the correct process for leaving a foreign-registered car parked in Turkey when exiting the country without it


r/AskTurkey 15h ago

Miscellaneous Imar durumu sorgulama

1 Upvotes

E-Plan Otomasyon Sistemleri - İmar Durum Belgesi Sorgulama (https://eplan.csb.gov.tr/e-plan/html/imarDurumu.html) girim bilgileri giriyorum, "Planlari getir" bastigimda Internal Server Error diyor, sizde bi denermisiniz? Aceba bendenmi kaynakli? Haftalardir bu boyle.