Safe Couches for Women Surfing in Istanbul
Seda
Istanbul
Can host for:
2 days
About me
I live in Istanbul. I am 26 years old. I work at the airport and travel whenever I can. I visited 39 cities in Turkey. I'm here for more.
Speaking
Fatma
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Hello everyone! I’m Fatma. I have been working as a teacher in İstanbul for six years. I love travelling and solo-travel has become kind of a therapy for me over the years:) If you are in İstanbul, I can show you around at weekends and give you some tips as well. You can ask any questions, please don’t be shy. My home is a bit far from the touristic places, but if you need a place to crash you can come over:)
Speaking
Dide
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
I’m Dide, and I have a strong background in gender studies, humanitarian work, and data analysis. I’ve worked with international organizations like Save the Children and IOM - UN Migration, where I gained experience in grants management, program development, and medical assistance. Academically, I hold a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Cologne, and my research has focused on gendered language in politics. I’m passionate about feminism, psychology, and contemporary literature, and I’ve taken courses in feminist philosophy and psychoanalysis. Beyond work and academia, I love ceramics, modern dance, and arthouse cinema. I also enjoy yoga and meditation, but I prefer in-person sessions rather than online ones. Recently, I’ve been into personal reflection and journaling, which helps me stay grounded.
Speaking
Ece
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Heyy I am Ece. I like nature, music exchange, food exchange and daily simple pleasures. My biggest passion is cooking international food. I've been to Balkan countries, Italy, Germany, Czechia(I did my Erasmus there, so has a special place in my heart), Poland, Oslo(my first ever solo trip was unbelievably smooth and full of adventures), Austria, Slovakia. I love international environments, deep talks about our 20s, and sometimes I get the urge to get out of my comfort zone. We only live once, right? "What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be." PS Here's a boring recap of my life focusing on close timeline: I finished my thesis and graduated, started my long-term internship in Istanbul but got accepted from an Erasmus internship so I dumped the first one. Erasmus was fabulous, after returning to my hometown I was craving international environment which resulted in me volunteering in an organic farm for a while. Then I decided to settle down, get a job. Which to my surprise wasn't easy. Noow I'm gonna start working in a month. Yup that's pretty much it
Speaking
Umay
Istanbul
Can host for:
2 days
About me
Hi, girls! I'm a legal intern on my way to becoming a lawyer. Also studying Latin Language and Literature at Istanbul University due to my interest in ancient civilizations. I enjoy intellectual conversations, especially like history, culture, politics and literature. If you're looking for a feminist local, that's me!
Speaking
Begüm
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Hii!! I’m Begüm from Turkey. Currently I study Western Literatures in University. I am really into art, literature and exploring different cultures, thats why i am on couchsurfing! Im looking forward to meeting you!
Speaking
Zehra
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Hello, I'm Zehra 24 years old. I guess we all love meeting new people. Discovering new places, traveling, learning about new cultures are my favorite things. If you want to do it together, I'm here.
Speaking
Selin
Istanbul
Can host for:
3 days
About me
Hi, I study computer science in Washington DC, originally from Istanbul. I love solo traveling, discovering and meeting new people. I like every kind of music especially techno (always open to raves and festivals :) I like being in nature and push my limits.
Speaking
Make friends while traveling solo
Meet other female travelers, find travel buddies and stay with local women for free through hospitality exchange.
Is Istanbul worth visiting?
Based on 110 experiences
Solo travel
Safe place for solo travelers. However, the taxi guys are ruthless if they see you are traveling alone as a woman or with a female friend. The biggest turn off was that taxi drivers dropped me off me and my friend in some place that we didn't ask to be dropped off. And when we asked them to take us to our actual destination, one of the drivers got aggressive and opened the door asking us to get out. We wanted to visit the Haggia Sophia instead we ended up in a different mosque in a strange part of the city. Trying to find our way back same and the issue occurred. We got dropped off at a bridge that had no sidewalk for pedestrians and had to walk on the shoulder of the road. After this experience, we decided to only explore places we could reach by foot.
Posted: June 24, 2025Experienced: December, 2021
Katie
Ireland
Family travel
I’ve been to many cities before and I can honestly say I’ve never felt anywhere near as safe as I felt in Istanbul. Petty crime is a big no no here and heavily punished so people just don’t do it. At cafés, people would leave their phones and bags on the table while going to the bathroom and no one would touch it. It was really refreshing to not have to worry about getting your stuff stolen. Everyone was also super kind and welcoming. Hotel’s are very cheap and public transport is simple and inexpensive and there are many different options for transport. You can take the subway from the airport into the city and between the European and Asian sides (I’d recommend seeing both, as they are very different) Food is generally cheap, but research places before hand as certain restaurants, particularly in Sultanahmet (touristy area) can be incredible experience.
Posted: June 18, 2025Experienced: June, 2025Hospitality Exchange in Turkey
