Is Istanbul Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Solo travel

It was the first time that I went on a solo trip. It was a great learning experience and the people were quite hospitable. Although, late at night I would feel a bit unsafe thinking that I am a tourist who doesn't even speak the same language but I always found someone with whom I could communicate.

Solo travel

I transit in Istanbul for 13 hours which is enough time to go to the city and back, I took bus to the city and walked around, it was safe as I was in the touristy area, I spent around 180 sgd which more than I would like to but most of it went to local shops and local artists. So it’s good! Heart wrenching part was there are quite a few homeless kids. I could not walk past them without giving some donations. Overall I love it there, the culture and buildings was beautiful!!!

Solo travel

Istanbul was a dream coming true for me Every day was a blast I felt super safe as a solo traveler and stayed in a pension in kadiköy Istanbul is expensive but I could eat for 7 euros in local restaurants

Solo travel

Hey ladies! I’ve been to turkey 4 times and I highly recommend, it is safe for travelers, tamales specifically. The food was amazing specially Kofte and iskander , am a huge fan ahah Transport is well organised and safe also

Solo travel

I visited Istanbul for the first time after experienced the Sochi Olympics 2014. It was the cheapest flight out from Russia at the time. It was a nice surprise to find out there was this country hidden for me but at the same time so close to my heart. I stayed for 7 days and 6 months later I moved there to live for 7 years. Is safe enough if you know how to say - defol- to men who literally harras you on the streets. Is a safe place if you don't mention you are a Christian woman. Is safe if you stay away from their religion. When you are a tourist you are very welcome. But when you live there most of them turn their back to you. Is not safe if you live there and you plan to stay there. Few people would stay close to you once you stay there longer than a visit. Overall experience is good but is not healthy for your heart.

Solo travel

Istanbul Even though my family was so scared for me since i was traveling there alone i never felt unsafe. It’s my favorite city that i’ve visited so far and it has a peace of my heart still there. I can’t wait to go there again!

Group travel

- first things first, we stayed at Airbnb , the host was an amazing person. It was our first time traveling and he was very fun and welcoming person. - i honestly felt safe around the city, we stayed at Besiktas and it was very good , we had very cheap shops around us. - remember, food portions are huge in Istanbul and always try to share 💖

Solo travel

My experience in istanbul was very good , i went to asian side , it was safe , food is amazing, transportation is easy by taxi i use apps for taxi , always payment by card , shopping is amazing also , for 4 days it cost me 800 - 1200 dollar as mid cost without flying ticket , I recommend it

Solo travel

So, I really fell in love with Istanbul, it's so big and beautiful and it's also budget friendly. Istanbul have a lot of activities from sight seeing to nature to old town to museums to what not more. I lived there for a month in a shared apartment and i got lucky about the rent but some apartments get really expensive as well. Overall Istanbul i had a great experience safety wise but i would suggest to take care of your belongings if you go to Taksim square. (It's a hotspot for all the pickpockets and scammers). The transport all over Istanbul was really great, you just need a Google map and you can easily travel via metros and buses that i suggest instead of taking taxis which costs way too much. I would suggest the must go places are, Blue Mosque, Hagia sofia, Arasta Bazar, (Grand Bazar is over rated and expensive), Dolma Bahçe Palace, and if you are on a budget then instead of taking the Bosphorus cruise, you can take a local ferry that costs 7 to 10 liras and you can travel from European Istanbul to Asian Istanbul. And not to be missed is the food of Istanbul, i don't have a personal favourite because i loved it all from durum to mideye.

Group travel

I felt safe,people were really friendly and everyone wanted to help me,even I didn’t know Turkish.Especially aunties 🥹🫶🏻 Food is just amazing and not really expensive, fresh juices were just🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

Istanbul is a beautiful city, it is actually very safe if you go to right places, like beşiktaş, bebek, ortaköy, But some specific places are dangerous to visit like tarlabaşı, bağcılar, fatih, you should not go to places like these

Yes, Istanbul is a safe destination, but I don’t recommend it as a destination for traveling solo for the first time. I’ll explain why. If you’re from the US of Europe, you’ll find the culture in Istanbul to be very different and it will take you a few days to learn how to navigate it. view of istanbul from hamdi restaurant First, you need to learn how to haggle. Taxi drivers, people who sell in bazaars, literally anyone who is selling something to foreign tourists will try to get as much money from you as possible. They usually give you a much higher price and you’ll have to negotiate so you don’t get scammed. Second, English is not as widely spoken in Istanbul as it is in other countries. So you’ll have to navigate the language barriers on top of having to haggle. Google maps and Google translate will be your best friends. Third, Turkish men can be a bit much at times. You might get stares and the occasional catcall. It’s best to avoid eye contact and wear more modest clothing to avoid unwanted attention. You can have a safe trip and an enjoyable experience in Istanbul (I did!), but I don’t think it’s the best place for beginner solo travelers.

Solo travel

I don't recommend Turkey as a country for solo female travel. Turkish men believe foreign women are all whores and are persistent to a level of being scary. I know other women from different countries who have had similar experiences there.

Couple travel

I have been to Istanbul for many times, and never got disappointed. This city is always alive, the people are welcoming, eventhough the poor english skills, they try to help you anyhow. I recommened to try as many food as you can. The baked corn and the simit (with nutella) my favourites from the streets. I recommend to stay at Cihangir area, really cool vibes there, so many artists there. If you like techno/melodic-techno music, you should visit zoegarden, sumahan, klein garden…:)