I am planning a solo trip to Turkey in April. Is it safe and any tips and recommendations?
Very little English
Mine – amazing! I somehow stayed with Tajik family (which wasnt planned and i didnt know until i arrived cos i booked airbnb listing that said “we are a family”). Only in Bursa I had hiccups on the ferry (yet i joined solo for a group day trip there from Istanbul). On the ferry there were so many tour groups and men tried to talk to me and ask for my insta/fb (and i could feel in my stomach the vibes werent good). But luckily they werent part of my tour group to bursa so just that 1 hour was a nuisance to me!
Also little english there – i was denied taxi many times at peak hour cos i dont speak turkish so just be prepared. And persist. Or take train in peak times. Outside of peak hours hailing a cab wasnt so bad. They have their own uber but when i used it idk didnt work for me not sure bout now.
Istanbulkart
otally safe. It’s totally true about little English. But you can use Google translate to communicate. You can get around using public transport. Real easy.
You’ll just need to buy the Istanbul cart which is used for bus, tram, and ferry as well. Avoid using taxis as many of them are scams. You can use the Bitaksi app but again you won’t necessarily pay the fare given by the app. The drivers may quote a different fare. From airport you can use the Havaist bus to get to your destination, though you’ll need to walk to your hotel from the bus stop or you can take the tram. All depends on where your accommodation is located. To exchange currency, go to Mahmutpasha entrance in Grand bazaar for the best rates. For shopping, there are malls but there are day-specific markets you can check out. These are a few tips.
Uber, Public Transport or Walking, Europe & Asian Side
I used Uber if I had to, otherwise it was mostly public transport or walking! Public transport on the European side is so hectic, you’d be lucky to find a seat lol. I made sure I got back to my hotel around magrib time.
I spent 2 days on the European side such as sultan Ahmet area and taksim and then 1 day around Asian side- Uskudar, Kadikoy and Camlica hill/mosque. It’s much calmer in the Asian side- loved it
My 5th time in the country & usually solo
yes I was in last week, my 5th time in the country and usually travel solo. is one of the safest places to visit, but country is big, for tips and recommendations narrow down your request – where specifically are you going or travelling around, overland or domestic flights. But generally speaking having travelled around, it is easy to get around the country with transport. My fav place is Trabzon and Rize on the black sea but if its your first trip start with istanbul then head east.
Be careful with taxi drivers
I was at Istanbul (European side) a month ago. I was there with my cousins though but still it’s a very safe city, or at least based on my experience it’s much safer than Athens & Paris. I would still recommend u to be careful, do some research about the place u will stay, be careful with the taxi drivers & other people there to not scam u, & buy a sim card from the airport so u have WiFi wherever u go.
Stay somewhere walkable to train / tram
Ive been there before and will be there in April inshallah. I highly advise that if you stay in Istanbul that you avoid the bus, perhaps ots ok from the airport, but the day to day bus is where my horror stories begin in Turkey. Stay somewhere walkable to the train or tram.
Don’t trust directions with more than 20 mins of walking
Oh yes, use google map to get suggestions for trains and walking but never trust directions with more than 20 minutes of walking. It will lead you to all kinds of questionable situations and circumstances Really this is on the Asian side mostly. One time the directions lead me up a steep staircase to a pretty desolate residential area in the hills. Turkiye is very safe but I still err on the side of uber caution.
What season are you going? Prepare for full price at bazaars
It’s very safe in Istanbul I know but just use caution and discretion of course as with any place! It’s amazing. But you are going in high season, so be prepared to pay full price at bazaars. I went in low season but you will also get better weather.
