Is it safe for a woman to travel alone in Turkey? With the right preparation and research, absolutely. While I’ve done a lot of solo female travel in Turkey, I’m not an expert — that’s my friend Katie Nadworny, who has been living in Istanbul since 2013 and has traveled Turkey more extensively than anyone I’ve ever met.
I love Turkey. The jagged landscapes, the steam-filled hamams, the warm hospitality, the blue Mediterranean, the endless tulip-shaped cups of tea. I wish more people realized this! Turkey is a destination that gets a lot of bad publicity, particularly for women on their own — but if you have at least a little bit of travel experience, Turkey is a great destination for solo female travelers.
Is Turkey Safe For Solo Female Travelers?
Turkey is a fascinating country that offers incredible history, beautiful landscapes, and welcoming people. As a solo female traveler, you may be wondering – is Turkey safe to visit on your own? The answer is yes, generally speaking Turkey is a safe destination for women traveling solo. However, there are some things to keep in mind.
While Turkey has relatively low crime rates, it’s important to remain vigilant about your belongings, especially in crowded tourist areas where petty theft is more common. Use common sense, avoid deserted areas at night, and be cautious about interactions with strangers. With the right precautions, Turkey can be perfectly safe to explore solo.
Many women who have traveled to Turkey alone report extremely positive experiences. The key is blending in, dressing modestly, and not drawing unnecessary attention to yourself. Cover up bare legs and shoulders when sightseeing, and bring a scarf to cover your head when entering mosques.
In more conservative towns, avoid too much interaction with men you don’t know. While most Turks are very hospitable, don’t accept invitations into someone’s home if you’ve just met them. Use your intuition to stay out of situations that seem sketchy.
When using transportation like trains or buses as a solo traveler in Turkey, opt for seats near other women or families rather than single men. Avoid empty compartments. At restaurants, take a table rather than sitting at the bar counter. Take registered taxis or Uber rather than unmarked cabs.
Generally, the central and western regions of Turkey are easy for solo female travel. Larger cities like Istanbul Ankara and Izmir are modern and welcoming to foreigners. The Mediterranean and Aegean coastal regions that attract lots of tourists, like Bodrum or Antalya, also pose few safety concerns.
Eastern Turkey near the Syrian border does tend to be more conservative. While still safe, women may get more stares or comments here. Traveling with a guided tour group in these areas can be more comfortable than going completely solo.
Use common sense about your valuables. Keep your passport secured in a hotel safe, and carry a photocopy when sightseeing. Only carry the cash you need for the day, and avoid flashy jewelry that attracts thieves. Back up photos online in case your phone or camera gets stolen.
As a solo woman traveler, trust your instincts about people or situations that seem suspicious. Don’t be afraid to firmly say no to pushy touts or anyone making you uncomfortable. At hotels, keep your door locked and don’t reveal your room number to strangers.
Avoid protests and political gatherings as a foreigner, Stay up to date with government travel advisories in case of safety concerns in certain regions Get travel insurance covering medical emergencies and emergency assistance services
While Turkey has pockets of more conservative culture, it also has a long tradition of welcoming visitors. With sensible precautions, Turkey offers an amazing adventure for solo female travelers. Wander historic bazaars in Istanbul, gaze at the surreal Cappadocia landscapes, or relax on Mediterranean beaches. Don’t miss out on this incredible destination.
How To Visit a Hamam in Turkey
Hamams, or Turkish baths, are popular here among both locals and visitors, and this is an experience I highly recommend to solo female travelers. A friend and I are currently in the middle of an informal project to visit as many different hamams in as many different neighborhoods as possible — tough research, I know, but someone has to do it!
If you want to go to a hamam on your visit to Turkey, I recommend choosing one of the higher-end hamams because they will be better equipped to deal with foreigners who don’t speak Turkish, and they are very nice.
A favorite of mine is Kiliç Ali Paşa Hamamı, which is centrally located in a historical building in Karakoy. There are usually different entrances for women and men, and they are clearly marked. (The word for woman in Turkish is “bayan.”)
What should you wear to a Turkish hamam? Most women wear bikinis (at least bikini bottoms), though you can go without if you prefer. Hamams generally provide you with a towel. Usually you spend some time sweating out on a hot marble slab, and then eventually you are washed and scrubbed by a woman from the hamam. (She will ask you to take off your top at this point if you haven’t already.)
The washing and scrubbing is intense, and the perfect way to remove the dirt and grime of life that has probably made its way into your skin.
Afterwards, you’ll be provided with a dry towel or robe, and can sit around to drink tea or juice or ayran (a salty yogurt drink).
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How to Get to Turkey
Most travelers arrive in Turkey by air. Most flights arrive in Istanbul, but keep in mind that there are cheap flights from all over Europe to Turkey’s coastal hubs like Dalaman and Antalya.
To find the cheapest flights to Turkey, I recommend using Skyscanner. You can set it for flights to anywhere in Turkey rather than Istanbul if you want to keep your options open!
There is one daily international train to Istanbul arriving from Sofia, Bulgaria, and Bucharest, Romania.
Buses to destinations in Turkey arrive from all over the surrounding countries.
Some travelers arrive in Turkey by boat — there are frequent ferries from Greek islands to Turkish islands and the mainland, and ferries cross the Black Sea from Ukraine and Russia.
Keep in mind that the Turkey-Armenia border is closed and the Turkey-Syria border shouldn’t be crossed by independent travelers at this time. Crossing from Turkey into northern Iraq is Iraqi Kurdistan, which has a different visa process to other parts of Iraq.
Is Turkey Safe For Solo Female Travellers?
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