Is hitting on someone during your trip really a romantic encounter? Essential safety tips for traveling in Turkey

Istiklal Avenue, formerly known as Pera Boulevard, connects to Taksim Square and is Istanbul’s bustling nightlife hub. (Photo by Yi-Xin Jian)

When traveling to Turkey, safety is a major concern for many, especially since there's limited information about the country, and when news does emerge, it often involves terrorist attacks—leading to the widespread impression that Turkey has very poor security. The “Istanbul Love & Travel Diary” shares local living experiences and compiles essential safety guidelines for tourists in Turkey: How can you protect yourself and your belongings? Is hitting on someone during your trip really a romantic encounter?

The “Istanbul Love & Travel Diary” points out that the actual safety situation in Turkey isn’t bad—tourist-heavy cities like Istanbul are safer than many European cities, and cities outside of Istanbul are even more reassuring. But bad people exist everywhere, and as a tourist, you’re an easy target in their eyes, so extra caution is always necessary no matter where you go.

First, situations that tourists in Turkey may encounter include having wallets or phones pickpocketed, being scammed under the pretense of being guided around, or being groped under the guise of taking photos. To protect yourself and your valuables, it is recommended to avoid traveling alone when possible, refrain from using taxis or blue buses, travel light and avoid large backpacks, always keep an eye on your bags and never let them be behind you, and decline invitations or conversations from strangers.

Although being abroad means being unfamiliar with the surroundings, if you get lost and use Google Maps to navigate, avoid stopping on the street to look at your phone. It’s better to step into a supermarket or shop to check the map, or ask for directions from police or shop owners rather than random pedestrians. Additionally, if you're being stared at aggressively on the street, approached by strangers handing out surveys or asking questions, or if someone is lingering near you while you withdraw money from an ATM—and especially if a motorcycle is parked nearby—it’s best to avoid eye contact and quickly move away.

The “Istanbul Love & Travel Diary” emphasizes that you should never easily trust anyone. Staying alert and not taking chances with your personal safety is more important than the overall level of security. Especially if you’re approached on the street, don’t mistake it for romance or true love—that’s when the risk of being scammed out of both money and dignity increases. Ordinary locals wouldn't randomly hit on women on the street; if someone does, there’s at least a 50% chance they’re not normal.

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