Turkey

Is Turkey safe to visit?

Yes, for the places most visitors go. Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts are well policed and violent crime against tourists is uncommon. The US State Department rates Turkey Level 2 (exercise increased caution), mainly for terrorism and arbitrary detentions, and the only area both the US and UK tell travellers to avoid is the border with Syria and Iraq. The bigger risks are earthquakes, scams in Istanbul and holiday activities that go wrong. We score Turkey 69, below its neighbour Greece and above Egypt.

Turkey's homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary was 3.2 per 100,000 people in 2023 (UNODC), about four times Greece's but well under the US. Its roads are better than many visitors expect. TÜİK, the national statistics office, counted 6,035 road deaths in 2025, around 7 per 100,000 people and 5% fewer than in 2024.

Terrorism and the Syrian border

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says terrorists are likely to try to attack in Turkey, and most past attacks hit the southeast, Ankara and Istanbul. Recent cases are smaller than the bombings of 2015 to 2017. In April 2026 three gunmen opened fire near the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, injuring two police officers. In September 2025 a lone gunman killed three police officers at a police station in Izmir, and in October 2024 an attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries site outside Ankara killed five people.

The trend is better. Turkey rose eight places to 136th on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, its best rank since 2014, after the PKK announced a ceasefire in 2025 and later dissolved itself. The low rank still reflects Turkey's military spending and its role in Syria and Iraq.

Do not go within 10 km of the Syrian border, where the FCDO advises against all travel. Hakkari province near Iraq and Iran and Mount Ararat need permits. Since July 2026 Iran has carried out strikes in several countries in the region, and airspace can close at short notice.

Political risk is personal as well. Unauthorised protests are routinely broken up with tear gas, and insulting the president, Atatürk, the flag or the Turkish nation is a crime, including in social media posts. Stay away from demonstrations and keep political opinions offline.

Earthquakes and wildfires

Natural hazards are Turkey's weakest factor. The country sits on several active faults; the February 2023 earthquakes in the southeast killed more than 50,000 people, many of them in collapsed apartment blocks. A magnitude 6.2 quake under the Sea of Marmara in April 2025 was felt strongly in Istanbul, where scientists expect a larger one. You cannot plan around this, but you can choose a newer or recently retrofitted hotel and install the AFAD app, which shows assembly areas.

From April to October wildfires burn regularly along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Lighting any fire or dropping a cigarette in woodland can lead to a fine or prison. Heat waves and autumn flash floods round out the list.

Scams, theft and nightlife

Istanbul is where most tourist crime happens. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says street robbery and pickpocketing are common in the main tourist areas, so watch bags around Sultanahmet, the Grand Bazaar, Taksim and İstiklal Avenue. The classic scam starts with a friendly stranger who suggests a bar or club, where drinks may be spiked and the bill arrives in the thousands. Our Istanbul page has the local details.

Two newer points from the FCDO. Banks and exchange offices may refuse 50 and 100 dollar notes because of counterfeits, so bring euros or use ATMs inside banks. And people have died after drinking illegally made spirits and fake branded bottles containing methanol, including in Istanbul and Ankara.

Resorts: the practical risks

On the coast, including Antalya, most serious harm comes from activities rather than crime. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary reports British deaths and injuries from paragliding, quad biking and jeep safaris, and drownings in the sea and in hotel pools. You need a licence with category A1 to rent a moped, a helmet is compulsory, and rental insurance usually covers only third parties.

The FCDO also recorded 29 sexual assaults reported by British visitors in 2025, out of 4.27 million. Most happened in coastal resorts, often by someone met that day, and a notable share by hotel or spa staff. Some attacks targeted children using toilets alone.

Medical tourism needs its own check. The FCDO knows of 7 British nationals who died in Turkey in 2025 after medical procedures. Use the Ministry of Health's HealthTurkiye list and talk to your own doctor before booking.

How to stay safe in Turkey

• Carry your passport; photo ID is compulsory and police run ID checks in Istanbul.
• Use metered, registered taxis or a taxi app, and note the plate before you get in.
• Decline invitations from strangers to bars or clubs, and buy your own drinks.
• Avoid stray dog packs; get any bite treated at once because rabies is present.
• Book paragliding, boats and safaris only with licensed operators, and check that your insurance covers them.
• Call 112 for police, ambulance or fire.

How we scored it

Natural hazards (50) is the weakest factor because of the earthquake threat, followed by conflict (58), which reflects terrorism, the Syrian border and arbitrary detention. Road safety (77) and violent crime (77) are moderate and backed by recent data, so confidence is high.