My middle name is Michele, but I’m pretty sure if my mother could go back and redo the day I was born, she’d pick “Anxious” instead. I’m like one of those dogs who needs a calming chew every morning and a thunder shirt during tumultuous storms. Everything makes me nervous. My chihuahua coughs, I think she is going into heart failure. I almost skipped out on Mardi Gras one year in fear of it becoming a target for terrorism. I frequent WebMD in fear that every ache and pain is the end of the world as I know it. The number of times I’ve diagnosed myself with rare and highly unlikely diseases is far too large to count. And yes, I am ashamed.
So you can probably imagine how I felt when I was considering visiting Istanbul alone, after hearing nothing but wonderful things of the sites, the culture, and the food, during a time when the United States has a travel advisory recommending that citizens reconsider taking a trip to Turkey. When telling my family about my plans, my grandmother flinched and said Turkey was an “interesting choice.” My mother’s jaw tightened and she said she would prefer I picked another destination. My browser search history was littered with the same question, reworded a million different ways: “Is it safe to visit Turkey right now?”
In the end, heeding my boyfriend’s advice to “follow my gut,” I booked the flight and made plans to stop in Istanbul for a few days after some time in the Middle East. I was going on my own, against the wishes of everyone I knew, and I was, unsurprisingly, anxious.
The Truth About Traveling to Turkey
Turkey has a difficult recent history, with a failed coup attempt and the tragic bombing attack at the Atatürk Airport in 2016. Since then, the US Department of State has issued a travel advisory against traveling to Turkey due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions. Specifically, it warns against venturing to the Turkey-Syria border, and several southeastern provinces.
There’s no denying that Turkey is imperfect, or that unimaginable atrocities have occurred within the country’s borders. There’s also no denying that there have been unimaginable atrocities and political unrest in France, Germany, or America. In fact, horrid things happen everywhere, at any time, and it is almost impossible to predict it.
Istanbul is a city like any other large, populated, frequently visited city: there is violent crime, there is petty theft, but there is also some of the best food you’ll have in your lifetime, fantastic shopping, and that famous Turkish hospitality everyone’s always talking about. It’s a melting pot of all the best parts of Europe and the Middle East, and it is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been before.
The truth is: missing out on a trip to Istanbul because you’re deterred by your country’s travel advisory is as unfortunate as it is unnecessary. Turkey’s tourism is on the rise once again, two years after some seriously devastating turmoil and a serious drop in number of visitors. And if you want the opinion of someone who has recently had the privilege of staying in the fantastic city of Istanbul, now is the perfect time to go.
My Trip to Istanbul
My visit started at the airport, where I got off the plane, printed visa clutched in my sweaty fist, darting up and down the hallways in an effort to locate passport control. My cheeks were flushed, my backpack was bearing down heavier and heavier on my shoulders with every passing minute, and the security guard was looking at me as if I was being highly suspicious. Things were already looking not so great for me, but my luck quickly turned around.
I found passport control eventually, and had arranged an airport transfer through Second Home Hostel, located right in the center of everything (and is $10 a night, to boot). An energetic Turkish guy met me right outside of customs and whisked me away aboard my own private shuttle, and I was relieved to avoid the chaos of trying to find a reputable cab that wouldn’t take advantage of my naive disposition.
From the van, watching the city pass me by, I realized that I had had literally no expectations of Istanbul, or at least none that were in the least bit accurate. From the way everyone had hyped up the dangers of the city, I had expected there to be armed police on every corner and a light smattering of nervous, modestly dressed tourists. Imagine my shock when we turned the corner and made our way down a beautiful, narrow, cobble-stoned street, women in short dresses and crop tops laughing on the sidewalks, the vibrant energy so palpable that I felt it inside of me as well. I had decided with my limited time that I would stick to the European side of the city, but somehow, the fact that the city was in reality so beautifully European was a very pleasant surprise.
I spent a large part of my stay in Istanbul with a girl from Belgium and another from Finland. Both had made the decision to go to Istanbul alone to get a taste of the country of Turkey, but neither of them seemed as nervous about the potential dangers as I was. In fact, no one else seemed to be that concerned, either. Over a shared hookah, a blond German guy asked if anyone was interested in going for a run through the city early the next morning (I was training for a marathon at the time, but I politely declined, because he looked fast and I didn’t think my recent venture into the world of Turkish shisha was going to be too kind to my lungs). A French girl revealed that she had been exploring the city for weeks and loved it, seemingly so comfortable and at ease.
I patted my gut (now full of apple tea and baklava) and thanked it for leading me to this incredible place.
My new friends and I walked through the city on our own, sticking mostly to the Sultanahmet district, in the heart of historic Old Istanbul, home to the famous Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. This district is brimming with tourists, and it felt like walking through any other European city’s Old Town. That place is magic, I’m telling you.
When I was on my own, I ventured out to the riverfront and across the water to Taksim Square, which is a lively entertainment and shopping district. Again, there were plenty of people, but there were times when I was walking alone along relatively empty streets and I was, for the most part, ignored. I had thought that I might be followed, pursued by vendors relentlessly, put in situations that pushed me far outside my comfort zone, but I never felt that way at all. There are other countries and cities I have visited in which I felt far less relaxed. Even my visit to the Grand Bazaar, where vendors are notorious for preying on tourists to try to get a sale, was less aggressive and pushy than anticipated. If you’re capable of saying no thank you and walking away, you’ll get far in Istanbul. I almost laughed at how intimidated I was when I first arrived. The city almost feels like home.
I drank Turkish coffee, I ate authentic doner kebab, I chatted with some incredibly friendly people, I spent way too much money at one of the largest covered markets in the world, I saw the most gorgeous architecture I’ve ever seen at the Topkapi Palace. I lived and didn’t let my reservations consume me.
The Single Uncomfortable, Not-So-Great Incident
On my third day in Istanbul, I decided to head back across the river to Taksim Square to indulge in a Turkish bath. My roommate in Egypt had gone on and on about how refreshing her experience was, so I decided to seek out the best one for the cheapest price.
After my bath, where I was doused in hot water, scrubbed, shampooed, dried off, and given a nice steaming cup of tea, I was warm and relaxed, so warm and relaxed that the thought of putting my jacket back on made my armpits break out in a sweat. So I walked out into the chilly autumn air in my tank top and decided to wander around the neighborhood until I found a sweets shop where I could get my hands on some more of that delicious Turkish delight. I didn’t have plans until 6 when I had to meet up with my Belgian and Finnish friends for dinner, so I wasn’t in a rush.
All of a sudden, a middle aged man materialized next to me, walking with me in tandem, looking me up and down and asking me if I was cold. Nonplussed, I turned to look at him and told him that no, I was not, I was fine, thank you very much. He continued to ask me where I was from, what I was doing in Istanbul, how I was liking it. I’m certainly not the friendliest person I’ve ever met, but I’ve been trying a little harder in the past few years when abroad because of some unfortunate American stereotypes.
The guy was persistent. He kept walking with me down the congested pedestrian street, asking me more and more questions, and finally inviting me to go and get a Turkish coffee with him. I told him no, I was meeting my friend and had to go. He said it was fine, we could just go for a drink in the meantime. At this point, I was starting to get a little nervous. Yes, I was in the middle of a crowded district and yes, it was the middle of the day. But the guy was overly bold for my liking, and was clearly not getting the message. I ended up bidding a hasty farewell and ducking into a random store, where I pretended to peruse the shelves until I saw him walk away. It is not uncommon for men in Turkey to ask younger women to go get a drink with them, and maybe he meant no harm at all, but I am not one to go off with a perfect stranger in the middle of a city I was already anxious about visiting, especially when said stranger seems more interested in my breasts than anything else. Needless to say, I slipped back into my jacket in record time after that.
Common Scams in Istanbul and How to Avoid Them
Statistically, the chances of anything gruesome or traumatizing happening to you while in Istanbul are incredibly slight. Unfortunately, though, the chances of some local targeting you in a scam or snatching some bills out of your pocket on a crowded street are a bit higher. Istanbul, like many large European cities, is RIFE with scams. I was lucky to circumvent these thanks to a head’s up from the guys working at my hostel, and because I avoided taxis like the plague. Here are some of the popular scams to look out for.
- Cabs. Istanbul’s cabs are notorious for ripping off tourists. They’ll do this either by taking the longest possible route to your destination to maximize the price you pay, offering an overinflated fixed price over using the meter, relying on your lack of familiarity with the currency to give you back the wrong change, or just insisting that they have no change at all. I found it easier to simply take public transportation, which ended up working just fine for me, but I know some people use BiTaksi, an app where you can order reputable cabs to you and pay through the app, so there is never any cash exchange. If you are in a situation where you need to catch a cab, and quick, just make sure it is an official yellow cab with a “Taksi” sign on top, and make sure that they use the meter. Otherwise, get out and find another car.
- Fake tour companies. Just like it sounds, this is when “tour” companies will take your liras and then never follow through with an actual product. Ask your hotel for some recommended and reputable companies before booking.
- Fake tour guides. This is when you’ll be walking in or near a market and someone will approach you with an offer you can’t refuse: they are locals, with insider knowledge of the city, and can take you to the best shops around. So you follow them, and they bring you to a carpet or leather shop where their “friend” works, where you might have a cup of tea and get pressured into buying an insanely overpriced souvenir. Avoid this uncomfortable situation by not going into the shop in the first place.
- Shoe shiners. Another popular scam, and one that can happen so quickly you don’t know what hit you. You may be walking along when all of a sudden a brush has fallen on the ground in front of you, with a shoe shine waiting for you to pick it up. Once you do, they’ll be so “grateful” to you that they’ll shine your shoes for you (sometimes without permission…I heard of a guy who had someone try to shine his CANVAS VANS, like WTF, guy?) and then charge you a hefty price. If a brush drops on you or in front of you, power walk away as quickly as possible.
- “Have a drink with me!” This is generally used on single white men, and is very common (so much so that warnings against it have made it into the guide books). A well dressed man will approach you and offer to show you to his favorite bar, where the two of you can get a drink. Of course, the drinks will be exceptionally expensive, and soon you’ll find yourself surrounded by scantily clad women who are also ordering those expensive drinks…all on your tab. And if you don’t have the cash at the end of the night, you’ll be escorted to the nearest ATM to procure it. Be aware.
I’m not going to tell you that you will be 100% safe during your travels to Istanbul. I’m not going to tell you that you will be 100% comfortable 100% of the time. There are never any guarantees in life, no matter if you’re going to Istanbul or down the street in your hometown. Any solo traveler, especially females, must stay aware and vigilant at all times, regardless of the city he or she is exploring. But if you let your fear of the unknown dictate your decisions, you’ll never experience anything that the world has to offer or gain new perspectives or insights. Hindsight is 20/20. If I could go back, I’d do it all over again, Department of State and their warnings be damned.
