Turkey Travel Safety Guide

The short version

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel within ten kilometres of the Turkey-Syria border. That is the entire territorial advice against travel for this country. Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Aegean and the Mediterranean coast carry none of it.

The border strip

It is measured as a distance, not drawn around provinces, and that distinction matters. A province such as Gaziantep or Şanlıurfa can lie partly inside the ten kilometre line and mostly outside it, so "is this province safe" is the wrong question and "where exactly in it" is the right one. Our itineraries do not go near it, which removes the question rather than managing it.

Hakkari is a different kind of rule

This one is regularly misreported, including by people quoting the FCDO. Hakkari province in the south east is not subject to advice against travel. What the FCDO says is that in Hakkari you must get permission from the local Governor's Office to visit areas near the border with Iraq and Iran. It is a permission requirement, and describing it as a no-go area is as inaccurate as ignoring it.

Earthquakes

Many parts of Turkey regularly experience earthquakes and tremors. This is a standing fact about the country rather than a warning about a moment: the FCDO records that the April 2025 earthquake in the Sea of Marmara was felt strongly in Istanbul.

Prepare for it the way residents do rather than the way a nervous visitor would. Know where the stairs are in your hotel, keep shoes and a phone by the bed, and if the ground moves, drop, cover and hold on rather than running for a doorway. Modern Turkish hotels are built to a seismic code. None of this should change whether you go.

Demonstrations

As of our review in September 2026, the FCDO records that demonstrations and protests are taking place in Istanbul and other cities, and that they may become violent. That is a live situation rather than a permanent feature, so treat this paragraph as dated and check the current advisory before you travel.

The practical response is simple and does not change: avoid demonstrations, leave an area if one forms, and do not photograph police lines. Participating in a political demonstration as a foreign national carries consequences that a citizen would not face.

Terrorism

The FCDO's wording is that terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey. The same formula is used for a great many countries. In practice it means ordinary urban alertness in crowded places and around transport hubs.

Health before you go

Nothing exotic is required for a normal Turkish itinerary. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the ordinary travel set for Turkey: make sure routine vaccines are up to date, with hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies among the ones worth discussing with a travel clinic depending on where you are going and what you plan to do. Book that conversation weeks ahead rather than days, because some courses take time to complete.

Everyday crime

Istanbul is a very large city and behaves like one. Pickpocketing in the tourist quarters, the usual taxi disputes, and the occasional over-friendly stranger in Sultanahmet are what you will actually meet. Use metered or app-booked taxis, keep a phone secure on a crowded tram, and treat an unsolicited invitation to a bar as the setup it usually is.

Read this with visa and entry requirements and getting around.

Sources

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Turkey travel advice: the FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Turkey. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Turkey regional risks: all travel advised against within ten kilometres of the Turkey-Syria border, and the Governor’s Office permission required in Hakkari province. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Turkey safety and security: terrorism, earthquakes and tremors, and demonstrations that may become violent. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Turkey health: vaccination advice and health risks for travelers. Accessed 14 September 2026.
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Travelers’ Health, Turkey: the vaccines and medicines recommended before travel. Accessed 14 September 2026.