Practical · 7 min read
Is Turkey safe? An honest answer for UK travellers
5 March 2026
The FCDO map is more conservative than reality, and the reality is more nuanced than headlines.
What the FCDO says
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all but essential travel to within 10km of the Syrian border, and against all travel to Hakkari province. The rest of Turkey — including all the places UK travellers actually go — has the same FCDO advice as France or Greece. Take normal precautions.
The places UK travellers go
Istanbul, Bodrum, Kalkan, Fethiye, Antalya, Cappadocia, Kusadasi, Marmaris, Gocek. All of them are demonstrably safer for foreigners than London or Manchester on most measures. Pickpocketing in Istanbul is real (Sultanahmet, the tram, the Grand Bazaar). Violent crime against tourists is rare.
Earthquakes
Turkey sits on the Anatolian fault. The 2023 Maras earthquake was a tragedy, but it was 1,000km from Istanbul and Bodrum. The Aegean coast is a different fault system and has not had a major event since 1956. We brief on what to do (drop, cover, hold; if you are a guest of a hotel, follow the staff).
Politics
Turkey holds elections every four to five years and they are watched closely. Foreign travellers are not affected. Demonstrations happen mostly around election dates and on May 1. Stay away from any large crowd.
Insurance
Buy travel insurance that covers Turkey explicitly. Most UK policies do, but check. Allianz, Saga, Staysure all do good Turkey cover including the eastern provinces.
What we tell our guests
Turkey is safer than the UK headlines and the FCDO map suggest. Take the same precautions you would in Lisbon or Athens. We give you our 24/7 in-country WhatsApp the day before you fly, and we have never had a serious incident with a guest in the cities and coasts we operate in.
Plan with us
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