imssc1

I'm a gringo from Texas, traveling to Istanbul in May. I have heard conflicting reports of people getting sick (turista) while in Istanbul. It seems like I always get sick in Mexico, but never in Italy, France, Poland or Hungary. What is your experience, as far as increased precaution in Istanbul?

doohickey

I spent a few days there in the late '90s, did not take any food or water precautions and did not get sick. On that particular trip I didn't eat any street food though which is where some find the most difficulty but never me. However, that's just me. Others may have had a different experience.

Hmmm, so perhaps my response is not particularly helpful to you!

-doo

sandi

We stayed with bottled water for drinking, but used hotel tap most places for brushing teeth. No problems with food in restaurants or hotels. We didn't in Turkey or elsewhere (not even in NYC) eat street food. Were perfectly fine.

Marija

My husband did get quite sick in Istanbul. Watch out for uncooked and unpeeled fruits and vegetables. If you do get sick immediately go to a pharmacy. They have some very powerful over the counter drugs!

dperry

I have been to Instanbul a few times, most recently last October.
I have never gotten sick there. Of course, like most destinations, I don't drink tap water, use bottled water to brush my teeth, don't use ice except in 'better' hotels and restaurants. I did eat fruit and drank fresh juice (the pomegranate juice is amazing!)But if you are prone to getting sick you may want to avoid the fresh squeezed juice, too bad.
So don't worry, and enjoy. Istanbul is one of my favorite cities in the world.

dperry

imssc- you may want to do a search of Istanbul on the Fodors Europe board, there is alot of information there.

massagediva

I'm a believer in the therapeutic value of yoghurt,and they have some of the world's best there!(Even though the travel doc has told me to avoid dairy,I ignore that advice.)

ann_nyc

hmmm...I was definitely sick in Istanbul, but I picked it up elsewhere in Turkey. I do have to admit that while I loved the food in Turkey, I got food poisoning twice on one trip. It's hard to know what to attribute it to. The very first hotel we were in (which was a luxury class international hotel in Adana) I brushed my teeth with tap water the first day. Who knows whether that gave me my first case (although travel mates did the same with no ill effects).

I got another case somewhere around Marmaris, in spite of not using tap water for anything, and not eating any fresh vegetables.

Suffice it to say that it was one of those vacations where I weighed less when I got home.

Ironically, I remember the food in Turkey very fondly.