To: Otherchelebi and all other Turkey experts in this forum:

We’re leaving for Istanbul and Cappadocia this coming October 24. Just want to check the peace and security situation, specially in the Cappadocia region. With the recent events and US Govt announcement on pulling out US military presence in Syria, has the security situation changed ? Currently, the travel advisory is “exercise increased caution - contains areas with higher security risk which is the same advisory when we started planning our trip to Turkey. We are traveling with US passports.

We could use some local Insight on the peace and security situation sp. in the central region in Turkey with the recent developments.

Thanks in advance for your valuable input.

Relax! Turkey is as peaceful as ever. The war is in Syria and Turkey has been taking part in that war for years.

I also will be leaving for Turkey October 24th, and had considered posting the same question. Although I know our Australian travel company will cancel and refund our money if their government ups the travel advisory, and our Canadian travel insurance will cover us if the Canadian government does the same, it is still nice to have the reassurance. I usually find something to worry about before a big trip, but usually it is (with justification) missing a flight or having the wrong wardrobe or our transfer from airport to hotel not show, that sort of thing.

While I am not happy about visiting Turkey at this time given the direction the conflict is taking, I hope and expect that I will learn something about the history and politics of the country that will help me understand its complexities.

"I hope and expect that I will learn something about the history and politics of the country that will help me understand its complexities."

You can/should learn about the history by reading some books before your trip(it's a pity you don't have much time left) or at least after you return home. When you're on the ground it's better to just focus on having a good time. IMHO, there is little you can learn from the history by travelling if you don't have some advance knowledge.

At the moment Barcelona is a much more dangerous city than Istanbul.

I don’t see learning and enjoying oneself when travelling as mutually exclusive. I purposely plan travel so that I will have opportunities to learn about the places I am in. I do some reading before I go, but I find a local, knowledgeable guide can provide a perspective you don’t get from books.

If I were planning a trip to any part of Turkey just now, Istanbul included, I know I would value the input of our resident expert -- otherchelebi. Assurances from people not on the ground, and not attuned to the undercurrents, wouldn't have the same ring of authenticity to my ears. JMO. I'm wishing him and his family well, and looking forward to his next installment on his annual thread with commentary on the state of affairs there:
Turkish Culture Due to History, not Nature

Agreed, it would be great to hear from otherchelebi. I’ve read his previous posts and made notes in preparation for our trip.

To put that in perspective, "exercise increased caution" is the same travel advisory level for the United Kingdom, France, and Netherlands among other countries.

Back from Chicago an adding post on my mentioned thread. In summary, no new concerns but heed recommendation to keep away from military police buildings, vehicles.

And the Syrian border... Would that include Lake Van and Ani? I noticed that MIR has an itinerary that includes them on the way to Georgia, but not until June.

Van and Ani are very far from the Syrian border, but the advice to keep away from military and police buildings and vehicles applies for the whole country, because these are the most usual targets of terrorists.

Thank you all for your input.. Cappadocia region being closer to the southeast region, would this be just as reasonably safe to visit as istanbul ?

Thanks all for your input. capadoccia region being closer to the southeast border, is it just as relatively sate to visit as istanbul?

Yes.
Enjoy it.

Thank you otherchelebi and to all of you who shared your i feedback. We will be leaving in 2 days and will report back here on our adventures in Istanbul and capadoccia. Otherchelebi, hope you’re well ��