I am a retired woman eager to see Istanbul. But I have cancelled trips there twice during the past 15 years.

i would like to go off-season this winter.

Clearly, things can change but what is true about crime, uber safety, terrorism threats, etc.

Please be my travel therapist! I live in NYC and Iknow there are fears re: NYC, which, living here, I find exaggerated.

i have traveled independently with my husband throughout Western Europe, have used private guides in Asia, and group travel in central/South America. I am open to all three approaches.

Thank you.

I spent 6 wonderful nights in Istanbul as a solo woman -- loved every minute and never felt at all unsafe or uncomfortable. That was in 2012; perhaps things have changed.

It felt like a typical urban world-class cosmopolitan city, super crowded, vibrant and very diverse. Burkas and miniskirts co-exist. Intrigue and mystery! Felt totally safe, great food, hotels, so historic and ancient. Not a solo woman, others can advise. There were few very beggars and bums, we were told by family the poor are often helped and fed by local mosques and crime is kinda looked down upon and punishment can be harsh. Like NYC, not sure one should go into strange areas after dark but it just didn't have a funky, unsafe feel like, say, Memphis. Again, someone can advise on the solo woman thing. If you are from NYC I don't think you'll have a problem. A personal guide the first day or two would be a good investment. Do it.

Helpful!

Another NYer here. I've been to Istanbul twice and felt very safe there. As with any destinations, use the usual precautions but I did not feel any less safe there than any of the major cities in Europe and Asia. The only other consideration is when in winter. In 2026, Ramadan falls from Feb. 28 to Mar. 29; during this time, eating in public during daylight hours is frowned upon.

I was there slightly more recently than Kja but not by much. At that time I wasn't a solo traveler, but my husband and I did our own thing enough so that -- at least during the day -- I can confidently say I never felt unsafe. The tourist areas are really filled with tourists, and in the less touristy areas everyone was unfailingly kind.

DH was there during Ramadan and had no problem finding places to eat before sunset, and no one condemned him for doing so. That was when Ramadan was in the summer and sunset was was later of course. March sunset is between about 19.00 and 19.30 so not too late for eating, but restaurants do fill up fast!

I have been to NYC a few times but a while back (very close to the time my mother and I went to Istanbul). I would probably have qualms visiting and riding the subway with my teen today in NYC (something we did on prior trips). I say go to Istanbul . . . many might say it is safer than NYC. I hope you go and love it as much as we did.

I've seen a few times alone and would go solo again......don't overthink. Take the usual precautions...

I'm thinking of going back there if I can find a goo stopover on Turkish Airlines.

But take a good look at the various districts......so many options on where to stay..

Went in Nov 2025. I loved it. I felt very safe. But also feel safe in NY.

We visited Istanbul in late October this year for the first time.

We had wanted to visit for a very long time and finally made it there.

To be honest I didn't like Istanbul as much as I had expected to, but I certainly felt very safe, that was never an issue.

compared to NYC Istanbul is pretty safe and English is spoken in tourist areas by a lot of people. Grab the Rough Guide and follow their advice

I'm a woman who traveled solo to Istanbul twice. I never felt threatened by anyone and I would go again.

My only caution to you would be the carpet salesman. They will approach you in a very friendly manner and ask where you're from. If you say you're from Timbuktu, you can bet the guy has a brother in Timbuktu. Once he thinks he's you're new friend, he will start with the push to get you to come with him to the carpet shop. They can be very persistent, and they will occupy way too much of your time. This will happen many times a day.

My suggestion is to give a polite but very firm no. They probably won't take no for an answer, so start walking. If you don't just walk away, they will take up way too much of your time.

I do not want to deter you in any way from going to Istanbul, or from engaging with the people. It's a fascinating city with much to see and it's safe. All I'm saying is don't spend too much of your valuable travel time with these guys.

Enjoy your trip.

Deb, wondering what made you feel the way you did regarding your visit? We had family to assist so I had to do very little planning or scheduling. What are your thoughts after your experience?

Well, I must really look like I won’t buy a carpet! The touts outside stores and restaurants said desultory hellos. I thought they were half-hearted. It was way less bothersome than expected. This was December 2025.

two possible reasons:

well three.

i walk sort of quickly.
i hightailed it out of the Grand Bazaar after one aisle
i went in late afternoon when they were tired.

i had heard I’d be offered tea, it would be rude to decline. Never happened once in 8 days. My experience may have been unusual but that’s what it was.

Wildiowa, sorry I didn't see your poster earlier.

I can't put my finger on it really, it just wasn't what I expected.

Possibly I expected too much because there are so many comments on how beautiful it is, and I actually found it quite dirty and ridiculously crowded.

We stayed in Karakoy, and I enjoyed that, with beautiful water views from our hotel, The Wings.

It was the day in Sultanahmet that I really didn't enjoy, even though we'd booked our tickets in advance for Hagia Sofia and the Basilica Cistern, the queues for security were crazy, and this was mid-week in late October.

We actually ended up not doing a couple of things that we had planned due to the crowd situations.

Having said that, riding the ferries was wonderful and we really enjoyed a day on the Asian side, with a lovely waterfront walk from Kadikoy to Moda.

I completely agree about the carpet salesman, they just constantly harassed us whilst we were in the never-ending queues.

Possibly I was just tired after three weeks in Greece.

I am very glad to have been to Istanbul, but have no desire to return, and my husband felt exactly the same, which is odd for us. We usually love the places that we visit.