9 Things NOT to do in TURKEY 🇹🇷 Know Before You Go

9 Things NOT to do in TURKEY 🇹🇷 Know Before You Go

don’t sit outside at cafes and restaurants and this might seem like a very strange advice but let me explain in Turkey smoking is allowed almost everywhere from my experience and in most of the cafes and restaurants the nicer area that’s outside the terrace it will be occupied by smokers and many people smoke so wherever you sit there you will be surrounded by people smoking and the non smoking area is usually inside and it’s actually often combined with the family area so for example if you’re single or if you’re going on a date or you just want a quiet evening then it’s hard to find a good place because yeah you will be sitting with families and the children will be loud they are children of course so that is something to keep in mind that if you are a non smoker like me then it might be a problem for you to find a good spot where you can sit if it’s outside don’t take a random taxi from the street and in my videos I talked about it several times about how to use taxis but in short taxi drivers are the biggest scammers in Turkey so especially in Istanbul they can be very vicious towards tourists they can charge them the wrong amount they can take them the wrong route so my best advice for it is just ignore them use public transport it’s very good in Turkey the trains and buses they go often they go almost everywhere they are modern and clean and easy to use with a transportation card but if you do have to use a taxi look at it it should be yellow and on the side there is a license plate number and when you get inside show them the destination on your GPS on your Google Maps for example and please ask them to go by the meter if they refuse just don’t even take the taxi just get out don’t say no when you are offered food and food is very important part of Turkish culture the families come together and eat food food is used to show the gratitude the hospitality so for example if you’re at a restaurant and they give you some dessert as to show their hospitality and for some reason you don’t want to eat it well my advice if you can accept it and eat it but if for whatever reason you don’t want to eat it you can say that you have for example allergy and that can be accepted as a good answer but don’t be surprised that you might be just brought another dish that doesn’t have the ingredient you have an allergy to so again if you can eat it just eat it and thank you your host for the hospitality they do it out of the kindness of their heart do not wear inappropriate clothes and let me elaborate on that so in Turkey the strict rules about what you should wear are only for when you go to a mosque if you want to visit it for a prayer or if you want to visit it as a tourist there there are strict rules you cannot wear shorts it’s both for men and women by the way and you cannot have your shoulders open and you cannot wear shoes when entering a mosque but the rule that’s also for women but not for men is of course covering your hair and in popular destinations for tourists in Istanbul for example if you wish to visit a popular very famous Blue Mosque there they will actually give you some nothing to cover your legs and cover your hair and if it’s a smaller mosque then you have to have your own cover but everywhere else in Turkey there is no law that the women should cover their hair if they are religious and their religion tells them to cover their hair and they do it by choice they can do it in Turkey but if you are not like me you don’t have to cover the hair more so most of the Turkish women that I see living here in Antalya they are almost always not covered and if we’re talking about just daily clothes like for example can you have a striped top or can you wear short shorts yes you can especially in big cities like Istanbul Izmir Antalya Marmaris Bodrum I can go on everywhere where there are young people especially the students they wear whatever they like you can see everything especially in the summer heat every woman will be wearing as minimal clothes as possible because it’s so hot of course it’s not everywhere like that in Turkey and maybe in smaller more traditional more conservatives towns and cities women cover themselves more but in general everywhere you go as a foreigner as a tourist you probably can wear whatever you like as long as you’re decent do not drink tap water in Europe you might be used to the fact that you can just open your tap and drink the water but here in Turkey you cannot do that you might get sick from it you still might be able to use the tap water for cooking and for making tea and coffee but my personal recommendation is first try it out once see if you have any reaction and of course if you don’t you can continue don’t forget your earplugs and a sleeping mask soundproofing is very bad almost everywhere where we traveled in Turkey even in a more expensive hotel like Doubletree Hilton or Radisson Blu we had this issue and don’t even get me started on cheaper hotels and Airbnbs you can hear what your neighbors are talking about you can hear their television if they’re arguing or if they have children you will hear it all so I would say earplugs are essential don’t disrespect the Turkish flag Turkish flag is used on special days and you cannot insult it Turkish flag is often hanged outside the buildings and all over the city on special days on holidays and it is actually against the law to do anything bad to it like to burn it or to write anything on it or just to throw it down on the floor and step on it and I would even go further with this and say that don’t disrespect the president especially the founding father of Turkish Republic Kemal Ataturk he has a special place in every Turkish person’s heart he did a lot for the country and people love him to this day and in general in Turkey people are proud of their nation and country so that’s the culture here and I know not in every country it’s like that so for you it might seem like too much but here it’s normal and it’s expected so I think we as foreigners should respect it and accept it as part of the culture even if our views are different don’t be afraid of stray dogs and cats in Turkey especially if you’ve been to Istanbul you know that there are so many stray cats but don’t be afraid they are usually well taken care of people do bring them food and water and they are generally nice towards them so you as a tourist should do the same and for the dogs they can be sometimes big dogs especially here in Antalya we have them and they might even bark sometimes they can be more aggressive but in a year that we’ve lived here I’ve seen maybe once the dogs became more aggressive towards a man with a small doggy but other than that they are friendly towards people they either don’t react at all or they can follow you of course so be prepared for that but in general especially if you see the chip in their ear that means they’ve been taken care of and there’s nothing to be afraid and from Turkish people I heard that uh the reason they love animals so much is that if you feel bad or stressed you can just pet a stray dog or a cat and and they make you release your stress so you see in general the attitude towards animals is to be kind and nice to them don’t shop at the local market without bargaining and I must clarify that this relates to the markets that sell to the tourists mostly so if you are for example at a fake market you won’t even see the price tags there and you have to understand that this fake brand items the counterfeit items they will not be the best quality and essentially what you’re buying is a low quality product with a famous brand name on it so the price for that shouldn’t be high I don’t know 10 20 $30 something like it I would even recommend if you do you want to buy a counterfeit product then go to a shopping mall for to a brand like LCY Kiki it’s a inexpensive Turkish brand and take a look at how much things are costing there for example a pair of sneakers would be $15 then that’s something you would pay at the market too for similar item just with a Chanel or Adidas sticker on it and actually if somebody is telling you a price in US dollars or in euro or in British pounds then you know that they are mostly selling to tourists that’s why the prices in foreign currency and to tourists it’s always double triple price and I myself prefer to shop at shopping malls and there are many Turkish brands of clothing they are inexpensive and affordable I have videos on my channel going to those kind of malls and of course there they have price tags and there you cannot negotiate at all the price is what you pay at the cashier so if you want to buy genuine real brands Turkish clothing I suggest go to a good well known shopping mall and if you’re struggling and cannot decide to which Turkish city to go on a holiday check out this playlist we went to cities like Antalya Alanya Marmaris Side Kemer Fethiye and we recorded a video in each and every one of them and I hope it will help you make a decision which city is best for you

Planning a trip to Turkey? Whether it’s your first holiday in Istanbul, a beach vacation in Antalya, Alanya, Side, Belek, or Kemer, or nightlife in Bodrum and Marmaris, knowing what *not* to do is just as important as knowing what to do.

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Turkey is one of the most visited countries in the world, offering everything from the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to the sandy beaches of Lara Beach in Antalya, the nightlife of Bodrum, the resorts of Marmaris, the ruins in Side, and the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. But along with beautiful landscapes, rich history, and friendly people, there are also scams, cultural rules, and tourist mistakes that can make your trip more stressful and expensive than it needs to be.

In this video, I’ll share 9 things NOT to do in Turkey — practical advice from someone who has been living and traveling here since 2017. These are not the usual travel clichés, but real tips that will help you avoid the common pitfalls most tourists face.

Here’s what we cover:

1. Taxis in Istanbul and Antalya — how to avoid scams, why you should always go by the meter, and when to use Havaist or tram instead.
2. Restaurants & bars — the classic menu-switch scam, hidden service charges, and overpriced tourist traps in old town areas.
3. Shopping mistakes — why you should never pay in Euro in Turkish markets, how bargaining works, and what to do in bazaars.
4. Hotels & all-inclusive resorts — where luxury can trap you into seeing nothing but fake markets and inflated prices, especially in Antalya’s Lara Beach and Side.
5. Nightlife in Bodrum, Marmaris, and Istanbul — what to avoid in bars and clubs, and how not to become a scam target.
6. Money & currency tips — when to pay in Turkish Lira, why some places quote prices in Euro, and what to do with ATMs.
7. Cultural etiquette — what not to do in mosques, how to dress, and small details that show respect.
8. Tour guides & street “helpers” — how unsolicited “friendly” offers turn into forced paid tours.
9. General safety & common sense — why Turkey is safe if you stay alert, and how to enjoy your holiday without stress.

These mistakes are easy to avoid if you know them in advance. Instead of wasting money, getting frustrated, or missing out on authentic Turkish culture, you’ll travel smarter and more confidently.

About me:
I’m Olga, a long-term traveler and expat who has been living in and exploring Turkey since 2017. I’ve stayed in Istanbul, Antalya, and Alanya, explored Side, Kemer, Belek, Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris, and beyond. On this channel, I share practical travel guides, relocation tips, and real-life insights about life in Turkey and other countries I’ve lived in.

If you’re planning a trip to Turkey — or even thinking about moving here — subscribe for honest, experience-based videos that save you time, money, and stress.

Extra travel insights from real experience:
✦ In Istanbul, the Asian side (Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Moda) feels more relaxed, with local prices, authentic restaurants, and seaside walks. Tourists who only stay in Sultanahmet or Taksim often leave with a negative impression.
✦ In Antalya, you’ll notice a huge difference between Konyaaltı Beach (more local, pebble beach, family-friendly) and Lara Beach (all-inclusive luxury hotels, private beaches, shopping malls targeting tourists with Euro pricing). Both are beautiful, but your experience will be completely different depending on where you stay.
✦ In Alanya, Side, Belek, and Kemer, the resorts are designed for international tourists — great for an all-inclusive holiday, but not the place to experience everyday life in Turkey. If you want to combine comfort with authenticity, take a bus or taxi into the old town, shop where locals shop, and explore beyond the hotel walls.
✦ Cappadocia is magical, but don’t just do the hot air balloon ride. Stay in a cave hotel, hike through valleys, and visit local villages — it’s much more rewarding than a quick Instagram stop.
✦ Turkish hospitality is real. While scams exist in tourist centers, most Turkish people are genuinely warm and helpful. On my first trip, a stranger paid for my Istanbul transport card at the airport because the machine wouldn’t accept my banknotes — and he walked away without asking for anything in return. You’ll meet both scammers and incredibly kind people, so staying alert while also being open is the best approach.
✦ Weather matters: summers are very hot (especially July and August), but September–October are still warm enough to swim with fewer crowds. Winter can be surprisingly mild on the south coast (Antalya, Alanya, Side), but cold and snowy in Cappadocia, Ankara, or Eastern Turkey.