Is Türkiye Safe in 2026? What Travellers Should Know About Prices, Politics and Istanbul
- Martin
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Is Türkiye (Turkey) safe in 2026? From rising prices and political tension to flights, Airbnb and demonstrations in Istanbul - here’s what travellers should realistically expect before visiting Türkiye this year.
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Türkiye in 2026 is no longer the country many remember from glossy holiday brochures.
Prices have risen sharply - both along the coast and in the major cities. Hotels, restaurants and all-inclusive resorts now often feel closer to Southern Europe than to the old image of “cheap holidays”.
At the same time, politics has become far more visible than before. Even for visitors.
Istanbul has become more expensive. But what really changes the experience is the way the city is governed.
Metro stations can suddenly close without warning. Demonstrations are quickly dispersed. Central areas such as Taksim may be blocked off from one day to the next.
LGBT+ Pride
If you visit Istanbul during the second half of June, do not be surprised by closed metro stations, blocked streets and large numbers of riot police. This is linked to Istanbul Pride Week and the Pride March that the authorities have sought to prevent year after year.
Since 2015, Pride events have effectively been banned by the authorities on the grounds of security and public order. The result is extensive police operations, roadblocks and arrests of people suspected of taking part in the events.
It is also one of the times of year when Türkiye’s political development becomes especially visible in the streets of Istanbul. While the authorities devote significant resources to preventing Pride gatherings, criticism from human rights organisations, opposition politicians and LGBT+ groups has continued to grow. Pride Week in Istanbul today is about far more than rainbow flags. It has also become a symbol of the wider debate about freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and democratic rights in Türkiye.
Economy
Türkiye is still a safe destination for the vast majority of travellers - but things feel slightly different here than they used to.
Not because you walk around feeling unsafe. Quite the opposite.
But because, as a visitor, you sometimes notice how quickly things can change.
Another thing I have noticed in Istanbul recently is how differently tourists now travel compared to a few years ago.
People plan more carefully. Watch prices more closely. Compare hotels, flights and restaurants in far greater detail.
Many seem less focused on finding a “cheap holiday” and more focused on whether the experience actually matches the price.
The same applies to flights.
Airfares to Türkiye fluctuate far more than they used to, and several airlines have adjusted or reduced routes due to rising fuel prices and instability in the region.
Travelling to Türkiye now feels less predictable than before. Ticket prices can change dramatically from week to week, and direct flights sometimes disappear almost as quickly as they appear.
At the same time, Airbnb in Istanbul is no longer quite the “cheap hack” it once was.
Stricter short-term rental regulations have made the market smaller - and often more expensive. In areas such as Kadıköy, Galata and Cihangir, the price difference between hotels and Airbnb accommodation has become far smaller than it used to be.
At the same time, a quieter transformation is taking place in the city.
Political battles
IBB Miras has spent recent years restoring a number of historical sites across Istanbul. At the same time, a political struggle is unfolding around several of the city’s cultural institutions and heritage projects, with the state gradually taking control of projects previously managed by the municipality.
It is a development that fills much of the conversation in Istanbul right now - even if most tourists will probably never notice it directly.
But it says something about the direction the city is moving in.
Prices have risen. The city has become more intense. And the political tension is far more visible than before.
Türkiye has undoubtedly become a more politically tense and less predictable country.
But that does not change how much Istanbul and Türkiye still have to offer as travel destinations.
At the same time, there are also people now actively choosing not to visit Türkiye because of the country’s increasingly authoritarian political direction.
That is a position I can absolutely understand.
But as a visitor, it is very rarely the political elite you actually meet. Instead, it is the families running the hotel. The waiter at the restaurant. The small café or shop tucked away down a side street.
If you choose to travel to Türkiye in 2026, perhaps it becomes more about where you spend your money.
Or simply about having a genuinely great holiday in a country filled with fantastic food, huge experiences and extraordinary hospitality.
Türkiye still delivers.
Just no longer on autopilot.
Updated June 21st
