Antalya is situated in Turkey. Despite sharing borders with war torn states tourism is booming. Find out how safe it really is to visit Antalya.
Overall Risk
Low risk. Overall Antalya is a safe place to visit with over 10 million visiting tourists from all over the world each year.
Antalya is not located near any war zones nor is it a politically relevant city in Turkey. Antalya is considered the tourism capital of Turkey whereas Ankara is its political and Istanbul its commercial capital.
Antalya is dwarfed in a population based comparison with those two cities. Istanbul has around 15 million inhabitants, Ankara 5 and Antalya merely 2. Antalya’s population is not small by any means but this should give you a good intuition of the difference in scale compared to the other two. This makes Antalya a much less likely place for tensions.
We recommend you check your government’s travel advice for the most up to date and reliable information. For example, the United Kingdom’s travel advice can be found here with an overview in the image below.
Pickpockets
Medium risk. As mentioned above. Antalya is not a small city by any means. You should definitely be cautious for pickpockets in crowded places. It should be emphasized that the risk is slightly larger for those who clearly look like tourists.
Be cautious but not overly alarmed, the risk of pickpockets in Antalya is the same as in any other major tourist destination.
Scams
Low risk. Most scams in Antalya are directed against locals and not the tourist population. That does not mean you should be wary of them. For example, you may find some people in the street with stands containing birds and rabbits. They will try to convince you to make a picture and ask for money afterwards.
If you are looking to buy a house or anything of larger monetary value in Antalya we obviously advise to do your due diligence and reach out to a lawyer. If you need any such help feel free to reach out by e-mail so we can steer you in the right direction.
Public Transport and Taxis
Low risk. Public transport and taxis are safe in Antalya. In some cities like Istanbul taxis are likely to scam tourists and foreigners. We have found this to absolutely not be the case in Antalya. Taxis are the safest and most efficient means of transport in Antalya.
Women’s Safety
Medium risk. Women are generally safe in Antalya. We would recommend women keep out of poorly lit and isolated areas. We also advise not to travel alone as much as possible and to take taxis where possible, especially at night.
Terrorism
Medium risk. Terrorism is a serious threat in many countries around the world. This is definitely applies Turkey in general and to a lesser extent to Antalya. There have been terrorist attacks in Turkey in recent years so it is important to be alert at all times and to check the travel advice from your countries government before you plan your visit.
That said, while there exists a terrorist threat in Turkey it is considerably lower in Antalya. Our advice is to be alert in crowded areas and avoid large events and gatherings.
Natural Disasters
Medium risk. There is a small risk of earthquakes and droughts in Antalya. There have been no major earthquakes in Antalya in recent years. There have however been earthquakes in the surrounding areas that could be felt to some degree. Overall Antalya is safe from natural disasters with a moderate risk of earthquakes.
Check out our complete Antalya Holiday guide for an in detail overview of all you need to know about your holiday to Antalya.
Secret Antalya 