Türkiye: Is there a travel warning? Is it safe to vacation there in 2025?

Turkey is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Germans and has a lot more to offer besides the typical beach holiday - from exciting city trips to the beautiful landscapes in the interior to one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails in the world .

For Tui, Turkey takes pole position – with growth of over 30 percent. The travel group aims to surpass the success of the strong summer of 2024, with over one million holidaymakers, in summer 2025 and is further expanding its flight offering to more than 1,600 weekly connections to Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, and Izmir.

Nevertheless, some vacationers are currently asking themselves the following questions: Is vacationing in Turkey currently dangerous? Is there a travel warning for Turkey? Can I cancel my vacation to Turkey free of charge? How far are Turkish vacation areas from the conflict regions?

We answer the most important questions for travelers to Turkey.

Following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu in March, demonstrations and riots broke out in many cities. The Federal Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Turkey and advises extreme caution.

"In Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and other cities, political protests and bans on gatherings are currently leading to road closures, subway stations, and public transport disruptions. It is currently unclear how long these restrictions will last," the authority writes, advising tourists to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings at all costs.

The police used water cannons against demonstrators.

Source: IMAGO/SOPA Images

In addition, travelers should regularly inform themselves about the current situation in the country and strictly follow the instructions of local authorities. Since the protests could continue, vacationers should also be prepared for last-minute changes to their travel itinerary . The Federal Foreign Office also recommends that German travelers register on the Elefand crisis preparedness list to be contactable in an emergency.

Ekrem Imamoğlu, one of the most prominent political challengers to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, faces charges including corruption and supporting a terrorist organization. However, some view the arrest as a politically motivated move to remove the 54-year-old from the presidential race in 2028. Despite the arrest, the Turkish opposition party CHP chose him as its presidential candidate.

The war in the Middle East is also having an impact on the situation in Turkey. The Federal Foreign Office writes: "Due to the ongoing conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories, spontaneous, pro-Palestinian protests and violent riots may occur in Turkey."

As in many countries in the region, the situation in Turkey has been tense since Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023. Concern is also growing due to the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

No. The Federal Foreign Office does not issue an official travel warning for Turkey. It does not generally advise against vacationing in the country, but it does advise against traveling to certain regions.

Another important issue is occupying geopolitics: the overthrow of Assad in Syria on December 8, 2024. This also affects Turkey. The government has supported or tolerated various forces in Syria over the years.

The Federal Foreign Office therefore states the following: “Travel to the border area between Turkey and Iraq and Syria in the provinces of Sanlıurfa and Mardin , and to the provinces of Sirnak and Hakkâri, is strongly discouraged.”

The Federal Foreign Office generally advises holidaymakers to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings of people at all costs .

In addition to the tense political situation due to the many conflicts, the Federal Foreign Office also warns against the broad definition of terrorism in Turkey, which the European Court of Human Rights considers to be contrary to the rule of law: "Mere statements, sharing, commenting on or liking posts on social media, which in Germany are covered by the fundamental right to freedom of expression," would repeatedly be sufficient for criminal prosecution in Turkey.

He continued: "Under a new anti-disinformation law, the dissemination of statements deemed by law enforcement authorities to be untrue and a threat to national security, public order, or public health can also lead to criminal prosecution. Participation in demonstrations in Germany or membership in a legally registered association related to Kurdish causes can also be grounds for arrest, travel bans, or refusal of entry, although memberships may, among other things, date back years."

Large demonstrations against Israel are taking place repeatedly in Turkey. The Federal Foreign Office is urging particular caution.

Source: IMAGO/SOPA Images

The reason for the warning is that there are still cases in which German citizens have been arbitrarily arrested and banned from leaving the country – in some cases, entry into Turkey has even been denied. The Federal Foreign Office describes in detail here which individuals are particularly at risk due to Turkey's entry regulations .

In recent years, there have also been repeated terrorist attacks and incidents resulting in injuries and fatalities . In November 2022, a bomb attack occurred in Istanbul . In October 2023, there was a bomb attack on the Ministry of the Interior in Ankara. The Catholic Church of St. Mary in Istanbul was attacked by two armed men on January 28, 2024, fatally wounding one person.

In its advisory, the Federal Foreign Office also points out that there have been repeated deaths related to adulterated alcohol in Turkey since the beginning of 2025. Hundreds of people are now said to have died from methanol poisoning, particularly in Istanbul.

According to the Federal Foreign Office, however, the warning applies not only to Istanbul, but also to Ankara and many other regions of Turkey. The Turkish Tobacco and Alcohol Regulatory Authority recommends paying attention to the original packaging and licensing (TAPDK logo on the bottle cap, undamaged blue-turquoise band) when purchasing alcohol.

You can find out how to protect yourself and how to recognize methanol poisoning here .

Since there is no travel warning for Turkey, vacations are taking place as usual . Fears due to the current situation or a general threat of terrorism are not sufficient grounds for withdrawing from a travel contract, says Karolina Wojtal of the European Consumer Centre Germany. Travel law only applies to package tours anyway. However, those who book flights and hotels separately are "booking the risk as well," says Wojtal.

Travelers who no longer wish to go on or postpone a booked vacation in Turkey must contact their tour operators and hope for their goodwill . A refund through travel insurance is also not to be expected due to the lack of a travel warning. Flights to Turkey are operating without restrictions.

Turkey's land border measures 2,648 kilometers and connects it with Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Greece, and Bulgaria. The country also shares maritime borders with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia via the Black Sea.

Popular holiday resorts along the Turkish Riviera, such as Antalya and Side, have so far been unaffected or only slightly affected by the protests. There are isolated reports of demonstrations in some parts of Antalya, but these are not expected to affect tourism. These resorts are also located far from the conflict regions in the Middle East. Alanya, for example, is about 450 kilometers as the crow flies from the Lebanese capital Beirut, with the Mediterranean Sea in between. Tel Aviv is even more than 550 kilometers as the crow flies.

Even by land, the resorts are far from potential conflict zones. From Alanya, it's more than 400 kilometers and many hours' drive to the Syrian border, and from Istanbul, it's about 800 kilometers.

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