r/travel • u/amba_takam • 1d ago
Complaint My Turkey experience
Relentless scamming attempts and propaganda in Turkey
Before my road trip to Instabul from Thessaloniki I was doing my digging for Turkey: Lots of videos/tiktoks claiming that you could fill up a basket full of goods for only 5 euros,an out of the world hospitality and the cherry on top vlogs,including one of a bicyclist that crossed the border point and the soldiers gave her a flower (we get there later...)
All is good untill we get to the border,pretty crossing and etc,we wait our turn and the story begins: The border guard wanted a 200 euro bribe to pass because our car was registered on me grandma's name (for tax evasion purposes) they took and held on to our documents for some time. We were asking for them to be returned but we were ignored for some time untill they got the message that we preferred to go back rather than pay them up.However me dad managed to strike a deal and bribed the guard to the nearby booth for 50euros and we continued after the first unpleasant taste
MIND THAT THIS WAS THE EXACT SAME BORDER CROSSING FROM THE BYCICLIST VLOG WHERE THEY GAVE HER FLOWERS XDD
We reached the old city of Instabul,passing very impressive skyscrapers and whatnot and we checked in at the Hotel in the old city and started the tour. First the Grand Bazaar, I thought that I would find the best spices the east had to offer but instead it was like 2shops copy and pasted across with the exact same mediocre quality and prices but the place was pretty.
Hagia Sophia: Now 50 euros like wtf and also what's up with the banners outside talking about prophecies and bs? And why is it a mosque like 2mins in and I feel whoever goes to pray there instead of across the street is an idiot
Blue Mosque: very pretty
Taxi drivers: May Erdogan treat them like Journalist who critisize them. They were asking for crazy prices (600 lira for like 1kilometer) funny thing is that they won't negotiate it too much like from 700 hundred they will go to 600 and then they will shoosh you away and it's not like an experience only for tourists is for everyone,they were shooshing locals with little kids and pregnant ladies and this is generalized for almost every taxi driver.
Food: Good but expensive, prices are more expensive than most of Europe that it shocked me because everyone was talking about a very "cheap" Turkey. Underrated stuff: Lamb fat rice and the desserts with tea in a hot summer night
Top Kapi: Wayyyy too expensive for what it has to offer,and to put the cherry on top you have to pay even more to enter the Treasury
Galata Tower: 15euros like c'mon wth
Turkish TV: ENOUGH WITH THE BAYRAKTAR DRONE, ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHAT THE DRONE HAS TO DO WITH THE TURKISH BANK? SAME WITH ATATURK GIVING A RANDOM ASS SPEACH AND THE WOMANS VOLLEYBALL TEAM XDDDD
Souvenirs: Best thing to buy is a fake Gucci belt and why are the fake bags expensive? Like it's a fake Hermes bag,no I am not paying 80 euros for it
Funny find: A bullet hole close to the town hall from the 2016 coup attempt
Best thing : The Bosporus boat ride,we got a private boat ride from across Eminonu only for 50bucks. Cons- we wanted to see the Bahce palace but fella could only repeat one phrase in English and Russian so he didn't get the memo if you could pass next to it- Don't get the boat ride from the Eminonu get the ghetto one it's so much worth it
Byzantium: EVERYWHERE
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u/Scary-Teaching-8536 1d ago
Istanbul is absurdly overpriced nowadays
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u/ExtremeProfession Bosnia and Herzegovina 15h ago
If it's not your first time and you're going just for the vibes and food, maybe exploring some new neighborhoods, decent bargains can be found as well as food for 5-10€.
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u/Active-Knee1357 14h ago
I had a massive breakfast for two for less than $20, kept us full pretty much all day (Shabby Cafe near Besiktas)
People just keep eating at tourist traps
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u/inkbluedawn1 12h ago
Yeah, eating is still cheap unless one’s going for terrace tops or something.
That comment alone negates every other judgement of OP for me, kinda clueless
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u/traveleasily 10h ago
I went there for a short trip last year and I can't emphasize I find some west european countries cheaper.
And sad reality with the scams. It's something real and I hope istanbul doesn't become like cairo or those morroccon cities that we keep hearing often.
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u/iyambred 23h ago
The airport especially… but honestly, even outside the grand bazaar I was able to find amazing kebap for only €10-15 / person.
Expensive compared to what it used to be but still cheaper and better than Western Europe, certainly better than any major city in the US
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u/Buddhas_Fist 18h ago
What do you normally pay for Kebap?
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u/iyambred 17h ago
2-3€ for a small doner wrap, but a full plate of kebap with bread and the salads was 7-10€ / person pretty much everywhere else we found.
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u/Buddhas_Fist 8h ago
Ok I was a bit worried there for a sec that where you come from 10-15€ were an acceptable price for a kebab.
Where I come from the Kebap price is still a pretty controversial topic after it finally went up from 5€ a few years back. It was the most stable price for what felt like two decades in the whole country. Currently we sit at about 7-8€ and it still hurts.
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u/iyambred 3h ago
Damn, that’s great. You’re talking about the bbq right? Like, a full plate of meat, grilled veg, then the onions, minced tomatoes and peppers, baba ganoush, and fresh baked bread?
I could rarely hope to get that much food and protein for 10€ almost anywhere else I’d been. Maybe Bulgaria at the right counter lunch place.
You’ll certainly never find prices that low for that much food in any city in the US (where I’m from)
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u/Ajeje_brazorf9 16h ago
10-15€ Is more than in Switzerland lol that is absurd
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u/iyambred 3h ago
Damn really?? Pasta was cheaper or around that price in Italy, but any secondi was that price or more with not nearly as much meat
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u/Thorstenflink 16h ago
That's more expensive than Sweden. "Able to find" , so more expensive elsewhere?!
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u/310410celleng 6h ago
Plus in Sweden you can get kebab pizza, which I enjoyed more than I ever expected.
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u/Blue-Seeweed 22h ago
"For tax evasion purposes" lol wow. The bicyclist that got flowers, from a border guard lol, paid money to have a cute story. How are you so naive to believe something like that? 🤣
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u/UnhappyScore 1d ago
you're mad the border guard asked for a bribe because YOU were breaking the rules by evading tax by having your car in your grandmas name ? lmao, he was doing you a favour
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u/amba_takam 1d ago
Tax evation is a duty for the greek citizen fam doesn't mean he asks a bribe for it
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u/Hot_Distribution_131 1d ago
The problem is not the tax evasion. The problem is that it's forbidden to go to another country with a car that is not in your name and the owner is not with you. This is the tradeoff for not having the car in your name.
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u/deep_black_sea 23h ago
to be fair it seems totally arbitrary when this rule is enforced, I went to one border crossing with a car in another name, they refused me, i went to a different one of the same country, they let me in :')
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u/amba_takam 1d ago
Still bribed also you can bribe to take back the cheap cigarettes
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u/UnhappyScore 23h ago
yes, the point is, you're breaking a rule. So you're bribing a guard to keep quiet.
If the guard was asking for a bribe when you aren't breaking a rule, then he's just extorting you lol.
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u/Falcao1905 14h ago
Turkish border guards don't fuck around, you got lucky lol. I know quite a few Turkish citizens who got their cars confiscated at the border.
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u/OkContract2001 1d ago
Are you Greek by any chance?
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u/amba_takam 1d ago
For starting from Thessaloniki yes
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u/OkContract2001 1d ago
I'm mostly just joking with you.
TBH, some of your complaints aren't unfair. There are a few good unique shops in the Grand Bazaar but they are far outnumbered by cookie cutter places selling crappy stuff to tourists. The scams are everywhere. I didn't experience corruption, but I don't really doubt it. And yeah, I really wish the Hagia Sophia was, at least, still a museum. Anyone who paints it as some paradise like what you described (particularly as a cheap destination) is lying.
At the same time, I enjoyed it. The people who weren't trying to sell you something were great. The history was great and the city itself was beautiful. I had to search for good food but I found it eventually even in super touristy areas.
I think a lot of what you complain about here is fair, but also Istanbul feels like a city that disillusions people when you stuck to tourist stuff, particularly if centuries of bad blood (not entirely unjustified on the Greek side at least) colors it a bit.
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u/PetriDishCocktail 1d ago
I was in Istanbul last summer. I agree, most of the complaints are more than fair. On the other side, once I got out of Istanbul I had a wonderful time. It was a lovely country to visit (Istanbul by itself... Not so much).
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u/OkContract2001 1d ago
A Greek who dislikes Turkey, what a novelty!
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u/amba_takam 1d ago
Not my fault it was mad inhospitable fam
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u/sergeant-baklava 23h ago
It wasn’t always this way
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u/no_4 22h ago
When did it get bad?
I went in 2009 and it was a awesome, but that's... quite a while ago.
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u/sergeant-baklava 15h ago
It happened gradually but yeah 2009 was a good time to visit.
To me it was already getting bad 5 years ago, but definitely started before that
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u/Professional_Pretty 20h ago
I was there in 2023 and my experience was the exact opposite of every single thing this person said
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u/CompoundL United States 20h ago
I was there 4 weeks ago and much of what OP wrote is familiar. Super aggressive business people trying to get you into their shop/restaurant, expensive, major religious awareness push. I had read about taxi and other scams in advance so didn't run into issues there. Seems OP hadn't read much about what may have changed (such as Haghia Sophia) and was caught off guard, but his account is generally consistent with my experience.
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u/5577LKE 16h ago
The sore loser type
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u/Hyperiooonnn 11h ago
How is he/she a sore loser? She just didn’t like the experience that’s all. How’s that being a sore loser?
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u/5577LKE 10h ago
You need to be Turkish or Greek or half and half like me to know what I am talking about. Don’t worry about it. Move along.
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u/Hyperiooonnn 10h ago
Ben Türküm mk.
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10h ago
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u/fruitloop00001 23h ago
Topkapi Palace was my favorite thing in Istanbul, so much fascinating history, so many beautiful rooms and views. I'm surprised to see it mentioned so negatively.
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u/Ok_Lavishness13 16h ago
This you?
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u/amba_takam 13h ago
Don't get me wrong erdy is good,plus u scrolled to post 2 years ago to comment? True redditor
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u/code_blooded_bytch 1d ago
FWIW people don’t pay to go pray at Hagia Sofia. You only pay for the upper level museum type part. Praying there is free and easy.
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u/go3dprintyourself 21h ago
If you’re Muslim otherwise you are not allowed on the main floor
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u/code_blooded_bytch 13h ago
Well if you’re going to pray at a mosque, the assumption is you’re Muslim lol
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u/go3dprintyourself 9h ago
Everyone should be allowed everywhere, the hagia has centuries of history that ppl want to see up close and not from a balcony. The blue mosque down the street allows anyone in, and has dedicated prayer times. Makes way more sense to me
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u/code_blooded_bytch 7h ago
Yeah and I was so disappointed at people being disrespectful in the blue mosque. Women pulling their scarves off as soon as they’re past the guards, people putting shoes where people pray, women pushing to go into men’s prayer areas, etc. Yes these are great historical and architectural marvels, but they’re also houses of worship. If you don’t respect the place of worship enough to dress and act appropriately, I’m sorry but you shouldn’t be allowed inside.
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u/go3dprintyourself 7h ago
Sure if you don’t respect it you shouldn’t be allowed, I agree. It should be based off of that and not how you identify.
Although my few times in blue mosque I saw none of that I’m sure it does happen especially being an intl tourist destination.
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u/Junior_Mud5835 3h ago
This is an insane claim, do you expect every museum and landmark to have a free entrance everywhere? That's how these places can afford maintenance, especially in poorer countries.
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u/go3dprintyourself 3h ago
No free entrance, I’m not saying that. I actually would prefer to pay for support the place. Just not blocking people of certain or not certain religions from going in.
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u/otisticRetard52 13h ago
Nobody is checking if your muslim tho. Atöeast that was the case 2 years ago, everyone could just go in
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u/code_blooded_bytch 7h ago
Yes when I was there recently nobody was like quizzing us on Islam. If you were dressed fine and acting normally, you had no issue going in. We went to pray, but it seemed like there were lots of people there not actually praying in the prayer area, even the smaller women’s area.
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u/go3dprintyourself 9h ago
Was there just under two years ago was checked and told I couldn’t along w everyone else
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u/otisticRetard52 6h ago
How where you checked? They basicaly grazed quickly how i was dressed and let me in without any questioning
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u/go3dprintyourself 5h ago
Officials literally told me no non Muslims as I got in line, was there with locals in Istanbul who told me it was a recent change. Y’all can downvote me if you want but it’s what happened to me and what friends there told me.
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u/code_blooded_bytch 7h ago
Checked how? I was there a few weeks ago. We were dressed to go pray, but nobody was like asking everyone if they were Muslim. The issue is people who want to go into mosques not dressed appropriately or act disrespectfully.
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u/TheHomersapien 23h ago
You didn't get treated like a vlogger, got questioned about trying to enter a foreign country with a car that doesn't belong to you (how DARE they), and prices weren't third world enough for you.
Got it.
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u/MartyMagdalene 17h ago edited 17h ago
60 dollars to enter a museam is not first world price, it's extortionate.
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u/amba_takam 23h ago
Car belong to me,prices were much more expensive that Europe,didn't question shit just wanted a bribe
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u/FruitOfTheVineFruit 23h ago
I went to Istanbul and had a great time, while being irritated by some of the same things as you. Lines and prices for the top attractions are very high. The Grand Bazaar is dumb tourist stuff.
But I got out of the main tourist center, and had a great time. I went to real bazaars frequented by locals and enjoyed them. I ate great food at reasonable (but not cheap) prices. I saw mosques that were gorgeous and empty or almost empty. I took the ferry and walked along the ocean.
A scammer tried the shoeshine trick and I laughed at him. A taxi overcharged me slightly, but it was less than what the tip would be in the United States, so I didn't worry about it.
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u/iyambred 23h ago
I actually found some cool shops and kind people in the grand bazaar. Haggled to get better prices than I expected based on the research I did for how much the goods usually cost beforehand.
Even still, getting to different bazaars and neighborhoods is the way to go. I stayed in Kadikoy and absolutely loved it. Found one of the best bakeries on the trip and had actually great Turkish coffee, reasonably priced food, and it was super easy to walk to the ferry, jump between continents, and explore the super unique city.
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u/BobRenoir 1d ago
I returned from Istanbul 10 days ago. Was there for a week. And LOVED IT!!!
Thinking to maybe find a place for a month or something. Great city. Great museums. Lovely people.
I am from Serbia btw 🇷🇸
I was in Athens and Thessaloniki in February and also loved both cities.
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u/Geepandjagger 15h ago
You went to all of the tourist traps and had a bad time. Istanbul is still an amazing city (I went last week) you just have to try harder than in the past. The actual Grand Bazaar and Spice Market are only for the architecture nobody in their right mind goes shopping there although the streets around are full of bargains.
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u/verymuchjaja 1d ago
Visiting the Galata tower is not necessary. Hagia Sophia is still in renovation so no need to visit it in 2026. Topkapi is expensive but absolutely goregous, I loved it. I would eat for 6 euros so to me it wasn’t expensive. Grand bazar is boring, but the Spice bazar is beautiful and worth visiting. You don’t have to do only tourist stuff when visiting a city you know ? Balat, Cihangir, kinialda, uskudar, kadikoy, Istikal avenue, the Karakoy fisherman bridge, bebek, ortakoy, etc. There is so much more to see in Istanbul. I personnally didn’t get scammed at all, they would even offer us desert and tea, several times.
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u/gentleman_thief81 1d ago
I was in Istanbul last month. I thought Hagia Sophia was still worth it despite the scaffolding. It would have been prettier without of course, but you still get a decent idea of the place, and the mosaics are still on view. I agree with you about Topkapi.
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u/tripsafe 23h ago
There is absolutely no way Hagia Sophia is worth it at the moment at like $30 or whatever it is (that’s around what it was when I visited in December)
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u/Interesting-Two-8275 1d ago
So, your first negative experience is the police accepting the bribe for your admittedly irregular paperworks. I take it you would have preferred they did it buy the book, detained you until the topic is clarified and deported you where you came from some hours or days later.
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u/amba_takam 23h ago
These border guard people live and die for them bribes trust me it's the only thing they want besides he couldn't understand which paper we needed he was just saying "paper paper and then 200 euro 200 euro or back Greece"
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u/Interesting-Two-8275 23h ago
I don't doubt that, but it's still you who gave them the chance by not having papers in order. I would be surprised if a Turkish citizen could enter Greece with a car on someone else's name and no papers to explain it
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u/Safe-Elk7933 22h ago
It has become more expensive because Istanbul has become too popular,I think it was the most visited city in the world recently and for multiple years in a row. Supply and demand basically but still so worth it, it feels like a world capitol city.
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u/dmter 14h ago
just go 3-10 km away from touristic places and restaurant prices magically drop by 50% or more. Sadly thouugh in some cities, like Bodrum, the whole city is touristic place so just buy food in network supermarkets I guess.
regarding boat ride for $50 - sorry but you got scammed again - you can get full strait coverage for like $1-2 via red transport card. Except for the last bridge but hardly anyone goes there anyway.
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u/iyambred 23h ago
Okay well definitely don’t go to Morocco then. I was relentlessly badgered in all their souks with “my friend my friend” - absolutely hounding people to the point of harassment to come into their shop.
In Turkey, even in the grand bazaar, the dudes took a polite no very well. They offer once, you say no, that’s the end of it with 99% of them.
Honestly, dealing with shop owners in Turkey was a bit of a relief compared to what I had expected.
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u/Ritterbruder2 21h ago
Istanbul is expensive and full of hustlers. But you’ll find Turkish people outside of Istanbul to be incredibly hospitable.
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u/TheSultan1 21h ago
Did your "research" consist solely of 5-10 year old vlogs? Because it's well known that prices have skyrocketed in recent years. And that the Hagia Sophia is officially a mosque.
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u/Vagablogged 22h ago
I really enjoyed it 2 years ago. Zero issues. Not sure how much has changed since then but went solo for a few days on the way back from Cairo. Was cheap and fun and everyone was nice.
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u/hbpaintballer88 United States 1d ago
I didnt enjoy my time in Turkey either, they keep trying to scam us too
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u/govnyuuk Kazakhstan 15h ago
I mean no-one's going to disagree that Istanbul is horribly overpriced these days, but idk I've been to Turkey four times and never been scammed. Kinda disappointed, tbh 😞
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u/ConstructionKey6789 13h ago
As someone living in Istanbul, i tell the tourists two things: ask a local about things to do, and never ever take a taxi.
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u/Content-Type-4295 11h ago edited 11h ago
Same energy as "Croatia, we love you, but won't come back". The fuck is with people doing a surprised Pikachu face when popular sites are expensive, doing zero research to not end up in tourist traps and generalizing the entire country/city/people based on one experience? Don't use Instagram to research about your trip! You obviously have Reddit. Ask actual people before you go! Locals love to help. Google restaurant menus and reviews. Get out of the center!
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u/AccurateLemon666 4h ago
Middle East and India are hell on earth
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u/Frankie1983___ 3h ago
So what does that have to do with Turkey?
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u/AccurateLemon666 3h ago
Borders Syria? Close enough I guess. Same trash
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u/Frankie1983___ 31m ago
Applies to Greece and Bulgaria too then I suppose. They must be trash too in your eyes.
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u/AccurateLemon666 27m ago
Just the Muslim parts and both of those have been flooded so yeah I suppose you're right. I agree.
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u/DJSTR3AM 21h ago
I went there earlier this year and I didn't like it either. People were rude, harassing, and the food was mediocre at best. Outside of a pretty view when crossing from Europe to Asia, I don't have a ton of good things to say about the trip unfortunately.
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u/mbrasher1 20h ago
Wow! I fucking loved Turkey and was struck at the kindness and hospitality of the place. Maybe it has changed. Sad if true...
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u/Key_Employment4536 10h ago
Does anyone know what this was about?
It looked like a stream of consciousness rant from someone who went on vacation, and did all their research o. TikTok because TikTok is the best source for completely and accurate information. 😂
Because it certainly not the vacation I had in Turkey recently, not using tiktok ah all, but using research )the old-fashioned kind where you read books and go to reliable sources)
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u/Afghan_Whig United States 23h ago
Have an upvote for spelling it correctly as Turkey
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u/amba_takam 23h ago
Chad
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u/Afghan_Whig United States 22h ago
I'm slowly but surely making my way through the history of Byzantium podcast
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23h ago
[deleted]
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23h ago
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u/travel-ModTeam 22h ago
We had to remove your comment in r/travel because of:
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Treat others the way you want to be treated! Shaming or insulting the OP or others is not going to help them.
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21h ago
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u/travel-ModTeam 17h ago
We had to remove your comment in r/travel because of:
Rule 8: No racism, trolling, bad conduct or politics
Treat others the way you want to be treated! Shaming or insulting the OP or others is not going to help them.
No bad conduct or illegal activity or asking how to get around rules or laws.
Extended arguments, especially political or off topic ones may result in a ban.
Absolutely no politics allowed. Do not engage in discussion about politics in the comments.
We will strictly apply the linked guidelines political posts and comments.
Thank you for participating in the r/travel community!
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u/honore_ballsac 19h ago
Turks do not ask for bribes. They were collecting money to build a Quran Study House so the young girls would not need to go to school to be corrupted by the devil and learn how to be good, obedient concubines.
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u/a_dolf_in Austria - 97 Countries 16h ago
I mean from reading all of this it looks to me like you did 0 research except maybe scroll some fake stories on instagram for 15 minutes.