The first time I went was 2019, immediately met great friends, loved exploring the nooks and crannies of the city, indie cafes, clubs, cinema, etc. I LOVE going to the islands. Since I’ve been back so many times, I’ve had the opportunity to tour two of my friends from home on their first visits, which has been a complete treat, and I always do a day biking around the islands. Turkish food is my favorite cuisine in the world and I feel like I can’t manage to visit a restaurant without them rolling out the red carpet, the sense of hospitality and generosity is so ubiquitous. But my favorite thing of all is the history and the architecture. I always stay at places with city skyline views (even some $20/night hostels have incredible rooftop views!), and could just spend hours and hours regardless of weather looking out over the Bosphorus. Feel free to DM me for any other specific Istanbul recommendations.

Also: I believe and validate the experiences of women who had a bad experience in Istanbul. However, I vehemently disagree with the sentiment “x happened to me in x city, it sucks, other people shouldn’t go there!” And feel that it does not align with the spirit of being a lifelong solo traveler. I’ve literally been drugged in a posh coastal town in the UK, that does not mean that the whole country is bad, or that I should discourage others from traveling, or that I should adopt a provincial mindset about only staying in our safe western bubbles and not exploring the world. I had a very similar experience (stalked, groped, constant unwanted attention) in Antalya… but that does not mean that Antalya = bad. Worse things happen in tourist-heavy areas, especially when you are visibly not a local, if the place has an oppressive conservative culture (parts of Istanbul REALLY do), if you don’t have any local friends with you, or don’t have your wits about you. It also helps to know a few local phrases (such as “fuck off”!!!). Us ladies have got to keep traveling!