Is Izmir Safe To Visit?

If you are planning a trip to Izmir, you must wonder whether Izmir is safe or not. After all, Turkey might not have the best reputation when it comes to safety.

Generally speaking, Izmir is a safe place to visit, so long as you only visit the right areas. There are some parts of Izmir that are not safe, even for tourists, and we’ve personally experienced some challenging situations.

On the whole, crime and terrorism are quite low in the city, but visitors should still be aware of petty crimes such as theft and pickpockets. As long as tourists stay within the tourist areas in Izmir (which I’ll get to later), they should have no issues with safety.

Yes, there are dangerous areas in Izmir, just like cities like Istanbul and Antalya, but normally tourists typically don’t just stumble upon those. A rule of thumb for safety in Izmir, stay north of the railroad tracks. The neighborhoods in those areas tend to be a bit safer.

Being one of the most liberal cities in Turkey with a huge university student life, Izmir is quite a dynamic city of blending cultures and beliefs, so it’s definitely not somewhere to avoid for fear of safety concerns. In this article, I’ll talk about safety in Izmir and how you can have a safe and pleasant trip!

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Is Izmir Safe For Tourists?

Izmir is generally safe for tourists, but since Turkey is not exactly one of the wealthiest countries, tourists tend to become easy targets for scams and pickpockets. Tourists need to be extra careful when exploring the touristic areas of Izmir, as those places are generally where most of the petty theft and pickpockets happen.

The area near Basmane and Kemeraltı is especially busy all year round in Izmir, and visitors should be extra careful of their belongings when exploring those neighborhoods.

I don’t recommend going south or east of those two areas on foot. The areas in those directions are a lot poorer and certainly not as safe.

Generally speaking, neighborhoods south of the railroad tracks are usually more dangerous, especially areas near Hilal and Halkapınar.

It doesn’t matter if you are American, British or German, you can be a victim of crime in Izmir if you are not cautious.

Important note: We stayed in Basmane when we visited Izmir because we were unaware of it’s reputation and this is where the hostels are located. Unfortunately had a couple of incidents that made us feel unsafe. We were followed walking back to our hostel from Smyrna Agora Ancient City, and had people shout at us; it made us feel very uncomfortable. Another incident we faced was unfortunately, someone also stole our shoes from the entrance of our hostel. Ok, it’s only a pair of shoes, but it’s never a nice feeling being robbed. We highly advise you not to stay in the Basmane neighborhood.

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What Neighborhoods Are Safe In Izmir?

You might be thinking that Izmir sounds like the kind of city you need to know where is safe and where to avoid. This is a fair assumption, and it’s true that some neighborhoods in Izmir are safer than others.

The neighborhoods that are safer in Izmir are Konak, Alsancak and Bornova. These are the touristy neighborhoods and where most tourists stay. Bornova is also a student neighborhood, so they are always busy with people but not in a sketchy way. You do still need to be vigilant with your belongings as pickpockets operate in those areas.

The areas that are regarded as unsafe, not just by me but by the local’s we met in Izmir, are Basmane, Buca, Kadifekale, Ballikuyu, Eşrefpaşa, Manavkuyu ,and Tepecik. In the daytime, these areas are generally fine to walk around, as long as you don’t advertise you’re a foreigner (i.e. keep your big camera locked away). The biggest problem you have is pickpockets. As long as you keep an eye on your belongings, you should be fine.

However, Eşrefpaşa and Kadifekale, are known to be pretty dangerous and it’s advised that tourists avoid them completely.

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Is Izmir Safe At Night?

Izmir is generally quite safe in the daytime, but it is a lot more dangerous at night. Some of the streets that were bustling at night are now quiet, and there are plenty of dark narrow alleys where tourists can become victims of crime.

Alsancak is a very popular neighborhood in Izmir for nightlife, but tourists need to be careful of pickpockets in nightclubs and bars. Drink spiking has occurred in the past, but it is not very common nowadays. It is always a good idea to watch your belongings and your drink.

Basmane, Konak, and Kemeraltı are pretty quiet at night and there are lots of homeless and drunk beggars at night, which could jeopardize your safety if they become too aggressive. There are also lots of dark narrow alleys in these areas, which is the perfect place for criminals to take advantage of tourists.

I recommend getting an Uber if you are traveling in those neighborhoods in Izmir at night.

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Is Izmir Safe For Solo Travelers?

Solo travelers in Izmir are generally safe in the daytime, but you might want to be extra cautious at night. The main concern for solo travelers is getting robbed at night, which usually happens in dark narrow alleys as I mentioned above.

In the daytime, the city is bustling and the likelihood is no one will even notice you are traveling alone. You can explore the city without any worries, as long as you stay in the neighborhoods I mentioned above. Just make sure to keep your belongings close to you and be aware of your surroundings, especially when you are in crowded areas.

Still, it is important that you not wander too far off from the city center. There are lots of neighborhoods that are very poor and might not be the safest, but generally tourist attractions are not in those areas so you’re unlikely to go to them (except for Smyrna Agora Ancient City in Basmane, maybe).

If you want to be safer, it is best to travel with someone. As long as you are aware of your surroundings, stay in the main touristy areas, and follow our safety tips (see below), you should have no problem staying safe in Izmir.

Related Reading: Things to Do in Izmir

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Natural Disasters In Izmir

Unfortunately, one of the biggest dangers in Izmir is natural disasters. This beautiful city on the Aegean Sea is not unfamiliar with earthquakes, floods, tornados, and even tsunamis.

Just in 2020, there was a massive 7.0 Aegean Sea earthquake that ravaged Izmir, resulting in 117 deaths in Turkey alone. After the earthquake, a tsunami followed and damaged the city even more.

Matter of fact, because of the geographical location of Izmir, small tremors happen regularly. However, these tremors are so small that you don’t feel their effects on the surface.

Floods and tornados occasionally occur in the city, but travelers should be able to avoid those.

By staying up to date with the news and weather, travelers can minimize their risk of natural disasters in Izmir.

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Crime and Terrorism in Izmir

Though Izmir had issues with terrorism in the past (car bomb in 2017), the city is much safer in terms of crime and terrorism.

Izmir is not a political center of Turkey, but more of a tourist destination and a university town. There is very little reason as to why terrorists would attack Izmir.

Terrorist acts are more common in the capital Ankara, Istanbul, and near the Syrian border in the southeast of the country. Since Izmir is so far from those places, it is generally quite safe.

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Are Taxis Safe In Izmir?

Taxis are typically safe in Izmir, but taxi drivers scamming tourists is far too common. One of the most common ways taxi drivers scam tourists is by taking a detour or a longer route than needed. Since the taxis are metered in Izmir, tourists can easily pay a lot more than they should.

I’ve encountered this problem many times when we took taxis in Turkey.

It is best to have your navigation on when you are taking a taxi to make sure the taxi drivers are not going in the wrong direction.

Sometimes, it is unavoidable to get scammed by taxi drivers as they say that they took the detour to avoid traffic. But if you notice that the driver is going in the opposite direction, speak up or you’ll get scammed big time!

Thank god there is Uber in Izmir, so make sure you use an Uber instead of a taxi if you can!

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Safety Tips In Izmir

• Stay Extra Vigilant at Night – Most of the crimes against tourists happen at night, so be careful when going out at night and use taxis and Uber if you can.
• Drink Bottled Water – Unlike tap water in Istanbul, the tap water in Izmir is not very high quality. To avoid getting gastrointestinal issues, we recommend drinking only bottled water in Izmir, but feel free to brush your teeth with tap water!
• Stay in Tourist Areas/City Center – As I have mentioned several times, the safest areas in Izmir are tourist neighborhoods. If you wander too far off the touristy path, you are going to be at a bigger risk.
• Take Uber Instead of Taxis – Because of how often taxi drivers scam tourists, it might be best to take an Uber instead.

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Safety In Izmir FAQs

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Final Verdict

Generally speaking, Izmir is a safe place to visit for travelers who know the places they should avoid. It’s definitely worth visiting Izmir, and though this guide might come across as fear mongering, it’s not in anyway meant to scare you or put you off visiting.

Generally, crime is low in the touristy areas and there isn’t much that could get in the way of an amazing trip to this beautiful Aegean city. We were unlucky on our visit because we didn’t know that Basmane wasn’t a great neighborhood. We just booked a hostel and thought it looked central.

My goal with this guide is to ensure you don’t make the same mistake that we did, and that you understand what safety in Izmir is really like. If you have visited Izmir and have any contributions to add about safety, please let us know in the comments.