I'm not so sure about that. I've seen a lot of New Yorkers and Southerners in Muslim countries get asked what country they're from.

It has something to do with linguistics and the differences between English and Arabic languages. Evidently, it's difficult to tell the difference between Brits, Americans , Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis.

Plus, it helps if you look indignant when asked if you're American... BTW, I only use this ploy when I really don't want to get into a 2-hour discussion on how the US messed up the world.

Under normal circumstances I would agree, but Istanbul is a powder keg right now and people are looking for reasons to get violent.

I've heard anecdotal stories about this, but I never saw anything resembling Amsterdam. Granted, I never ventured into the "underground" areas where this is supposed to occur. And the reports I've heard is that the prostitution scene is really not for tourists anyway.

After talking to a friend who is a Middle East expert, she said that this court ruling should help calm things down:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/...e/31turkey.php

I wouldn't necessarily advise this. Second bombs are also sometimes positioned to hit the people fleeing, as with the Bali bombings.

Is it safer to travel with a larger or smaller tour group?

Find a tour group that supplies Burkas to everyone.

Another reason why to assume Istanbul is safe. Unlike in the 90ties when the PKK targeted tourist spots and even hotels in order to disrupt tourism in Turkey this time no tourist attraction was hit in Istanbul.

Wow.

Some very good advice, and one or two absolutely ridiculous ones.

Frankly, I had a pretty rough night last night, so I'm not going to go point by point, but really... telling people to wear Burkhas in Istanbul is like telling people to wear chaps and six-shooters in Arizona.

I am essentially living in IST at the moment, and would not for a second hesitate to advise any friends or family to come tomorrow.

Actually, chaps and six-shooters are highly recommended here in AZ.

I don't have any personal knowledge of IST to add, but I do want to reinforce the idea that a rational examination of the statistical chances of being involved in a terrorist attack would nearly always lead to the conclusion that it's silly not to go. The odds in IST are presumably infinitessimal. But to me it's also often interesting (and reinforcing) to recollect that even when infinitesimal odds "paid off" (9/11 at the World Trade Center), even in the center of the bullseye of the most successful terrorist attack in (modern?) history, 70% of the people survived.

And I'd also like to reinforce the thought that to demur or delay any pleasure or opportunity for fear of terrorists is a win for them. For several years after 9/11, every time I'd safely get off an airplane, I'd imagine it as a small but in some ways very real "&+@% you!" to the terrorists. We're far enough away now from that time that I rarely have that thought upon disembarking any more, but I suppose that fact is an even bigger defeat for them.

Good point. If the meaning of unsafe is "is the probability that I will be attacked is high," then of course no. If the meaning of unsafe is "is the probability that I will be attacked (or victimized by street crime, caught up in a coup, etc.) much higher in Istanbul than other cities," then undeniably yes. I think of it as like buying 10 lottery tickets versus one -- the probability of winning is certainly much higher, but still remote.

This latest bombing was in an area in which a tourist would not likely be, but it was not far away. And, as a previous poster mentioned, blasts in Taksim do happen. The police presence there is enormous -- more than one would see, with good reason I suppose, than other European and Middle East cities (although it's hard to compare Istanbul to Middle East cities).

That said, I go to Istanbul frequently and will not hesitate to go back. (It's an amazing city, and I have posted numerous trip reports.) I would not discourage anyone else from going there. And, anecdotally, the issues there (both political unrest and violence) don't seem to have impacted travel too much, at least based on the hotel prices. We'll see if that changes.

As to the first point, I would not say "put to shame." I would say something like "are comparable to." As for the second sentence, no way. Istanbul has a cosmopolitan, liberal population of locals and tourists, but it is still not quite like modern Europe.

Just wondering is it safe to get Taxis in IST or should I ask the hotel for a pick up?

How good are your nerves? Taxi drivers in Istanbul like to drive fast. The other problem is that they sometimes don't really know where the street or hotel is located you want to go.

So if the hotel offers a pick-up service at the airport it will make your way to the hotel easier and will calm your nerves.

taxis are ok, as long as you know where you are roughly going, and you are prepared to argue if the meter looks like it has been rigged ! just avoid the ones waiting in the usual tourist spots.

i love these threads "is XYZ safe".. simply as nowhere is 100% safe.

A couple of other observations:
a. Istanbul has tons of security. Virtually every tourist hotel and many restaurants have metal detectors, and many places check cars.
b. Drivers are crazy, but they know how to drive. I've never seen as many near hits as on the roads of Istanbul.
c. Istanbul is a beautiful city.
d. We are coming up on Ramadan in September, which means that many people fast during the day, but there are all kinds of interesting nighttime activities.

I wouldn't hesitate in going to Istanbul, and in fact I'm planning a trip there myself in a month.

Oh. I see: since nowhere is 100% safe, that means that only an idiot would wonder if their destination is closer to 1% safe or 99% safe, and so anyone who asks about safety for travelers in a given destination deserves to be sneered at.