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Exercise increased caution when traveling to Turkey due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Do not travel to: Areas near the Syrian and Iraqi borders due to terrorism. (Level 4) Reconsider travel to: Batman, Bingol, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hakkari, Hatay, Kilis, Mardin, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sirnak, Tunceli, and Van (Level 3) Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Turkey. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas. Terrorists have also previously targeted Western tourists and expatriates. Security forces have detained tens of thousands of individuals, including U. S. citizens, for alleged affiliations with terrorist organizations based on scant or secret evidence and grounds that appear to be politically motivated. U. S. citizens have also been subject to travel bans that prevent them from departing Turkey. Participation in demonstrations not explicitly approved by the Government of Turkey, as well as criticism of the government, including on social media, can result in arrest. Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page. If you decide to travel to Turkey: Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners. Avoid demonstrations and crowds. Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures. Monitor local media and adjust your plans based on new information. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter. Review the Crime and Safety Report for Turkey. U. S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler's Checklist. Areas near the Syrian and Iraqi Borders - Level 4: Do Not Travel Do not travel near the Turkey/Syria and Turkey/Iraq borders due to the continued threat of attacks by terrorist groups, armed conflict, and civil unrest. Terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, ambushes, car bomb detonations, and improvised explosive devices, as well as shootings, and illegal roadblocks leading to violence have occurred in these areas. Specific Areas in Eastern and Southeastern Turkey - Level 3: Reconsider Travel Reconsider travel to specific areas in eastern and southeastern Turkey where the U. S. government has very limited ability to provide emergency services to U. S. citizens. These areas are the provinces of Batman, Bingol, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hakkari, Hatay, Kilis, Mardin, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sirnak, Tunceli, and Van, as the U. S. government restricts its employees from traveling to these provinces without prior approval. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas. Last Update: Reissued after periodic review with updates to a risk indicator and the Travel Advisory Level.

And the first news story about terrorism.... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-turkey-nightclub-attack-20161231-story.html Anyone have any info?

Hello, my name is Erik and i´m from Weimar in Germany. I plan a big tour in november with my girlfriend to chile and because thats still 5 months ahead we thought we could put 2 weeks turkey in july in our plan as well. Book last minute and so on. But we are kinda worried right now. The terrorism in istanbul aside i honestly dont know if its really safe and comfortable right now. In TV i saw mass demonstrations against germans. Turks throwing eggs against our embassy and so on + constant insults from turkish politicians against germany. I girl thinks its not safe and want change to spain. But if i cancel its just extra work to do that i would rather try to avoid. So what you experts here think?

The U. S. Embassy in Ankara informs U. S. citizens that the U. S. government continues to receive credible indications that terrorist groups are seeking opportunities to attack popular tourist destinations throughout Turkey. The U. S. Embassy reminds U. S. citizens that foreign tourists in Turkey have been explicitly targeted by terrorist organizations, and advises U. S. citizens to be mindful of the potential for danger in crowded public areas and at popular tourist destinations. See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Turkey’s Country Specific Information. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Contact the U. S. Embassy in Ankara, located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara, at +90-312-455-5555, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U. S. citizens is +90-312-455-5555 or +90-212-335-9000 (U. S. Consulate General Istanbul). Contact the U. S. Consulate General in Istanbul, located at 2 Uçsehitler Sokagi, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, at +90-212-335-9000. Contact the U. S. Consulate in Adana, located at 212 Girne Bulvari, Guzelevler Mahallesi, Yuregir, Adana at +90-322-455-4100. Contact the Consular Agency in Izmir at [email protected] Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U. S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.