What Locals Wish You Knew Before Visiting Istanbul

You’ve probably seen the photos of sunset over the Bosphorus, seagulls flying about, and you’re imagining yourself with a simit in one hand and Turkish tea in the other. Istanbul really seems like a dream, and it is, but not the kind you see in guidebooks.

If you spend just one day in the city, you’ll start to notice things. For example, the waiter won’t bring you a check unless you ask for it and strangers will cut you in line without saying a word. The guy selling chestnuts on the corner will call you “abi” like you’re his older brother and the traffic? Oh, man… Don’t even start.

Istanbul has its own rules and it’s fast and slow at the same time. It’s friendly, but not in the way you’d expect. And if you don’t understand the unwritten codes the locals live by, Istanbul will feel pretty overwhelming.

What Locals Pay Attention to

Istanbul gets millions of visitors every year and the locals are completely used to tourists. But that doesn’t mean they won’t notice how you act. Actually, your behavior will make you feel welcome or… the other thing.

Locals value respect and, even if you’re not fluent in Turkish, that’s fine as long as you show some effort.

If you want to be fully prepped for the City on Two Continents, here are six things you’ll be glad you knew beforehand:

1 – Don’t Skip the Greeting

When you walk into a small shop, café, or even a market stall, you have to greet the person behind the counter or you’ll be perceived as rude. A simple “Merhaba” (tuskish for hello) and a quick smile is all you need to show them you’re not just browsing like a ghost.

You don’t even have to buy anything, you just need to acknowledge the person in front of you. Locals notice when you treat them like people instead of props and that one small word will totally change the way they treat you.

2 – Show Respect in Mosques and Religious Areas

Tourists often treat mosques like museums, but for locals, these are active places of worship so you need to change your attitude. You need to dress modestly, keep your voice low, and you absolutely must remove your shoes. Also, if you’re a woman, you need to cover your head.

Nobody expects you to be religious, but you have to be respectful. What really bothers people is when visitors treat the place like a photo shoot and take selfies in the middle of the prayer.

Even if nobody says anything, everybody notices.

3 – Bargain with Style and Don’t Be Aggressive

When you research private tours in Istanbul, Turkey online, pretty much every single search result will tell you that haggling is an integral part of the shopping culture in Istanbul and not participating in that is considered rude. That, however, doesn’t mean you can be disrespectful. Locals like a little bit of back-and-forth, you know, just so that it feels that you didn’t accept the first offered price. Put a bit of flare into the experience by slapping a nifty counteroffer – they love that!

But, if you push too hard or act like everything around you is overpriced junk, you’ve missed the point.

You aren’t just trying to get the lowest price but understand the exchange. Good manners trump the final number every time.

If you’re polite and have a little fun with it, sellers will (almost always) meet you halfway.

4 – Don’t Point with Your Feet or Touch Cats Roughly

In Turkish culture, feet are considered the lowest part of the body and not just physically, but also symbolically. If you point your feet at someone while sitting, or using your foot to nudge something near a person, it will come across as disrespectful. This is one of the things tourists rarely think about but locals notice right away.

One particularly wonderful thing about Istanbul is that street cats are practically royalty here. They’re well-fed, cared for, and people adore them. If you treat them like toys or you’re rough with them, you’ll seriously offend the locals that see it.

This part is common sense, though. If you’re a decent person, you’ll treat animals kindly, and if you don’t, well… Offended locals are the least of your problems.

5 – Time Isn’t Always Rigid So Don’t Take It Personally

Schedules aren’t really strict in Istanbul and being a little late is pretty normal, especially in social settings. If someone shows up 15 minutes after the agreed time, they’re not considered rude, it’s all part of the flow and nobody will hold it against them.

Locals care more about the conversation and people than about the clock, so getting super annoyed because someone is late doesn’t help the situation. Be patient, whether you’re waiting on a boat to depart or dinner at a restaurant.

It goes without saying that a little patience goes a long way, but still.. It’s not bad to remind ourselves of that fact from time to time.

Conclusion

Istanbul won’t try to impress you, you get what you see with it. It’s loud, messy, beautiful, generous, complicated, and absolutely bonkers about cats. And the people? They’ve seen it all and they know if you’re genuinely curious or if you’re just there for the photo ops.

Locals couldn’t care less about perfection, but they notice effort. A little warmth, some respect, a greeting when you walk through the door and you’re good to go.

Oh, and don’t forget to be nice to the cats! Like, really nice.