Türkiye is an incredibly diverse country so looking at what to wear in Turkey will depend on where you are visiting and when (because it gets cold in Türkiye in winter you know!). After multiple trips to Türkiye, I’m going to help you work out clothes to wear in Turkey and what to pack for Turkey!
Technically, you can wear you want in most parts of Türkiye, there are no rules. But, in some areas like Istanbul, Konya and Ankara I do think following the a Turkey dress code to a degree is important, especially for women visiting Turkey alone, to feel more comfortable exploring the these areas and I will elaborate on what I mean by that more below.
In this Turkey blog post, I’m going to help you (and I’m mainly hgelping the ladies where with what to wear in Turkey as a woman) and go through what to wear in Turkey covering all seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. And I’ll answer the question what should female tourists wear in Turkey?
What to Wear in Turkey
This will also help you work out what to pack for Turkey so you feel comfortable throughout your stay, temperature-wise and attention-wise.
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How to Dress in Turkey as a Tourist
As a tourist to Turkey, you’re most likely wondering ‘what to wear in Turkey’ so you wear clothing that is culturally appropriate and want to know if there are any rules around the Turkey dress code.
What to Wear in at Beach Towns in Turkey
There is no Turkey dress code for tourists. Tourists can dress pretty much however they want in Turkey and this 100% applies in tourist areas in Turkey like the beaches of Antalya, Dalaman, Izmir, Marmaris, Fethiye etc.
In these popular beach towns in Turkey you can wear any swimwear on the beach and in the pool and wear beach clothing in the streets.
In some places you may see signs that advise you that swimwear only cannot be worn on the street and a cover-up for a woman is needed, the same when entering cafes and restaurants and this is common in many countries.
If you are a Muslim woman visiting Turkey, unfortunatley, despite Turkey being a Muslim-majority country, some hotel resorts and beaches do not allow modest swimwear because they believe it offends other tourists so do check with your Turkey hotel before booking if they allow modest swimwear (crazy, I know!).
The Southern beach towns of Turkey do remain fairly good weather all year round so when you’re thinking of what to pack for Turkey, you’ll want summer clothing from May to October at the beach towns of Turkey and plenty of protective sunwear.
The beach towns do get cold in winter though. We did a family holiday to Antalya in winter just after Christmas and although the kids were in t-shirts and shorts in the day, a hoodie was still needed for us and by evening it became much chillier. We had quite a bit of rain too so packing layers and options for winter in Turkey by the coast is needed.
What to Wear in Cappadocia
The idea that tourists can wear what they want in Turkey, also applies to tourist hot-spots in Turkey like Cappadocia and Pamukkale.
There is no dress code here and you can dress how you would on holiday in any other country, especially if you are thinking about what to wear in Cappadocia in summer because you are concerned it’s going to be very hot! You can wear shorts and a vest top here no problem as a woman visiting Turkey as well as dresses.
The sun in Cappadocia is strong and summers are extremely hot as it is desert terrain. For what to wear in Cappadocia in summer, I’d recommend loose fitting linen clothing, a sunhat and lots of SPF.
Cappadocia does get cold in Spring, Autumn and Winter though so you will need to dress warm in these months. I’ve been to Cappadocia 3 times in October and although the day times are warm from the sunshine, the evenings get very chilly.
During winter in Cappadocia it snows! Here’s my guide to the best time to visit Cappadocia with the weather in Cappadocia by month to see what it will be like when you go and a packing guide to Cappadocia.
Here are more of my Cappadocia blog posts to help you plan your trip if you are going:
What to Wear in Istanbul
I have a full guide on what to wear in Istanbul as a woman. This blog post on how to dress in Istanbul is designed to ensure that as a woman you feel a bit more safe and comfortable in Istanbul.
As I say in that post too, there is no dress code for Istanbul for tourists and you’ll see local Turkish women dressed in a variety of ways in Istanbul.
However, I have visited Istanbul many times and lived there for a few months and I have noticed (and heard many other women who visit Istanbul say) that when you are covered more in longer trousers and a top that covers your chest, you do feel like you less attention from the men in the streets in Istanbul and this can go along way to you actually enjoying your stay there and instead of being annoyed by said men and feeling uncomfortable which is what happened to me when I first went to Istanbul.
This idea mainly applies for summer in Istanbul when it is very hot along with the late spring and early autumn shoulder seasons because come November – April, Istanbul gets cold and even snows in January so naturally, as a woman wondering what to wear in Istanbul, you will be fully covered anyway in usual clothing because of the colder temperature.
If you are visiting Istanbul in the late Autumn, Winter and early Spring months I recommend packing a coat and layers incase of cold weather.
Wondering where to stay in Istanbul? Here’s my GUIDE For Where to Stay in Istanbul! 10 BEST Neighbourhoods in Istanbul to Stay in!
For more of my Istanbul blog posts if you’re going see:
- 32 BEST Cafes in Istanbul! Cool, Quirky, Great Coffee in Istanbul Cafes!
- 36 BEST Things To Do In Istanbul With Insider Tips to Visit the Best Places in Istanbul!
- Istanbul 4 Day Itinerary! What To See in Istanbul in 4 Days!
- 10 Istanbul Hidden Gems To Visit For Unique Things To Do in Istanbul!
- 10 BEST Neighbourhoods in Istanbul to Stay in!
What to Wear in Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Türkiye, although most people don’t realise this which makes it a great travel trivia quizz question!
When it comes to tourism in Ankara, it is not a as much of a popular place to visit in Turkey with foreign tourists and therefore as a woman visiting Ankara and wondering what to wear in Turkey, I would advise being cautious to dress a bit more modestly and conservatively, especially in summer when it’s hot and you might prefer to have more skin on show.
Ankara is a modern city and women in Ankara dress in a range of ways but to avoid any unwanted male attention, I advise dressing in this way.
What to Wear in Konya
Tourist spots in Turkey like Konya and Bursa which are known as being spiritual and cultural cities in Turkey and are Muslim-majority, it is best for female tourists to dress in a cultural manner and dress more modestly and convatively with legs, shoulders and chest covered.
Women do not need to cover their hair in Konya or Bursa but there are many chances to visit impressive mosques where women do need to cover their hair, arms and legs so being dressed appropriately already will help ease entry and carrying a scarf will ensure you can always cover your hair when needed.
What to Wear on a Turkey Road Trip
If you are doing a Turkey road trip, whether driving yourself or taking a bus, and you will visit a lot of different places in Turkey, when thinking about what to wear in Turkey in these places, consider how touristy they are.
If you are visiting town or city in Turkey that isn’t on the tourist-radar it’s a good idea as a woman to dress slightly more covered in trousers past the knee and your chest covered to avoid unwanted attention by men and avoid being ripped off by looking like a ‘typical tourist’.
Having a scarf on you is a good idea as you can use this to cover your shoulders easily if needs be, especially in summer if it’s hot and you are in a smaller top.
How to Dress in Turkey
Based on my advise on what to wear in Turkey in the different popular regions here is a list of clothes to wear in Turkey as a female that will be perfect for your trip where-ever you go:
- Jumpsuits
- Maxi Dresses
- Midi Dresses
- 3/4 Pants
- T-Shirts
- Loose Linen Shirt
- Kimono Cover Up
- Scarf to have on hand
Now you have an idea of what to wear in Turkey in the different parts of the country, let’s look into the season you’ll be visiting Turkey and how to dress in Turkey based on the time of year you’re going because some may think that Turkey is warm all year round and this is not the case!
What to Wear in Turkey in Summer
Turkey gets extremely hot in the summer all over the country. Istanbul is extremely hot in the months of June-August and whilst the beach resorts on the South Coast benefit from a sea breeze, it’s still very hot.
Clothing that is best for Turkey in Summer is lightweight linen clothing like dresses, jumpsuits, pants and shirts plus light cover-ups if you’re on the beach or at the hotel pool in swimwear.
The sun is strong in Turkey too, if you are visiting Turkey with kids, look into getting them a fully covering swimsuit for sun protection and pack lots of high SPF!
What to Wear in Turkey in Winter
Yes, Turkey gets cold in Winter! In the Eastern side of Turkey you can go skiing in the winter!
But focusing on the popular places to visit in Turkey like Istanbul and Cappadocia, you will need your winter coat, gloves, hat, scarf and boots when visiting in winter and in January-February you’ll likely experience snow!
On the beaches of Turkey in the winter, it isn’t as cold but a light jacket, waterproof jacket, jeans, trousers and a jumper are needed alongside t-shirts and swimwear because often the days can be mild but it gets colder at night.
Also, make sure to book a hotel in Turkey in winter with a heated outdoor pool so you can swim in the pool otherwise it will be too cold. We stayed at the Rixos Downtown Antalya which had this and it was a great!
Turkey Dress Code
So as we can see, there is no exact Turkey dress code and what to wear as a woman in Turkey will depend on the time of year you visit, where you visit and how you wish to dress, although at times, it is best to dress slightly more modesty to save unwanted male attention.
What do Women Wear in Turkey?
You might be interested in what do people in Turkey wear? It really does vary. Türkiye is a Muslim-majority country however, many people are Christian and un-religious.
This means you’ll see many Muslim women in Turkey fully covered in a headscarf and Abaya, like in Saudi Arabia, you’ll also see women like me who wear a headscarf but modest western clothing.
You’ll also see many Turkish women and ex-pat women in short and revealing clothing which is fine to do.
One of the things I really enjoy about Istanbul and Turkey in general is that it appears, as a tourist at least, that it’s very open and accepting society and this shows in the varied dress sense of women in Turkey I think.
As I say, I do find that men in Turkey can be quite annoying because they are trying to sell you things or get you into their shop / cafe in tourist sites and other young men tend to stare a lot, and in the past I’ve felt that the less I’ve worn, the heightened this has been.
I hope this helps you with what to wear in Turkey and the Turkey dress code!
- For more of my outfit guides see:
- What To Wear In Istanbul As a Woman To Feel Comfortable Exploring!
- What to Wear in India as a Tourist to Feel Comfortable & Safe!
- What To Wear in Pakistan! Packing List & Dress Code for Tourists in Pakistan!
- What To Wear in Dubai! PRACTICAL & HONEST Advice for Tourists to Dubai!
- What To Wear in Abu Dhabi & Dress Code in Abu Dhabi For Tourists!
- What To Wear in Qatar & Qatar Dress Code for Tourists!