Travel health in Turkey: tap water, food, ticks, rabies and heat
Health tips for visiting Turkey: can you drink the tap water, traveller’s diarrhoea, sunstroke, ticks and Crimean-Congo fever, rabies after dog bites, vaccines.
Short answer
The most common health problems for travellers in Turkey are diarrhoea, sunburn and heat illness. Mains water is treated in many cities, but bottled water is preferred for drinking because of old building pipes. In rural areas protect yourself from ticks, and after any animal bite or scratch see a doctor the same day.
Water and food
- Drink sealed bottled water; tap water is generally fine for brushing teeth.
- With street food, choose dishes that are well cooked and served hot.
- For diarrhoea, drink plenty and use oral rehydration salts; see a doctor for bloody diarrhoea, high fever or if you cannot keep fluids down.
Sun and heat
- Stay in the shade around midday and use a hat and sunscreen.
- Drink plenty of water; alcohol increases fluid loss.
- Heatstroke with confusion, no sweating and high temperature is an emergency: call 112.
Ticks
In spring and summer, ticks in rural and grassy areas can carry Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Wear light-coloured, covering clothes; remove a tick without crushing it, ideally at a health facility or with fine tweezers close to the skin, and seek care immediately if fever, weakness or bleeding develop in the following days.
Animal bites and rabies
If a cat, dog or other animal bites or scratches you, wash the wound with plenty of soap and water for 15 minutes and go to a health facility the same day; the doctor decides whether you need rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin.
Vaccines and insurance
Make sure routine vaccinations, including tetanus, are up to date and see a travel health clinic before your trip. Check that your travel insurance covers emergency treatment and repatriation.
Find a doctor in your city
Compare doctors in Turkey by city, symptom or treatment; see profiles, reviews and available times and send a free appointment request. Rankings are not paid for.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drink tap water in Turkey?
Mains water is treated, but quality can vary because of building pipes; bottled water is recommended for drinking.
Is there rabies in Turkey?
Yes, Turkey is a country with rabies risk; bites and scratches need assessment on the same day.
What should I do if a tick bites me?
Remove it correctly and watch for fever, weakness or bleeding for two weeks; seek care immediately if they appear.
Related questions
Sources
This content is based on information published by official bodies and on current Turkish legislation; rules and practice may change. Last updated: . To report an error: contact us.
This page is for general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. In an emergency, call 112 (Turkey’s free emergency number). En İyi Hekim does not rank doctors as “the best”; positions in listings cannot be bought.