Winter
Dec → Feb9 to 11°
nights 4 to 6°
- 12 rainy days · 92 mm
- sea 10°
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
- Jan9°not recommended
- Feb11°not recommended
- Mar12°fair
- Apr17°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun26°recommended
- Jul29°fair
- Aug29°fair
- Sep26°recommended
- Oct20°recommended
- Nov16°fair
- Dec11°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Istanbul, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | 4° | 109 mm | 13 d | 10° | |
| February | 11° | 5° | 77 mm | 11 d | 9° | |
| March | 12° | 5° | 77 mm | 11 d | 9° | |
| April | 17° | 9° | 56 mm | 9 d | 11° | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 13° | 57 mm | 9 d | 14° | ✓ |
| June | 26° | 18° | 51 mm | 9 d | 20° | ✓ |
| July | 29° | 21° | 31 mm | 5 d | 25° | |
| August | 29° | 22° | 20 mm | 3 d | 25° | |
| September | 26° | 18° | 48 mm | 8 d | 24° | ✓ |
| October | 20° | 14° | 55 mm | 7 d | 20° | ✓ |
| November | 16° | 10° | 84 mm | 9 d | 17° | |
| December | 11° | 6° | 90 mm | 13 d | 12° |
The four seasons in Istanbul, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Sultanahmet) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May12 to 21°
nights 5 to 13°
- 10 rainy days · 63 mm
- sea 11°
Summer
Jun → Aug26 to 29°
nights 18 to 22°
- 6 rainy days · 34 mm
- sea 23°
Autumn
Sep → Nov16 to 26°
nights 10 to 18°
- 8 rainy days · 62 mm
- sea 20°
Book early for April to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Istanbul, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h06 of daylight, in December 9h14, a difference of 5h52.
9h32Jan
10h34Feb
11h49Mar
13h15Apr
14h27May
15h06Jun
14h50Jul
13h48Aug
12h24Sep
11h01Oct
9h49Nov
9h14Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Sultanahmet" (41.01°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Istanbul, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Sightseeing & walks | ||||||||||||
| Diving & snorkelling | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 2 | 1 | 1 |
EventsTulip FestivalAprilIstanbul Film FestivalAprilIstanbul Music FestivalJuneRepublic DayOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Beach & swimming: July, August, September
- Sightseeing & walks: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
- Diving & snorkelling: July, August
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Istanbul, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. Exact dates change from year to year, so check them before you book.
- AprilTulip Festival
Millions of bulbs bloom in Emirgan and Gülhane parks, the tulip having been grown here before the Netherlands.
- AprilIstanbul Film Festival
Two weeks of screenings in the cinemas of Beyoğlu, with Turkish and international competitions.
- JuneIstanbul Music Festival
Classical concerts at Hagia Irene and in the Bosphorus palaces over three weeks in June.
- OctoberRepublic Day
At the end of October, flags on the façades, parades and fireworks over the Bosphorus for the anniversary of the republic.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 109 mm · 13 d
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended11°5° at night
- 77 mm · 11 d
- sea 9°
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair12°5° at night
- 77 mm · 11 d
- sea 9°
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended17°9° at night
- 56 mm · 9 d
- sea 11°
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°13° at night
- 57 mm · 9 d
- sea 14°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended26°18° at night
- 51 mm · 9 d
- sea 20°
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair29°21° at night
- 31 mm · 5 d
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair29°22° at night
- 20 mm · 3 d
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended26°18° at night
- 48 mm · 8 d
- sea 24°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended20°14° at night
- 55 mm · 7 d
- sea 20°
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair16°10° at night
- 84 mm · 9 d
- sea 17°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 90 mm · 13 d
- sea 12°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (109 mm). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 11 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (77 mm). Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 12 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (77 mm). Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 17 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (56 mm). Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (57 mm). Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 26 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (51 mm). Cool sea (20 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 29 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 31 mm over 5 days. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 29 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Hardly any rain (20 mm over 3 days). The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
September. 26 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (48 mm). The sea is at 24 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 55 mm over 7 days. Cool sea (20 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (84 mm). Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (90 mm). Sea at 12 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
April to June and September to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 17 to 26 °C, with 8 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Sultanahmet).
Which month should you avoid in Istanbul?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 109 mm over 13 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Sultanahmet).
What is the hottest month in Istanbul?
July, with 29 °C on average in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Sultanahmet).
What is the coldest month in Istanbul?
January, with 9 °C at best during the day and 4 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Sultanahmet).
What is the driest month in Istanbul?
August: 20 mm over 3 days of rain, against 109 mm in January, the wettest month.
When can you swim in Istanbul?
The water reaches 22 °C or more in July, August, September (warmest 25 °C in July), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Sultanahmet).
When to go diving or snorkelling in Istanbul?
July, August: the sea is above 25 °C, warm enough to stay in a long time without a thick wetsuit. 2023-2024 records on the nearest coast (Sultanahmet).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Istanbul guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Turkey: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Julia Volk / Pexels · Bruna Santos / Pexels · Ahmet Gürün / Pexels · Mathias Reding / Pexels · Muhammed Zahid Bulut / Pexels · Julien Goettelmann / Pexels